Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat discusses his return match and says an AEW booking decision substantially changed it.
On November 27, Steamboat will return to the ring for the first time since 2010 at Big Time Wrestling's Return of the Dragon event. The legend will team up with FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) to face "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal, Brock Anderson, and a mystery partner. This will be Steamboat's first bout since he teamed up with his son, Richie, to defeat The Dudebusters (Caylen Croft & Trent Barreta) at an FCW show in 2010.
Speaking with Nick Hausman of Wrestling Inc., Steamboat detailed how he was initially supposed to face FTR in his return to the ring before they turned face in AEW. As a result, the idea to have the legend team with the duo was pitched instead.
"This [match], for me to make a final, final decision was three or four months in the making. I just didn't jump on it the first time I was approached from Big Time Wrestling and I have an agent guy, Tony Hunter, who also works with Big Time Wrestling, and when I was first approached, but FTR, when I was first approached were heels. They were going to be two guys on the other side of the ring that I was going to be wrestling. AEW turned them babyfaces, turned them good guy. So they said, 'We can't have heels working against you, Ricky, you're a baby face. So what would you think if we had them as your partners?'" Steamboat said.
The legend emphasized that he was on board with the idea of teaming with Wheeler and Harwood because he used to work with them during his day. He then admitted that, though the event is just a few days away, he still doesn't know who the mystery partner is.
"I thought it was great too because they were at the school [for] WWE, back in the day when I was a trainer and I'd work with them in the ring and I know they're good hands and I'm glad how they've grown in the business with AEW. So the adversaries, the Jay Lethal and then Old Arn Anderson's boy, Brock and they still got a mystery partner and I haven't been privy to the mystery partner. Can you believe this? It's coming up this week," Steamboat said.
In a previous interview, Ric Flair noted that Steamboat's return to the ring will probably go better than his own. Check out his comments here.
Flair also stated that Steamboat is better than 50% of the guys today. Click here to see what he had to say.
Fightful will have coverage of the event as it airs at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday.