In a touching new interview, WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Hart recalls the bond he shared with the late Hulk Hogan, delving into Hogan’s final moments and the shock of his passing.
The day after Hulk Hogan’s unexpected death on Thursday, Jimmy Hart is still grappling with the reality that his dear friend is no longer here. “I called Hogan the night before, and then the very next morning, everything changed,” an emotional Hart recounted during his Friday morning chat with PEOPLE. “It was just… it all happened so fast, yet the day before felt so promising.”
At 81 years old, Hart reflects on their recent encounters, having last seen Hogan about a month prior to his neck surgery. The two friends shared a love for wrestling and often watched matches together three times a week, as well as enjoyed karaoke nights with Hogan’s son, Nick, at Hogan’s Hangout bar in Clearwater, Florida.
“He was doing great,” Hart remembered of their last night together. “We had some amazing food and everything felt right. He was engaging with fans—it was just phenomenal.” After calling Hogan earlier this week, Hart spoke with Hogan’s assistant, who reassured him that Hogan was “doing great.” Hart couldn’t help but feel relieved to hear that news.
Then came the devastating news—Hogan had passed away at 71. In response to a reported “cardiac arrest” at Hogan’s home, authorities arrived, and he was pronounced dead approximately 90 minutes later at Morton Plant Hospital.
This loss hits hard for Hart. “It was just so sudden,” he expressed. “We believed he was doing so well. We chose not to visit him at home or in the hospital to prevent any chance of infection from visitors.”
From The Rocket Arena in Cleveland, where WWE was set to honor Hogan during a Friday Night SmackDown event, Hart summed it up: “Losing someone in this business feels like losing family. It’s a brotherhood, and it hits home for all of us.”
Hart shared nostalgic stories from their time together in the wrestling world, where he first met Hogan while managing Jerry “The King” Lawler. From then on, they forged an inseparable friendship and professional partnership, traveling the globe to promote “Hulkamania” at various wrestling events. After successful runs in WWE, they also made their mark in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) before returning to WWE.
Even in the wake of Hogan’s death, fans approached Hart to chat about the wrestling legend. “Traveling with Hogan felt like being with Elvis Presley. The fans were wild for him; it was unbelievable!”
Despite maintaining a tough persona in the ring, Hart reflects on Hogan’s gentle side, noting the wrestler was genuinely a “big softy” at heart. “He loved wrestling with all his heart and missed being able to step into the ring due to his physical struggles. He’d undergone shoulder, hip, and knee replacements, and that’s why he had been feeling numbness in his fingers and decided to get neck surgery.”
The WWE acknowledged Hogan’s role in building their global status over the years, branding him as one of pop culture’s most recognizable figures. However, others in the wrestling community found it challenging to navigate the notable complexities of Hogan’s character versus the individual’s actions outside the ring.
Hart commended his friend, decisively stating, “Hogan ranks among the greatest wrestlers ever, right alongside Ric Flair.” Following the loss, Hart envisioned Hogan as finally at peace, free from pain. “Hulk loved this business more than anything, and now he’s reuniting with friends like Andre the Giant, Dusty Rhodes, and Randy Savage in Heaven, and I can just see him in that ultimate match against all the legends.”
