The death of the legendary Hulk Hogan is said to have been caused by "street drugs"

Wrestling icon Ric Flair recently commented on the untimely passing of his longtime friend and colleague, "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan. In a statement, Flair suggested that drug use was behind Hogan's death, which was driven to him by lifelong health problems.

Although the wrestling world and fitness community was hit with the news of Hogan's death from cardiac arrest back in July, new details are only now surfacing. On November 30, Ric Flair shared a controversial claim on his Instagram that the legendary wrestler's "street drugs" were fatal.

Pain as a trigger

In his statement, Flair stressed that his words were not meant to tarnish Hogan's legacy, but only to relay facts he learned from family members. According to Flair, Hogan's physical condition after years in the ring was devastating.

"There seems to be some controversy surrounding my remarks. I was merely repeating what I know as fact from family members," Flair explained. "After 11 back surgeries, hip replacements, knee replacements, shoulder replacements and two neck surgeries, I'm sure the pain must have been excruciating."

Flair suggested that although Hogan was taking pain medication prescribed by doctors, it wasn't enough to allow him to function and manage the suffering, which eventually led him to seek relief elsewhere.

"A doctor can only prescribe a certain amount of medication... Eventually it catches up with you, as we all know it does," he said

Respect for a friend

Despite the sensitive nature of this information, Flair insists that he has a deep respect for Hogan. In his post, he said:

"He was my friend, a man I respected... This was not an attempt to disparage Hulk Hogan or his legacy. I have always referred to him as one of the two biggest stars in the business, alongside Steve Austin."

Hulk Hogan, whose own name was Terry Gene Bollea, died at the age of 71 in Clearwater, Florida. His passing sparked a wave of reactions across the sports world. While there is new speculation about the circumstances of his final days, for most fans he remains above all an immortal icon who changed the face of professional wrestling forever.

Source:FitnessVolt, Instagram