Former WWE Official Calls Ric Flair’s Last Match Their ‘Last Chapter’

Ric Flair's last match wasn't just the end of the Nature Boy. It also seemingly marked the end of a legendary refereeing career. On a recent episode of the "Battleground" podcast, referee Mike Chioda said that "Doing Ric Flair's last match is going to be the last chapter of my career,"

"He's definitely going to be the last chapter of my book," Chioda said.

The interview was recorded before Flair took the final walk down the aisle on Sunday. Flair teamed with his son-in-law Andrade El Idolo in a losing effort against Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal.

"It's just going to be awesome to see him perform again," Chioda said. "And he's been getting in shape and he's been working out and stuff, and God bless him, man."

Chioda first appeared as a referee in 1989 in the WWF, where he worked until he was let go in April 2020. Chioda refereed numerous WrestleMania main events, including Seth Rollins's infamous Money In The Bank cash-in against Roman Reigns and WWE Champion Brock Lesnar in 2015, when Rollins turned the main event into a triple threat match and absconded with the WWE Championship.

Chioda said that one of the matches that he wished he'd been able to referee was the first Ric Flair retirement match between the Nature Boy and Shawn Michaels. Michaels initially retired Flair in 2008 at WrestleMania 24, before Flair went on to wrestle on Hulk Hogan's "Hulkamania: Let The Battle Begin" tour, as well as a engaging in a lengthy run in TNA Wrestling (now Impact Wrestling) before retiring again in 2011.

After being released from WWE, Chioda went on to work for All Elite Wrestling, refereeing numerous special matches, including the finals of the Men's Owen Hart Foundation Tournament.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit the "Battleground" show and give a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.