Ric Flair, 76, gives worrying health update on cancer diagnosis
Earlier this month, Flair revealed he has been diagnosed with cancer for the 'second time in three years'.
Flair has now announced he has been forced to miss a scheduled meet-and-greet event at a Mississippi wellness clinic on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST) as he continues his cancer treatment.
Flair took to X to post an emotional update after postponing the same event for the second time in recent weeks.
The 76-year-old wrote: 'To all my dear friends and fans, I am so sorry, that I will not be able to see you on Tuesday.
'I have health issues, that I need to attend to. As I have procrastinated putting my health first in the past, melanoma, I have found out, is nothing to play with.
'I promise to see you ASAP. Please continue to love Ric Flair, as Ric Flair loves you.'
The 16-time WWE champion had denied his diagnosis in recent weeks before bravely revealing his situation in an interview with People.
Flair is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time having shared the ring with some of the sport's biggest legends.
The 'Nature Boy' has previously dealt with significant health issues, as this is the second time he's had skin cancer.
Back in August 2017, the ex-WWE Champion was hospitalised with stomach pains.
A few hours later, Flair suffered early stages of kidney failure and came close to congestive heart failure as a result of alcohol abuse.
Flair's family were told he only had 20 per cent odds of surviving while he was put in a medically induced coma.
The former Intercontinental Champion's doctors later removed part of his bowel and inserted a pacemaker as he regained consciousness.
Flair is the only WWE superstar to have been inducted into the Hall of Fame twice.
He was first inducted in 2008 for his individual career before making it again four years later as a member of The Four Horsemen.
The North Carolina native continued to wrestle well into his 60s and made an appearance at 2019's WrestleMania 35.
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 tragically died of a drug overdose in 2013.
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The Advertiser
4 hours ago
- The Advertiser
The end of Hulkamania: Inside the rise and fall of a wrestling superstar
Well let me tell you something, brother. You might have been a kid the day Hulk Hogan dethroned the Iron Sheik, the day he headlined Wrestlemania I alongside Mr. T or the day he body slammed Andre The Giant. Or maybe you were a kid left in disbelief the night Hogan turned his back on WCW to join Scott Hall and Kevin Nash in the New World Order and change the face of professional wrestling. Before long he was teaming with NBA star Dennis Rodman and turning wrestling into an edgier, mainstream product. Or maybe you were a kid jumping off your seat - just like Adam Sandler inside the Staples Center - the moment you heard the opening chords of Rick Derringer's Real American to save the day during Wrestlemania 21. The era you grew up in doesn't matter. Because it was so often Hogan's face on the VHS and DVD covers when you walked into Video Ezy. Because "Hulkamania" was a phenomenon, running wild with a blonde handlebar moustache and arms he called 24-inch pythons, ripping off his singlet and reaching unprecedented levels of superstardom around the globe long before the dawn of pay television. The professional wrestling industry is in mourning after Hogan - the heroic all-American wearing red and yellow - died aged 71 following a cardiac arrest. Ask anyone for professional wrestling's Mount Rushmore and they'd be hard-pressed to leave Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, off the list. "WWE would not be where it is today without the larger-than-life characters that compete in the ring ... and few, if any, loomed larger than Terry 'Hulk Hogan' Bollea," WWE chief content officer Paul Levesque - better known as Triple H - wrote on social media. "He was the archetype of what it meant to be a 'Superstar' - a global sensation that inspired millions to work hard at whatever it was they wanted to accomplish and a look that made him recognisable to fans around the world. "Hulk Hogan, clad in red and yellow or nWo black and white, was simply put, iconic. As a Real American or the leader of one of the industry's biggest factions, he transcended and elevated the entire business to heights never before seen - in every country and on every continent. "There was no one like The Hulkster, and there very well may never be another." Inside the squared circle, he was must-watch television during feuds