Ric Flair, one of the most recognizable names in wrestling history, spent Friday night at Tampa General Hospital after falling outside a Wagamama restaurant in Tampa. The 77-year-old cut his head and eye in the fall, according to TMZ, and hours earlier had canceled an appearance at a Seattle convention because of a blood clot in his leg.
By Saturday, Flair was already back on Instagram, smiling with a patch over one eye. He thanked fans for their messages and prayers, promised to respond to each one as he gets stronger, and praised the doctors and staff at Tampa General. “I am focused on my healing and recovery right now,” he wrote. “I will be okay.”
For longtime fans around Tampa Bay and the Suncoast, Flair has always felt local. He’s been a fixture at events and appearances across the region for decades, and wrestling fans here grew up on the Nature Boy’s stylin’ and profilin’. Health scares have become part of his story in recent years, so the Saturday update came as a relief. Have you ever met Ric Flair or seen him at an event around Tampa Bay? Share your story in the comments.
