In a deeply moving and revealing final interview recorded shortly before his tragic passing last summer, wrestling icon Hulk Hogan's secret and heartbreaking struggle with fentanyl addiction has been laid bare for the world to see. The WWE superstar died suddenly in July after suffering a heart attack at his Florida mansion, and it has now emerged that he had been speaking extensively to Netflix in the build-up to a new documentary about his extraordinary life.
The Documentary Revelation
The forthcoming Netflix show, titled 'Hulk Hogan: Real American', is set for release this week and features a stunning and candid admission from Hogan himself regarding his heavy reliance on the powerful opioid fentanyl to manage chronic physical pain accumulated over decades in the wrestling ring. Hogan, whose real name was Terry Gene Bollea, was a six-time WWF and WWE champion during an incredible career that propelled him to global celebrity status, but his personal life descended into turmoil following his divorce from wife Linda in 2009.
A Life Sent Spiraling
Following the couple's split, Hogan was compelled to return to professional wrestling after, in his own words, giving Linda 'everything' during their divorce settlement. He signed a lucrative deal with TNA, the second-largest wrestling promotion behind WWE, but quickly realized his body was no longer in competitive shape. It was at this critical juncture that he turned to fentanyl as a desperate measure to cope with the debilitating pain.
Hogan provided chilling details of his opioid use to Netflix interviewers, stating: 'I was taking 80-milligram fentanyls, two in the morning, stuffing them under my gums here. I had two 300mg patches of fentanyl on my legs and they gave me six 1500mg fentanyl lollipops to eat.'
Medical Professionals Stunned
The wrestling legend went on to explain how pharmacy professionals were left utterly astonished by the colossal quantity of drugs he was consuming. 'I went to the pharmacy, he goes, "You should be dead. We have never seen a human being take this much fentanyl."' Hogan revealed. His pain was so severe that he was forced to sleep in a chair, adding: 'If I just twitched my finger like that, my whole back would spasm and torque.'
The Final Years and Tragic Death
Hogan battled through this period until 2012, stepping out of the wrestling ring for the final time shortly before his TNA contract expired in 2013. On the morning of July 24 last year, he collapsed at his five-bedroom mansion on Clearwater Beach, Florida, and later died in hospital from natural causes.
According to a medical examiner's certificate obtained by the Daily Mail, the cause of death was an acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack. The report also noted a history of atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat condition, and leukemia. Police investigations confirmed there was no evidence of foul play in Hogan's death.
This final interview provides a poignant and sobering insight into the hidden struggles behind the public persona of one of wrestling's most legendary figures, highlighting the devastating impact of chronic pain and opioid dependency.
