Ric Flair Hospitalized After Fall Outside Tampa Restaurant, Says He Will Recover
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Ric Flair, the 77-year-old professional wrestling Hall of Famer, spent Friday night in a Tampa hospital after a fall that left him with a cut near his eye. By Saturday he was posting online, telling fans he is focused on recovery and expects to be fine.
The fall came only hours after Flair told fans he could not travel to a scheduled appearance in Seattle because of a blood clot in his leg, according to both Fox News and NBC News.
What happened outside the Tampa restaurant
Fox News reported that Flair was at a Wagamama restaurant in Tampa when he walked outside and fell. NBC News, citing TMZ, said he cut his head and eye. Fox said he may also have suffered a concussion, and described him as being loaded into an ambulance.
In a post on Saturday, Flair thanked the staff and doctors at Tampa General Hospital, who he said looked after him until 4:30am. NBC News reported that he shared the message on Instagram. He also posted a selfie in which he is smiling and wearing a patch over one eye.
Flair wrote that he would answer well-wishers individually as he regains strength. Summing up his condition, he said, “I Will Be Okay.”
Why a blood clot kept him from Seattle
Before the fall, Flair announced that he was pulling out of an appearance at the Washington State Horror Con in Seattle. He said his doctors had limited his travel to 3–4 hours and that Seattle is beyond that range.
Flair stressed that blood clots are serious and can be life-threatening, and he said he had to follow medical advice. According to Fox News, he also pointed to the recent case of Jalen Hurts and the complications from blood clots in his lungs as a reminder that the condition should not be taken lightly.
He said he is scheduled to have surgery on the affected vein. NBC News reported that the procedure is meant to strip the vein. Flair said his doctors expect the operation to allow him to be cleared for more travel afterward. He apologized to fans for the disappointment and thanked them for their patience.
How his family responded
NBC News reported that Flair’s daughter, WWE wrestler Charlotte Flair, joked on X about the fall, writing that her father had told the doctor it happened because of a wrestling move by Warrior. She added that he is going to be okay.
A career that spans decades
Flair, whose real name is Richard Morgan Fliehr, is one of the best-known figures in professional wrestling. According to Fox News, he was a World Championship Wrestling world heavyweight champion eight times, a National Wrestling Alliance world heavyweight champion nine times and a WWE champion twice. WWE inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2008 as a singles wrestler and in 2012 as a member of the Four Horsemen.
Fox News said his so-called Last Match took place in 2022, a tag-team bout in which he teamed with Andrade against Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal. Flair later said he passed out twice during that match. He made his All Elite Wrestling debut in 2023 and was briefly part of Sting’s final professional match at AEW Revolution. Fox News also noted that Flair has dealt with health and alcohol problems over the years.
What this means for fans and upcoming appearances
For fans who planned to see Flair in person, the immediate effect is that the Seattle appearance will not happen. Flair has said his travel is limited to 3–4 hours for now, so other events that require longer trips could be affected until his doctors clear him.
The timing of that clearance is tied to the vein surgery. Flair said his doctors expect the procedure to open the door to more travel, but no date for the operation or for his return to appearances was given in the reports. For now, Flair says he is concentrating on healing, and he has said he looks forward to seeing fans down the road.
