Report: Ric Flair out of Surgery, Procedure Was a Success

Ric Flair went under the knife on Monday afternoon, and according to TMZ there's some good news regarding his health status.

"Doctors said the procedure was a success," Flair's wife Wendy Barlow told the outlet.

Reports of Flair's health first popped up on Thursday, when TMZ reported that the two-time WWE Hall of Famer had been rushed to the hospital. Family members later clarified that the hospitalization was planned in order for him to get surgery before a public appearance this weekend, but he was unable to have the surgery until this week due to unidentified complications.

Barlow told the outlet earlier in the day that Flair will be unable to appear at the upcoming Starrcast event in Las Vegas, Nevada this weekend.

"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."

The 16-time world champion gave a health update back in December, saying that despite having a near-death experience the year prior due to complications with surgery, he was healthy enough to start taking bumps in a ring again. Flair turned 70 back in late February.

"I had difficulty doing anything when I still had that bag on my side that was attached to my intestines because it sat right at my waistline and it was hard, but as soon as I got that off, I was back doing 500 free squats," Flair said while on The Steve Austin Show. To me, I just need a goal. Does that make sense? But I finally got the weight back on and then I found myself putting more weight back on than I wanted, so I have to be careful with that, but I've been working out. I can do anything, benchpress.

"I have to be careful after surgery, the second surgery, for hernia issues. But I literally took it easy. I didn't do anything," he added. "And now I'm full speed ahead. The guys have cleared me to do anything. I've actually been cleared to get knocked down in the ring. I didn't know if they were going to use me in some capacity and you know the clearances you have to have with the health policy, which is so adamant."

Flair's last WWE appearance was in April when he helped Triple H defeat Batista in a career-threatening No Holds Barred match at WrestleMania. Flair's daughter, Charlotte Flair, made history on Sunday night by briefly winning her ninth women's championship in the WWE.