Emotions ran high at WWE SummerSlam as Nick Hogan, son of the late Hulk Hogan, was seen visibly moved during a heartfelt tribute to the wrestling legend. Hulk Hogan was found dead in his Clearwater, Florida home on July 24, at the age of 71.
WWE Honors Hulk Hogan with SummerSlam Tribute
During the SummerSlam broadcast, WWE commentator Michael Cole announced the death of the Hall of Famer, describing Hulk as a wrestling icon who maintained an undefeated record at SummerSlam. Cole noted his victories over legends such as Randy Orton, Shawn Michaels, and Sgt. Slaughter.
Remembering legendary WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan at SummerSlam. pic.twitter.com/0KHWquAOs9
— WWE (@WWE) August 2, 2025
Nick Hogan was in attendance at the event and appeared overwhelmed with emotion as the tribute aired. WWE also honored Hogan with moments of silence during WWE SmackDown, WWE Raw, and WWE NXT, attended by notable names like Jimmy Hart, Eric Bischoff, Sgt. Slaughter, and Nick himself.
Hulk Hogan’s Cause of Death
Reports indicate that Hulk Hogan died of a heart attack. Prior to his passing, he had been diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, a slow-growing form of blood cancer.
Who Is Nick Hogan?
Nick Hogan, born July 27, 1990, is the son of Hulk Hogan and Linda Claridge. While Nick once pursued a brief motorsports career — earning a Formula D competition license in 2006 — he became more widely known for his legal troubles.
In 2007, Nick was involved in a serious car crash that left his passenger, John Graziano, brain dead. He was later charged with felony reckless driving, to which he pleaded no contest. He served six months of an eight-month sentence in Pinellas County Jail, along with probation and a license suspension.
Hulk Hogan reflected on the incident at the time, telling People:
“[Nick] was moving through life and maybe not real appreciative of things … When this happened, it totally spun him in a 180. … It’s the best thing that ever happened to him. I’m not saying it’s a good thing. But it happened for a reason.”
Nick also addressed the crash in a 2010 Good Morning America interview:
“John’s my brother, we practically lived together and I just remember finding out about how bad everything was. It’s still hard for me to think about it. I pray every day that I will be able to deal with it. It’s still at this point it’s too much to think about. It’s something that I carry with me every day.”
