The Nature Boy will walk one last time.
Sources told ESPN Monday that Ric Flair, one of the most famous and most respected professional wrestlers in history, will give one final match on July 31. Flair, 73, will step into the ring at the Nashville Fairgrounds with a standalone card that will be broadcast live on FITE TV.
Flair, a two-time WWE Hall of Famer and 16-time world champion, has not wrestled since September 12, 2011, an Impact Wrestling match against longtime contender Sting. His last match in WWE was in 2008 at WrestleMania XXIV against Shawn Michaels. Flair’s discount for July 31 is still unclear. It is also unknown if it will be a singles match or a team match.
“I’m going to pass this aisle one last time to prove once and for all that to be the man, you have to beat the man,” Flair said in a statement to ESPN.
Flair’s final match will take place the day after the WWE SummerSlam, which will also take place in Nashville. The event will take place right after the Starrcast V Wrestling Conference and Show at the Nashville Fairgrounds, which has hosted many historical pro-wrestling moments over the years.
Flair, known for his song “Woo!” A catchy phrase and fame, he posts videos on social media of him training with current AEW wrestler Jay Lethal. The legendary wrestler requested his release from WWE in 2021 and received it. Flair is best known for his work in NWA and WCW, which was WWE’s biggest competitor in the ’80s and ’90s. But he has also performed in WWE for parts of two decades, as a wrestler and on-screen manager.
Last August, Flair appeared in Mexico City for the AAA promotion, cornering his daughter Charlotte’s fiancĂ©, Andrade Idollo, in a top-flight match against Kenny Omega. Flair became physical during the match, as he entered the ring and slashed an Omega’s chest, a signature move for him.
Flair was three decades ago, but still has a massive following, backed by the hip-hop community. The 2018 rap single “Ric Flair Drip” by Offset was a huge hit, and one year ago, Flair starred in a music video with Latin star Bad Bunny, who is now the most streamed musician on Spotify.
The card on which Flair will perform will begin on July 31 at 6:05 p.m., honoring the weekend start times of Jim Crockett and WCW promotions from the 1970s to the 1990s. Tickets and pay-per-views streams will go on sale May 27 at noon.
Flair had major health issues in the summer of 2017, requiring intestinal surgery, which led to kidney failure and dialysis treatment. He was hospitalized for over a month but has been in good health since the panic.
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