WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair was hospitalized Friday after falling outside a restaurant in Tampa, Florida, hours after announcing that a blood clot in his leg had forced him to cancel a scheduled convention appearance in Washington.
According to TMZ Sports, Flair, 77, was at Wagamama in Tampa when he left the bar and walked across the street, leaving his phone and drink behind. He fell and suffered cuts to his head and around one eye. Paramedics treated him at the scene before transporting him to a hospital by ambulance. TMZ reported that Flair may have suffered a concussion, although that has not been confirmed.
Flair’s daughter, WWE star Charlotte Flair, later said on X that her father was expected to be OK.
“Not my dad telling the doctor he fell bc of warrior dropping him on his head,” she wrote, referring to The Ultimate Warrior, one of her father’s former opponents.
She added, “ps: he’s going to be ok.”
Earlier Friday, Flair announced that he was withdrawing from Washington State Horror Con, scheduled for October 23-25 in Puyallup, Washington, because doctors had restricted his travel due to a blood clot in his leg.
“Unfortunately, I am dealing with a blood clot in my leg, and my doctors have limited my travel to 3–4 hours,” Flair wrote on X. “Seattle falls outside that range, and as disappointed as I am, I have to put my health and recovery first.”
Flair apologized to his agent, Steve Solomon, convention organizers, Big Event NY, and fans who had planned to meet him.
Flair also missed the Cauliflower Alley Club’s 60th annual reunion in Las Vegas in August because of a blood clot in his leg. He was scheduled to receive the Iron Mike Mazurki Award but accepted the honor remotely after being advised against long-distance travel.
Flair said he is scheduled to undergo a procedure involving the affected vein that he hopes will allow him to resume longer-distance travel.
The former world champion has a history of serious health problems. In 2017, he was hospitalized with multiple organ complications and placed in a medically induced coma. He eventually recovered and resumed public appearances.
Flair has previously discussed balance problems and vertigo following matches with The Ultimate Warrior in the early 1990s. However, the cause of Friday’s fall has not been established, and there is no indication that it was connected to his blood clot.
Flair last wrestled in July 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. Since then, he has remained active with convention appearances and business ventures, most recently his Flair Spirits liquor brand, which includes bourbon, vodka, and gin. His other ventures include Ric Flair Drip cannabis products and Wooooo! Energy drinks. He has also drawn criticism for some of his comments and behavior on social media in recent years.