Wrestling's Rising Stars: Ricky Starks

The past year has shown us aside of pro-wrestling we never thought we'd see, but due to the global pandemic it became a must that being wrestling without an audience. Even though it's sort of common place now it will always feel like something is missing until the day comes when fans are allowed back into the areas. The big piece aside wrestling has also seen the ascension of some fresh faces who will likely have every opportunity to break through next year in 2021. 

One name that has seen his stock rise a lot more in a year then some likely would've expected is Ricky Starks. Earlier in the year Ricky was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and had held the NWA World Television Championship for a cup of coffee, but was hot on the heals of then champion Zicky Dice. Starks was seen as a bright spot for the NWA prior to the outbreak of the current pandemic. As the NWA went on a hiatus due to the current situation we later found out that Ricky Starks had decided to walk away from NWA and move onto All Elite Wrestling. 

At first it seemed like Starks was going to follow his simple gimmick from NWA and work as a good guy, but then AEW made the right decision to allow Starks to turn heel and become a star. Sometimes in wrestling you can tell when someone is more of a natural heel then face and Ricky Starks is absolutely more of a natural heel then face. Starks has only seen his stock in AEW continue to rise due to his association with Taz and Brian Cage who have been feuding with Cody and current TNT Champion Darby Allin. Starks has gold in his eyes and a bright future ahead of him, but is also one wrestler that is better served learning to be a heel to be able to turn face as oppose to being a face and learning the reverse. 2020 has been an incredible year for Ricky Starks and even with all he has accomplished and his stock rising as high as it has he still has so much untapped potential which we will undoubtedly see him continue to progress toward in 2021.