Cageside Quote: Ric Flair has no plans to retire any time soon

Despite his advanced age (62) and a growing list of injuries and medical abnormalities, Ric Flair tells the The Skinny he has no plans to retire any time soon:

"To be honest I have no plans on retiring from the industry anytime soon. I feel that I still have so much to give to TNA. If the time ever comes that I cannot contribute anything to the company that is when I would have to consider my position within TNA. I am privileged that I have a limited schedule in TNA so my time in many respects is my own. Just now I like to spend time with my family and love to do some fishing. When I retire I'll be doing more of the same."

TNA does offer him a reduced schedule but let's be realistic for a moment, difficult as that may be in the pro wrestling business. Flair is 62-years-old, as noted previously, and his body has the wear and tear of four decades of taking bumps and traveling around the world.

His injuries this year include a torn rotator cuff that he opted not to get surgery on, even though he needed it, and a torn triceps that he again opted against surgery on, which he also needed. He's still recovering from both injuries and taking bumps, although he's doing so far less often than before he was injured.

My fear is that Flair will become the real life version of Randy "The Ram" Robinson from The Wrestler and ultimately meet a similar end. It's difficult to imagine such a scenario, but watching him writhe in pain after a superplex exploded his triceps was scary and reports even had those in TNA fearing he had a heart attack. The match was heavily edited for TV and it was still tough to watch.

As is usually the case in the pro wrestling industry, performers either die entirely too young or don't know when to walk away. Flair skillfully navigated his way around the former but it led him directly into the latter category.