Professional wrestling does not need a Ric Flair sendoff match

Father Time is undefeated. Any individual in the entertainment and sports space eventually falls to the clicking clock. Ric Flair is trying to outlast this eternal opponent, and that means attempting to come back for another match at the age of 73 years old. The news was brewing about a potential return to the ring and as more details come out it is even more apparent that this match does not need to happen anywhere.

Fightful Select reported not only on Ric Flair’s planned return but that his rival from long ago, Ricky Steamboat was involved in the pitch for his return. According to the report, the “working plan” is for Steamboat and Flair to be involved in a match, but not in a one-on-one setting. The match is planned for July 31 in Nashville, Tennessee for Starrcast.

There are a plethora of reasons why this match should not take place. But let’s start with the obvious. At 73 and 69 years of age, both these individuals are well beyond their physical prime. Matter of fact, both individuals have had issues with their health in recent years. In an industry as physically grueling as professional wrestling, it’s almost ridiculous to believe these two men will be able to get in the ring and perform at the lowest of levels.

A recent video of Flair training with Jay Lethal showed the two men working together through a few spots, but Flair clearly can’t work at the capacity that made him a legend in the industry. His last match occurred back on September 12, 2011, when he was defeated by Sting. Yes, that 63-year-old Sting has several AEW highlights to his credit. Steamboat hasn’t wrestled since June of 2010. These aren’t two individuals who left the industry with a lot in the gas tank coming back for the last match, these are two individuals that had already emptied the tank long before their final go.

On top of those facts, it’s time for professional wrestling to move beyond Ric Flair. The Dark Side of the Ring episode that chronicled his behavior in the “Plane Ride from Hell,” is more than enough to recognize that his place in the industry has long passed. Giving him another platform isn’t necessary at this point in time.

In 1989 Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat had one of the greatest matches of all time. A match that wrestling fans of all generations should watch. But the next chapter in that rivalry should not be told in the ring in 2022. There are several reasons why time has long passed. If it’s not in the latest edition of WWE 2k22, then professional wrestling doesn’t need Ric Flair in the ring.