Ricky Starks turned heel against CM Punk earlier this year, and at first fans were shocked. He was quickly becoming one of the most popular wrestlers in AEW, and did not look out of place in a main event feud with MJF at the tail end of 2022.
It seemed a ridiculous decision to turn him heel, simply placating the ego of CM Punk before his eventually firing in September 2023.
However, this week’s AEW Collision clearly vindicated Ricky Starks, who showed why he turned heel and how he is using this new momentum to become one of the top wrestlers in AEW today. Him and Big Bill now hold the AEW World Team Championships, and it looks like just the beginning for Ricky Starks.
Why Did AEW Turn Ricky Starks Heel?
Ricky Starks turned heel because WWE did not want to turn CM Punk heel, but still wanted him to wrestle multiple times with Ricky Starks. Since CM Punk returned to AEW in June this year, he was connected to Ricky Starks in some way.
On multiple occasions, Starks came to his aid when he was outnumbered by heels like Bullet Club Gold, and even teamed with Punk to fight them off. They had a tight bond, and seemed to have a good relationship as teammates, just like Punk did with stars like FTR and Darby Allin.
However, the plan was for a multi-month, multi-match feud between CM Punk and Darby Allin, and that simply wouldn’t work if they were both babyfaces. Somebody had to turn heel, and despite the negative reactions he was getting from the fans, CM Punk was kept as the “good guy”, with Ricky Starks designated as “the bad guy”.
Ricky Starks turned heel on the 16th July 2023, when he cheated in the final of the Owen Hart Cup against CM Punk. Starks grabbed CM Punk’s tights and used the ropes for leverage to win the match, cheating to win the tournament without the referee’s knowledge. He then celebrated very arrogantly after the match, snatching the cup from the legendary Jushin Liger’s hands in a very insulting way.
Over the weeks, be got more and more arrogant and violent toward CM Punk, but the crowd were still ixed. They wanted ot cheer Ricky Starks, but his currently attitude was putting a stop to that. He even attacked the iconic Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat after his match with Punk, the ultimate heel move – Steamboat was in his 70s at that point, and Starks whipped him with his belt until he bled.
This completed his heel turn, although fans still weren’t convinced it was best for him. It was clear to all that CM Punk should have turned heel instead, especially after he was fired for fighting backstage at Wembley Stadium. However, Tony Khan’s booking was vindicated when Ricky Starks joined forces with Big Bill to become champions in AEW for the first time (no, the FTW Championship does not count).
Ricky Starks and Big Bill Won The AEW Tag Team Championships From FTR
Ricky Starks and Big Bill’s ascendance to AEW tag team champions was slightly rushed, but it was more than deserved. Starks had just come out of an incredible feud with Bryan Danielson, and while he lost both of their matches together, he came out an even bigger star than before because of his immense performances.
The damage he took in those matches only endeared fans to Ricky Starks (but not enough to actually cheer him), but fans still cheered whenever Danielson inflicted even more punishment on the star. The attacks by Big Bill and himself had become too much for The American Dragon to bear, with their strap match and Texas Death Match proving a great catharsis for him.
Around this time, Cash Wheeler of FTR suffered an injury that put an end to their tag team run. At WrestleDream, they beat Aussie Open to retain their belts, but Wheeler suffered cracked ribs that diminished his in-ring ability severely – let alone left him struggling to breathe.
Ricky Starks picked up a pinfall win over FTR in an eight-man tag team match on Collision, earning him and his partner Big Bill an almost-impromptu shot at the AEW Tag Team Titles. This title shot alone seemed to reward both Starks and Big Bill for their work in recent weeks – Big Bill in particular had shocked fans by how much he has improved since leaving the WWE.
The following week, the pair picked up the biggest wins of their career, and become only the second team to beat FTR for the AEW Tag Team Championships (the others being the Young Bucks, so they’re in good company). The match was much different to a usual FTR match, with Cash Wheeler being taken out of action early on with a massive slam through the announce table.
Despite fighting as hard as he could, Dax Harwood was no match for the challengers. He took three chokeslams and a spear before he was finally put away, ending FTR’s legendary tag team run and annointng Ricky Starks and Big Bill as the new AEW World Tag Team Champions.
Many people may have disagreed with Ricky Starks turning heel in the first place, but now it was plain to see that he was excatly where he needed to be. Tony Khan had been vindicated in his decision, and AEW had a new top heel that could be a big star withing the next few years.
That is, if he was still in AEW in the next few years.
Is Ricky Starks Leaving AEW?
Sadly for AEW fans, it has been strongly rumored that Ricky Starks could be on his way out of AEW once his contract expires, following renewed interest from the WWE. Forbes have reported that he in their radar, following a backstage appearance with Cody Rhodes at the 2023 Royal Rumble.
Starks was reportedly unhappy with being left of the All In card at Wembley Stadium this year. With the WWE’s hiring freeze now over (the same one that cost them the chance to sign Jay White), Ricky Starks could be the next big AEW star to jump ship, following Jade Cargill’s debut at WWE Fastlane 2023.
All signs are pointing to Ricky Starks leaving AEW at the end of his contract, which is expected to be some time in 2024. Hopefully continue to push him, and prove that he will be a big part of their future, compared to just a cog in the machine that is the WWE.