Last week, the wrestling world was shocked upon hearing the passing of WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan. One of his greatest rivals and best of friends, the Nature Boy, Ric Flair, recently shared a few thoughts on the demise of Hogan.
Ric Flair was a special guest on the recent episode of the Ariel Helwani Show. During the episode, the Nature Boy shared that he believes his friend, ‘Hollywood’ Hulk Hogan, might have just gotten tired. He then listed out the number of surgeries and hip replacements that Hogan had to undergo throughout his life.
“I think he just got tired. He went through 11 back surgeries, hip replacements, neck surgery — how much can one body take? We’ve all pushed ourselves beyond the limit in this business.” [H/T eWrestlingNews.com]
Following that, Ric Flair also mentioned that throughout his career, he has had some serious health issues. However, his body is still not hurting. He also claimed that after seeing his friend pass away, he has some anxiety.
“Here I am, five years older than Hulk, and I don’t hurt at all. I’ve had some serious health issues, but I don’t have an ache or pain in my body. Of course, it gives me anxiety — like, am I next? [laughs] So I’m grateful any time I get to talk about how great Hulk was and reflect on his legacy with you guys. It’s an honor,” Ric Flair said.
"I think he just got tired. 11 back operations, hip replacements, now a neck surgery… How much can your body take?
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) July 28, 2025
We've all put ourselves in ridiculous positions in the business, but I mean, I'm 5 years older than Hulk, and I don't hurt at all.
I've had some serious health… pic.twitter.com/joV16Ek2b6
Upon hearing the news of Hogan’s passing, Flair took to Twitter to share a heartfelt message for his friend and his family.
What are your favorite memories of the Hulkster?
