CI Wrestling Thread #56

[AmericanDragon]

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Good for Ricky, NXT is where he needed to start out at given it’s WrestleMania season.

That was some distracting camera work though. Kept going to the zoomed out shot like it was a filled arena when it’s just the PC lol.

And that’s why AEW wasn’t using him. He asked not to have his option renewed going into 2024, where did you think he was going to go, TNA or New Japan? TK wasn’t going to gift wrap them a featured talent when it was obvious he was leaving for the Fed the second he was done in AEW.

 

[Nightwish84]

And that’s why AEW wasn’t using him. He asked not to have his option renewed going into 2024, where did you think he was going to go, TNA or New Japan? TK wasn’t going to gift wrap them a featured talent when it was obvious he was leaving for the Fed the second he was done in AEW.

It's poor form to sideline a healthy worker for nearly a year on the off chance they may appear in WWE the following year. Starks eventually got an occasional indie booking but was ghosted throughout 2024. Second, hiding him from the world led to the "IWC" and podcasters asking "where's Ricky?" for most of last year. The internet hyped him up because they (the fans) wanted to see him. He could've been used and lost on ROH, Rampage, or Collision and guys like Garcia, Hook, Perry, and others could have beaten him.

So what was accomplished? Fans hyped Ricky up for almost a year, TK ignored and avoided questions about him in public, and at the end of the day, he's in NXT within 24 hrs and you've got Punk talking about his debut on IG. So putting him on a shelf like a toy to collect dust didn't help Tony or AEW at all.

 

[Wesley91581]

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[AmericanDragon]

It's poor form to sideline a healthy worker for nearly a year on the off chance they may appear in WWE the following year. Starks eventually got an occasional indie booking but was ghosted throughout 2024. Second, hiding him from the world led to the "IWC" and podcasters asking "where's Ricky?" for most of last year. The internet hyped him up because they (the fans) wanted to see him. He could've been used and lost on ROH, Rampage, or Collision and guys like Garcia, Hook, Perry, and others could have beaten him.

So what was accomplished? Fans hyped Ricky up for almost a year, TK ignored and avoided questions about him in public, and at the end of the day, he's in NXT within 24 hrs and you've got Punk talking about his debut on IG. So putting him on a shelf like a toy to collect dust didn't help Tony or AEW at all.

It was no off chance as you can see by the fact he debuted 24 hours after being released. There's a reason why everyone was speculating he would be leaving for WWE long before he ever got taken off TV. You're fooling yourself if you think there was ever a chance he wouldn't end up in WWE. Where did you think he was going to go when he asked them not to pick up his option and then asked for his release? OVW? TNA? New Japan? NOAH? NWA? MLW? AAA? CMLL?

And he's friends with Punk, Punk would have talked about his debut on IG no matter what the circumstances were. Because you know that's what friends do...

 

[AmericanDragon]

Also, did neither AEW or WWE think to look at the NBA calendar when deciding to run a major show this weekend? NXT PLE and AEW Grand Slam running the same night as the three point, dunk contest, and other assorted skills games.

 

[GeraldV]

Also, did neither AEW or WWE think to look at the NBA calendar when deciding to run a major show this weekend? NXT PLE and AEW Grand Slam running the same night as the three point, dunk contest, and other assorted skills games.

I know they have denied it, but there was a clear screw up between TBS/TNT/AEW on the scheduling of the Australian event. I cannot see any way they would have wanted a big free show like this to come on at like 1 am live or something crazy.