Sylvester Stallone Remembers Hulk Hogan On The Set Of ‘Rocky III’ Following Tragic Death

Sylvester Stallone is looking back at the moment he knew Hulk Hogan was destined to become one of the biggest names in wrestling, and it all started with a movie set in 1982.

The wrestling icon passed away on July 24 at the age of 71 following cardiac arrest. Reports also revealed he had a history of leukemia and atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heart rhythm.

Hulk Hogan's death marks the loss of not just a wrestling icon but a larger-than-life personality who left an indelible mark on sports and pop culture.

In the new special "TMZ Presents: The Real Hulk Hogan," the "Rocky" star recalls meeting a young Hogan when they began filming "Rocky III." At the time, Hogan was just starting to make his mark in Hollywood and the wrestling world, but Stallone says it was immediately clear he was special.

“Certain people just have it,” he shared, explaining that Hogan had a rare light and presence from the very beginning. He remembers seeing the 300-pound wrestler begin to “put it all together” during filming, finding his confidence both in front of the camera and in the ring.

The rest, Stallone said, “is history.”

One memory that stuck with him was Hogan’s unwavering consideration during their intense wrestling scenes.

To protect Stallone from injury, Hogan would intentionally take the brunt of the falls, despite the toll it took on his own body. “Gravity still takes a toll,” Stallone said, noting that Hogan’s selflessness and athletic control were remarkable.

Beyond his physical presence, Stallone says Hogan’s fearlessness propelled him to the top. “He showed guts and fortitude going after some monumental achievements,” Stallone reflected. “Hulk was in a class of his own, and we’ll never see someone like him again.”

Stallone and Hogan’s bond went far beyond the ropes and the movie set.

The pair remained friends for decades, with Stallone personally inducting the wrestling icon into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. Following Hogan’s passing, the "Rocky" star took to social media to share a heartfelt tribute.

“I had the pleasure of meeting this brilliant personality and showman when he was 26 years old,” Stallone wrote. “He was absolutely wonderful and his amazing skill made 'Rocky III' incredibly special. My heart breaks.”

Before his death, in an interview with Stone Cold Steve Austin, Hogan revealed that when Sylvester Stallone first called him for the role, he thought it was a prank. At the time, WWE founder Vince McMahon Sr. strictly prohibited wrestlers from taking acting jobs, but Hogan took the risk anyway, a move that would ultimately launch his Hollywood career.

Hogan threw himself into the role with such intensity that it left an unforgettable mark on the cast and crew. Literally.

Stallone has since admitted the hardest hit of his life came during filming, recalling a scene where Hogan charged “like an enraged bull” and landed a shinbone squarely on his collarbone, leaving him in blinding pain for minutes. But Hogan’s sheer size and force didn’t just stop there. When he leapt into the crowd for a choreographed fight, three stuntmen ended up in the hospital.

“Hulk just didn’t know his own strength,” Stallone reflected in a past Instagram post. “Great guy, great friend, his presence made the film very, very special.”

After his scene-stealing turn as Thunderlips in "Rocky III," Hulk Hogan’s fame exploded.

His larger-than-life persona and crossover appeal soon opened doors beyond wrestling and film, eventually leading to his own reality TV series, "Hogan Knows Best."

Premiering in 2005, the show followed Hogan, his then-wife Linda, and their two children, Brooke and Nick, offering fans a peek into their family life. But according to Hogan, the reality wasn’t quite as unscripted as it appeared.

“It was lightly scripted but they’d actually tell us what to say,” he admitted in a 2016 interview. “If we missed a point… producers would tell us exactly what to say until they get what they wanted.”