Ric Flair addressed the health concerns people have expressed over the 73 year old returning to in-ring competition.
Despite his age and ill-health in recent years, Ric Flair is preparing to return to the ring. The WWE Hall of Famer hasn’t wrestled since squaring off against Sting in September 2011 during his stint in TNA. However, in recent weeks, Flair has been sharing footage on social media of himself working out in the ring with AEW star Jay Lethal.
On May 16th, Ric Flair took to social media once more and announced that he would indeed be returning to action for one last match at the age of 73. In a nod to his past, the bout will take place under the banner of Jim Crockett Promotions as part of Starrcast on July 31st.
When news broke that Ric Flair would be stepping back inside the squared circle, numerous people have expressed concerns about his health, including former WCW announcer Chris Cruise and fellow WWE Hall of Famer Jim Cornette, who also questioned whether fans would be entertained by the match or whether they would be too worried about watching Ric Flair far past his prime.
Ric Flair himself addressed these concerns on the latest episode of To Be the Man, saying that he’s been in the ring a lot more than what’s been shown on social media, and that training helps him stay in better health.
“I just want to address a few things that I think people need to hear about. I would say it’s 70% positive. But for the 30% of people that are worried about me getting in a ring and wrestling again, first of all, I assure you that I’ve been in the ring a lot more than I’ve shown on social media.
“I have to get quicker. I have to get faster. I’m in better shape now because I train with Rob, John Cena’s personal trainer, than I’ve ever been in my life in terms of cardio. I’ve never been a cosmetic wonderboy so I am going to wear a shirt, but I can assure you that in two and a half months, I will put on a clinic of what real wrestling should be about.”
Continuing, Ric Flair addressed allegations that he’s doing one last match because he needs the money, saying that he makes enough money from Cameo to be set for life.
“I’m never going to be able to do a moonsault. God bless those that can. For the other people that don’t follow social media to understand, you don’t see how much money I make from Cameo. That alone I can live on for the rest of my life. I just made a commercial for Carshield. My life is good. I don’t need the money, but baby, I do like the glory. I’m never going to walk away from it. If I have a chance to get myself over, I’m going to do it.
“That’s what I’ve been doing my whole life. You don’t understand. If I can crash in that airplane with a pilot killed and two guys are paralyzed and get back on another plane and fly six months later, you could do anything. So I almost died four years ago. I got a pacemaker. I almost died of a blood clot. I had four heart operations in seven weeks. I’m good to go.
“I will decide on when I want to go. So this is not about the money. This is about me doing what I’ve done my whole life. I watch wrestling every day because I love it, and I respect the guys in it.”
When it comes to concerns about Ric Flair wrestling with a pacemaker, 16-time World Champion said that he’s spoken with a cardiologist about that issue specifically and that he was given the ok to perform in the ring.
“Everybody’s got a different opinion. So I follow one heart doctor that I have the most confidence in, the guy I like the most. I called him and said I wanted to do this.
“The only thing I was worried about was getting in with a pacemaker. He said, ‘Ric, there’s enough scar tissue around that thing now that I believe it’ll hold. If you want to do it, do it.’ That was the answer. That was the only concern.
“The other concern, which I haven’t had in a long time, would have been when I get dizzy because of the equilibrium issue that I have with the inner ear problem, but I haven’t had that since I wrestled Edge in a ladder match. So, just a couple of concerns, but I’m not afraid of it.
“I have more self confidence, which is important for me personally, than I had when I wrestled Shawn, especially because this will be a tag match format.”
While it was rumored that Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat would be participating in Ric Flair’s last match, he recently explained why he declined to come out of retirement.
h/t WrestlingNews.co