Since coming on to the AEW scene back in June of 2020, Ricky Starks has excelled in pretty much every role given to him. He is the perfect blend of charisma and skill and is a major player for the company to build around for years to come.
In his debut match for AEW, Starks unsuccessfully answered Cody Rhodes’s open challenge for the TNT Championship. However, despite coming up short, Starks showed just how good he is, and Tony Khan announced the signing of Starks almost immediately following the match.
Shortly after his debut, Starks joined a faction with Brian Cage and Powerhouse Hobbs, better known as Team Taz. This was the first storyline to really put Starks on the map in AEW, and he hasn’t looked back since.
More recently feuding with Bullet Club Gold (Jay White and Juice Robinson) Starks was able to put the feud with Robinson to rest. Now with Jay White waiting in the wings, we could see another dream match that pits White and Starks against each other in singles competition.
Starks’ accomplishments speak for themselves in AEW. From winning the AEW World Championship Eliminator Tournament to winning the Dynamite Diamond Battle Royale to calling himself the FTW Champion, Starks now has another accomplishment to add to his already impressive resume.
Ricky Starks winning the Men’s Owen Hart Tournament was the right move
On Saturday, July 15, Starks competed in the finals of the Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament against CM Punk. Defeating Juice Robinson and Powerhouse Hobbs earlier in the tournament to make it to the finals, Starks would not disappoint. He would go on to defeat CM Punk to become the winner of the Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament.
This was absolutely the right move for AEW. Not only are they continuing to establish a new main event player in Starks, but they are also pushing their homegrown talent. While CM Punk is an elite wrestler, a win for Starks over Punk really solidifies how good Starks is and how big he could be in this business.
Starks’ win over Punk is monumental and should not be taken lightly. AEW had Starks defeat the legend in CM Punk. This speaks volumes and shows not just how much faith they have in Starks, but how they view Starks. Hopefully, down the road, this will lead to bigger and better things.
From Team Taz to his countless World Championship pursuits, Ricky Starks has excelled in everything that AEW has given him to do, despite coming up short more often than not. Starks is destined for big things in AEW, and his victory over CM Punk and winning the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament is just the beginning of what will hopefully be a decorated career in All Elite Wrestling.
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