A number of AEW performers are currently out of action for one reason or another, but Ricky Starks has been a mysterious case. The longest-reigning FTW Champion hasn’t wrestled since the October 25 AEW Dark, though this was taped on October 13; he bested Nick Comoroto in just under nine minutes.
Why, exactly, Starks had been absent from AEW programming went unknown prior to this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Writing, Dave Meltzer stated that his absence was due to something “not wrestling related”. ‘Absolute’ Ricky is due back on the forthcoming AEW Rampage, airing tonight (November 4) at the time of writing.
It had previously been reported following All Out that Ricky Starks was out with an injury, though this was refuted per Fightful Select. The reason for his and Powerhouse Hobbs’ match going short in length wasn’t due to injury, as was the case with Christian Cage vs. ‘Jungle Boy’ Jack Perry.
Ricky Starks Wants To Cross Through The Forbidden Door
Though Ricky Starks is yet to enter the Forbidden Door for a cross-promotional match, it’s something that he’s definitely eyeing up. The door was first opened by KENTA in February 2021, and has since seen the likes of Kazuchika Okada, Minoru Suzuki, and Shingo Takagi compete for All Elite Wrestling.
Speaking during an interview with WhatCulture’s Andrew Pollard, Starks claimed that there are three major New Japan Pro-Wrestling stars he’d like to cross paths with:
“I’m not gonna say that I want these guys to come in and wrestle me because it should be an honour to wrestle me. I will tell you this, though. If by chance we needed somebody, okay, it’d probably be [Tetsuya] Naito. It’d probably be SANADA. It’d probably be [Kazuchika] Okada, those three. Give me those three or give me death. I do not care.“
The Forbidden Door will again be opened on the aforementioned upcoming episode of AEW Rampage, as Katsuyori Shibata makes his AEW in-ring debt vs. the defending All Atlantic Champion, Orange Cassidy.