Since rising to prominence in the NWA and now AEW, Ricky Starks has drawn comparisons with The Rock, Dwayne Johnson.
While many fans are quick to point out the visual similarities between the pair from when Johnson was in his wrestling prime, others suggest they have similar cadence in their promos. These similarities were thrown front and centre on the December 7th edition of AEW Dynamite where MJF confronted Starks.
The AEW World Champion wasted little time in verbally going after his new rival, calling him a “roody poo candy ass,” commenting that he had stolen everything else from “that guy.” The line was of course made famous by Dwayne Johnson during his time as The Rock.
MJF continued by referring to Starks as “pebble,” adding that he was going to “skim his ass all of the way back to Billy Corgan’s NWA.” He also branded the star as nothing more than a “dollar store Dwayne.”
Ricky Starks Says He Isn’t Copying Dwayne Johnson
Speaking in a new interview with Liam Crowley of ComicBook.com, Ricky Starks was quick to dismiss the criticism.
“I tell this all the time, The Rock wasn’t my favourite wrestler. He was like my number three favourite wrestler,” Starks said “That’s not to discredit The Rock from any type of talent he has, but I say that to say he wasn’t a big inspiration.”
“I always tell this: I don’t hate the comparisons,” Starks continued. “What I do hate though, is being discredited for my natural creativity in lieu of someone saying, ‘Well, you’re just literally copying The Rock,’ which isn’t true at all.”
Ricky Starks will be back in action at AEW Dynamite Winter Is Coming when he takes on MJF with both the AEW World Championship and Dynamite Diamond Ring on the line.
Elsewhere on the show, Tay Melo takes on Ruby Soho, Chris Jericho will be back in the ring, and The Elite and Death Triangle resume their ‘Best of Seven’ series.