In 2017, Ric Flair experienced a ruptured intestine and kidney failure, which became septic. These complications led to respiratory heart failure and pneumonia.
He was even placed in a medically-induced coma. Flair eventually made it through his colon surgery and recovered.
Many in WWE thought that Flair was going to die on August 14, 2017, and that’s why WWE prepared multiple versions of the RAW script for that Monday night.
On the Talk Is Jericho podcast, AEW Executive Producer Mike Mansury, who was with WWE at the time, reflected on the company’s efforts to honor Flair’s legacy in case he passed:
“I would say one of the more nerve-racking moments I had ever doing RAW and one that stands out like crazy to me is the night we all thought Ric Flair was gonna die. So Ric had a really bad health situation and I think they basically were ready to give him last rites and everything else in between.
So, we had three versions of the show prepared. We had the version that it was gonna be executed as it was written, a version that we would do if Ric, God forbid, passed before the show and then if he had passed during the show.
It was pretty nerve-racking and you know, thank God he pulled through. He’s alive and better than ever now, all these years later but, that’s definitely one of the shows that just really, really sticks out in my brain like, woof.”
Flair heard Mike’s comments and tweeted the following:
“This Is What Everyone In Any Place In The Wrestling Business Dreams Of- RESPECT! Regardless Of Who I Work For, I Will Always Love The WWE For The Respect They Have Shown Me! Thank You!
When The Day Comes, I Am So Confident You Will Honor Me!”
WATCH: Charlotte Flair Accidentally Exposed On RAW (April 2021):