with Randy Savage and The Rock. He hosted Saturday Night Live with Mr. T and featured in Rocky III alongside Sylvester Stallone. Even the Sydney Roosters handed him a custom jersey with "Roostermania" printed across the front during a promotional opportunity in 2009. Yet on the outside, Hogan was one of the industry's most complex and controversial characters. For years, Hogan stared down the barrel of a camera and told kids to eat their vitamins and say their prayers, but he was at the centre of a steroid scandal that rocked professional wrestling in the early 1990s. WWE cut ties with Hogan in 2015 - and even removed him from its Hall of Fame before he was readmitted in 2018 - after he was recorded using a series of offensive slurs during a rant about his daughter dating black men. In 2016, Hogan was awarded $174 million - before adding $37 million in punitive damages - in a sex tape lawsuit against Gawker Media. In 2012, Gawker had posted a video of Hogan having sex with his former best friend's wife. Hogan had even emerged as a political figure during Donald Trump's run for United States president last year, declaring it was time to "let Trumpamania run wild, brother" during a Republican national convention. "We lost a great friend today, the 'Hulkster.' Hulk Hogan was MAGA all the way - Strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart," Trump wrote on social media platform Truth Social. "He gave an absolutely electric speech at the Republican National Convention, that was one of the highlights of the entire week. He entertained fans from all over the World, and the cultural impact he had was massive. To his wife, Sky, and family, we give our warmest best wishes and love. Hulk Hogan will be greatly missed!" His final appearance on WWE television - during the company's Netflix debut in January - ended with Hogan being booed by a Los Angeles crowd. Yet those who grew up with Hulkamania running wild, with the NWO and the Monday Night War, will likely reserve a place on wrestling's Mount Rushmore for Hogan's face. And maybe even leave some room for those 24-inch pythons. Well let me tell you something, brother. You might have been a kid the day Hulk Hogan dethroned the Iron Sheik, the day he headlined Wrestlemania I alongside Mr. T or the day he body slammed Andre The Giant. Or maybe you were a kid left in disbelief the night Hogan turned his back on WCW to join Scott Hall and Kevin Nash in the New World Order and change the face of professional wrestling. Before long he was teaming with NBA star Dennis Rodman and turning wrestling into an edgier, mainstream product. Or maybe you were a kid jumping off your seat - just like Adam Sandler inside the Staples Center - the moment you heard the opening chords of Rick Derringer's Real American to save the day during Wrestlemania 21. The era you grew up in doesn't matter. Because it was so often Hogan's face on the VHS and DVD covers when you walked into Video Ezy. Because "Hulkamania" was a phenomenon, running wild with a blonde handlebar moustache and arms he called 24-inch pythons, ripping off his singlet and reaching unprecedented levels of superstardom around the globe long before the dawn of pay television. The professional wrestling industry is in mourning after Hogan - the heroic all-American wearing red and yellow - died aged 71 following a cardiac arrest. Ask anyone for professional wrestling's Mount Rushmore and they'd be hard-pressed to leave Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, off the list. "WWE would not be where it is today without the larger-than-life characters that compete in the ring ... and few, if any, loomed larger than Terry 'Hulk Hogan' Bollea," WWE chief content officer Paul Levesque - better known as Triple H - wrote on social media. "He was the archetype of what it meant to be a 'Superstar' - a global sensation that inspired millions to work hard at whatever it was they wanted to accomplish and a look that made him recognisable to fans around the world. "Hulk Hogan, clad in red and yellow or nWo black and white, was simply put, iconic. As a Real American or the leader of one of the industry's biggest factions, he transcended and elevated the entire business to heights never before seen - in every country and on every continent. "There was no one like The Hulkster, and there very well may never be another." Inside the squared circle, he was must-watch television during feuds with Randy Savage and The Rock. He hosted Saturday Night Live with Mr. T and featured in Rocky III alongside Sylvester Stallone. Even the Sydney Roosters handed him a custom jersey with "Roostermania" printed across the front during a promotional opportunity in 2009. Yet on the outside, Hogan was one of the industry's most complex and controversial characters. For years, Hogan stared down the barrel of a camera and told kids to eat their vitamins and say their prayers, but he was at the centre of a steroid scandal that rocked professional wrestling in the early 1990s. WWE cut ties with Hogan in 2015 - and even removed him from its Hall of Fame before he was readmitted in 2018 - after he was recorded using a series of offensive slurs during a rant about his daughter dating black men. In 2016, Hogan was awarded $174 million - before adding $37 million in punitive damages - in a sex tape lawsuit against Gawker Media. In 2012, Gawker had posted a video of Hogan having sex with his former best friend's wife. Hogan had even emerged as a political figure during Donald Trump's run for United States president last year, declaring it was time to "let Trumpamania run wild, brother" during a Republican national convention. "We lost a great friend today, the 'Hulkster.' Hulk Hogan was MAGA all the way - Strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart," Trump wrote on social media platform Truth Social. "He gave an absolutely electric speech at the Republican National Convention, that was one of the highlights of the entire week. He entertained fans from all over the World, and the cultural impact he had was massive. To his wife, Sky, and family, we give our warmest best wishes and love. Hulk Hogan will be greatly missed!" His final appearance on WWE television - during the company's Netflix debut in January - ended with Hogan being booed by a Los Angeles crowd. Yet those who grew up with Hulkamania running wild, with the NWO and the Monday Night War, will likely reserve a place on wrestling's Mount Rushmore for Hogan's face. And maybe even leave some room for those 24-inch pythons. Well let me tell you something, brother. You might have been a kid the day Hulk Hogan dethroned the Iron Sheik, the day he headlined Wrestlemania I alongside Mr. T or the day he body slammed Andre The Giant. Or maybe you were a kid left in disbelief the night Hogan turned his back on WCW to join Scott Hall and Kevin Nash in the New World Order and change the face of professional wrestling. Before long he was teaming with NBA star Dennis Rodman and turning wrestling into an edgier, mainstream product. Or maybe you were a kid jumping off your seat - just like Adam Sandler inside the Staples Center - the moment you heard the opening chords of Rick Derringer's Real American to save the day during Wrestlemania 21. The era you grew up in doesn't matter. Because it was so often Hogan's face on the VHS and DVD covers when you walked into Video Ezy. Because "Hulkamania" was a phenomenon, running wild with a blonde handlebar moustache and arms he called 24-inch pythons, ripping off his singlet and reaching unprecedented levels of superstardom around the globe long before the dawn of pay television. The professional wrestling industry is in mourning after Hogan - the heroic all-American wearing red and yellow - died aged 71 following a cardiac arrest. Ask anyone for professional wrestling's Mount Rushmore and they'd be hard-pressed to leave Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, off the list. "WWE would not be where it is today without the larger-than-life characters that compete in the ring ... and few, if any, loomed larger than Terry 'Hulk Hogan' Bollea," WWE chief content officer Paul Levesque - better known as Triple H - wrote on social media. "He was the archetype of what it meant to be a 'Superstar' - a global sensation that inspired millions to work hard at whatever it was they wanted to accomplish and a look that made him recognisable to fans around the world. "Hulk Hogan, clad in red and yellow or nWo black and white, was simply put, iconic. As a Real American or the leader of one of the industry's biggest factions, he transcended and elevated the entire business to heights never before seen - in every country and on every continent. "There was no one like The Hulkster, and there very well may never be another." Inside the squared circle, he was must-watch television during feuds with Randy Savage and The Rock. He hosted Saturday Night Live with Mr. T and featured in Rocky III alongside Sylvester Stallone. Even the Sydney Roosters handed him a custom jersey with "Roostermania" printed across the front during a promotional opportunity in 2009. Yet on the outside, Hogan was one of the industry's most complex and controversial characters. For years, Hogan stared down