Home Creators Posts Import Register Favorites Logout

Content

Ricky Starks is in the headlines again.

Fightful Select had reported a while back that Starks had asked AEW to not pick up his option in late 2023, which was ignored by AEW, and they subsequently picked up his one year option, and haven't used him since. Now, more details have emerged.

Ibou of WrestlePurists, Self Made PW, and Fightful's Raw post show revealed on WrestlePurists that Starks asked for his release, which we're told was months ago.

As Fightful has reiterated a number of times, Starks hasn't turned down creative.

As things stand, his contract is set to expire in the Spring. Starks was blocked from doing GCW shows, but is still able to do other indies.

He visited backstage at AEW Full Gear where he was welcomed.

Comments

SlickJonny

Bench players acting like starters

Eric McIntosh

When does his contract end so we can stop hearing about it?

thaddperkins

I don’t understand why you’d hold on a person that 1. Doesn’t want to be there and 2. You have nothing for them to do there. It’s mind boggling.

O.G. Miller Esq.

I just want the guy to be able to showcase his talents. He's talented. Not a bench player at all. When given time, he is as entertaining as they come. And frankly someone like that is valuable. He's the reason I was watching NWA. The reason I would check out aew.

Chocobo_Sage

Picked up his option year, just to pay him to stay home.

LostRhino

Spite feels like the answer. He seems to have asked them not to pick up his contract while he was still one of the biggest, most commonly used names on collision. Him signaling he wanted to leave for WWE seems have lead to this being a punishment for that, which is allowable by the terms of the contract but not really in anyone's best interest

Rj

Go find baron Corbin's response to this & youl get your answer

Steve M

Starks in WWE will be like Jericho coming over from WcW

Joshua

I love AEW in ring (their shows got me back into wrestling after 13 years of not watching), but the behind the scenes stuff is starting to turn me off from the product. I understand holding people to their contracts, but picking up an additional year out of what appears to be spite is just not right.

david gardner

The pro wrestling hate watchers are excited today

R

He signed the dotted line. Ijs.

david gardner

What I mean by pro wrestling hate watchers is. Who knew all these so called “ fans “ on X, YouTube and formerly in the business. They are Ricky Starks, Miro, Britt Baker and Penta fans. I cannot wait for Jericho’s contract ends so we can see a bunch of so called “ fans “ tell us how huge the Chris Jericho return will be. It’s coming but it doesn’t matter because these people have no shame and will have their trained seals just as excited

Jeffrey Brown

All because he made fun of Edge. I can understand not letting everyone out of their contract. But when there is an option to extend them or not, they aren't being used and they ask to not be extended, then TK extends them anyways. Then refuses to use them. That doesn't sit well with fans.

Daniel Schein

Starks will be a bigger star in WWE. Sucks he has to wait for Spring, but it's not too far off. Tony punishing him is only going to distract from any positives the company has going for themselves.

Mike Modest To The Top

Dude should've never gone after Edge 😂 it was all downhill from there. But seriously, Tony release this man and let him do his thing

Mike Modest To The Top

Sure but like...why would he not have? People and situations change over the span of years. Obviously TK doesn't have to let him go; I just can't help but be reminded of Brodie Lee when stuff like this happens

david gardner

Can I say thank God for @Fightful. If not for their Reporting. Wrestling media would be a mess. You go anywhere else you have to see people pretending( that’s what is happening) that people leaving AEW are these massive talents. If Ricky Starks was not pictured at Rumble. 97% of his new fans would careless what is going on with Starks. Up until Rumble people called him a goofy Rock ripoff. He is being treated like a legend but I dare you to make a top 10 Ricky Starks matches from his time in AEW. Give me 5 Ricky Starks promos you remember. The man is a good hand ….so far. Just be honest and say I hate AEW and will treat Marko Stunt like a legend if it Meant you got to trash AEW

david gardner

I call bullshit. I could rattle you off Jericho moments in WCW. Can you rattle off Ricky Starks moments from AEW or NWA that compare to the silly statement you just made

david gardner

I am willing to bet you can’t name 10 Ricky Starks moments from AEW or NWA. If you can then you are either Ricky Starks or you are a liar

david gardner

Nobody cared about Ricky Starks nobody cares about him now. Only 2 reasons anybody talks about Ricky Starks is 1 they hate AEW 2 they seen his picture with Cody Rhodes at the Rumble

rocksolid124

I can't leave my job before my contract expires either. It's how contracts work.

Glenlake8

For those saying he had a contract, sure. It had an option year. He asked it to not be picked up. If AEW goes ahead and picks it up anyway, then use him. If you pick up an option year knowing full well that you are going to make him sit at home, that’s petty/vindictive.

Glenlake8

It had an option year. Generally those are picked up for those you want to use.

Lynchman

Ibou appartently said something happened between Starks and AEW that will "never be reported" so I don't think it was the Edge comment as most seem to think Edge got the better of him.

Shannon Willis

Only if people want it to and allow it to be a distraction. I don't know how Starks will be in WWE. I really don't. He will make tons of money but will he be creativity happy? He thinks highly of himself, and he should! But that system is still predicated on time given, where does he fit for them on a level that he agrees with? I hope he becomes world champion, but that "potential" list is growing and growing and growing...

Stalla

You sign a contract you honor the contract, otherwise what is the purpose of a contract.

CSDX

I'm sad about this. A lot of my faves in AEW are leaving or have left.

Ryan Martins

AEW should honor the contract to by putting him on TV and using him rather than sitting him at home cuz he asked for his option not to be picked up they picked it up anyway and haven't used him since, sorry not defending AEW on this one.