Venus Williams made her return to the tennis court this week after a 16-month absence.

The 45-year-old earned a victory in straight sets against 23-year-old opponent, Peyton Stearns, at the Citi DC Open on Tuesday night in Washington D.C.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion became the oldest player to win a tour-level singles match since 47-year-old Martina Navratilova defeated Catalina Castano at Wimbledon in 2004.

Williams could not overcome 27-year-old Magdalena Frech, 6-2, 6-2, in the second round of the tournament on Thursday, July 24. Williams has not won back-to-back matches since 2019.

Did Venus Williams compete in DC Open doubles?

Venus Williams and Hailey Baptiste won their first-round match in doubles play on Monday, but the duo fell short of reaching the third round.

Williams and Baptiste lost to second-seeded Taylor Townsend and Zhang Shuai, 6-4, 3-6, 10-6, in a champion’s tiebreaker on Wednesday, July 23.

Why did Venus Williams take time away from tennis?

Williams had taken time away from tennis as she recovered from surgery for uterine fibroids.

Williams also confirmed after her win on Tuesday that she’s engaged to actor Andrea Preti.

“My fiancé is here, and he really encouraged me to keep playing,” Williams told Rennae Stubbs after the match.

It was the first time Preti had seen her play.

The New York Jets survived a scare on Thursday after Justin Fields went down with an injury, prompting him to be carted off the field.

Later revealed to be a toe injury, the signal caller was given a rude introduction to life as the team’s quarterback on just the second day of training camp.

While the team likely avoided the worst-case scenario, it still led to some uneasy moments for Fields, the Jets and their fans.

The attention has since shifted to Fields’ upcoming time on the sidelines as he recovers from the injury.

Here’s a look at how long the Jets can expect to be without their starting quarterback.

How long is Justin Fields out?

While the exact timetable for how long Fields will be sidelined is uncertain, the team announced he is listed as day-to-day.

The hope is that the quarterback will be ready for Week 1, when the Jets begin their season at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The most important thing for Fields and the Jets is that the injury is not considered serious, meaning the worst-case scenario has been avoided.

Justin Fields injury update

Fields suffered a dislocated non-big toe after being stepped on in practice on Thursday, reports say.

He was carted off the field after being checked out by trainers, prompting the concern. Fields was sent for tests after initial reports indicated there was no fracture.

Even though reports have indicated the issue isn’t severe, Fields is still set to be sidelined for an undetermined amount of time.

The quarterback will work to get ready for the season, but it does leave the Jets a player short in the room.

Jets QB depth chart

The Jets have three quarterbacks on the roster outside of Fields. Here’s how the depth chart looks without him:

Tyrod Taylor
Adrian Martinez
Brady Cook

Outside of Fields, Taylor is the only quarterback with any legitimate NFL experience – starting 58 games in 14 seasons.

Martinez was an undrafted free agent that played in the UFL in 2024 and spent the NFL season on the Jets’ practice squad.

Cook just wrapped up his college career at Missouri, signing with the team as an undrafted free agent following the 2025 NFL Draft in April.

All the NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY’s 4th and Monday newsletter.

The Indiana Fever is back in the win column.

The Fever ended its two-game losing skid with a 80-70 win over the Las Vegas Aces on Thursday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis to move past Las Vegas and claim sixth place in the standings. The Fever did so without All-Star guard Caitlin Clark, who missed her third consecutive game with a right groin injury. The Fever lead the regular-season series, 2-1, and have defeated the Aces in back-to-back games for first time since 2015.

The Fever trailed by six points at halftime, but Indiana outscored Las Vegas, 45-29, in the second half. The Aces came within five points of the Fever with 1:33 remaining in the game, but Aari McDonald slammed the door shut with a 3-pointer to take an eight-point lead with 34.2 seconds left. The Fever credited their second half turnaround to a mid-game pep talk from head coach Stephanie White.

‘Coach told us at halftime that we were playing too soft. We let Las Vegas get whatever they wanted in the second quarter,’ said Natasha Howard, who finished with an 18-point, 13-rebound double-double. ‘When (White) told us that… we all locked in coming out in the second half.’

Kelsey Mitchell led the way with a game-high 21 points and four assists, while Aliyah Boston added a double-double with 13 points and 10 points. Four Fever starters finished with double-digit points. More importantly, Indiana’s defense held Las Vegas to only two 3-pointers the entire game, making a season low for the Aces.

