TAMPA, Fla. — In Tampa, the late Hulk Hogan’s legend still lives on for people like his childhood friend and former wrestler Steve Keirn.
“Terry made a major difference in the business because he was bigger than life,” said Keirn.
Keirn was wrestling in Tampa in the 70s when aspiring guitar player Terry Bollea said he wanted to be a wrestler.
WATCH: Hulk Hogan's legacy lives on in Tampa through friends and fellow wrestlers
“No, you don't,” said Keirn. “You’re not going to make any money doing this, and he looked at me and he goes ‘I don’t care about the money.”
Keirn says Hogan's fame can be measured by the fact that he took their industry global.
“I'd never seen crowds like that when we went to Europe,” said Keirn. “I mean, they had never seen live WWF wrestling before, and here we are bigger than life, nobody stood out more than he did.”
Hogan's effect on sports entertainment influenced fellow Tampa native and WWE superstar Thaddeus Bullard, also known as Titus O’Neil.
O’Neil and Hogan hosted WrestleMania 37 in Tampa together.
“I got an opportunity to host the biggest show of shows alongside him,” said O’Neil. “ And for knowing now, knowing the significance of it, I mean he was there from the beginning and helped build WrestleMania to what it is today.”
The Bullard Family Foundation is an example of how Hogan's legacy helped a fellow wrestler help others.
“The legacy that I'm able to leave partly is because of him,” said O’Neil. “We have a chance to make significant impacts, not only in the ring but on the outside of the ring.”
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