Ric Flair On What Hulk Hogan Said About Him In His Documentary, Hogan Visiting Him In The Hospital
Ric Flair was recently a guest on the Cheap Heat Podcast and discussed everything from his upcoming documentary to his health scare over the summer. During the conversation, Flair expressed his appreciation for one of his longtime friends in the wrestling business, Hulk Hogan.
Flair was hospitalized in August due to an intestinal blockage which resulted in a part of his bowel being removed. He remained in the hospital for over a month after undergoing surgery, and he had an external pacemaker inserted to help his heart beat normally. He said Hogan came to visit him twice and gave him an inspirational book that he and his girlfriend Wendy would read every day.
"He came up twice to see me," he said. "He would have came up to the premiere but his back is so bad, I feel bad for him. I didn't know it but he gave Wendy a book that we read a passage from everyday for about 3 to 4 weeks. Wendy has been busy, and I have too, but it's something I will cherish all of my life."
Of course, Hogan being in the hospital drew a lot of attention due to his celebrity status. Flair said that despite Hogan's own health issues, he was courteous to anyone who approached him.
"You can imagine how everybody was bugging Hulk, and even though he came in through a security area where I was, but the Nurses and everybody wanted a picture with him; he's Hulk Hogan, and he was gracious to do it," Flair said. "But one of the Doctor's said to me, 'Geez. Hulk Hogan can barely walk.' It's true; he can barely walk. His back is so bad. I feel terrible for him."
Flair also said he was flattered to hear what Hogan said about him in his upcoming documentary. 30 For 30: Nature Boy will premiere on Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN and includes a lot of commentary from fellow wrestlers. Flair said that what Hogan said in the film is no different from what he tells him to his face.
"It's funny because people don't know that he always tells me that," Flair said. "We clearly had our differences, but the differences came down to the company. Hulk had a say so and he had the push, and I understood that, but ultimately if Bischoff wanted to stick up for me he could have. If he wanted to pay me, but he was paying the other guys. He wanted me on the side as much as anybody else did. You know, out of sight, out of mind, but that didn't work for him that way with me because I've been there [WCW] too long, and every time they got in a jam, they brought me back, but Hogan always said that to me. [In the documentary] he was referencing that match we had in Orlando, Florida where WrestleMania would have been, but ten years later, but he always told me that, and always told me that I am the greatest to my face."
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit the Cheap Seats Podcast with an H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
Source: Cheap Heat Podcast
Peter Bahi contributed to this article.