Ric Flair hospitalised in Tampa hours after disclosing blood clot in leg

Ric Flair was taken to a hospital in Tampa on October 23, 2026, hours after revealing earlier that day he had a blood clot in his leg and would miss a scheduled fan convention appearance. Reports said the 16-time WWE World Champion fell outside a restaurant in Tampa and received medical attention at the scene before being transported by ambulance.

Earlier on October 23, Flair said he had been advised by physicians to limit travel to three to four hours and that he had an appointment regarding his veins, explaining those medical instructions were the reason for cancelling the convention appearance. He included the following message in his public statement: "I Want To Sincerely Apologize To My Agent, Steve Solomon, Washington State Horror Con @wahorrorcon, @bigeventny, And Especially All My Fans In Seattle For Having To Cancel My Scheduled Appearance.Unfortunately, I Am Dealing With A Blood Clot In My Leg, And My Doctors Have…" The withdrawal, he said, was dictated by his doctors and was not related to any previously declared intention to retire from public performances.

According to TMZ Sports, Flair fell after leaving the area of a bar and crossing the street outside the Wagamama restaurant in Tampa, suffering head injuries and cuts around his eye with heavy bleeding. The report said he received medical treatment at the scene before being taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital and that the incident occurred on Friday.

There were immediate concerns that he could be suffering a concussion, though the initial reports did not include an official medical confirmation. His daughter, WWE superstar Charlotte Flair, posted on social media: "Not my dad telling the doctor he fell bc of warrior dropping him on his head…(ps: he’s going to be ok)" More information regarding the incident was not available at the time of the first report.

Flair’s disclosure of a blood clot added to an extensive history of previous medical issues detailed in public reports. He underwent emergency surgery in 2017 following an intestinal blockage that led to complications including kidney failure and heart-related problems and required a medically induced coma for several days.

He has publicly said he suffered a heart attack during his last wrestling match in July 2022, when he teamed with Andrade El Idolo against Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett, and he has talked about receiving treatment for skin cancer. While he stopped appearing regularly in the ring, he has continued to make public appearances and remain involved in the industry; he retired from WWE action on March 30, 2008, at WrestleMania XXIV.

Based on the most recent reports, the only positive public update about his condition has come from Charlotte Flair, and there has been no official confirmation yet regarding other medical information about his injuries from the fall.