WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair has revealed he has been diagnosed with skin cancer for the ‘second time in three years.’
The 76-year-old has now said that he will begin to undergo treatment next week.
The wrestling legend denied reports of his diagnosis on X, formerly known as Twitter, just two days ago in an attempt to keep it private.
The 16-time world champion, who has faced numerous health challenges over the last ten years, eventually acknowledged his readiness to reveal the heartbreaking news.
‘It’s the second time in three years that I’ve been dealing with skin cancer,’ he told People. ‘I will be undergoing treatment next week.’
The ‘Nature Boy’ is widely considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers with his daughter, Charlotte, following in his footsteps.
WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair has revealed he has been diagnosed with skin cancer
The 76-year-old is pictured with his daughter Charlotte, who followed in his footsteps
The ‘Nature Boy’ is widely considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time
Initially, he announced his retirement in 2008 following a loss to Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24, yet has made intermittent comebacks to WWE for special appearances.
In the years since, Flair has tragically suffered with a number of significant health issues.
In 2017, he was in a coma for 11 days and reportedly near death after his intestine ruptured.
Flair experienced hospitalization due to stomach pains and mere hours later encountered the initial stages of kidney failure. He also narrowly avoided congestive heart failure, attributed to alcohol abuse.
Despite his family being told he only had a 20 percent chance of surviving, Flair eventually recovered after being placed into a medically induced coma and having an obstructed piece of bowel surgically removed.
In 2019, he was rushed to the emergency room after reportedly suffering a ‘very serious’ medical emergency. He later underwent successful heart surgery at the Atlanta hospital.
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.’
Boasting 16 WWE world championship titles, Flair cemented himself as an icon in the ring
The wrestling legend split from his fifth wife, Wendy Barlow (left), in September 2024
Since stepping away from the ring, the ‘Nature Boy’ has had a series of health scares
Flair married his fifth wife Wendy Barlow in 2018, however the couple split in September 2024. When announcing their separation, Flair thanked his longtime partner for being by his side throughout his health crises.
Boasting 16 WWE world championship titles, Flair cemented himself as one of the greatest icons of the ring. He is also the only WWE Superstar to have been inducted into the Hall of Fame twice.
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 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 died of a drug overdose in 2013.
