Ric Flair, 74, on new beginnings with AEW, working with Sting and going through tables،
Ric Flair has returned to the professional wrestling scene with AEW since last week. That’s not to say the legendary “Nature Boy” is gearing up for one last match. Not that he doesn’t want to.
“I’m in,” Flair, 74, told ESPN. “But they won’t let that happen.”
Flair said he recently signed a deal with AEW, although he is unsure how often he will appear on television and at pay-per-view events. AEW announced that the signing of Flair with the promotion would be a multi-year agreement. In addition to this on-screen contract, Wooooo! Energy Drink is the official energy drink sponsor of AEW. This announcement was made on Thursday. Flair also has his own marijuana product called Ric Flair Drip, a cover of the song by rappers Offset and Metro Boomin.
“Ric has cemented his legacy as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time,” AEW CEO Tony Khan said in a statement. “And now his world-renowned personality and incredible wrestling spirit will be major assets to AEW’s programming and our standing globally.”
In his new role at AEW, Flair was positioned alongside Sting, his longtime friend and former wrestling rival. Sting (Steve Borden), 64, announced last month that he would retire from the ring in March 2024. Flair will be involved in the farewell tour.
Over the past three years with AEW, Sting has achieved some daredevil feats, especially for someone his age. He jumped off balconies and ladders and was put through tables. Flair said that even if he doesn’t have a final match, he would like to take at least “one more shot.” Flair said if AEW wanted him to go through a table, he would.
“You can’t be a manager without having accidents,” Flair said. “It just doesn’t make sense. You have to be able to feed and jump and move. And I do all that. I train hard, so we’ll see. I’m ready for anything.”
In 2017, Flair suffered a ruptured intestinal kidney failure and he became septic, his body fighting the infection. He suffered from heart failure and infection. Flair was on life support for two weeks and told ESPN last year he had only a 15 percent chance of survival. He subsequently underwent four heart operations and had a pacemaker installed in 2018.
Last year, Flair had what he said at the time would be his last match, a tag team clash with his son-in-law Andrade El Idolo against Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal. Flair passed out several times during the match, although he was able to finish it. Flair said he became dehydrated during the match because he didn’t drink enough water beforehand.
Besides some risky stunts, Flair has other desires for his time in AEW. He would like to manage Andrade, who is married to Flair’s daughter Charlotte, a WWE star. He would also like to have an in-ring “promo battle” with MJF, the AEW champion and, at 27, the best young wrestler in the world.
“Let’s see what you got, kid,” Flair said.
