WWE Hall of Famer teamed with FTR to win the first match in 12 years at a recent show
WWE Hall of Famer Ricky Steamboat came out of retirement to team up with former AEW tag team champion FTR, giving Steamboat his first victory in a return match in over ten years.
Since appearing at a special Father's Day show for Florida Championship Wrestling in June 2010, Steamboat hasn't wrestled. On November 27, at Big Time Wrestling's Return of the Dragon event in Raleigh, North Carolina, Ricky The Dragon Steamboat competed for the first time in 12 years.
At the show, "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal, Brock Anderson, and two-time NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis faced The Dragon and the current NJPW Tag Team Champion FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler).
They emerged victorious when the trio trapped them in a stereo Figure-Fours and everyone tapped out.
#RickySteamboat wins his return match! #returnofthedragon #bigtimewrestling https://t.co/6HEidCbtes
Harwood and Wheeler hailed Steamboat following their match. The legend spoke into the microphone and explained why Raleigh has always held a particular place in his heart.
He said Raleigh is the best city in his heart because he once competed for 60 minutes against the world champion there.
For his first match in over a decade, the WWE legend revealed that he was preparing with Kane
WWE Hall of Famer Kane was helping alongside multiple AEW stars to be one of the trainers for Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat's in-ring return.
Ricky Steamboat mentioned how he had been working out with Kane at a wrestling school outside Knoxville.
“It was very difficult. And before I could give a final, this past month or so, I’ve been (training with) Glenn Jacobs, that name ring any bells? Yeah... And Tom Pritchard, they have a wrestling school outside of Knoxville... So for the past month or so, I’ve been venturing down to that school once or twice a week just to get some back. But I learned more so on my limitations... But you asked why. I was thinking that the longer I wait, the less chance I will have."
An underrated part of this week's Dynamite of how AEW handled the appearance of Ricky Steamboat. Timekeeper for two big matches on the show, a confrontation with Jericho and got to deck Angelo Parker in the process.
Contrary to how WWE used to/still treat legends on their show. https://t.co/BTqERFSJhK
Steamboat also recently appeared on AEW's August 17, 2022, edition of Dynamite, where he went berserk at former WWE star Angelo Parker.
The WWE Hall of Famer had the last laugh, landing a right hand on Parker, proving to everyone at home that he still has some gas left in the tank.
What are your thoughts on Ricky Steamboat's match? Let us know in the comments section down below!