USA TODAY Sports provided updates and highlights from the Aces-Fever game:

Fever vs. Aces highlights

End of Q3: Fever 62, Aces 56

Indiana outscored Las Vegas 27-15 in the third quarter to take a six-point lead into the fourth quarter.

Natasha Howard came alive in the third quarter, scoring 11 of her game-high 18 points in the period. She already has her sixth double-double of the season with 12 rebounds, including five offensive boards. Sophie Cunningham has added 13 points.

A’ja Wilson has a team-high 16 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals for Vegas. Jackie Young has added 15 points and two assists. However, the Aces haven’t been able to get going from long range. They are shooting 18.2% (2-of-11) from 3, compared to the Fever shooting a whopping 45% from 3 (9-of-20).

Halftime: Aces 41, Fever 35

Las Vegas has a 41-35 lead heading into halftime in a back-and-forth game so far. The Aces opened the second quarter against the Fever on a 8-0 run, which marked an 18-2 run going back to the first quarter. The Fever responded with an 8-0 run of their own, which was met by a 12-2 run by the Aces to close out the half.

Jackie Young led the way with a game-high 13 points. A’ja Wilson added 12 points and three rebounds. The Aces are shooting 44.1% from the field, but are struggling from beyond the arc (2-of-8).

The three ball, however, is keeping the Fever in striking distance. Indiana is 5-of-12 from three and is shooting 39.4% from the field, but the Fever must take better care of the ball (11 turnovers) and keep the Aces off the free throw line. The Fever had four free throw attempts in the first half, compared to 12 for the Aces.

Indiana’s apparent frustration with officiating boiled over in the second quarter when head coach Stephanie White was called for a technical foul with 5:53 remaining after Kelsey Mitchell fought through apparent contact on a layup attempt.

Natasha Howard, Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell and Sophie Cunningham each have seven points.

End of Q1: Fever 18, Aces 18

It’s a low-scoring affair between the Fever and Aces so far. The Fever led by as many as eight points in the first quarter, before the Aces closed the deficit and tied up the game, 18-18.

Jackie Young has a game-high six points for the Aces, followed by four points by A’ja Wilson.

The Fever have been frustrated early on by the whistle. The Aces had 11 free throw attempts in the first quarter, compared to two for the Fever. Aliyah Boston, who has four points, and Sophie Cunningham, who has five points, are both in foul trouble early with two fouls. Kelsey Mitchell added two points.

What time is Las Vegas Aces vs. Indiana Fever?

The Indiana Fever will host the Las Vegas Aces on Thursday, July 24 at 7 p.m. ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Fans can watch the action on Prime Video.

How to watch Las Vegas Aces vs. Indiana Fever: TV, stream

Time: 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT)
Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)
Streaming: Prime Video
Local TV: WTHR Channel 13 (Indianapolis), Vegas 34 (Las Vegas).

The game will also be available to view on demand on WNBA League Pass after it concludes.

Stream Aces vs. Fever on Prime

Is Caitlin Clark playing today? Injury status vs. Aces

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark has been ruled out of Thursday’s game against the Las Vegas Aces. Clark will miss her third consecutive game due to a right groin injury suffered in the Fever’s win over the Connecticut Sun on July 15. 

Thursday will mark the 12th regular-season game Clark has missed this season due to injury. There’s no timetable for her return.

Fever relaunch ‘Stranger Things’ special edition jersey

The Indiana Fever are donning alternate uniforms inspired by the Netflix series ‘Stranger Things.’

‘Stranger Things’ – which is set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana – will stream its final season on Netflix in three parts starting on Nov. 26. The jersey will also feature Demogorgon claw accents, and ‘011’ on the waistband, referencing the character, Eleven, portrayed by actress Millie Bobby Brown.

The Fever first wore the jersey with the ‘Stranger Things’ font in 2021 and has plans on wearing the jersey in home games on July 30 vs. the Phoenix Mercury, Aug. 9 vs. the Chicago Sky, Aug. 12 vs. the Dallas Wings, Aug. 26 vs. the Seattle Storm, and Sept. 9 against the Minnesota Lynx. — Scooby Axson

Indiana Fever starting lineup

Las Vegas Aces starting lineup

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

After an offseason dominated by intrigue and previously unimaginable headlines, Bill Belichick is only about a month away from coaching his first football game at North Carolina.

Before he does that, though, the legendary NFL coach will get to take part in one of his favorite exercises — speaking in front of a group of hundreds of reporters.

