Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat will wrestle his first match in 12 years at the Big Time Wrestling event on November 27 at Dorton Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. The match was officially confirmed Sunday as a six-man match, which will pit Steamboat with AEW’s FTR against Jay Lethal (as Black Machismo), Brock Anderson and a mysterious opponent. The matches are strangely similar to Ric Flair’s last match event earlier this year, which was originally supposed to see “The Nature Boy” team up with FTR to face Steamboat and The Rock ‘N’ Roll Express. Steamboat turned down a match offer, which resulted in Flair teaming up with Andrade El Idolo to face Lethal and Jeff Jarrett.
“Well, I was called and really gave it some serious thought. Lots of respect for the guy in the ring. You know, we’re both day and night when it comes to things outside of the ring. Flair wouldn’t be the same as Flair without her. I thought about it for a week and recently turned it down.” I know when I faced Jericho at WrestleMania 25 and then we had a rematch at Backlash in the singles, but at 69, I know it’s a six-man and I can get a little bit of this and that, but with all due respect to our fans, I want them to remember me the last time I was There with Jericho when they chanted, ‘You still get it. I don’t want to talk about that phrase,'” Steamboat explained back in May when asked why he rejected Flair’s initial idea.
“Until that night with Jericho, you know, I was working in WWE. I was one of the coaches in school and was very active in the ring, so I had a lot of confidence in myself. But knowing Ricky now and not being in the ring for a number of years, I don’t want to tarnish the memory.” That would be a good day, sure, but I don’t want them to think, ‘Maybe he should have stayed retired.’ You know, and I could go out there and maybe take it out and say, “Well, you know, for a 69-year-old guy, he sure did a pretty good job,” but that’s a double-edged sword, isn’t it? I know Dragon takes a lot of pride in his work and in the way fans remember me in the ring, and I want that lasting impression. I know my physical abilities now. I’d like to be able to get out there and perform like I did with Jericho. I was 56 or 57, but I think I want my fans to remember me that way and have no chance of getting their hopes up. That’s how much I love my fans.”
Steamboat’s return to action has apparently brought Flair back to his demand for retirement. He recently said in his podcast that he is already back in circuit training. Do you think he will be the surprise sixth man in the next match? Let us know in the comments.
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