Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan worked the crowd last night at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee by doing his signature move of ripping off his shirt.
But did you know years before he made that move famous, Hogan was working the crowds in Cocoa Beach. In the late 1970s, back when he went by his birth name of Terry Bollea, Hulk was a bar manager.
Hogan, 70, spoke on the final night of the convention before former president Donald Trump formally accepted the Republican nomination for November’s presidential election.
“Let Trumpamania run wild brother,” Hogan said while ripping off a black shirt to reveal a red sleeveless Trump/Vance shirt. “Let Trumpamania rule again. Let Trumpamania Make America great again.”
What did Hulk Hogan do when he lived in Brevard County?
Hogan has posted on social media that he quit wrestling for a year, back in the late 1970s, to run a Cocoa Beach bar.
He helped manage what was then known as The Anchor Club located at the end of State Road 520. In his memoir “Hollywood Hulk Hogan,” he reminisced taking the job out of desperation.
During his short time in Brevard County, Hogan said he also had a gym called Whitey and Terry’s gym.
“The cops gracefully asked me to leave town,” Hogan wrote on Facebook.
Who is Hulk Hogan?
Born Terry Gene Bollea in Augusta, Georgia, Hulk Hogan is one of the greatest — certainly one of the most attention-getting — professional wrestlers of all time.
“The key figure in WWE’s rise from regional attraction to worldwide entertainment leader in the 1980s, The Hulkster’s superhuman size and undeniable charisma set the standard for what a Superstar should be,” WWE writes in Hogan’s biography. “A larger-than-life icon, he packed 93,173 WWE fans into the Pontiac Silverdome, won six WWE Championships, starred in movies, television shows and his own animated series and became an idol to a vast legion of fans he dubbed his Hulkamaniacs.”
According to Pro Wrestling Wiki, Hogan is a 12-time World Champion, including six WWF/WWE championships, six WCW World Heavyweight championships, and is a former WWE World Tag Team Champion with fellow wrestler Edge.
Is Hulk Hogan retired from wrestling?
After a 35-year career, Hogan officially retired from wrestling in 2012.
Is Hulk Hogan a Republican?
Hogan is a registered Republican and has shared some of his voting history (supporting Obama in 2008 and Romney in 2012) and even declared his potential aspirations for running for office.
According to The Hill, he said if he ever ran, he would run as a Republican but at the moment, he doesn’t have any plans to actually run for president.
“I’ve thought about it — as of late, people calling my phone, driving me crazy about running for Senate. They want me to run for governor, they want me to run for mayor,” the former professional wrestling star told TMZ’s Harvey Levin
How are Hulk Hogan and Donald Trump connected?
According to the Asbury Park Press, this won’t be the first time Trump and the controversial pro wrestling star are teaming up.
Hogan competed at Wrestlemania IV and V, which were both held at Trump’s Taj Mahal. Those events were held in 1988 and 1989. They’re also both part of the WWE Hall of Fame.
Does Hulk Hogan live in Florida?
Hogan has lived in Florida since his days as a reality star on “Hogan Knows Best.”
He’s lived in Tampa and Miami, got married and then divorced and then married again. He now resides in Clearwater, where he opened a Hulkamania shop. A second shop is located in Orlando.
Spitzer is a Trending Reporter. She can be reached at MSpitzer@Floridatoday.com