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Brutus Beefcake -- a WWE legend and one of Hulk Hogan's closest friends -- sat down with TMZ Sports this week to share his memories of the late wrestling superstar ... and it got emotional.

BB -- who's known Hulk for roughly 50 years -- told us Hogan was actually the reason he got into the squared circle ... explaining Hulk recruited him to the sport when he was just a high schooler.

The two went on to wrestle together in the 1970s as the "Boulder Brothers" ... and thereafter, they each became mainstays in between the ropes for decades.

Robert Whittaker is only 34 years old and still a top 5-ranked UFC middleweight, but the former champion revealed he can see the finish line of his fighting career!

TMZ Sports spoke to Bobby Knuckles just days before his UFC on ABC 9 main event scrap against Reinier de Ridder -- slated to go down from Abu Dhabi on Saturday -- when we asked him for a State of the Union on his career.

"I definitely feel the tenure like that I've had. I've been blessed to have been in this game for so long, but I feel like I'm right at the point where I can see the end is near, but I have all the experience and the body still to do what needs to be done," Robert said.

5:02 PM PT -- Hulk Hogan's death was addressed right at the start of SmackDown ... with WWE CCO Triple H taking the stage and giving a heartfelt speech.

"Ladies and gentlemen, yesterday, we lost one of the biggest and most globally recognized icons in the world," Paul Levesque said with the WWE roster standing behind him. "A man I grew up watching, was fortunate enough to share the ring with and, like so many of us, were honored to call a friend."

"The truth is, he captivated millions of people and inspired them around the globe. We would not be standing here right now, all of us together, if it was not for him."

A 10-bell salute was then performed, followed by a video highlighting Hogan's incredible Hall of Fame-worthy journey through wrestling.

Fans in attendance chanted Hogan's name ... and displayed signs in honor of the late legend.

As we previously reported, several legends flew to Cleveland to be present for the ceremony.

Hulk Hogan will be honored with a farewell fit for a legend at SmackDown ... with several legends slated to be present for a tribute honoring the late wrestling icon following his death.

Sources tell TMZ Sports WWE is currently working on finalizing all the details to pay homage to the Hulkster just over 24 hours after his passing ... with names like Jimmy Hart, Sgt. Slaughter and the "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase flying to Cleveland for Friday's event.

It's no surprise the organization will acknowledge the loss -- Hogan was larger than life -- but we're told the ceremonious gestures will go far beyond the standard 10-bell salute for wrestling greats who have died in the past.

Bryan Kohberger won't be totally cut off from the world on the inside ... and, he can even send messages to young women across the country -- though not via any dating apps.

The Idaho Department of Corrections tells TMZ ... while prisoners don't technically have access to the internet, they can purchase tablets from the commissary and load them up with a ton of apps.

This means Kohberger and his fellow inmates can access select music, radio stations, podcasts, movies, television, games and books. They can also fire off emails and make phone calls ... BK's lifeline to life outside the prison walls.

A whites-only community in Arkansas is just looking to protect European identity and culture from diversity, and it's best for people of all races to have their own separate community centers ... so says the co-founder of Return to the Land.

We interviewed Eric Orwoll on "TMZ Live" Friday about the whites-only community that is looking to expand to Missouri and other areas ... and, we asked about why a whites-exclusive area is so important to their members.

Orwoll says white people value European heritage, and he says he thinks that identity is under threat in modern America. He says he understands if others want to blend and mix their cultures -- but, he thinks this would be at the detriment of pure cultural ancestry.

Summer's not over until Uncle Charlie Wilson says it's over -- the R&B emeritus is hitting the road in August with Babyface, El DeBarge and K-Ci Hailey of Jodeci -- everyone's invited ... 'cept the devil!!!

TMZ caught up with both Uncle Charlie and El DeBarge outside Hollywood Unlocked on Thursday ... their "Uncle Charlie's Cookout" tour will be zipping through U.S. hotspots, including L.A., Detroit, OKC, Charlotte, and more.

And these vets say they aren't doing anything but staying hydrated and prayerful leading up to the big show!!!

Long Beach, California rapper Trapboy JT found the perfect way to shoot new content and save his coins from well, trappin' ... by shooting a music video right inside an IKEA store!!!

On Friday, Trapboy JT dropped his new single "Out The Matrix" on WorldstarHipHop -- using plenty of backdrop scenes behind IKEA's wide array of kitchen appliances -- a moment that doesn't seem to be completely authorized ... more so tolerated?

