Ric Flair posts eyepatch selfie after Tampa fall lands him in hospital and vows he will be okay

Wrestling legend Ric Flair, 77, shared an eyepatch update after a fall outside a Tampa restaurant put him in the hospital, and he says he is focused on healing.

Flair was loaded into an ambulance after he walked outside a Wagamama in Tampa and went down, injuring his face, cutting his eye, and possibly suffering a concussion. He was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where staff treated him into the early morning.

Fox News reported that by Saturday the WWE Hall of Famer was in good spirits and posted a selfie wearing an eyepatch while thanking fans and the doctors who stayed with him until 4:30 a.m.

“Thank You All For The Messages And Prayers! I Will Get Back To You Each Individually As I Get Stronger. Thank You To All The Tampa General Hospital Staff And Doctors That Put Up With Me Until 4:30am. I Appreciate You All And Thank You For Everything You Did For Me! I Am Focused On My Healing And Recovery Right Now. I Will Be Okay!”

The Nature Boy’s latest scare came after he already warned fans that a blood clot in his leg had forced him to cancel travel. Hours before the fall, he said doctors had limited him to trips of only three to four hours and that a Seattle appearance fell outside that range.

Blood clot limits forced Flair to skip Seattle

Flair made clear he was putting recovery first. He pointed to recent blood-clot complications involving NFL quarterback Jalen Hurts as a reminder that the condition is not something to shrug off.

“My Doctors Have Limited My Travel To 3, 4 Hours. Seattle Falls Outside That Range, And As Disappointed As I Am, I Have To Put My Health And Recovery First. Blood Clots Are Extremely Serious And Can Be Life-Threatening,”

He added that he is slated for surgery on the affected vein, which his doctors expect will clear him for more travel afterward. He apologized to fans for the canceled appearance and said the choice was not made lightly.

The same health caution that kept him off a long flight is the backdrop for the wrestling icon’s Florida hospitalization after the outdoor fall.

Charlotte Flair says her dad will be okay

The New York Post reported that Flair has since returned home and posted a photo sitting in a chair with a circular bandage over his right eye. Daughter and fellow wrestling star Charlotte Flair also reassured fans that “he’s going to be ok.”

Flair has spent decades as one of pro wrestling’s most decorated champions, eight-time WCW world heavyweight champion, nine-time NWA world heavyweight champion, two-time WWE champion, and a two-time WWE Hall of Famer. He has been in and out of the ring in recent years, including a 2022 “Last Match” tag team with Andrade against Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal, and a brief role in Sting’s final AEW match in 2023.

Head injuries and sudden ambulance rides for famous names always draw public attention, much like when Diddy was taken by ambulance for a head injury under very different circumstances. Flair’s case is a health scare for a 77-year-old performer who has already battled serious medical issues.

For now the message from Flair is straightforward: he is home, he is grateful, and he is concentrating on getting stronger. Fans who grew up watching him work will take him at his word that the Nature Boy intends to recover, and that putting health ahead of another road date is the only sensible call.

When a living legend finally chooses the doctor’s orders over the next appearance, that is common sense winning out over the old show-must-go-on culture.