the barrel of a camera and told kids to eat their vitamins and say their prayers, but he was at the centre of a steroid scandal that rocked professional wrestling in the early 1990s. WWE cut ties with Hogan in 2015 - and even removed him from its Hall of Fame before he was readmitted in 2018 - after he was recorded using a series of offensive slurs during a rant about his daughter dating black men. In 2016, Hogan was awarded $174 million - before adding $37 million in punitive damages - in a sex tape lawsuit against Gawker Media. In 2012, Gawker had posted a video of Hogan having sex with his former best friend's wife. Hogan had even emerged as a political figure during Donald Trump's run for United States president last year, declaring it was time to "let Trumpamania run wild, brother" during a Republican national convention. "We lost a great friend today, the 'Hulkster.' Hulk Hogan was MAGA all the way - Strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart," Trump wrote on social media platform Truth Social. "He gave an absolutely electric speech at the Republican National Convention, that was one of the highlights of the entire week. He entertained fans from all over the World, and the cultural impact he had was massive. To his wife, Sky, and family, we give our warmest best wishes and love. Hulk Hogan will be greatly missed!" His final appearance on WWE television - during the company's Netflix debut in January - ended with Hogan being booed by a Los Angeles crowd. Yet those who grew up with Hulkamania running wild, with the NWO and the Monday Night War, will likely reserve a place on wrestling's Mount Rushmore for Hogan's face. And maybe even leave some room for those 24-inch pythons. Well let me tell you something, brother. You might have been a kid the day Hulk Hogan dethroned the Iron Sheik, the day he headlined Wrestlemania I alongside Mr. T or the day he body slammed Andre The Giant. Or maybe you were a kid left in disbelief the night Hogan turned his back on WCW to join Scott Hall and Kevin Nash in the New World Order and change the face of professional wrestling. Before long he was teaming with NBA star Dennis Rodman and turning wrestling into an edgier, mainstream product. Or maybe you were a kid jumping off your seat - just like Adam Sandler inside the Staples Center - the moment you heard the opening chords of Rick Derringer's Real American to save the day during Wrestlemania 21. The era you grew up in doesn't matter. Because it was so often Hogan's face on the VHS and DVD covers when you walked into Video Ezy. Because "Hulkamania" was a phenomenon, running wild with a blonde handlebar moustache and arms he called 24-inch pythons, ripping off his singlet and reaching unprecedented levels of superstardom around the globe long before the dawn of pay television. The professional wrestling industry is in mourning after Hogan - the heroic all-American wearing red and yellow - died aged 71 following a cardiac arrest. Ask anyone for professional wrestling's Mount Rushmore and they'd be hard-pressed to leave Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, off the list. "WWE would not be where it is today without the larger-than-life characters that compete in the ring ... and few, if any, loomed larger than Terry 'Hulk Hogan' Bollea," WWE chief content officer Paul Levesque - better known as Triple H - wrote on social media. "He was the archetype of what it meant to be a 'Superstar' - a global sensation that inspired millions to work hard at whatever it was they wanted to accomplish and a look that made him recognisable to fans around the world. "Hulk Hogan, clad in red and yellow or nWo black and white, was simply put, iconic. As a Real American or the leader of one of the industry's biggest factions, he transcended and elevated the entire business to heights never before seen - in every country and on every continent. "There was no one like The Hulkster, and there very well may never be another." Inside the squared circle, he was must-watch television during feuds with Randy Savage and The Rock. He hosted Saturday Night Live with Mr. T and featured in Rocky III alongside Sylvester Stallone. Even the Sydney Roosters handed him a custom jersey with "Roostermania" printed across the front during a promotional opportunity in 2009. Yet on the outside, Hogan was one of the industry's most complex and controversial characters. For years, Hogan stared down the barrel of a camera and told kids to eat their vitamins and say their prayers, but he was at the centre of a steroid scandal that rocked professional wrestling in the early 1990s. WWE cut ties