WWE legend Ric Flair separates from wife Wendy after almost four years of marriage

Flair announced their breakup on social media (Picture: Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)

Ric Flair has announced he has split from his wife Wendy Barlow after almost four years of marriage.

The WWE Hall of Famer – who tied the knot with Wendy, his fifth spouse, in September 2018 – revealed news of their breakup on Monday in a brief statement on social media.

He explained the couple had taken ‘some time apart’ before deciding to call time on their marriage, and asked everyone to respect their privacy while seeing he remains ‘thankful’ for everything she’s done for him.

He tweeted: ‘After Taking Some Time Apart, Wendy And I Have Decided To Go Our Separate Ways. Please Respect Our Privacy & Our Families During This Time!

‘I Will Love & Cherish All Of Our Memories Together Forever, And I Will Forever Be Thankful For All She Has Done To Make My Life Better!’

He didn’t give any further details on the split or potential divorce proceedings.

Flair – who was granted his release from WWE last summer – had previously said he wanted to die either in a wrestling ring or ‘on top’ of his wife.

Speaking to Renee Paquette one an episode of her Oral Sessions podcast last year, he laughed: ‘WWE won’t even let me walk up the stairs for liability reasons. I can’t.

‘I can stand in a ring but, Renee, it’s kind of like I said, I either wanna die in a ring or on top of Wendy. It’s A or B. What better way is there to go? What I did for a living or with the one I love? Woooo!’

In September last year, Ric responded to allegations made by against him following the infamous Plane Ride From Hell in 2002, as flight attendant Heidi Doyle alleged that he exposed himself to her and made her touch his penis.

‘I was in the galley… Ric Flair was naked in a cape only, and then he decided to come back to the galley to get a coke and then he wouldn’t leave the galley,’ she claimed as she spoke about the claims in a new episode of Dark Side of the Ring.

‘He had me up against the back door, and I couldn’t move. I couldn’t get away from him… I couldn’t… I couldn’t move. He was spinning around his penis and he wanted me to touch it. He took my hand and put it on him.’

Flair has released a statement to Wrestling Inc. and has denied the allegations of sexual assault – which he has also denied in the past – while admitting he did expose himself.

He said: ‘To clarify, the “helicopter” as it was called, is accurate. I wish I could blame it on youth, but it was a case of drinking too much and being inappropriate and I apologize for that (and have countless times over the years).

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‘I made some bad decisions during dark periods in my life, and it is something I’ve spent a significant part of years I was given by the doctors in 2017 trying to make right.

‘I condemn sexual assault in any way, shape or form. I could (and have) written books (as have others) that have covered my transgressions.

‘I’ve made some terrible decisions, but I’ve never forced myself on anyone in any way. Period.’

Producers noted in the episode that Flair has denied the allegations in the past, and a settlement was reached at the time between Doyle and WWE.

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