Wrestling icon Ric Flair says he'll 'be back'

Wrestling icon Ric Flair has tweeted a message to his fans after a surgery and hospitalization.

"Sometimes you have to get knocked down lower than you have ever been, to stand up taller than you ever were. Naitch WILL be back!" he wrote.

World Wrestling Entertainment said earlier this month that Flair underwent surgery, but the nature of the problem has not been released.

His media representative Melinda Morris Zanoni of Legacy Talent asked on Twitter for "prayers & positive energy" because Flair has "tough medical issues."

Known for his flamboyant outfits and "Woooo!" catchphrase, Flair made his professional debut in 1972 and was inducted into the World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2008.

Flair lives in Charlotte.

Ric Flair and his daughter Miss Charlotte before throwing out a ceremonial first pitch at an Atlanta Braves game, May 1, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

The Associated Press contributed to this report.