WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair broke down in tears during an emotional interview with TMZ about the tragic passing of fellow wrestling legend, Hulk Hogan.
On Thursday morning, the wrestling world learned the awful news that Hulk Hogan died of cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida. Medical personnel attempted to revive Hogan for 30 minutes before transporting him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Hogan had several health-related issues in his post-wrestling career, telling Logan Paul last year that he underwent about 25 surgeries over the previous decade. This included 10 surgeries on his back as well as replacements on both his knees and hips.
Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan had many on-screen wrestling rivalries in their illustrious careers, but the two were close friends in real life. Talking through tears, a visibly crushed Nature Boy discussed his relationship in an interview with TMZ.
“People always wanted to paint us as enemies, but we were actually very, very close friends. I just talked to Jimmy Hart (Hogan’s longtime manager) yesterday, he was fine. To have this happen is just horrible…
He was so over, when I went there (to the WWE) in the ’90s. I had never seen anything like it in my life. The music started, and he came down the hallway…”
#RicFlair spoke with TMZ about #HulkHogan in the minutes after the wrestling legend’s death … and he got super emotional remembering his good friend.#Exclusive story at the 🔗HERE: https://t.co/1s5PTQxHO9 pic.twitter.com/ssxjKjKi4T
— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) July 24, 2025
Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan emerged as household names in the wrestling world during the 1970s. Flair and Hogan, arguably the two greatest wrestlers of all-time had legendary on-screen rivalries in WWF (now WWE), WCW and TNA.
Flair and Hogan had well-documented feuds with other wrestling greats during their respective careers. But the two got along outside of the ring and maintained a close friendship up until Hogan’s tragic passing.
Hulk Hogan put WCW on the map in the ’90s when he decided to end his acting career and return to the squared circle. Hogan and Flair were the company’s two premier stars for much of the decade, headlining multiple pay-per-views together.
That included the Clash of the Champions XXVIII, Clash of the Champions XXXII (Flair and The Giant vs. Hogan and Randy Savage) and Clash of the Champions XXXIII.
