Andrade El Idolo has reflected on the frightening circumstances surrounding Ric Flair’s final match, revealing that he initially believed Flair was selling when the legend passed out during the bout.
Flair returned to the ring on July 31, 2022, in what was billed as his last match. He teamed with Andrade against Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett. During the contest, Flair lost consciousness after believing he was dehydrated. It was later revealed that Flair had suffered a heart attack during the match.
Speaking with Chris Jericho on Talk Is Jericho, Andrade discussed being in Flair’s corner and the concern he carried into a match that meant far more to him than a typical professional wrestling appearance. Andrade was married to Flair’s daughter, Charlotte Flair, at the time, and he described Flair as a strong father-in-law while also acknowledging that the possibility of something going wrong had been on his mind before the bell rang.
“I was with him in the corner. I was a little scared. I heard a couple months later. At the time, I thought he was selling. I said, ‘Sir, are you okay?’ ‘Let’s go. Let’s go.’”
For more background on this topic, read Andrade Says First WWE Main Roster Run Left Him Wanting More Beyond Mexican vs. Mexican Programs.
Andrade’s recollection underlines the unusual challenge of recognizing a legitimate emergency in an environment built around performance. Wrestlers are trained to sell pain, exhaustion and physical damage in ways that appear alarming by design. In this case, Andrade said he saw Flair struggling but did not immediately realize the severity of what was happening.
Flair’s response in the moment also added to the uncertainty. According to Andrade, Flair urged him to keep moving forward, saying, “Let’s go. Let’s go.” That reaction was consistent with the determination Flair brought to his final in-ring appearance, but it also meant Andrade did not understand that Flair had experienced a heart attack until later.
Andrade Was Worried Before the Match
The concern was not limited to the point when Flair passed out. Andrade explained that he had talked with his then-wife before the match and admitted he was nervous about Flair competing. He emphasized that Flair had trained and that he knew the veteran was tough, but the potential consequences of a medical issue weighed heavily on him.
“Before the match, I was talking with my ex-wife and said, ‘I was scared.’ He’s strong and he trained, but I was scared because if something happened, what do I say to my ex-wife? If I was there, what do I do? I was a little scared.”
That personal connection made the match especially emotional for Andrade. He was not simply sharing a ring with one of the most recognizable names in wrestling history; he was watching a member of his family take part in a demanding physical situation. His comments make clear that, even before the medical scare unfolded, he understood why the match carried a level of risk that was difficult to ignore.
Flair completed the match alongside Andrade against Lethal and Jarrett. In the aftermath, Andrade said he was relieved that Flair appeared to be okay. He recalled seeing Flair active and seemingly in good spirits after the bout, which further prevented him from immediately understanding what had occurred inside the ring.
“I’m happy nothing happened. He’s out there, he’s drinking, he’s fine in the locker room. Everything was fine. I think he went to the doctor later. ‘You had a heart attack.’ That’s when I knew. I was surprised. I was scared in the moment, but I thought he was selling.”
A Scare That Was Not Fully Clear Until Later
Andrade’s account draws a distinction between what he felt during the match and what he learned afterward. He was concerned enough to ask Flair whether he was okay, but his first interpretation was that the situation was part of the performance. Only after Flair saw a doctor and learned that he had suffered a heart attack did Andrade fully grasp the seriousness of the incident.
The sequence understandably left Andrade shocked. His comments do not present the moment as something he dismissed completely; instead, he described a mixture of fear and confusion. He knew Flair was in distress, yet he believed the veteran could have been portraying the effects of exhaustion. In wrestling, where competitors are expected to stay in character and work through visible discomfort, that line can be difficult to identify from the outside.
For Andrade, the relief came from Flair recovering and continuing to live normally after the event. He described Flair as being fine in the locker room and later noted that Flair was “out there” and drinking, conveying that the medical emergency did not lead to the catastrophic outcome he had feared.
Flair has not returned to the ring since the July 31, 2022 match. The bout remains his final match, and the revelation that he suffered a heart attack during it adds a sobering layer to its place in his career. What was intended as a final in-ring moment became a situation in which those closest to Flair did not initially know how serious his condition had been.
Ric Flair’s Last Match Took on Greater Significance
The match brought together Flair, Andrade, Lethal and Jarrett for a four-man tag team contest centered on Flair’s return. Andrade’s presence was significant both professionally and personally. As Flair’s son-in-law at the time, he was positioned alongside Flair for a match that was presented as the legend’s farewell to active competition.
That setting is why Andrade’s fear carried a different weight. He was involved in the match as a performer, but he was also thinking about the impact that a serious injury or medical emergency could have on his family. His recollection of wondering what he would tell his then-wife if something happened shows that the pressure he felt was not just about executing the match safely.
Andrade also made a point of crediting Flair’s resilience. He said Flair was strong and had trained for the occasion. At the same time, Andrade did not hide that he had doubts and fears before the match. Those two ideas can coexist: respect for Flair’s toughness and concern over the strain of taking part in a match with such high stakes.
The eventual diagnosis confirmed that Andrade’s uneasiness had not been unfounded, even if he did not know the cause of Flair’s condition while the match was still unfolding. Learning months later that Flair had suffered a heart attack transformed his memory of the scene in the corner.
Andrade’s Perspective on an Unforgettable Moment
Andrade’s story is ultimately one of perspective changing over time. In the immediate aftermath, he saw Flair seemingly recover and assumed the worst had been avoided. Later, the doctor’s diagnosis gave the incident a completely different meaning. The moment he initially viewed as selling was tied to a heart attack that had occurred during Flair’s final match.
His comments also reflect the degree of trust wrestlers can place in each other during a match. When Flair told Andrade to continue, Andrade followed the situation as he understood it at the time. With the benefit of hindsight, he now recognizes how close the moment was to becoming far more serious.
Fortunately, Flair turned out to be okay. Andrade said he was happy that nothing worse happened, and Flair has remained out of the ring since. While the July 31, 2022 match was meant to close a historic chapter for Flair as an active wrestler, Andrade’s recollection ensures it will also be remembered for the alarming medical issue that was not fully understood until afterward.
For Andrade, the lasting memory is not only teaming with Ric Flair in his final match. It is standing beside a family member, feeling uneasy, asking whether he was all right, and later discovering that the danger was real even though he had first believed it was part of the show.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.