Terry Bollea, also known as Hulk Hogan, died on Thursday at age 71. Paramedics responded to a call for cardiac arrest at his home.
He was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead.
Vince McMahon on Hulk Hogan Death. Source: X.com/@VinceMcMahon
Shortly after the Hulk Hogan death was reported, a Wrapped Ethereum (wETH) token named Hulkmanaia (HULK) appeared on the market.
According to DEXTools data, the token gained more than 122,000% within hours. It reached a high of 0.001335 in its first eight hours. There was no verified team behind it and no links to Hogan’s estate.
A separate Hulk Hogan memecoin on Solana, also named HULKAMANIA (HULK), was launched on June 6, 2024. In the last 24 hours, it surged more than 2,000% to $0.0006146. Its market cap rose above $500,000.
The coin previously reached a $18.8 million peak after posts from Hogan’s X account in 2024. However, the posts were later deleted. Hogan said he did not make those promotions.
Ozzy Osbourne Memecoin Rallies After Music Legend’s Death
Ozzy Osbourne died two days before Hogan, on Tuesday, at age 76. The singer was the frontman of Black Sabbath, a band that sold over 75 million albums globally.
Following the Ozzy Osbourne death, a token named The Mad Man (OZZY) surged 16,800%, trading at $0.003851.
Its market cap hit $3.85 million, according to DEXTools data. The Ozzy Osbourne memecoin appeared soon after his death. There was no link to his estate.
At the same time, his CryptoBatz NFT collection saw a spike in sales. The collection launched in December 2021. Its unique feature allowed owners to merge NFTs using a “biting” mechanism. The renewed interest followed news of Osbourne’s passing.
CryptoBatz NFT Sees Renewed Activity Amid Token Listings
The CryptoBatz NFT project was launched by Osbourne and became active again after his death. Buyers started collecting NFTs from the project.
The spike came even as unrelated Ozzy Osbourne memecoins appeared across decentralized platforms.
The NFT’s “biting” feature allowed users to merge Osbourne’s NFTs with other tokens.
Although the NFTs came from an official project, the new The Mad Man OZZY token did not. Public data shows no connection to Osbourne’s family or legal representatives.
Despite this, the Ozzy Osbourne memecoin attracted trading activity shortly after release. Its price growth occurred alongside heavy volume in the CryptoBatz NFT market.
DEXTools Flags Risk as Celebrity Death Memecoins Multiply
Several of the new celebrity death memecoins were marked risky by DEXTools. Red flags included unlocked liquidity, no contract verification, and anonymous ownership. These indicators often signal potential rug pulls.
In both the Hulk Hogan memecoin and Ozzy Osbourne memecoin cases, trading activity spiked fast but with high volatility.
DEXTools data also showed that some token listings were later deleted. This added to concerns that some traders lost funds as tokens vanished.
None of the projects were endorsed by the families of Hulk Hogan or Ozzy Osbourne. Public data confirmed the tokens were unrelated to official estates.
Memecoins Follow High-Profile Deaths
This pattern has occurred before. After OJ Simpson’s death in April 2024, multiple tokens using his name launched.
After Henry Kissinger died in November 2023, several Kissinger-themed tokens also appeared.
The rise of celebrity death memecoins often includes quick token creation, viral price spikes, and sudden collapses. In most cases, no connection exists between the coins and the celebrities.
The recent Hulk Hogan death and Ozzy Osbourne death triggered large spikes in new token listings. Their names were used in multiple memecoins that had no legal ties to their families.
Tributes Shared While Tokens Traded
Fans of both Hogan and Osbourne posted tributes across social platforms. Hogan was remembered for his WWF and WWE career, while Osbourne’s fans shared music and photos from live shows.
The new Hulkmanaia HULK token and The Mad Man OZZY token were not included in official tributes. No family member, estate manager, or legal team acknowledged the tokens or their trading.
The tokens’ trading volumes spiked quickly, but several already showed signs of inactivity or sudden liquidity loss. Some token pages disappeared from platforms hours after listing.
No Official Endorsement for Hulk Hogan or Ozzy Osbourne Memecoins
Data confirms that the Hulk Hogan memecoin and Ozzy Osbourne memecoin tokens were not connected to either estate. No endorsements or partnerships were announced by verified representatives.
The Hulkmanaia HULK token and The Mad Man OZZY token gained value from sudden exposure but carried risks. DEXTools data shows that many new memecoins lack transparency and disappear fast.
As seen in past events, these types of tokens tend to appear shortly after deaths. The recent surge in celebrity death memecoins fits the same pattern.