with Hogan in 2015 - and even removed him from its Hall of Fame before he was readmitted in 2018 - after he was recorded using a series of offensive slurs during a rant about his daughter dating black men. In 2016, Hogan was awarded $174 million - before adding $37 million in punitive damages - in a sex tape lawsuit against Gawker Media. In 2012, Gawker had posted a video of Hogan having sex with his former best friend's wife. Hogan had even emerged as a political figure during Donald Trump's run for United States president last year, declaring it was time to "let Trumpamania run wild, brother" during a Republican national convention. "We lost a great friend today, the 'Hulkster.' Hulk Hogan was MAGA all the way - Strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart," Trump wrote on social media platform Truth Social. "He gave an absolutely electric speech at the Republican National Convention, that was one of the highlights of the entire week. He entertained fans from all over the World, and the cultural impact he had was massive. To his wife, Sky, and family, we give our warmest best wishes and love. Hulk Hogan will be greatly missed!" His final appearance on WWE television - during the company's Netflix debut in January - ended with Hogan being booed by a Los Angeles crowd. Yet those who grew up with Hulkamania running wild, with the NWO and the Monday Night War, will likely reserve a place on wrestling's Mount Rushmore for Hogan's face. And maybe even leave some room for those 24-inch pythons.
Daily Telegraph
11 hours ago
- Daily Telegraph
Hulk Hogan's cause of death revealed
Don't miss out on the headlines from Other Sports. Followed categories will be added to My News. Iconic wrestler Hulk Hogan has died aged 71 after he suffered a heart attack at his Florida home on Thursday, US time. Hogan's manager Chris Volo told NBC that the star died surrounded by loved ones. There had been concerns about his health for several weeks but Hogan's wife Sky had assured fans that while Hogan was recovering after several operations there was 'no need to panic'. Tragically, and despite the optimism, Hogan did not make it through his recovery World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) confirmed Hogan's death and said it was 'saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan had passed away'. The organisation said Hogan, as Terry Bollea was known professionally, was 'one of pop culture's most recognisable figures' who had helped WWE achieve 'global recognition' in the 1980s. Hulk Hogan was always a commanding and flamboyant presence. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) US President Donald Trump said on social media the 'Hulkster' was a 'great friend' and 'MAGA all the way'. He applauded Hogan's 'absolutely electric speech' at last July's Republican National Convention. '(Hogan was) strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart. He entertained fans from all over the World, and the cultural impact he had was massive.' President Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr, said simply: 'R. I. P to a legend'. Hulk Hogan rips his shirt as he speaks on stage on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by) Hulk Hogan speaks on the final night of the Republican National Convention, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) Police confirmed an ambulance was called to Hogan's home in Clearwater, west of Tampa, at 9.51am on Thursday (11.51pm AEST). 'The nature of the call was for a cardiac arrest. A 71-year-old resident … Hulk Hogan, was treated by Clearwater Fire & Rescue crews before being taken by Sunstar to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased,' police said in a statement. Police added that there were 'no signs of foul play or suspicious activity'. He is survived by his wife, children Lind and Brooke and two grandchildren. Hulk Hogan in 1986. PicTitan/Sports/Inc. Sport / Wrestling – archived Muhammad Ali, left, Liberace, centre, and Hulk Hogan get together at Madison Square Garden in preparation for their upcoming wrestling event, March 29, 1985, in New York. Picture: AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler, File. Recent poor health Acquaintances of Hogan have claimed he had been in poor health since at least the beginning of July. But Hogan's wife Sky said that, Hogan was 'healing' and there was 'no need for panic' despite 'intense' surgeries. 'No, he's definitely not in a coma! His heart is strong, and there was never any lack of oxygen or brain damage … none of those rumours are true,' she reportedly wrote on Instagram this month. Hulk Hogan fighting pro wrestler King Kong Bundy. 