It was reported last week that WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair was looking to return to the ring at some point this year, with the rumor being that the Nature Boy would be teaming with FTR to take on the Rock’N’Roll Express and a mystery opponent on a big wrestling stage.
Flair himself has yet to confirm anything, but he has been releasing a lot of videos training alongside of current AEW star, Jay Letha. The former 16-time world champion recently turned 73 years old.
One person is not to keen on watching Flair wrestle again and that is former WCW commentator Christopher Cruise. In a lengthy Facebook post Cruise cites Flair’s poor health and age as a reason the should not be returning, later revealing that he has written the Maryland State Athletic Commission to alert them of Flair’s potential run, and even campaigned to anyone reading the post to do the same. His full statement reads:
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. https://wrestlingnews.co/…/ric-flair-is-coming-out-of…/
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.
Whether Cruise’s attempts to stop Flair from wrestling will be successful remain to be seen. Stay tuned.