After a Ric Flair representative told TMZ that Flair was considering taking legal action against claims made in the Grantland.com article, various wrestling sites have pointed out that Flair admitted in his 2004 autobiography to suffering from Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy:
"Through my many years of partying, I also developed something called "alcoholic cardiomyopathy," a weakening of heart muscles. I first detected that there was something wrong when my heart began skipping beats. I went to a cardiologist friend who told me that when your heart pumps, it expands to a rubber band. But mine was doing it too much. Initially, I thought that steroids might be responsible, but the doctor dismissed this theory. My heart was fluttering from thirty-five years of hitting it hard.
It's the part of the price of being Ric Flair. In exchange for the glory and the good times, I acquired a heart condition, self-esteem issues, and cataracts from tanning beds—and very nearly wrecked my marriage to a great woman. But incredibly, I remained ageless in other ways. And in 2002, at nearly fifty-three years old, I was about to see if I could show a new generation of fans what they missed in the 1970s and 1980s."
August 26, 2011
Ric Flair Admitted in his Autobiography to Having Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy
Sin Cara/Mistico Update
Earlier this week, during the Smackdown spoilers, we noted that WWE had to film a match between Sin Cara and Heath Slater twice due to a number of moves being botched during the initial taping in Calgary, Alberta Canada.
PWInsider.com has confirmed that it was actually WWE developmental talent Hunico working as Cara in both matches. The original Cara was at the event and dressed to wrestle, but management opted not to use him on TV. It's most interesting he wasn't used, as he was free and clear from his WWE Wellness Suspension.
WWE sources are indicating that the original Sin Cara (Mistico) was sent home from the Calgary Smackdown taping after meeting with WWE officials. Mistico left the building before the tapings ended.
Going forward, sources claim that Hunico will exclusively portray the Sin Cara character, which WWE wants to maintain as its been very popular among kids and in merchandise sales.
The expectation is for the artist formerly known as Mistico to depart WWE, but nothing has been 100% confirmed on that front.
Ric Flair Threatens Lawsuit Over New Article
Wrestling icon Ric Flair is FURIOUS over an article which claims the Nature Boy is suffering from a serious medical condition caused by years of hardcore boozing ... because Ric claims it's NOT TRUE and now he's threatening to sue.
The unflattering article -- which paints Flair as a troubled, irresponsible mess of a person -- ran on an ESPN affiliated website called Grantland.com ... and the report is mostly based on court documents.
But Flair is particularly pissed about the reporter's claim that he suffers from Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy -- a disease caused by years of alcohol abuse which often leads to heart failure.
A rep for Flair -- -- whose real name is Richard Fliehr -- tells TMZ, "While the information gleaned from courthouse records may be credible, Mr. Fliehr is currently evaluating his legal options with respect to falsehoods in the story, specifically the untrue statement that he suffers from alcoholic cardiomyopathy."
The rep adds, "Our client understands that these allegations are part of the territory when you are not only famous, but a living legend."
source: tmz.com
Which Sports Media Sites Offer Users Top Mobile Performance?
Only one of the 12 sports media sites measured for the benchmark in July of 2011 provided an average response time under five seconds: WWE had an average response time of 4.5 seconds. The remaining eleven sites, which provided load time speeds ranging from 8.3 seconds to more than 20 seconds, are not meeting consumers' expectations...More?
source: msnbc.com
Mick Foley Says WWE is a Superior Product to TNA Wrestling
Former WWE and TNA star Mick Foley recently did an interview with Sam Roberts of "After O&A with Sam Roberts," and discussed his time spent with TNA, his departure from the company, and his WWE return.
On the subject of TNA vs WWE, Mick ended up talking about his departure from the company, and said that being in TNA was kind of like wearing a pair of pants that didn't quite fit. He also said he came to the realization that WWE was simply a superior product....More?
source: soundcloud.com
This Day in Wrestling History
Harley Race defeated Dusty Rhodes for the NWA Heavyweight Wrestling title.
August 26, 1979
Bret Hart defeated Curt Hennig for the WWF(E) Intercontinental title.
August 26, 1991
Raven returns to ECW helping Tommy Dreamer defeat The Dudley Boyz for the ECW World Tag Team Titles. This was also The Dudley Boyz last match in ECW before joining the then-WWF.
August 26, 1999
Stephanie McMahon announces that WWE Unified Champion Brock Lesner would be exclusive to SmackDown.
August 26, 2002
Triple H returned to a huge ovation and win over Booker T at SummerSlam. Hunter had been out since January of that year after injuring his right quad during a match at New Year's Revolution.
August 26, 2007
August 25, 2011
Theater Locations for Triple H's Movie "Inside Out"
Arizona Mills- (480) 820-0387 - Tempe, AZ
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Chino Hills 18 - (909) 627-8010 - Chino Hills, CA
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Harkins Northfield 18 - (303) 595-4275 - Denver, CO
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Regal Palace 18 - (305) 221-3402 - Miami, FL
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Channelside Cinemas Stadium 9 & IMAX - (813) 221-0700 - Tampa, FL
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Mall of America 14 - (952) 851-0074 - Bloomington, MN
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Crownpoint Stadium 12 - (704) 847-2024 - Charlotte, NC
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Quad Cinemas 4 - (212) 255-8800 - New York, NY
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Southlake Town Square 14 - (817) 310-0345 - Southlake, TX
Inside Out opens September 9th
Ric Flair's Long, Steady Decline
Ric Flair has been physically attacked by at least three of his four wives.
In a 2005 divorce case with Elizabeth Harrell — wife no. 2 — Flair's lawyers detailed their accusations. "On more than one occasion," they wrote, "Plaintiff (Beth) has assaulted the Defendant (Flair), striking him about the head and body in an effort to provoke him into a physical confrontation."
In 2009, Flair filed a criminal complaint against Tiffany Vandemark — wife no. 3 — whom he accused of "hitting him in the face with a phone charger."
And in 2010, Flair and his current wife, Jacqueline Beams, returned to their Charlotte, N.C., home after dinner at the Lodge Restaurant. There, for reasons never made explicit, Jacqueline punched him repeatedly in the face. She was arrested.
The story of Ric Flair was once about a college dropout who rose through the ranks of professional wrestling to become a legend. It was about his nickname, "The Nature Boy," and his signature figure four leglock, both lifted from an older wrestler named Buddy Rogers. It was about his multiple championships, his bleach-blond hair, his fast-talking patter (by his own reckoning, Flair was a "stylin', profilin', limousine-riding, jet-flying, kiss-stealing, wheelin'-n'-dealin' son of a gun!"), and his signature, trademarked cry: "WOOO!"
Today the story is about a man known in the court system as Richard Morgan Fliehr, 62, born in 1949 and adopted by parents who raised him in Minnesota. That's what he was called this past April, when a judge ejected Fliehr from his Charlotte home because he couldn't pay his rent. That's what he was called in May, when he faced an arrest order for an unpaid $35,000 loan. That's what he's called on the paychecks from Total Nonstop Action, a second-tier outfit where he's still compelled to perform despite suffering from alcoholic cardiomyopathy, and where almost everything he earns goes toward old debts: lawyers, ex-wives, the IRS, former business partners, and anyone who made the mistake of lending him money.
Richard Fliehr declined to comment on the legal matters discussed in this story...More?
source: grantland.com
