Wrestling icon Ric Flair, 70, is 'hospitalized after a very serious medical emergency' - but his son-in-law insists it 'was a planned procedure'
- Wrestling icon Ric Flair has been hospitalized with an unspecified medical issue
- According to TMZ , the 70-year-old Flair was taken to an Atlanta emergency room and the website is reporting that his situation is 'very serious'
- However, Flair's son-in-law Conrad Thompson said that this was a planned procedure and the situation 'is not as grave or serious' as has been reported
- Flair was in a coma for 11 days in 2017 after his intestine ruptured. He eventually had an obstructed piece of bowel surgically removed and he recovered
- In his book, 'Ric Flair: To Be the Man,' he admitted to suffering from alcoholic cardiomyopathy, which is a heart problem caused by prolonged alcohol abuse
- Flair has periodically made appearances at wrestling events in recent years, many times performing alongside his daughter Charlotte, a major WWE star
- He recently made an appearance at Wrestlemania 35 in April
Wrestling icon Ric Flair has been hospitalized in Atlanta because of an unspecified medical issue.
According to TMZ, Flair, 70, was taken to the emergency room due to a 'very serious' medical emergency.
However, his son-in-law Conrad Thompson told Fightful.com that Flair underwent a planned procedure and his situation 'is not as grave or serious' as the TMZ report makes it seem.
'This was not a last-minute surprise surgery,' said Thompson, who is married to Flair's daughter Megan. 'Ric's in good spirits.'
The WWE did not immediately respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment.
Wrestling icon Ric Flair has been hospitalized in Atlanta after suffering an unspecified medical emergency. According to TMZ , Flair, 70, was taken to the emergency room and the website is reporting that his situation is 'very serious.' Flair has periodically made appearances at wrestling events in recent years, often performing alongside his daughter Charlotte (near left)
Ric Flair (pictured) competes against Hulk Hogan during the 'Hulkamania Tour' at Acer Arena on November 28, 2009 in Sydney, Australia. Flair was 60 at the time of the event
Flair is scheduled to be roasted on May 25 during a four-day wrestling convention in Las Vegas.
'He could choose to have it done now or after Vegas and decided to go ahead and have it done now because he thought he'd be feeling good and wanted to get this done beforehand,' said Thompson.
Thompson said he was not at liberty to discuss the situation in any more detail.
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Flair was in a coma for 11 days in 2017 and was reportedly near death after his intestine ruptured. He eventually recovered after having an obstructed piece of bowel surgically removed.
Known as 'Nature Boy,' Flair rose to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s with the WCW and the WWF (now the WWE), and he ultimately headlined Wrestlemania VIII
In his book, 'Ric Flair: To Be the Man,' he admitted to suffering from alcoholic cardiomyopathy, which is a heart problem caused by prolonged alcohol abuse.
'I had one vice,' Flair told Sports Illustrated in 2017. 'I'm not going to point my finger at anybody else. My vice was drinking. I didn't have any pain issues, addiction problems, marijuana, cocaine, nothing like that. It's a fact that I kept myself up all night and always had a good time.'
Flair has periodically made appearances at wrestling events, many times performing alongside his daughter Charlotte, who is now a major WWE star.
His son Reid died of a drug overdose in 2013.
Flair married his longtime girlfriend Wendy Barlow last year. She is his fifth wife.
As a high schooler in Wisconsin in the late 1960s Flair participated in interscholastic wrestling, football, and track, but by 1972 he was trying to make a name for himself in theatrical wrestling.
Known as 'Nature Boy,' Flair rose to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s with the WCW and the WWF (now the WWE), and he ultimately headlined Wrestlemania VIII in 1992.
Flair continued to wrestle well into his 60s and recently made an appearance at Wrestlemania 35.
Hulk Hogan's opponent Ric Flair is greeted by the crowd during Hulk Hogan's Hulkamania Tour at Rod Laver Arena on November 21, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia
- Ric Flair Hospitalized After 'Very Serious' Medical Emergency | TMZ.com
- | SI.com
- Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com on Twitter: "Conrad Thompson says the Ric Flair situation "is not as grave or serious" as TMZ makes it out, and says that this was a planned procedure that Ric Flair wanted to have before Las Vegas."
