Wrestling great Ric Flair 'awake, communicating and progressing' but complications remain

Professional wrestling legend Ric Flair is “awake, communicating and progressing,” his manager said Saturday.

Flair, 68, has been hospitalized since last week and had surgery Monday, although neither his representatives or WWE has released specifics of the surgery.

On Saturday, Melinda Morris Zanoni, CEO of Legacy Talent and Entertainment, said there remain “complications so (he) needs to rest for the 1st time in 40 years” in a Twitter post.

She provided added details on Facebook, noting “there has not been an official Ric Flair update, but that has led to a lot of false information. Don’t believe everything you read.”

She continued, “On behalf of Ric THANK YOU for all the outpouring of prayers and well wishes (although the offers for a kidney seemed a little excessive) :) The man outlived both a plane crash and being struck by lightening...he is a survivor. Beyond grateful for all the love and respect sent Ric's way."

In a statement Thursday, Flair’s fiancee, Wendy Barlow, said the 16-time world champion was dealing with “multiple organ problems.”

Barlow said she took Flair to the hospital on Friday night for severe abdominal pain and noted, “from that moment on it seems like a nightmare.”

Zanoni initially said last Saturday that he was hospitalized for routine monitoring, but tweeted on Sunday night that he was facing “tough medical issues.” He was put in a medically induced coma Monday in advance of surgery.