Get a load of Ric Flair as KFC’s latest Colonel Sanders...in a feathered robe
Anything can happen in the WWE, and Ric Flair proved it Sunday when he came out of retirement at The Royal Rumble to wrestle as KFC’s latest Colonel Sanders.
It was more a promotional gimmick than a match, but it’s being reported that a legitimate commercial was filmed at the event.
On Sunday, the Hall of Famer Flair won by outlasting wrestlers Rusev and Mike “the Miz” Mizanin. Both sort of fell out of the ring, with Flair giving them a boost.
KFC made the victory official with a tweet dubbing Flair “Col. Rumble.”
“Many have worn the white suit, but only one colonel can wear the robe. KFC and @WWE are proud to announce Colonel Flair as the champion of the 2018 Colonel Rumble. Wooo!”
The match was part of a Royal Rumble pay-per-view WWE event in Philadelphia. It wasn’t made clear if Flair would make the transition from a Colonel Sanders of the ring to one of the Colonel Sanders characters featured in the national ad campaign. (Singer Reba McEntire is the latest Colonel Sanders.)
However, the Wrestling News reports the Sunday event was staged for filming a commercial. The storyline: The Miz and Rusev were fighting for the opportunity to be the new Colonel Sanders, when Flair showed up in full colonel garb and shoved them over the ropes to assert himself for the role.
The Colonel Is In The House! WOOOOO! #RoyalRumble @WWE @WWENetwork @kfc pic.twitter.com/Uk0ksuCJ85
— Ric Flair® (@RicFlairNatrBoy) January 29, 2018
Fans appeared to be thrilled at the sight of Flair back in the ring no matter the reason, and lauded his combination of Sanders’ white hair, beard and glasses with one of Flair’s classic rhinestone covered robes.
“Ric Flair dressed as Colonel Sanders may be the best thing you see all day. Wooooooo!” tweeted Steven Gunter.
“If this is not an official commercial, someone somewhere needs to be fired,” tweeted another fan.
“Ric Flair almost died, looked God in the face and WOOOO, came back to us – all to do a KFC commercial at the #RoyalRumble as Col. Sanders,” tweeted Sean.
Colonel Ric Flair WOOoOOOO @RicFlairNatrBoy pic.twitter.com/9Ug0c58Uxa
— Kim (@kimberlasskick) January 28, 2018
Ric Flair temporarily came out of retirement to open the Royal Rumble and won the KFC Colonel Rumble dressed as Colonel Sanders. So there's that. pic.twitter.com/gdQwNhptOL
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) January 28, 2018
@TheBonfireSXM @luisjgomez @bigjayoakerson @DanSoder Relax. @RicFlairNatrBoy is the new Colonel Sanders. He won it through combat, like a real American. Royal Rumble 2018: WWE legend Ric Flair wins over-the-top-rope match... but all is not what it seems https://t.co/v2bHTn60aW
— Cup Swags (@cup_swags) January 29, 2018
Ric Flair dresses as Colonel Sanders may be the best thing you see all day. Wooooooo! pic.twitter.com/XhX6em4MO5
— Steven Gunter (@sgpianoman) January 29, 2018
Ric Flair’s last match ever was dressed as Colonel Sanders for a KFC commercial. What a way to go out pic.twitter.com/xtIsSL0uj8
— Big B (@BTuckerTorch) January 28, 2018
Ric flair as colonel sanders ladies and gentlemen #royalrumble pic.twitter.com/vcPzw5Eop8
— Suplex City Limits (@SuplexCityLimit) January 29, 2018
Royal Rumble 2018 KFC Colonel Flair T-Shirthttps://t.co/YUBafbLDlZ pic.twitter.com/nXCHai0kgF
— WWE Shop Updates (@WShopUpdates) January 29, 2018
Mark Price: 704-358-5245, @markprice_obs
This story was originally published January 30, 2018 at 10:20 AM with the headline "Get a load of Ric Flair as KFC’s latest Colonel Sanders...in a feathered robe."