Ric Flair wrestles his last match this weekend – but enquiring promoters are seemingly eager to make this the first of many Flair matches!
‘The Nature Boy’ is due to wrestle his last match on Sunday, 31 July, teaming with his son-in-law Andrade El Idolo to combat the pairing of Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett. However, certain promoters are said to be keen for Ric Flair to continue his in-ring comeback.
Speaking with Chris Van Vliet on his Insight podcast, the 16-time World Champion detailed the insane amounts he’s reportedly been offered to make a somewhat full-time return:
“It has to be [my last match]. That question, I get asked a lot. It will just have to be. Even if I do real well, I can’t go back on my word to the people that have given me all this respect and time and have bought tickets. I’ve already been offered 10 matches at 50 grand a piece. Over in Europe, a guy offered me $100,000. This will be the last one. I can manage somebody in the ring, but this will be my last match.”
Ric Flair hasn’t wrestled since September 2011, losing to Sting on an IMPACT Wrestling card. He’d previously retired at WrestleMania XXIV, losing to Shawn Michaels in what is celebrated as one of wrestling’s greatest farewell contests, before he returned to the ring on Hulk Hogan’s Hulkamania tour in late 2009.
‘The Dirtiest Player in the Game’ has wrestled the likes of AJ Styles, Kurt Angle, and Mick Foley since coming out of retirement. All were criticised, although a 2010 feud and pay-per-view encounter with Jay Lethal was a minor highlight of Flair’s post-WWE in-ring career.
Ric Flair’s Last Match airs live on Fite TV at 6:05pm EST (11:05pm for those in the United Kingdom) on Sunday, 31 July.