CM Punk revealed as the mastermind behind major AEW tag team
A popular AEW tag team, which broke up earlier this year, was apparently formed because of CM Punk. This team even won the World Tag Team Titles by defeating FTR last year.
Big Bill first made a name for himself in WWE as Big Cass, where he was part of a tag team with Enzo Amore. However, his career failed to take off after the duo disbanded in 2017. He was released the following year and went on to work in the independent scene before signing with AEW in 2022.
A year after joining Tony Khan's promotion, the 38-year-old star formed a tag team with Ricky Starks and had instant success, as the duo won the AEW World Tag Team Championship. However, their run as a tag team was short-lived since they disbanded soon after losing the titles to Darby Allin and Sting.
Speaking on the Talk is Jericho podcast, Big Bill discussed the origins of his tag team with Ricky Starks in AEW. He revealed he was about to form a tag team with Brian Cage when CM Punk pulled him aside and suggested he team with Starks instead.
"That was [CM] Punk. So I was teaming with Brian Cage, we had some really cool matches. We were coming up with ideas for entrances and team names, I even went to Tony [Khan] with a bunch of team names and stuff. In my mind, I thought this is where we are going forward, and I’m all in on it, this is cool, two big guys. So then Punk pulled me aside and said, 'Well, I have this idea for you and Ricky [Starks].' And I was like, wow. I’ve always liked Ricky."
Big Bill continued to say that he didn't mind the idea as he liked Starks due to their time together in NXT. He also felt he couldn't go wrong with either Brian Cage or Ricky Starks.
"In NXT I bieled him outside the ring, and he took a bump on the ramp, which I thought I killed him. I didn’t think he was going to do it and he did it. I’ve always liked Ricky ever since then. Me and him trained with The Undertaker to get him ready for WrestleMania New Orleans. So I know Ricky and he’s charismatic, and I’m charismatic, I was like yeah, this could work too. But again, you hear things you don’t know. So I was like, 'Oh, it’s either me and Brian Cage are gonna do this today, or me and Ricky, either is gonna be awesome.'" [H/T Inside The Ropes]
Big Bill recalls finding out he was going to become AEW Tag Team Champions with Ricky Starks
Big Bill and Ricky Starks formed a successful team in AEW. Shortly after teaming together, they challenged FTR for the AEW Tag Team Championship and beat them in under five minutes, which shocked everyone since Cash Wheller and Dax Harwood are among the best wrestlers in the tag team division in the company. Starks and Bill held the titles for 123 days before losing them to Darby Allin and Sting.
Speaking on the recent edition of the Talk is Jerchio podcast, Big Bill recalled being surprised when he was told that he and Starks were beating FTR in three minutes.
"Then they put me with Ricky and I was like okay, now I’m all in on this. Then we did a bunch of stuff together and then finally they put us in a tag title match with FTR, which I came to work that day just thinking we’ll have a good match with FTR, because who doesn’t? It’ll be a good match, and that’ll be it. And then they told us you’re beating FTR in like three minutes. And I was like, what the f*ck?" [H/T Inside The Ropes]
Big Bill has since moved on and has joined Chris Jericho's faction, The Learning Tree, along with Bryan Keith.