WWE legend Ric Flair coming out of retirement for another wrestling match.
At 73, having not fought since he took on Sting at TNA Impact in 2011, the ‘Nature Boy’ has confirmed he’ll be returning for another send-off on the independent circuit. And despite his iconic status, the announcement has prompted a mixed response from fans.
Flair, whose career began with the American Wrestling Association way back in 1972, is widely regarded as one of the greatest in-ring performers of all time. His stints in NWA, WWE [initially WWF] and WCW yielded 16 world heavyweight titles, a marker that remains an all-time record.
In his second stint with Vince McMahon’s company, his ‘final’ showdown came with Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 24. In emotional scenes in Florida, a tearful Flair seemingly bowed of wrestling following a match for the ages with his long-time friend.
But a year later, he returned to the ring as a heel during Hulk Hogan’s tour of Australia, in a brutal contest where both men bled heavily. Flair later revealed regret at not honouring his retirement match with Michaels, insisting he needed the money.
Then in 2010, he signed a deal with TNA, and then embarked on another stint in WWE, but despite being incorporated in storylines, didn’t actively wrestle in any matches. He was granted a release in 2021, citing other interests.
Later that year, he appeared at an event with the Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide promotion. And now, he’s revealed he will be back again, but this time, with his wrestling boots and tights on.
His latest farewell match will take place on an independent show at the Nashville Fairgrounds. An opponent has yet to be finalised, and it’s unclear as to whether it will be a traditional singles match.
He told ESPN : “I’m going to walk that aisle one last time to prove once and for all that to be the Man, you’ve got to beat the Man.” Regurgitating his trademark phrase hasn’t caught the imagination of wrestling fans though.
On Twitter, @zacksaywhaI reacted to the news by saying: “I wish he wouldn’t. I love Naitch but he has nothing to prove and no one wants him to die in the ring, no matter how much of a tribute he thinks it would be to pro wrestling. With all the love in my heart – I wish someone would stop him.”
@Official_Views added: “Shame what he’s doing to his legacy and it’s a bigger shame to see what he’s become, while @BruceCiskie posted: “Everyone promoting this should be embarrassed. And we should all pray nothing terrible happens when a 73-year-old man with a history of serious health problems tries to work a match.”
Indeed, in 2017, Flair had surgery in Georgia which led to various complications, including kidney failure. He also suffered a ‘serious medical emergency’ back in 2019.