Not long after rumors first surfaced indicating that Ric Flair was planning another retirement match, the WWE Hall of Famer and wrestling legend confirmed the news himself. The 73-year-old icon is indeed set to climb back into the ring for what’s being billed as his “last match,” and we know exactly when it’s happening, even if we can't guarantee he won't return for another last match in three years.
Ric Flair shared the news of his official pro wrestling return on Twitter, where he has been quite vocal about rumors in the past. The two-time Hall-of-Famer confirmed he’d be returning to the ring for what will be his final in-ring match, while also sharing some details as well as a small trailer hyping the upcoming performance. Check it out below!
The Rumors Are True! I’m Going To Walk That Aisle, Style And Profile, One Last Time! July 31st! Nashville, Tennessee! Jim Crockett Promotions!I Will Prove Once Again, That To Be The Man, You’ve Got To Beat The Man!Now We Go To School!WOOOOO!TIX: https://t.co/IcvXCCDxBa https://t.co/1mmHUiaL18 pic.twitter.com/eVCaiefDpfMay 16, 2022
To be the man, you have to beat the man and to see the man perform in person one more time, you’ll have to be at the Nashville Fairgrounds on Sunday, July 31st. Anyone who can’t make that date shouldn’t worry too much about missing the fun, however, because FITE will be offering the event on pay-per-view for any wrestling fans who wish to check it out from the comfort of their own homes.
Tickets for Ric Flair’s final match will go on sale Friday, May 27th at 12 pm EDT at a website dedicated to the event, and pre-orders for the pay-per-view will be available at the same time on FITE. At this time, Ric Flair’s opponent, as well as the rest of the card for the pay-per-view is up in the air, though it was noted he’ll be sporting a custom-made robe.
When Flair’s return was first teased, the rumors circled around him potentially joining the AEW's top tag-team FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) in a match against fellow Hall-of-Famers the Rock n’ Roll Express (Robert Gibson and Ricky Morton) and an unnamed opponent. The whole event is being run by Jim Crockett Promotions, so it’s obviously harder to guess who he’ll be facing, as compared to if this were a WWE- or AEW-sanctioned event.
Anyone making a return to active wrestling at Ric Flair's age is rare, but it's not entirely unprecedented. While most wrestlers stay retired once they hit north of 60, there are a few who have continued to take on in-ring action for smaller independent wrestling promotions, whether it be for the love of the sport or the love of the paychecks. I’d say Flair is certainly one of the biggest superstars to ever do it, and it would be amazing if the event found another wrestling legend of such high caliber to take him on in the ring.
Sting is working over in AEW at 63, and someone on that level would certainly be a big draw for the event. His involvement feels more likely than someone like Hulk Hogan, who openly admitted during an interview on the Two Man Power Trip podcast (via TMZ) that there’s no way he’d be able to compete in that kind of capacity after 23 surgeries in the past decade. So, for anyone hoping for Flair’s good friend Hogan to come out of retirement for one final match, I wouldn’t hold my breath. Hopefully, whoever is selected is a worthy opponent and maybe someone with ties to some of Flair’s past great moments in wrestling. Can somebody get Ricky Steamboat involved?
Ric Flair’s final match will take place on Sunday, July 31st, so there’s still some time to wait. Anyone with a Peacock premium subscription can revisit the wrestler's greatest past matches in the meantime and get ready for one of the biggest wrestling events of 2022.
