Just over a week before he wrestles his final match, Ric Flair has opened up on why this robe, in particular, has more meaning than any before it.
It was announced earlier this week that Ric Flair will team with his son-in-law Andrade El Idolo on Sunday, 31 July to wrestle Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett in what will be Flair’s final in-ring encounter.
Footage of the 16-time World Champion lacing up his boots one last time has surfaced online, as have photos of the robe that will adorn Ric Flair’s body. This isn’t just any robe, however; as confirmed by the two-time WWE Hall of Famer, the robe is an exact replica of the robe he wore when he first became ‘The Nature Boy’:
The first look at the retirement robe. @RicFlairNatrBoy
Win It 🦋 https://t.co/WjtxFmkM1Rpic.twitter.com/NnPG5uZsJ5
— Conrad the Mortgage Guy (@HeyHeyItsConrad) July 20, 2022
The robe in question is white with a grey outline and various designs covering it. On the back reads ‘Nature Boy’ in a purple curly font. A first look at the robe had previously been shown when Ric Flair unveiled a figure of himself, marking the first of its kind to be released under the Jim Crockett Promotions banner.
Ric Flair’s return to the ring was initially confirmed on 16 May to much criticism. A singles match was never on the table, owing to Flair’s limited capabilities in the ring, but FTR, The Rock’n’Roll Express, and Ricky Steamboat were among the names considered for his last hurrah.
First retring against Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXIV, ‘The Dirtiest Player in the Game’ worked a series of matches following this on Hulk Hogan-branded live events and in IMPACT Wrestling, where he wrestled what was believed to be his last outing vs. Sting in September 2011.