Vince McMahon responds to Hulk Hogan’s death: ‘The world lost a treasure today’

In a rare public statement, Vince McMahon responded to the death of Hulk Hogan on Thursday.

The statement was posted to McMahon’s X/Twitter account after news broke this morning that Hogan had passed away of cardiac arrest at 71 years old. McMahon praised Hogan as a trailblazer, the consummate performer, and the greatest WWE Superstar of all time.

“The world lost a treasure today,” McMahon said. “Hulk Hogan was the greatest WWE Superstar of ALL TIME, someone who was loved and admired around the world. He was a trailblazer, the first performer who transitioned from being a wrestling star into a global phenomenon.

“His grit and unbridled thirst for success were unparalleled – and made him the consummate performer. He gave everything he had to the audience whom he appreciated, respected and loved.

“He leaves us with one of his favorite expressions, ‘Train, take your vitamins and say your prayers.’ Today, we pray for him.”

McMahon and Hogan will always be linked together as the two driving forces of the WWF’s rise to nationwide prominence in the 1980s. They even had a match against each other at WrestleMania XIX in 2003 with a storyline based on whether McMahon or Hogan deserves more credit for WWE’s success.

Hogan underwent neck surgery this May and had been dealing with health complications in the weeks before passing away.

There have only been a few public statements from McMahon since he resigned from WWE and its parent company TKO Group Holdings in January 2024 after a lawsuit had been filed against him by former WWE employee Janel Grant. That lawsuit, which is still ongoing, accuses the 79-year-old McMahon of physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault, and sex trafficking.