Hulk Hogan's ex-best friend blasts late wrestler's wife

The 71-year-old wrestling icon passed away in Florida on Thursday after paramedics were called to his home for a medical emergency.

Hulk's former friend, Bubba the Love Sponge, has claimed Hogan's wife Sky Daily and some of his other friends hid the truth about his health issues.

Bubba – who fell out with Hogan after a sex tape between Hogan and Bubba's then wife Heather was leaked in 2012 – said on his eponymous radio show: "I can't take away from what I've already said, and what I've already correctly predicted. But I am officially the guy that was the only one telling the truth about Hogan's physical condition.

"And that has caused some people to say, 'You know what, Bubba was right.' - No, I wish to God I wasn't right, because being right means we have a dead Hulk Hogan.

"I don't know if my telling the truth would be such a big deal if the people like his wife (Sky Daily), Brian Blair, Jimmy Hart, Eric Bischoff, Missy Beefcake and all the other keyboard tough guys were (calling me out).

Since mid-June, Bubba had been reporting that the late star was seriously ill and had spent six weeks in the ICU.

A representative for Hogan, along with Bischoff and Daily, denied Bubba's report.

Hogan had been in and out of hospital in the months before his death. In June, he underwent a four-level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion – a complex neck surgery.

Sky told fans on Instagram at the time he was recovering from the "intense surgery with a long and layered healing process".

She said the operation had also affected his vocal cords and required breathing and feeding tubes.

Sky added: "He's healing and we're taking it one day at a time with love, strength, and patience."

Speaking about his regret over their rift, Bubba told TMZ: "I'm heartbroken to hear of Terry's passing. As everyone knows we had our issues and those issues were mostly my fault. I loved him as a friend while he was with us, and will continue to love his memory as a friend going forward."

Australian Associated Press