Veteran says AEW should follow WWE's example with Braun Strowman to rehabilitate former champion
AEW has been criticized for mishandling many stars since 2019, but wrestling legend Konnan believes that they could reverse course with Ricky Starks' current momentum loss if they treat him the way WWE treated Braun Strowman.
The Absolute One impressed fans of the promotion during his feud with reigning AEW World Champion MJF, and many quickly clamored for him to end Friedman's short reign. Unfortunately, he fell short and began a feud with Chris Jericho. He's now in a program with Juice Robinson.
Speaking on the latest episode of Keepin' It 100, the WCW veteran sympathized with Ricky Starks and criticized his handling by the promotion.
"Bro, what can I tell you? This is not Ricky’s fault, this is the bookers – as we’ve said a myriad of times when you have the luck of people picking who they like and you go with it? The only thing that you’re doing is risking him not getting hot again." (01:30 onward)
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Konnan compared Starks' handling to Braun Strowman's booking and pointed out how his absence helped him get over with the WWE audience again.
"When Braun Strowman left, I was like ‘it’s gonna be hard to get him hot again’ but him just leaving, and the people seeing him? They popped. If he would’ve stayed and they tried to rehabilitate him, it might not have worked." (02:12 onward).
Ricky Starks notably pointed out that he intends to set his sights on MJF again after he concludes his feud with Juice Robinson.
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Jim Cornette believes that AEW has already fumbled Ricky Starks' booking
Starks has now entered into a feud with Jay White and Juice Robinson after being brutally attacked by the two. Unfortunately, this feud hasn't been well received, especially by veterans.
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During an episode of The Jim Cornette Experience, the veteran criticized the promotion for booking Starks to be overwhelmed by Robinson and White.
"If you trusted your show and your viewers and your talent to let Ricky Starks have a match with [Juice Robinson] it could be Starks on the verge of it. But at least Starks has done his sh*t. Instead, he gets distracted by a guy coming down to music pumped out by the opponent he was supposed to have, beat up by both of them." (1:04:48 onward).
It remains to be seen if Ricky Starks can turn the feud into momentum. Since Jay White is set to face Komander during this week's AEW Dynamite, it could prove a vital opportunity for the Absolute star to gain some allies against The Bullet Club.