'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
What's the story?
WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair was sent to the hospital Thursday afternoon to undergo a scheduled surgery according to his son-in-law, Conrad Thompson.
Thompson's update downplayed the "very serious medical emergency" that was reported by TMZ.
In case you didn't know...
News of Flair's recent hospital visit and surgery, leading many to believe 'The Nature Boy' would be unable to make Starrcast II and that he was having another medical emergency similar to the one from 2017, but that wasn't the case.
Flair's last big "medical emergency" occurred in 2017 when Pro Wrestling Sheet reported that he was admitted to the ICU for "heart-related issues."
The heart of the matter
TMZ reported Flair's hospital visit as a serious medical emergency claiming the former world champion was in the Atlanta area when "something went wrong." They claimed to reach out to people close to Flair for feedback and never got a response, but reported the hospital visit as a "very serious" situation.
However, Thompson would refute those reports during the Starrcast Media Call where he said the surgery Flair underwent Thursday afternoon was a procedure that was scheduled rather than a medical emergency.
Thompson said Flair wanted to have the surgery before his trip to Las Vegas for Starrcast, but did not reveal any further details about Flair's status aside from downplaying the seriousness of the TMZ report.
What's next?
Despite having his surgery this afternoon, Flair is still scheduled to appear at the Starrcast II wrestling convention for "The Roast of Ric Flair on Friday, May 25.
The event takes place one day before All Elite Wrestling's first pay-per-view, Double or Nothing which is headlined by Cody Rhodes vs. Dustin Rhodes, Kenny Omega vs. Chris Jericho and The Young Bucks vs. The Lucha Brothers.
