From “Rocky III” cameos to WrestleMania main events, Hulk Hogan (Terry Bollea) transcended pro-wrestling to become a pop-culture phenomenon. His final farewell is expected to draw the very people who were along for the ride of at least part of his historic career.
In fact, prediction market Kalshi is letting traders predict who will attend Tuesday’s memorial in Tampa Bay, Florida.
Here are some of the biggest names who could pay their respects to the legend.
President Donald Trump
Business partner and fellow WWE Hall-of-Famer Donald Trump hosted WrestleManias IV and V at Trump Plaza, forging a friendship with Hogan that blended glitz, promotional bravado, and reality-TV synergy. Hogan later supported Trump’s presidential bid, while Trump lauded Hogan’s star power during his 2013 Hall-of-Fame induction.
Despite the close ties and Hogan’s previous support, Trump has only a 16% chance of making it to Tampa on Tuesday, according to prediction markets (accurate as of Monday morning). How will wrestling fans react if the president is a no-show?
“Nature Boy” Ric Flair
Ric Flair’s career-defining rivalry with Hogan spanned both WWF and WCW, culminating in dream matches that sold out arenas and pay-per-views. Off camera, the two bonded over showmanship, survived parallel health scares, and became close golf buddies who often shared the stage at autograph shows.
Flair actually has a house in Tampa, so we expect him to make the funeral, and is, in part, why prediction markets give him an 83% of doing so.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
The Rock and Hogan delivered a torch-passing classic at WrestleMania X8 that drew 68,000 fans to Toronto’s SkyDome. Backstage, Hogan mentored Johnson on parlaying wrestling fame into Hollywood success—guidance Johnson credits for launching his billion-dollar acting career.
John Cena
A lifelong Hulkamaniac, Cena met Hogan in 2003 and teamed with him on WWE’s 2005 “Raw Homecoming.” Hogan’s flair for catchphrases inspired Cena’s “You can’t see me” brand, and the duo has co-headlined countless charity and Make-A-Wish events.
Kalshi gives Cena only a 60% of showing after his WWE Summer Slam performance in New Jersey.
Vince McMahon
As the architect of Hulkamania, Vince McMahon bought the WWF in 1982 and immediately positioned Hogan as its centerpiece. Their partnership turned regional wrestling into a global spectacle through the MTV-era “Rock ’n’ Wrestling Connection” and the first three WrestleManias.
Kevin Nash
Big Daddy Cool persuaded Hogan to turn heel at WCW’s Bash at the Beach ’96, birthing the nWo and igniting the Monday Night Wars. Their alliance both on-screen and off included shared merchandise deals and family dinners on the road.
The Undertaker (Mark Calaway)
Undertaker won his first WWF Championship from Hogan at Survivor Series 1991, a bout that sparked years of mutual respect. Hogan later praised Calaway for protecting him during high-impact spots, and the two remained confidants through retirement tours and Hall-of-Fame weekends.
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin
Although they never met in a singles match, Austin often cites Hogan’s 1980s boom for paving the pay-per-view model that fueled his own Attitude Era success.
Bill Goldberg
Hogan’s clean loss to Goldberg before 41,000 fans at Atlanta’s Georgia Dome on July 6, 1998 catapulted Goldberg to superstardom and set cable-TV ratings records. The pair later reunited on WWE Network specials to reminisce about that historic title change.
Paul “Triple H” Levesque
Triple H feuded with Hogan over the Undisputed WWE Title in 2002 and later headlined SummerSlam against him. Now WWE’s Chief Content Officer, Levesque frequently references Hogan’s business instincts when mentoring today’s roster on branding and longevity.
Joe Rogan
Podcast titan Rogan interviewed Hogan during their 2019 “Joe Rogan Experience” episode, where they discussed fitness myths and backstage lore. The appearance reignited interest in Hogan’s life story among millions of listeners, but its not clear the two ever became close beyond the show.
Rey Mysterio Jr.
Hogan lobbied WCW executives in 1996 to spotlight the high-flying Mysterio after his upset win over Kevin Nash. Years later, Hogan donned Mysterio’s mask during a 2003 WWE house-show tag match, creating an unforgettable crowd moment while underscoring his support for underdogs.
