WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair was hospitalized on Thursday, and TMZ Sports originally reported that the situation was "very serious." While Flair was, in fact, hospitalized, his family members have shed some light on the situation downplaying TMZ's initial report.
Flair's son-in-law, Conrad Thompson, provided the following update (H/T CBS Sports):
"This is not a last-minute surprise surgery to family [members]. I knew that he was going to be having a procedure done today. I don't think it's nearly as grave or serious as TMZ would have us believe because Ric is in good spirits about it, knew it was happening," Thompson explained. "[He could have chosen] to have it done now or after [attending Starrcast, a wrestling convention in Las] Vegas and decided to go ahead and get it done now because he thought he would be feeling good and wanted to get this done beforehand."
Additionally, Flair's wife Wendy Barlow explained, "Due to ongoing health complications, Ric was taken to the hospital and is expected to undergo a procedure tomorrow morning, after which he expects to fully recover," she said in a statement.
Flair, 70, spent 11 days in a coma back in August of 2017 after suffering multiple organ problems. He required emergency surgery and, at the time, doctors only gave him a 20% chance to live.
The 16x WWE champion has been open about his alcohol abuse ever since he walked out of the hospital in 2017. During ESPN's "Nature Boy" 30-for-30, Flair described how he drank at least 10 beers and approximately five mixed drinks every day of his life for almost 20 years. Since recovering from surgery, Flair has said that he gave up drinking altogether.