Heading into his first season ever as a college football coach, Belichick will make his scheduled appearance at ACC media days in Charlotte on July 24, where he’ll discuss his Tar Heels team ahead of its highly anticipated September 1 season-opener against TCU.

Since North Carolina stunned much of the college football world by hiring Belichick last December, the six-time Super Bowl champion has been breathlessly discussed, though usually outside of the confines of football and his new job.

Belichick’s relationship with Jordon Hudson, his 24-year-old girlfriend, became a source of widespread public fascination that went beyond amusing social media posts of the couple wearing costumes or doing beach yoga. Hudson famously interjected during a CBS Sunday Morning interview in April when Belichick was asked how the two met, a moment that was captured on camera and set off a wave of reporting on Hudson, her role as Belichick’s manager and what impact, if any, it has had on the North Carolina program.

In Chapel Hill, he’ll look to inject life into a program that has often been described as a sleeping giant, but has routinely struggled to wake up. Though they’ve been a perennial bowl participant for the past 40 years, the Tar Heels haven’t won the ACC since 1980 and have won at least 10 games only once since 1998.

USA TODAY Sports will be providing live updates and highlights from Belichick’s interviews at ACC media days. Follow along here:

Bill Belichick ACC media days live updates

This section will be updated closer to the start of Belichick’s news conference

Bill Belichick non-committal on North Carolina QB battle

Arguably the most important position on the North Carolina roster is still a bit of a question mark heading into Bill Belichick’s first season at the helm.

The Tar Heels have six quarterbacks on their roster, but the battle for the starting spot is widely seen as coming down to Max Johnson, a Texas A&M transfer who was their starter last season before breaking his leg in the season-opener against Minnesota; Gio Lopez, a South Alabama transfer; and Bryce Baker, a freshman who was a four-star recruit and top-100 prospect nationally in the 2025 class.

Belichick said every quarterback will get an opportunity to win the job, with the final result of the competition coming down to their play on the field.

‘We’ll let the competition play out on the field,’ he said in an interview on SportsCenter. ‘I can’t control how players play. Never have and never will. Performance is up to the players and we’ll do the best we can to coach all of them.’

ACC media clears out after Bill Belichick news conference

Bill Belichick wasn’t the only person to leave the hotel ballroom in Charlotte once he was done with his news conference.

Most of the assembled media departed the room with him, with Belichick’s more intimate breakout session with reporters taking place shortly after he was done at the dais. By the time NC State coach Dave Doeren had his news conference, the room that Belichick had filled was largely empty, prompting Doeren to note that it had gotten a little sleepier in the room.

Bill Belichick breaks down difference between coaching NFL and college players

One of the biggest questions facing Belichick entering his first season at North Carolina is how the NFL lifer will adjust to coaching college football, particularly during a time of such profound change in the sport.

During an interview with SiriusXM Radio Thursday, Belichick detailed the differences between coaching at the college and professional level. He noted that college coaches have more time to train players and, because of larger rosters, get more practice reps. He believes college players are more eager and less stubborn than their NFL counterparts, though he added that someone like Tom Brady was always open to learning and soaking in new information.

“They don’t have as many bad habits,’ Belichick said. ‘They’re more anxious to learn fundamentally the right way, or at least the way we’re teaching them to do things. They really embrace it. That’s not always the case in the NFL. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it isn’t.”

Bill Belichick answers question about fullbacks

Over the course of his two decades with the New England Patriots, the famously terse Belichick developed a reputation for long-winded answers about football minutiae, particularly when it pertained to important-but-overlooked positions like long-snapper and punter.

Sure enough, one of the three questions he received during his news conference Thursday was about the evolution of the fullback position.

Bill Belichick details relationship with Dabo Swinney

Earlier on Thursday of ACC media days, Clemson’s Dabo Swinney discussed how much he has already learned from Bill Belichick in his brief time in the ACC.

The feeling is evidently mutual.

Belichick described Swinney as a ‘friend for a long time,’ noting that the two often interacted when Belichick was with the Patriots and was evaluating Clemson players he was interested in drafting.

‘I have so much respect for him,’ Belichick said.

Bill Belichick drawing huge crowds at ACC media days

Even for something as mundane as walking from one media hit to another inside the convention space of a Charlotte hotel, Bill Belichick has been attracting a crowd of reporters chronicling his every step — including when he’s coming out of the bathroom.

What time is Bill Belichick speaking at ACC media days?

Date: Thursday, July 24
Time: 2 p.m. ET

Belichick is scheduled to take the stage at ACC media days in Charlotte at 2 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 24.

