Wrestler Flair faces ‘ long road’ in recovery
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Wrestling icon Ric Flair’s medical condition apparently is more serious than fans imagined.
Media outlets including The New York Post and TMZ Sports have shared a Facebook post credited to Flair’s fiancee, Wendy Barlow, in which she says she took the 68-year-old Flair to an Atlanta-area hospital Friday night with severe abdominal pain.
“From that moment on, it all seems like a nightmare … multiple organ problems,” said a screenshot of the Facebook post. “Not to go into too many details, but I want everyone to know he still needs prayers, as he is still in critical condition.”
Flair was put into a medically induced coma and underwent surgery Monday, but his management has never released the cause. Flair rep Melinda Morris Zanoni said the surgery involved “tough medical issues” and was a success. She added in a tweet that Flair still has a “long road ahead.”
Barlow’s Facebook post, which wasn’t publicly available Thursday morning, denies rumors that Flair underwent colon or heart surgery. The Facebook post didn’t address rumors that Flair was on dialysis for kidney troubles or suffered a bacterial infection.
Flair’s management, Charlotte-based Legacy Talent and Entertainment, has not issued an update on his condition since Monday. Zanoni said on Facebook that she cannot answer personal questions about the illness.
Flair earned 16 world championships since the late 1970s, but he became just as famous for his in-ring antics, including rule breaking, a cocky interview style, strutting and shouting the catchphrase “WOOOOO!” The latter has become his trademark.
His fame has endured after his retirement, in part because his glitzy, jewelry-wearing persona was embraced by a younger generation of rappers. In a recent article, Complex. com called Flair “Hip-Hop’s Favorite Wrestler.”