Trapboy JT tells TMZ Hip Hop his team shot the video at an IKEA location in Carson, a city in the South Bay of Los Angeles County ... his team spent about 45 minutes in the store!!!

Brooke Hogan's got a lasting reminder of her late father, Hulk Hogan ... because she named one of her twins after him.

Sources close to Brooke tell TMZ ... despite Brooke and Hulk being estranged when she gave birth to twins back in January, she gave a special tribute to her famous father by giving her daughter his middle name, Gene.

Brooke's daughter is named Molly Gene Oleksy ... and she wanted the kid to have grandpa's middle name as a way to honor Hulk.

Sylvester Stallone is remembering Hulk Hogan as a force to be reckoned with ... and he says we will never see another man like him in wrestling, movies or reality TV.

The 'Rocky' star tells TMZ ... Hulk had a glow about him when they met way back in 1982 on the set of "Rocky III" ... and Sly knew Hulk was destined for superstardom.

Hulk was still establishing himself at the time, and Sly says he found out very quickly the monstrous Hogan was smarter, gentler and more skilled than he looked.

The Royal Caribbean crew member who fell to his death from the Icon of the Seas Thursday night died by suicide, TMZ can confirm.

Royal Bahamas Police Force Public Affairs and Communications Officer Stephen Rolle confirmed to TMZ Friday the unnamed man took his own life ... but could not provide the reasoning as to why due to the investigation still being open. It's unclear if the man left a suicide note.

A photograph obtained by TMZ shows the reported area he went overboard blocked off by caution tape.

Samara Cyn's one of the hottest young rappers and a part of XXL's magazine's 2025 Freshman class, and she's already setting her career goal cap -- to the very end!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Samara at LAX this week -- fresh off her appearance on the newly revamped "The Daily Show" ... and our cameraman Charlie Cotton firmly feels she's on her way to the top!!!

Host Josh Johnson made his "Daily Show" debut this week to record-breaking numbers, where Samara dished on a plethora of topics and performed her "hardheaded" single from her recently released "backroads" EP.

Uncle Charlie Wilson's family took a setback this week, after his singer nephew Andre "Boogie" Wilson lost his battle to stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Charlie and El DeBarge ahead of their Uncle Charlie's R&B Cookout Tour and got a few honest words of remembrance and reflection.

Andre was best known for singing the hook on Kurupt and DJ Battlecat's West Coast hip hop anthem "We Can Freak It" from 1998 -- Charlie tells us he was a "gifted" artist who could both sing and write music.

Bryan Kohberger butchered the face of Kaylee Goncalves because she screwed up his plans to rape one of his other victims, Maddie Mogen, according to a retired FBI agent.

TMZ interviewed former fed Jennifer Coffindaffer, who has long studied and been a media consultant on the Kohberger case -- and she's now sharing with TMZ her horrific theory of the convicted killer's motive.

Coffindaffer tells TMZ ... Kohberger broke into the house in Moscow, Idaho, that fateful night in November 2022 to forcibly rape Mogen in her bed on the third floor.

Hulk Hogan's Real American Beer is flying off shelves following the WWE star's death, and his company is hustling to restock retailers between New York, Florida and beyond.

Sources tell TMZ ... "Around the country, there has been a run on the beer and people are walking out with multiple 12 packs and 24 oz cans, leaving the shelves bare."

We're told the company is working overtime to supply retailers so fans "can cheers to Hulk" and celebrate his incredible legacy.

Noah Cyrus got fans excited with an onstage reunion with dad Billy Ray at her London album release event ... and despite their messy history, she's telling TMZ family truly reigns supreme!

We bumped into Noah at LAX Thursday, and she spilled the tea while strolling hand-in-hand with her fiancé, Pinkus -- declaring music and family are at the heart of everything, and yep, things are definitely cruising smoothly.

As we all know, the Cyrus family’s had its fair share of drama -- rumors of tension between Noah and Billy were all over the place. But looks like they’ve kissed and made up.

Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan has died at 71 years old, TMZ Sports has learned.

Medics were dispatched to the WWE icon's Clearwater, Florida home early Thursday morning ... with operators stating it was regarding a "cardiac arrest."

A video of the scene outside Hogan's residence shows responders desperately trying to save his life as he was transported to an ambulance.