'He's been recovering from a major four-level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion which is an intense surgery with a long and layered healing process. 'We've been in and out of the hospital to support that recovery. 'So truly, there's no need for the drama or panic some people try to stir up,' she added. 'He's healing, and we're taking it one day at a time with love, strength, and patience.' Hogan in 2015 at The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. Picture: AFP PHOTO / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Robin Marchant Dominated WWE in the 1980s Born in Augusta, Georgia, in 1953, Hogan started wrestling in 1977 after dropping out of university and soon joined the Word Wrestling Federation which became the WWE. The name 'Hulk' came from TV series The Incredible Hulk which was popular at the time. Hogan's charisma and flamboyance – including his trademark handlebar moustache, bandannas and theatrical ripping off of his shirt – helped propel him to stardom. Hulk Hogan, whose given name is Terry Bollea, waiting in the courtroom during a break in his trial against Gawker Media in St. Petersburg, Fla., March 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius, Pool, File) His charm, ability to whip up a crowd and antics in the ring led him to achieve the fame few other wrestlers were able to sustain. Some considered his showmanship to surpass his actual wrestling ability. Yet he was WWE champion six times, albeit in a choreographed fusion of entertainment and sport. The adoration of fans and the ensuing 'Hulkamania' kept him at the forefront of WWE. After he stopped wrestling, Hogan began an acting career in films and TV. In 2015, Hogan apologised after a video of him using racial slurs emerged. The next year, he settled a court case with website Gawker after it had earlier published part of a sex tape involving him. He had accused the website of defamation, loss of privacy, and emotional pain and was initially awarded $140 million. Following Hogan's win, Gawker – then a popular site – went bankrupt and shut down. Originally published as Hulk Hogan's cause of death revealed
Perth Now
12 hours ago
- Perth Now
Hulk Hogan spent last two years of his life fully embracing Christian faith
Hulk Hogan spent the last two years of his life fully embracing his Christian faith. The WWE wrestling hero, whose real name was Terry Bollea and who died aged 71 on Thursday (24.07.25), got baptised with his third wife, yoga instructor Sky Daily, 45, in a ceremony at Indian Rocks Baptist Church in Largo, Florida – months after their marriage in September 2023. The couple had exchanged vows at the same church in September, after a year-long engagement that began in July 2023. Sky, who is 25 years younger than Hogan, stood beside him on their wedding day, surrounded by close family and friends. At the baptism, Hulk wore his signature bandana and a white T‑shirt, while Sky wore a white robe and stood with him in the baptismal pool. Hulk posted photos and videos from the event, writing of his spiritual experience: 'No worries, no hate, no judgment… only love!' He added: 'Total surrender and dedication to Jesus is the greatest day of my life.' The ceremony marked a deep reaffirmation of Hogan's Christian faith, which he first embraced at the age of 14. He credited his faith, along with 'training, prayers and vitamins', with sustaining him throughout his career. Hulk's baptism was described by Sports Spectrum as 'a public profession of Christ' and was captured in footage showing him smiling as he emerged from the water. His renewed faith was also reflected in social media posts earlier this year celebrating Christianity and spreading messages of love and redemption. Hogan died after suffering a cardiac arrest at his Clearwater, Florida home. Sky Daily has spoken about his recovery from recent spinal surgery, but the official cause of death has yet to be confirmed. He is also survived by his two adult children – Brooke, 37, and Nick, 34 – who he had with Linda. Hulk's ex-wife Linda gushed about sharing 'good old days' with the wrestling icon days before his death. She shared a nostalgic photo of her with Hulk on Instagram and captioned it: 'The good old days.' Her throwback snap, taken by a photography agency, showed her gazing at Hogan while dressed in a black costume at a 1996 convention. Linda Hogan, 65, was married to the wrestling star for over two decades before the couple divorced in 2009. The pair were familiar to fans through the VH1 reality show Hogan Knows Best, which aired from 2005 to 2007.