What channel is ACC media days on today?

TV channel: ACC Network
Streaming: ESPN app | ESPN+ | Fubo (free trial)

Belichick’s news conference at ACC media days, as well as all coach and player news conferences at the event, will air on the ACC Network.

Streaming options include the ESPN app, which requires a valid cable login to access; ESPN+, ESPN’s subscription streaming service; and Fubo, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

Will Jordon Hudson be at ACC media days?

It’s unclear whether Belichick’s girlfriend, who he described in his memoir as his “creative muse,” will be joining him in Charlotte for ACC media days.

At the very least, Belichick will be in Charlotte with four of his players — defensive backs Thaddeus Dixon and Will Hardy, quarterback Gio Lopez and wide receiver Jordan Shipp — all of whom will also be speaking with the assembled media.

ACC media days schedule today

With Belichick serving as the headliner — which is no small feat considering he’s speaking the same day as a two-time national championship head coach in Clemson’s Dabo Swinney — here’s a rundown of what teams will be sending out their coaches and players to meet with the media Thursday:

All times Eastern

Boston College: 10-10:30 a.m.
Virginia Tech: 11-11:30 a.m.
Clemson: 12-12:30 p.m.
Duke: 1-1:30 p.m.
North Carolina: 2-2:30 p.m.
NC State: 3-3:30 p.m.

UCLA football coach DeShaun Foster took center stage Thursday on the final day of Big Ten Media Days.

The second-year head coach was looking forward to a better result on the podium.

Foster made his Big Ten Media Days debut last year, but the moment did not go over well. He came across as nervous.

With a full season at the helm, Foster came across as well prepared and embraced how his performance at last year’s event turned into a lesson. The coach used part of his time during his opening remarks joking about his media day mishap the year prior and how it worked to the team’s benefit.

“That moment taught me a valuable lesson,” Foster said. “Authenticity resonates more deeply than perfection. Our players saw me being human and it brought us closer together.”

Foster and the team have spent the past year joking about the moment on stage. When the coach took to the field at the Wasserman Football Center for training camp, he was wearing a shirt that read ‘We’re in LA’ — a phrase he had said at 2024’s Media Days — and had a UCLA helmet logo that pinpointed Los Angeles in an outline of the state of California.

“Last year, I stood up here and reminded everyone that UCLA is in L.A., which, looking back, might have been the most obvious geography lesson in Big Ten history,” Foster said. “But we are in L.A. and we’re proud to be in L.A.

“And this year we are ready to show the Big Ten what L.A. football looks like when it’s firing on all cylinders.”

Foster shuffled his coaching staff but the program is aiming to keep up its momentum in recruiting and bringing in talent via the transfer portal.

The Bruins brought in 31 transfers, including 14 who had played high school football in the state of California, including quarterback Nico Iamaleava and his brother Madden.

The 31 transfers is the 10th-most in the FBS.

Reshaping UCLA’s culture

Foster used his first season to help reshape the UCLA football program into the way he wanted it — and remembered it.

Foster was elevated into the head coach role following Chip Kelly’s departure from Westwood to become Ohio State’s offensive coordinator.

The former All-American played for the Bruins from 1998 to 2001 and had two stints as an assistant at UCLA. Foster spent seven years as the Bruins’ running backs coach, originally hired by Jim Mora, before taking on the head coaching role in 2024.

With training camp starting next week, Foster is taking the Bruins off-campus to train for the upcoming season in Costa Mesa, California. With Kelly at the helm, UCLA held training camp at the football center on campus. Mora used to take the team to San Bernardino for training camp.

UCLA will use the team’s time off-site to switch the turf practice fields at the Wasserman Football Center to natural grass, which is what the Bruins play on at the Rose Bowl.

Why did Nico Iamaleava transfer to UCLA?

Former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava spoke to reporters for the first time since announcing his decision to commit to UCLA on April 20.

“I would say that my decision to leave (Tennessee) was extremely hard and one of the toughest decisions I had to make, but family was the biggest thing to me. A lot think about financial stuff, but it was never that. It was about being close to home with my family and playing at the highest level with my family’s support. With our Samoan culture, we are always together and that was a very important thing to me.”

Iamaleava played football at Warren High School in Downey, California, before spending the past two seasons with the Tennessee Volunteers. He’s expected to be the Bruins’ starting quarterback.

