AEW Double or Nothing: Ricky Starks refuses to 'sit and wait' in quest for championship success

The revolution has been televised for three years - but Ricky Starks isn't planning on waiting around for his shot at success in All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

The enigmatic New Orleans native has already ridden the rollercoaster of pro wrestling numerous times since making his debut for the company back in 2020, experiencing all the highs and lows that come with the ever-changing business.

Starks has held singles gold, competed for tag team championships, main-evented shows for the AEW World Title and worked with arguably the greatest of all time.

All this in just three years with AEW after first signing on the dotted line in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, challenging now-WWE megastar Cody Rhodes in his first spotlight match on national television.

Since his debut with AEW, Starks has become a fan-favourite off the back of his flamboyant fashion, scorching promos and dynamic in-ring style that sets him apart from your average pro wrestler.

But despite all the success, Starks isn't satisfied with his spot on the card and the taste of working with the likes of Chris Jericho and MJF over the past six months have lit a fire under him like never before.

Speaking exclusively to The Sporting News prior to the annual Double or Nothing pay-per-view, the 33-year-old opened up on his recent career trajectory and tangling with the AEW World Champion.

“Honestly, I felt like at that time, I was meant to be there," Starks said.

"That was my point to say ‘this is what y’all have been missing out on’. I think the time where I had the interaction with me and Max [MJF] in Austin… it was a great time and really one of the very high points for me.

"It proved to me that I could stand there and deliver and show people exactly what I was about.

"There’s even more drive to get back to that, especially now in this landscape – you look around and know I could easily eat that guy up on the mic or I could easily get in the ring and tear it up.

"I had to wait my turn… but as my career has shown in the past, I don’t really like waiting for my time - I would rather go and take it myself.

"It was a big deal for me and I do look back on it pretty fondly and it was a good taste of exactly what I can offer and what I can deliver in that situation."

Ricky Starks back in the mix for singles gold at Double or Nothing

Starks is a former FTW Champion - the title made famous by his former mentor and ECW icon Taz, who helped guide him in the infancy of his run with the company.

But since dropping the title to rising star HOOK mid-way through last year, Starks has been on a constant search for gold around his waist.

And after getting that taste of a world title program with MJF, Starks is prepared to go all in at Sunday night's Double or Nothing event in Las Vegas.

As part of a massive 'Blackjack Battle Royal' for the AEW International Title, Starks will be one of 20 competitors hoping to dethrone Orange Cassidy after a lengthy run with the belt. 

“I’m very pumped – it’s another opportunity at another championship and to me, that’s the best time you can have," he said.

"I think Orange has been a fantastic champion and his defences shouldn’t go unnoticed.

"Each and every week, some new challenger comes out. Each and every week, it’s a different match and he deserves as much praise as he can get for carrying it and putting in the work that he has for that title.

"It would be in my highest honour to eliminate Orange Cassidy and become the International Champion and go on and carry the same work ethic that he has."

How all-time great Chris Jericho helped shape Ricky Starks

With championships and accolades across every major promotion in the past three decades, there aren't many bigger stars in the history of pro wrestling than Jericho.

During a stretch in early-2023, Starks was sharing the screen with the Canadian legend on a weekly basis and came out with two victories, including a singles win at March's Revolution pay-per-view.

Since that feud with Jericho, he has been tasked with welcoming Kiwi sensation Jay White into the company and despite the personal differences with both men, Starks has learned his fair share of lessons.

"A lot of these people are moths – they are attracted to a bright and shiny star, and that is me," he told The Sporting News.

"Obviously when you come in [to the company], you’re going to go after the one that you think you can benefit the most from. Max did it, Jericho did it, Jay is doing it – in a certain way, it’s a pretty cool thing to have.

"But at the same time, I’m still going to get mine and I’m going to prove exactly why I am who I am and why I deserve to be where I want to be.

“One of the big takeaways from having to deal with Chris was the fact that, there was time periods I was able to go out there and speak candidly… people connected with that and that’s my thing.

"I think with Chris, I was able to amplify exactly who I am as a person and what I stand for… Chris taught me a big lesson about how to sit in my own personality and be as grand and big as I want to be, and really show people who I am authentically.

"That was one of the best takeaways that I got from that… with Chris, there was a level of comfort to it and with Jay, that’s what I’m taking as well and applying it."

AEW Collision is the 'fresh start' Ricky Starks has been seeking

Along with the upcoming pay-per-view in Vegas, as well as a major joint show with NJPW on the horizon, AEW will be launching a brand-new weekly broadcast on June 17th.

The date for the debut episode will mark Starks' three-year anniversary with the promotion after honing his craft on the independent circuit, and there would be no better way to continue his meteoric rise than by becoming a featured talent on AEW Collision. 

Starks is likely to share the screen with a returning CM Punk as part of the Saturday night weekly show and is hoping the extra two hours of TV each week will benefit many within AEW and allow him more time to showcase his undeniable ability. 

“I feel like one of my superpowers is talking and I think a lot of people like to hear me talk and a lot of people expect me to talk and look forward to me talking," Starks said.

"I think that is something that is a bit frustrating and it’s hard to deal with. What can you really do that point? All I can do is maximise the time that I’m getting, the time that I’m actually able to talk and speak from the heart... I wish it was different. 

“I definitely am hoping it’s [Collision] a new start and I hope that this benefits a lot of people currently. I’m really looking forward to how this all plays out, because it’s exciting – with another two hours, we have a chance to really do something different.

I have never been one to shy away from speaking of how I would like to have a match with him [Punk]. I think that’s now even more in the works for me, especially with the two-hour show.

"If he does come back, that’s good – if he doesn’t, it sucks because I won’t get my match, but fingers crossed things work out how they should, at least in my book."

When does AEW Double or Nothing 2023 start?

• Date: Sunday, May 28 | Monday, May 29
• Buy-In: 7 p.m. ET | 4 p.m. PT | 12 a.m. BST | 9 a.m. AEST
• Main card: 8 p.m. ET | 5 p.m. PT | 1 a.m. BST | 10 a.m. AEST

AEW Double or Nothing 2023 takes place on Sunday, May 28. The main card will air at 8 p.m. ET | 5 p.m. PT | 1 a.m. BST | 10 a.m. AEST, and the buy-in pre-show takes place at 7 p.m. ET | 4 p.m. PT | 12 a.m. BST | 9 a.m. AEST. 

How to watch AEW Double or Nothing 2023

Fans in the US can watch AEW Double or Nothing through BR Live and traditional pay-per-view formats. Double or Nothing and will air on DAZN and FITE outside the US.