Ricky Starks lashes out at AEW's four pillars, says he 'loathes the idea'
Ricky Starks, the charismatic and talented AEW star, has made it clear that he despises the idea of the four pillars in All Elite Wrestling.
The four pillars, consisting of MJF, Darby Allin, Jungle Boy, and MJF, have been hailed as the brightest stars of AEW since its inception. They have achieved significant success in their careers, with numerous titles and high-profile matches to their names. However, the idea of the four pillars has not sat well with Ricky Starks.
Speaking on The Corner Podcast, Starks stated that the idea of pillars diminishes the value of other talented individuals in the company.
"I actually hate the idea of pillars. I loathe the idea of a pillar because one, it’s a full gimmick, and it came from one guy who, there’s nothing behind it. To say that these four dudes are the pillars of the company, you know what you’re doing by saying that? F*** everybody else who did anything. Those people don’t matter. It’s these three guys that we’ve deemed, ‘I have bestowed this sacred title upon thee, and I want you to go forth and do with it," Starks said.
While appreciative of the recognition as a potential fifth pillar, Starks asserts that he doesn't need to be confined to that role.
"No, I don’t believe in that. It’s a very sweet gesture to say Ricky should be considered a fifth pillar. Baby, I don’t need to be a pillar, okay? I can be a foundation. I can be the roof. I can be the person outside maintaining the lawn. I don’t need none of that. To me, that’s a box within itself. Four pillars, you got me, ‘What? Four pillars? Four pillars of what? Name one coliseum that you know that’s famous. I bet you couldn’t even do that," he added.
Ricky Starks has previously taken shots at AEW's pillars
Despite being one of the most promising talents on the roster, AEW star Ricky Starks is not considered one of the four pillars that represent the future of the company.
In a previous interview with ComicBook, Starks dismissed the pillar talk as self-indulgent. He expressed that the concept was not bestowed upon the chosen few but rather something they claimed for themselves.
“To me, the whole pillar talk is hilarious in a sense, because it’s so self-indulgent," said Starks. "It’s nothing that was bestowed upon them. That was just something that came from them. So I usually don’t think about it in that regard. Like, ‘I’m not included in this.’ Who cares? Because to me I’m gonna be much bigger than whatever the pillar is. I’m gonna be much bigger than wrestling, in a sense.”
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MJF initially introduced the concept of AEW's four pillars, designating himself, Darby Allin, Jungle Boy, and Sammy Guevara as the original pillars.
Can you name any wrestlers who you believe deserve more recognition and opportunities outside of the four pillars? Sound off in the comments section below.