Professional wrestling legend Ric Flair was transported to a Tampa, Florida, hospital on Friday after falling outside an establishment and sustaining facial injuries, according to reports from TMZ.
The incident occurred just hours after the 77-year-old icon announced on social media that medical providers had diagnosed him with a blood clot in his leg, forcing him to cancel an upcoming fan convention appearance in Seattle.
Fall Outside Tampa Restaurant
According to TMZ Sports, Flair was at the Wagamama restaurant in Tampa on Friday morning when he stepped away from the bar, leaving his beverage and mobile phone behind. After walking outside to cross the street, he collapsed and struck the ground, suffering significant cuts to his face and around his eye, as well as a possible concussion.
Paramedics arrived promptly to treat the wrestling star on the pavement before transferring him onto a stretcher and placing him into an ambulance, TMZ reported. The New York Daily News noted that Flair was bleeding heavily from one eye following the fall.
Officials with Tampa Fire Rescue confirmed to Fox News Digital and OutKick that emergency personnel responded to a reported fall outside the establishment and transported an adult male to an area medical facility. First responders declined to publicly identify the patient, citing federal healthcare privacy rules.
Canceled Seattle Trip Over Blood Clot
The sudden medical emergency followed an announcement Flair made earlier Friday morning alerting fans that he could not travel to Seattle for the Washington State Horror Con.
In a public statement posted to social media platforms X and Facebook, Flair explained that physicians had restricted his travel window to three or four hours after finding a blood clot in his leg. Because a cross-country flight to Washington state exceeded that limit, he decided to withdraw from the event.
“Blood Clots Are Extremely Serious And Can Be Life-Threatening,” Flair wrote in his online statement. He referenced Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who recently suffered complications from blood clots in his lungs, calling it an urgent reminder that such issues must not be taken lightly.
Flair told his followers that he was scheduled to undergo a medical procedure on the damaged vein. He expressed optimism that the operation would help resolve the condition and eventually allow physicians to clear him for expanded travel once again.
Decades in the Wrestling Spotlight
Nicknamed “the Nature Boy,” Flair built one of the most celebrated and decorated careers in sports entertainment history, spanning multiple decades and promotional companies.
Over his lengthy tenure in the ring, Flair captured world heavyweight championships across the National Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling, and World Wrestling Entertainment. World Wrestling Entertainment inducted him into its Hall of Fame on two separate occasions: first as an individual competitor in 2008 and later in 2012 as a foundational member of the Four Horsemen stable.
Flair has encountered several high-profile health struggles and hospital stays over the past decade. Despite stepping away from full-time competition, he remained active around the industry. In 2022, he took part in an event billed as his final match, teaming up with wrestler Andrade against Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal; Flair later acknowledged that he lost consciousness twice during that bout. He subsequently appeared in All Elite Wrestling, participating in the build-up to fellow legend Sting’s retirement match.
Representatives for Flair have not publicly commented on his current condition or the extent of his injuries, and it remains unclear when he will be discharged from the hospital.
