Ric Flair hospitalized after fall outside Tampa restaurant, hours after revealing blood clot

Wrestling legend Ric Flair was taken to a hospital Friday after a fall outside a Tampa restaurant, according to TMZ Sports, hours after the 77-year-old said a blood clot in his leg had forced him to cancel a convention appearance in Seattle.

TMZ, citing sources with direct knowledge, reported that Flair was at the bar at Wagamama on Friday morning when he got up, left his phone and drink behind, and walked across the street. He fell outside and injured his face, the outlet reported. TMZ published a photo it said shows emergency medical personnel gathered around him.

The sources told TMZ that Flair cut his head and eye open and that his eye bled heavily. They said he may also have a concussion, which has not been confirmed. He was loaded into an ambulance and taken to a hospital, TMZ reported.

As of Friday afternoon, no official update on his condition had been released, and it was unclear whether the fall was connected to the clot. 

Earlier Friday, Flair posted on X that doctors had limited his travel to three to four hours, which ruled out the trip to Washington State Horror Con. He said he is scheduled for a procedure to strip the affected vein, which his doctors expect will clear him for more travel. He also apologized to his agent, the convention organizers and fans.

Flair said that “blood clots are extremely serious and can be life-threatening,” and he pointed to Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who was placed on injured reserve Saturday with what Complex reported was a superficial blood clot.

Flair first disclosed the clot in August, when he missed a wrestling alumni reunion in Las Vegas and accepted an award by video. In May, he posted a photo of himself outside an emergency room and said he was focusing on his health, without saying what the visit was for.

Flair is a two-time WWE Hall of Famer and 16-time world champion who is under contract with AEW.