NJPW Issues Statement On Hulk Hogan’s Passing

New Japan Pro Wrestling has issued a statement on the passing of Hulk Hogan on Thursday. Hogan, who passed after a reported cardiac arrest on Thursday morning at the age of 71, had a run in NJPW from 1980 to 1985 and returned in 1993 for a two-year run after he left WWE. He had a brief return in 2003 but was unable to follow through due to knee and hip issues.

NJPW posted an In Memorium for Hogan, which reads as follows:

In Memoriam: Hulk Hogan (1953-2025)
New Japan Pro-Wrestling is saddened to learn of the passing of Terry Bollea, known to wrestling fans as Hulk Hogan, on July 24. He was 71.

While Hogan’s status as a blockbuster attraction and pop culture icon in the US is well documented, he also left a significant mark on Japanese and New Japan Pro-Wrestling history. Trained by Hiro Matsuda, Hogan first came to Japan in 1980, participating in the third MSG (Madison Square Garden) League that brought names from America to battle NJPW’s top stars.

In late spring of 1983, the International Wrestling Grand Prix League saw the IWGP letters known today first used in NJPW competition. A league tournament brought wrestlers from across the world from various member promotions to determine an IWGP Champion that would then defend their status in the next year’s tournament. The league boiled down to Hogan and Antonio Inoki in the final, and to massive shock, Hogan would upset Inoki, landing his Ax Bomber lariat to send Inoki off the apron and to count out defeat to be the first IWGP League winner. Later that year, Inoki teamed with Hogan, and the two won the MSG Tag League together.

Hogan continued to compete in multiple in NJPW until 1985, and then returned to Japan in the early 1990s for the Genichiro Tenryu operated SWS. In 1993, Hogan created a stir when he targeted IWGP Heavyweight Champion Great Muta at Wrestling Dontaku while still carrying the WWF Championship; Hogan would defeat Muta in a non title bout in Fukuoka that May, and faced Tatsumi Fujinami the following January 4 in the Tokyo Dome before transitioning to WCW Stateside. Hogan’s last match in Japan came at Ultimate Crush in October 2003 with a victory over Masahiro Chono.

The thoughts and sympathies of all at New Japan Pro-Wrestling go to Hogan’s family, friends and fans.