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Triple H, a Nashua native and one of professional wrestling’s most recognizable figures, led a tribute to Hulk Hogan during WWE SmackDown on Friday, July 26, just one day after Hogan’s death at age 71.
Triple H—whose real name is Paul Michael Levesque—called Hogan immortal as he addressed the audience in Cleveland, explaining Hogan influenced millions.
“We lost one of the biggest and most globally recognized icons in the world,” Triple H said. “A man I grew up watching, was fortunate enough to share the ring with and, like so many of us, were honored to call a friend. The truth is, he captivated millions of people and inspired them around the globe. We would not be standing here right now, all of us together, if it was not for him.”
Hogan, born Terry Gene Bollea, died of cardiac arrest in Florida. Triple H’s speech was followed by a 10-bell salute and videos honoring Hogan’s life.
Triple H is the chief content officer of WWE and has been a central figure in WWE for decades. Through his marriage to Stephanie McMahon, he is also part of the McMahon family, which held a controlling interest in WWE for decades, largely through Stephanie’s father Vince McMahon, until selling it in 2023.
Triple H, a 1987 Nashua High graduate and former baseball and basketball player, began bodybuilding in his teens and won the 1988 Mr. Teenage New Hampshire title. While managing a Nashua gym, he met WWE wrestler Ted Arcidi, who discouraged him from wrestling at first, but then introduced him to trainer Killer Kowalski, Triple H told New Hampshire Magazine in 2013. Triple H trained at Kowalski’s wrestling school in Malden, Massachusetts, launching his career in the 1990s before retiring in 2019.
Triple H and Hogan shared many high-profile matches, including their face-off at WrestleMania X8 in 2002, where Triple H defeated Chris Jericho to win the WWF Championship in 2002. Triple H lost the title to Hogan at Backlash one month later.
Their rivalry continued on SmackDown! that year, with Triple H defeating Hogan on June 6, 2002.
The full tribute to Hogan can be viewed on YouTube.
