WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair was expected to resurface on AEW Dynamite this week alongside longtime rival Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat—at least, that was the plan on paper. Instead, only Steamboat made it onto the broadcast, leaving many fans wondering why Flair, who was advertised for the segment, never hit the stage.
According to Wrestling Observer Radio, Flair was in the building but unable to appear due to a recently suffered torn rotator cuff. Dave Meltzer reported that Flair’s injury came from a fall, though details are still unclear. Despite showing up to the arena, Flair was said to be in significant pain throughout the day.
Meltzer noted that Flair even removed his arm from its sling while speaking to fans before the show began—apparently not wanting anyone to notice he was hurt. After addressing the crowd, Flair quietly left the venue before Dynamite went live.
While Meltzer wasn’t 100% certain Flair was originally scripted to participate in the Steamboat/FTR promo segment, the references made to Flair during the broadcast strongly suggest he was meant to be part of the angle. With Flair unable to perform, AEW reportedly had to adjust the segment on short notice—a change that Bryan Alvarez believes contributed to Steamboat coming off “frantic” during his promo.
Flair’s most recent AEW television appearance came during the build to Sting’s retirement earlier this year. He has since acknowledged ongoing health issues as the primary reason for his light AEW schedule.
As of now, there’s no word on when (or if) Flair will return to AEW programming, but the company clearly had plans for “The Nature Boy” on Dynamite. Whether those plans get revisited once he recovers remains to be seen.
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