Ricky Steamboat In-Ring Return Set For November

Ricky Steamboat is returning to the ring.

Steamboat will compete for Big Time Wrestling on Nov. 27 at Dorton Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. Steamboat’s opponent was not yet announced.

“Ricky Steamboat is one of the greatest all-time, and we’re excited to bring a legend back to the ring,” Big Time Wrestling co-owner Steve Perkins said to Sports Illustrated‘s Justin Barrasso. “Interest will be high, and ticket sales will begin today.”

Steamboat last wrestled a tag team match in 2010 at FCW Father’s Day Salute, teaming with his son, Richie, against The Dudebusters’ Caylen Croft and Trent Barreta. Steamboat’s last singles match was an August 2, 2009 live event bout against Drew McIntyre in Hyannis, Massachusetts. The McIntyre match was the last of several live event matches they worked together, and it followed Steamboat’s highly-praised matches with Chris Jericho at WrestleMania 25 and WWE Backlash that year.

Steamboat’s name also came up as a potential opponent for Ric Flair at his “Last Match” event in Nashville this summer. According to a report from Fightful, Steamboat was penciled in to team with the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express in a match against Flair and FTR. Steamboat later commented on the report and explained that he turned the offer down because he didn’t want to tarnish the fans’ memory of his in-ring career.

More recently, Steamboat appeared at MLW SuperFight in Charlotte on February 26, and he also made his first appearance on TBS in nearly thirty years when he served as guest timekeeper on the August 17, 2022 edition of AEW Dynamite. Following the AEW appearance, Steamboat also made another non-wrestling appearance on NWA Powerrr on August 30.

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