Ricky Starks has once again spoken out on his lack of TV time in AEW.
The former Tag Team Champion has been out of the ring for the best part of 8 months. While there has been previous speculation that Starks could be injured, the AEW star has been healthy throughout his lengthy hiatus. Ricky Starks has been making appearances on the independent scene, most recently for GCW, prompting questions about his status and relationship with AEW to be brought up by fans.
While speaking with Chris Van Vliet, Starks confirmed that he has never been injured and that the time away from TV has been a “mindf*ck”:
“March was my last match. I’ve been home, I’ve been healthy. Never was injured. I did have a stinger. I got a stinger in that match against Top Flight in March. I got immediately checked out and everything was fine, but I was just concerned at the time. So that happened and then I was just home. That’s kind of where it’s been at. I’ve just been home.
It’s kind of a mindf*ck because I’m in my prime and it sucks when you’re on such a momentum, riding the wave, doing work and doing stuff, and then to just be at home for so long, you’re kind of like, whoa. It kind of throws it off.
I am not meant to be at home. I’m not meant to be a homebody in this current phase in my life. I’m not meant to be just chilling at home and doing not the thing that I’ve been busting my ass to do for the past 13 years.”
Recently Ricky Starks has addressed his debut on WWE NXT.
Why Is Ricky Starks Not Being Used?
Starks then confirmed that despite the speculation he is still under contract with AEW. When asked about what is going on, Starks admitted that although he has a number of theories and speculations, he can’t give a definitive answer as to why he has been absent for so long:
“Beats me. I could have 1,000 theories about what’s really going on. The fact of the matter is that if I don’t have a definitive answer, I can’t just make up an answer for people and just assume. Would I love to know the exact reason? For sure. Do I have speculations about why? Absolutely. But that does nothing to speak on things that I speculate, does nothing for the situation.
So I think it’s just a matter of, it sucks, it’s been a very cold day here in Austin. It’s been a very cold day. May have been cold for the past nine months, not sure. But thankfully, I have a sweater, and I’m always ready to keep the warmth going.”
When asked if he felt like the time away was a punishment, Starks denied it:
“I don’t think that’s ever crossed my mind of like you’re being punished, because that wouldn’t serve me at all to think like that. I would be depressed and angry. That wouldn’t serve me.”
In a further update, Ricky Starks has been removed from GCW events on short notice.
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