"WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away," they said in a statement to PEOPLE on July 24, after the news of his death was first reported by TMZ. "One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans."

Hogan, real name Terry Gene Bollea, was born in Augusta, Georgia, in 1953 and raised in Tampa. Though Hogan attended wrestling shows growing up in Florida, he started his career in entertainment as a musician,