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Terry Gene Bollea, aka Hulk Hogan, the iconic WWE Hall of Famer, passed away at the age of 71.
In Dwayne 'the Rock' Johnson's mourning of one of his greatest idols, he wrote a tribute on Instagram to honor and recall the memories he shared with the true wrestling icon.
What Did The Rock Say in His Tribute to Hulk Hogan?
The 53-year-old wrestler-turned-actor took to Instagram on Friday, July 5, to mourn the wrestling icon, with whom he shared a memorable match at the WWE Wrestlemania 18 in 2002.
"Rest in Peace, Terry Bollea aka The Immortal Hulk Hogan," Johnson wrote alongside a video recap of his legendary match with Hogan.
In Johnson's letter, he recalled giving the HULKSTER headband back in 1984 to Hogan. At the time, Hogan was wrestling Mr. Wonderful, Paul Orndorff. "You were shocked and so happy after the match because you told me that was your very last headband and if it weren't for me, you'd have no way of getting that exact one made again."
In fact, The Rock mentioned that Hogan "promised" he would get more made and "give [Johnson] a Hulkster headband of [his] own as a thank you gift."
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A month later, Hogan kept his promise. "You kept your word, with a handshake and a 'thanks kid.' And that meant the world to that little 12-year-old boy," Johnson wrote.
The 3rd-generation professional wrestler-turned actor recounted the moment that changed history: the night he stood in the ring with his longtime idol, "It takes two to tango, but that historic crowd reaction was all for you," especially when he "kicked out of [his] Rock Bottom finisher."
However, as much as The Rock knew what that night meant to both of them, Hogan remains his hero.
"You may have 'passed the torch' to me that night, but you, my friend... You 'drew the house'," in which Johnson explained meant Hogan 'sold out every arena and stadium' in his prime, "On your way of becoming the greatest of all time."
What is The Rock's Latest A24 Biopic, The Smashing Machine, About?
Speaking of Dwayne 'the Rock' Johnson honoring past champions, he is set to appear as the former MMA/UFC champion Mark Kerr, aka The Smashing Machine, in a true-to-life story based on the boxer's life.
The biopic navigates the highs and lows of Kerr's life, from rising through the MMA world to the unfortunate derailment of his opioid addiction.
"I love making the bigger blockbuster movies. They're a lot of fun. They're hard as s*** to make, and a lot of people enjoy them—hopefully, knock on wood, around the world," Johnson explained in a previous interview with Pat McAfee, "But I wanted more."
Essentially, the Rock wanted a more challenging role and landed this opportunity, "I just wanted the opportunity to disappear into something and disappear into a part and a role that would really challenge me in ways that I've never been challenged before."
A24's The Smashing Machine premieres in US theaters on October 3.
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