Iamaleava’s brother, Madden, also transferred to UCLA after spending spring camp with the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Madden Iamaleava had originally committed to UCLA in June 2024, but it was announced that he signed with the Razorbacks the day after the signing period started. Madden led Warren to an 11-2 record in games he started and an appearance in the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinals in 2023, his first year as a full-time starter.

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham’s pockets are a little lighter after a social media video resulted in a fine.

On Wednesday, Cunningham revealed she was fined $500 by the WNBA over a TikTok video that seemingly criticized officiating, which has become a hot button issue in the league in recent weeks. In the video addressed to ‘some refs,’ Cunningham lip-synced Sabrina Carpenter’s new single ‘Manchild.’ She sang, ‘Stupid. Or is it… slow? Maybe it’s … useless?’ in the video, which has amassed more than 1.3 million views on TikTok as of Thursday.

Cunningham, 28, appeared to laugh off the fine, writing, ‘Idk why this is funny to me… like ok you got it bud! Cause there’s not more important things to be worried about with our league right now.’

USA TODAY Sports reached out to the WNBA, which declined to comment.

Cunningham is not the only WNBA player or coach to voice frustration this season over inconsistent calls and the physicality of the game.

Following the Fever’s 90-88 loss to the New York Liberty on May 24, head coach Stephanie White sounded off against ‘disappointing’ calls that didn’t ‘go both ways.’ White confirmed she was fined days later when asked about officiating again: ‘Do you want me to get fined again? Because I did just get fined.’

Similarly, Angel Reese said officiating ‘has to be fixed’ following the Chicago Sky’s 80-75 loss to the Minnesota Lynx on July 6, adding, ‘I don’t give a damn if I get fined.’ Reese continued her criticism on social media, resharing a photo of her being held in the paint and urging the WNBA to ‘DO BETTER.’

Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon said ‘officiating was awful’ after the Aces’ 70-68 loss to the Washington Mystics on July 10. Following the press conference, Hammon said, ‘Tell me how much my fine is.’

On July 14, Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase said she’s ‘begging for consistency” after her team lost to the Phoenix Mercury by one point after a foul was called in the final seconds of a tie game.

It’s not clear if Reese, Hammon and Nakase were fined for their comments. Unlike the NBA, the WNBA does not announce all fines levied against players or the amount docked for infractions.

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert addressed officiating concerns ahead of the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game and assured that the league will ‘definitely look at and evaluate’ officiating.

‘We hear the concerns. We take that input. Every play is reviewed. Spend hours and hours and hours,’ she said. ‘Consistency is important, I think. I think some people observe our game versus other basketball formats, there aren’t a ton of fouls called. I realize consistency is the name of the game. … There’s an independent evaluation of our officials. There are ramifications. So, it’s something we need to continue to work on.’

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

It’s been nearly three decades since the beloved golfer/hockey player/’Price is Right’ host puncher Happy Gilmore graced the silver screen. The sequel is set to release tomorrow on Netflix, and it’s bound to have fans hooting, hollering, and most importantly, pointing at their monitors shouting ‘Oh hey! I know that person!’

Sandler’s films have become known for their cameos in recent years. He’s insisted that he prefers casting his friends and has even offered small roles in his projects to certain athletes if they achieve certain feats, as was the case with Baltimore Ravens’ running back Derrick Henry.

Given the original ‘Happy Gilmore’s’ impact on the golf community, it was reasonable to assume that several of golf’s biggest stars would clamor for an opportunity to appear in the sequel. And boy, did they.

Here are all of the golfers with cameos in ‘Happy Gilmore 2.’

Golfers with cameos in Happy Gilmore 2

Golfers John Daly, Scottie Scheffler, Will Zalatoris, Collin Morikawa, Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy, and Brooks Koepka all make appearances.

Furthermore, former professional golfer and social media personality Paige Spiranac makes an appearance as well.

Here is a list of golfers, via IMDB:

John Daly
Scottie Scheffler
Will Zalatoris
Collin Morikawa
Bryson DeChambeau
Justin Thomas
Rory McIlroy
Brooks Koepka
Keegan Bradley
Rickie Fowler
Jordan Spieth
Xander Schauffle
Corey Pavin

Sandler has said that there were no original plans for so many celebrity cameos, but as more stars came to film, more parts were written to fit them in.

‘I don’t know how it happened,’ said Sandler. ‘We wrote ’em, stuff. Everybody was kind enough to come. Everybody in it did a great job. Every day, someone cool would show up, and we’d hang out.’

What other athletes make appearances?

When does Happy Gilmore 2 release?

