October 2023 was a big month for wrestling fans, as AEW President Tony Khan revealed a monumental surprise for Sting’s road to retirement at Revolution 2024: none other than “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair. Fans rejoiced as Flair pledged to be by Sting’s side until the end, and he kept his word, appearing in several AEW episodes and even taking a superkick from The Young Bucks at Sting’s final match. But then, poof! Like a magician’s trick gone awry, Flair vanished from the AEW scene, leaving fans wondering, “Where in the world is Ric Flair?”
According to the scoop from Fightful Select, Flair’s days with AEW are like an expired milk carton—over. Sean Ross Sapp reported that Flair hasn’t been spotted at any AEW event since Revolution and isn’t part of any future creative plans. It’s like he’s been scrubbed from the script entirely, not even mentioned in passing conversations. When Flair inked his multi-year deal with AEW, it came with a side gig: promoting his Woooo! Energy drink as AEW’s official energy drink. But with Flair seemingly gone, that partnership has fizzled out faster than a flat soda, essentially paying for Flair’s fleeting appearances.
Flair’s AEW signing wasn’t without controversy. Fans on social media were quicker to react than Flair’s famous chops, dredging up his checkered past. The most notorious story resurfaced from Vice TV’s “Dark Side of the Ring,” detailing the infamous “Plane Ride from Hell,” where Flair was accused of being sexually aggressive and exposing himself. These details made his AEW tenure as turbulent as his past, leading to backlash that perhaps made AEW rethink their partnership.
So, it seems Ric Flair’s AEW journey was a brief and bumpy ride, ending not with a “Woooo!” but with a “We’re through!”