WWE Hall of Famer and wrestling legend Ric Flair is lacing up the boots once again at age 73 later this year and he recently spoke to TMZ Sports about the decision.
Flair said, “I don’t have any aches or pains. I know I’ve had the health issues, but I asked 40 different doctors and I decided I’m only gonna listen to one. Not necessarily the one that was gonna give me the right answer, but that I felt the most comfortable with.”
Ric is adamant that nothing is standing in the way of him having a healthy wrestling match. He has not competed since wrestling Sting in 2011 for TNA. Flair has lost both of his retirement matches both in WWE and TNA. This leads Flair to believe he has unfinished business. He said, “I couldn’t stand the last couple of matches I had. Couldn’t stand the last year I had. I needed someone to motivate me and what motivates me is doing something I like to do, and that’s wrestle. I’ll never run at 100% again. But, I’ll be running at 80, 85%.”
Flair will compete in Nashville, Tennessee on July 31, the day after WWE SummerSlam runs in the same city. Jim Crockett Promotion’s ‘Starrcast‘ event is where the match will happen. Tickets go on sale May 27 for the event.
Flair recently spoke to WrestleZone about his in-ring return and how his doctor (based out of the University of Auburn) addressed any of the health concerns he might have by wrestling again.
“You can only ask so many people, I had four different heart doctors, three different internists… when you get as sick as I got, you run the complications that ultimately nobody wants to take responsibility for. But I met a doctor down at Auburn University, I respect him and I like him, he understands how I tick and he said the worst that could happen is it comes unplugged and you plug it back in. But I feel great, knock on wood, the only other thing that could possibly cause any issues is I’ve had equilibrium issues a couple of times from headshots,” Flair pointed out, “but I haven’t had that in a long time either, so I’m anticipating that I just really have to go to work on my quickness through drills and the wrestling part, it’s easy.”
.@RicFlairNatrBoy wasn't happy with how he left his in-ring career, noting that he had to wrestle more after his WWE retirement.
He explained how the opportunity to wrestle at @StarrcastEvents came up and shared his mindset going into the match.https://t.co/Dd9BsYGdAc pic.twitter.com/39tAvFW2Mx
— WrestleZone (@WRESTLEZONEcom) May 20, 2022
