RIC FLAIR IS NOT BACK IN WWE, AND THAT VIRAL “I’M BACK” QUOTE WAS THREE YEARS OLD!

The Nature Boy remains with AEW after a three-year-old interview resurfaced and created a false story about a WWE return and 2027 Royal Rumble appearance.

CORRECTION, SEPTEMBER 13, 2026: An earlier version of this article incorrectly presented comments from a 2023 Ric Flair interview as current. The interview was republished as part of a compilation without clearly identifying the age of the footage. Flair has confirmed that he is not returning to WWE and remains under contract with AEW. Comic Crusaders regrets the error.

Ric Flair did not change promotions. The internet changed the date on an old interview, dressed it up like breaking news and sent a whole section of wrestling media charging toward the wrong finish.

The Nature Boy has personally shut down reports that he returned to WWE. In a statement posted through his official X account, Flair called the claim disrespectful and untrue, then made his current position unmistakable. He remains with AEW, supports his daughter Charlotte Flair in WWE and says his loyalty belongs to Tony Khan.

This is where the bell needs to ring on the original story. Flair did not recently announce that he was “back in” WWE, and he did not confirm an appearance at the 2027 Royal Rumble in Glendale. Those conclusions came from comments recorded years before either event was on the calendar.

The confusion began when Booker T’s Hall of Fame podcast republished older material inside a Labor Day compilation. The segment included Flair talking about WWE, Triple H and an upcoming Royal Rumble, but Fightful confirmed that the interview was from 2023. The original podcast listing backs up that timeline.

In wrestling, an old promo can look brand-new the moment somebody gives it a fresh upload date and strips away the original context. That explains how the mistake spread across multiple outlets, but it does not excuse treating the clip as current without verifying when Flair actually said it. Comic Crusaders should have caught that before publishing the original report.

Flair also clarified that his relationship with Paul “Triple H” Levesque did not require some newly negotiated peace treaty. He says they have remained friends, share mutual respect and understand the complicated reality created by Charlotte’s WWE career and his own AEW agreement.

That distinction matters because the original report transformed a personal relationship into a business move that never happened. Being friendly with Triple H does not place Flair under a WWE contract, book him for television or confirm him for the Royal Rumble. The Nature Boy can cheer for his daughter without suddenly switching locker rooms.

Flair says he cannot work for WWE because he works with AEW and Tony Khan. He also emphasized his loyalty to Khan, who allows him to pursue outside ventures involving appearances, NASCAR, WOOOOO! Energy and other business opportunities. Whatever anybody thinks about Flair’s limited television role, he considers himself part of AEW and does not want recycled comments used to suggest otherwise.

The corrected record is straightforward. Ric Flair is not back in WWE, no 2027 Royal Rumble appearance has been confirmed and there was no recent reconciliation creating a new WWE role. His friendship with Triple H remains intact, but his professional allegiance remains with AEW.

Daniel Black has spent enough time around wrestling to know that bad information can travel faster than a referee sliding into position for the three-count. When it happens, you do not argue with the replay or pretend the shoulder came up. You acknowledge the miss, correct the record and make sure the next call is better.

The Nature Boy never switched sides. A three-year-old interview received a new spotlight, several outlets mistook it for a fresh announcement and Comic Crusaders was among them. Flair has now made the truth clear, and this article has been corrected to reflect it.