Former WCW announcer Chris Cruise is attempting to prevent WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair from returning to the ring at 73 years old.
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.
Now, however, a former colleague of Flair in WCW, Chris Cruise has revealed in a statement that he has written to his local athletic commission to stop Ric Flair from gaining a license to return to the ring:
“Hey you rubes, I screw around here a lot, but this is serious: Ric Flair should not be allowed to wrestle. Some reports indicate he has been working out with Jay Lethal in preparation to returning to the ring. He can’t be stopped from doing so in states that don’t have athletic commissions and licensing protocols, but insurance companies can step in and refuse to issue a bond to a promotion that books him.
And for those states that do have commissions, they should be contacted to demand that they not allow Flair to wrestle. Simply put, Ric Flair returning to the ring is not wise. No how, no way. He’s 73, in poor health, an alcoholic, and has a pacemaker installed.
Today I emailed the following to the Maryland State Athletic Commission, since I live in Maryland, and will contact other commissions as well. I would encourage you to also email the commission (athletic@dllr.state.md.us) and urge its members to deny Flair a license. It won’t take long, and could help keep Flair alive. Here is the email I sent:
To the Commissioners of the Maryland State Athletic Commission:
Recently, published reports indicate the professional wrestler known as Ric Flair, who is 73 and has a pacemaker, is considering returning to the ring. Obviously, that is not wise. It’s almost as if he wants to die in the ring.
I am writing as a citizen of Maryland to express my concern about the prospect of Mr. Fleihr being granted a license to wrestle in this state. I’m sure you understand how disastrous it would be for the Commission if he died in the ring during a performance for which you granted him a license.
I’d like to know what standards the Commission has for granting a license to a professional wrestler. Is a physical examination required? Are athletes over 70 and who have a pacemaker installed allowed to wrestle professionally in Maryland?
I look forward to your reply.”
A recent report shed light on who The Nature Boy’s proposed opponent could be and it would see Flair reignite an old rivalry from the eighties one more time.