Ricky Starks would be a huge hit in WWE

Free agency in professional wrestling has been one of the biggest stories this year. Several names have jumped from one organization to another, making waves along the way. AEW got out to the early “lead” in an arms race against WWE, but the latter has done great work catching up to close out this year. Yet, if WWE is going to make a major move, there’s one individual it must sign away from AEW and that is Ricky Starks.

As of this writing on November 11, there’s no news about Starks’s contract status with AEW. His last match in the company was back on March 30, and since then he’s wrestled once at BTW Welcome to Paradise on May 31. Starks is an individual that fans consistently ask about, but there’s no clear answer on both his present and future with the company. There’s a lot of speculation, but nothing has been reported or confirmed by the performer or the promotion, other than Starks noting that he's still under AEW contract. Yet, if Ricky Starks were to become a free agent, he’s the type of performer that WWE needs to make a full-court press to sign.

Starks can do everything that WWE covets in a main event attraction. He can talk with the best in the business. He can work bell to bell. He knows sports entertainment as well as professional wrestling. And he has the look of a superstar outside the ring. The moments he had while in AEW, he showed that he could thrive if given the opportunity. Unfortunately, those opportunities were hit with frequent starts and stops.

WWE has a strong track record of treating signees from AEW well. Everyone is familiar with Cody Rhodes “finishing the story” at WrestleMania 40. Jade Cargill has been featured in the women’s division, already capturing the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship twice. Ethan Page made the jump and won the WWE NXT Championship. The Motor City Machine Guns could even be another example, as they’ve already captured the WWE Tag Team Championship on SmackDown. The days of booking names from other promotions poorly is seemingly in the past and that’s why a Ricky Starks signing would make even more sense.

There’s no telling if or when Ricky Starks may become a free agent. But if that moment comes, WWE needs to do all it can to sign him away from All Elite Wrestling. He’s an uber-talented performer and someone who can immediately create buzz upon his arrival. The free agency race has been tight throughout the year and Starks would be a huge get for the biggest wrestling promotion in the industry.