Hulk Hogan‘s son Nick Hogan paid tribute to the late WWE icon at the launch of his father’s wrestling promotion Real American Freestyle.
Nick, 35, and Hulk’s wife, Sky Daily, were both in attendance on Saturday, August 30, at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio for RAF 01 — a Fox Nation wrestling special that Hulk was producing before his death at age 71 in July. (Us Weekly reported in July that Hogan died from an acute myocardial infarction — commonly known as a heart attack — but also had a history of leukemia CLL. Hulk’s daughter, Brooke Hogan, has raised questions about the official cause of death.)
Speaking at RAF 01, Nick took a moment to address Hulk’s legacy as a father and his impact on the professional wrestling industry.
“Hulk, to me, is an icon, a mentor, my father, and my best friend,” Nick told viewers. “[He was] a force in the sports entertainment industry that will live forever.”
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Hulk and former World Championship Wrestling executive Eric Bischoff announced in April that they were forming a professional freestyle wrestling league to promote Olympic-style wrestling. Fox Nation came on board to air Saturday’s launch special, as well another event to air later this year.
The network confirmed earlier this week that RAF 01 was dedicated to Hulk’s memory and would feature members of his family making an appearance.
Nick and his wife, Tana Lea, were previously involved when WWE — which is not affiliated with Real American Freestyle — aired multiple tributes to Hulk at live events earlier in the summer. WWE gathered some of Hulk’s rivals and friends— including Sgt. Slaughter, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan and “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart — for multiple ten-bell salutes in his honor in the week after his death.
In August, Nick visited the site of the planned Hulk Hogan’s Slam Sports Bar in New York City to pose for some photos with Hulk’s business partner Rich Rosen. Rosen confirmed to PageSix that he was pressing forward with construction on the Slam Sports Bar and expected it to open later this year.
“Hulk Hogan wasn’t just a partner. He was a dear friend and a legend whose impact on sports and entertainment is immeasurable. From the very beginning, Hulk poured his heart into this project,” Rosen said. “He shaped the spirit of what Slam was meant to be, a place where fans from around the world could gather at the very corner where his legend began, to celebrate his legacy and the unforgettable moments that defined his career.”
Hulk Hogan’s Slam Sports Bar will be located across the street from the famed Madison Square Garden, where Hulk won his first WWE World Heavyweight Championship from The Iron Sheik on January 23, 1984. Hulk would go on to become a 12-time World Champion in both WWE and its one-time competitor WCW. (WWE purchased WCW in March 2001.)
A source told Us that between 800 and 1,000 people showed up for a 90-minute funeral service at the Indian Rocks Baptist Church in Largo, Florida on August 5. Hulk’s widow, Daily, and his ex-wife, Linda Hogan, were both in attendance with Nick, though Brooke declined to attend. ‘
Daily later referred to the funeral as “one of the most beautiful and moving days [she had] ever experienced.”
“In the same church where we were married and baptized together, we gathered with family, friends, and loved ones to honor a life that touched millions,” she wrote via Instagram on August 6. “The church was filled with stories… some that brought tears, others that made us laugh through those tears… and with every memory shared, you could feel the love that surrounded him.”
