By the time Bash at the Beach, World Championship Wrestling’s pay-per-view tournament, rolled around in July 1996, Hulk Hogan, the wrestling persona of Terry Gene Bollea, was a known quantity.

Much of wrestling’s success over the past 40 years can be attributed to the popularity of Hulk Hogan. Photo: Getty Images Before Hulk Hogan, professional wrestling was a fringe sporting event.

Hulk Hogan, who helped turn pro wrestling into billion-dollar spectacle, dies at 71 By Rocky Swift July 24, 20255:56 PM PDTUpdated July 25, 2025 ...