‘Happy Gilmore 2’ releases on Netflix Friday, July 25 at 3 a.m. ET.

The final mountain stage of the 2025 Tour de France will be almost 35 kilometers shorter than planned, event officials announced Thursday, July 24, after the discovery of a contagious outbreak in a herd of cattle along the original route from Albertville to La Plagne in the French Alps.

‘In light of the distress experienced by the affected farmers and in order to preserve the smooth running of the race, it has been decided, in agreement with the relevant authorities, to modify the route of Stage 19 (Albertville–La Plagne) and to avoid the ascent to the col des Saisies,’ Tour de France officials said in a statement.

The ceremonial start of the race still will occur in Albertville, but riders will quickly veer off course before rejoining the original route at what was supposed to be the 52.4-kilometer mark. The start time of Friday’s race has also been pushed back one hour to 8:30 a.m. ET.

Stage 19 is considered the best chance left for rivals to attempt to close the gap with defending Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar, who will enter Friday with a commanding 4-minute, 26-second lead over Jonas Vingegaard for the yellow jersey and overall lead. Pogačar finished in second place during Stage 18 through the French Alps, surging past Vingegaard in the final kilometer to widen his advantage.

A shortened course Friday will make passing Pogačar more unlikely. There are just three stages remaining in the 2025 Tour de France, with the final stage scheduled for Sunday, July 27 and ending in Paris at the Champs-Elysees. Pogačar is seeking his fourth overall Tour de France title.

WWE icon Hulk Hogan has died at the age of 71.

The news was first reported by TMZ on Thursday, July 24. WWE confirmed the news.

‘WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away,’ the company said in a statement. ‘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.’

The Clearwater Police Department in Florida said in a statement it responded to a medical call at a residence on Clearwater Beach at 9:51 a.m. for a reported cardiac arrest. Fire and police personnel responded to the scene, and he was treated at the scene before he was taken to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.

The death of Hogan, whose legal name is Terry Bollea, comes days after rumors circulated on social media about his health. Hogan’s close friend Jimmy Hart said on July 22 he was ‘doing phenomenal.’

Hogan was influential in the rise of wrestling worldwide and was WWE’s first major star. After a brief stint in WWE in the late 1970s, he re-joined the company in 1983 after Vince McMahon took ownership of the business. Then, ‘Hulkamania’ ran wild as he soon became the most popular star in the company, and arguably all of wrestling. His All-American persona along with his hero-like abilities made fans cheer for him, and he was one of the first wrestlers to have a larger-than-life feel. His entrance song ‘Real American’ became one of the first known wrestling songs.

Hogan’s popularity extended outside of wrestling, with him appearing on TV shows and movies.

As WWE’s became the dominant wrestling company, Hogan’s stardom only grew. He headlined the first nine editions of WrestleMania, with his most iconic moment coming at WrestleMania 3 in 1987. Defending the World Heavyweight Championship against longtime rival Andre the Giant, Hogan picked him up and delivered ‘the bodyslam heard around the world’ before he hit his iconic running leg drop finisher to defeat him in one of the most memorable wrestling matches of all-time.

Hogan made waves outside of WWE when he helped catapult World Championship Wrestling (WCW) to popularity, eventually competing with WWE. There, he was part of the famed New World Order that was among the greatest factions in wrestling history.

After WWE acquired WCW, Hogan returned to WWE and adopted the ‘Hollywood’ Hogan persona as a heel, which included a famous showdown with The Rock at WrestleMania 18 in 2002. Hogan later had stints in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, but returned to WWE on several occasions.

McMahon memoralized Hogan Thursday in a statement shared on social media.

‘The world lost a treasure today,’ McMahon said in the statement. ‘Hulk Hogan was the greatest WWE Superstar of ALL TIME, someone who was loved and admired around the world. … He gave everything he had to the audience whom he appreciated, respected and loved.’

Despite all the accomplishments in wrestling, Hogan was involved in several scandals in and out of the ring. He testified in the United States v. McMahon lawsuit in 1994 where he admitted he took steroids, but McMahon never distributed them. In 2015, he was caught on tape making racial comments that severely tarnished his popularity and legacy. WWE distanced itself from Hogan in the fallout, and but he eventually returned to making appearances with the company in 2018.

He made his last appearance for WWE in January at the Netflix debut of Monday Night Raw in Inglewood, California.

He was a six-time WWE Champion and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice, once in 2005 and in 2020 as part of the New World Order.

(This story will be updated with more information.)