Ricky Starks confirms his tag team with former WWE star is finished

AEW star Ricky Starks is currently missing from television, but he's been a hot topic of conversation in the wrestling world regardless. The 34-year-old recently opened up about his former partnership with Big Bill.

'Absolute' Ricky Starks and Big Bill were an unlikely duo that managed to find success. The two began their partnership last year when Starks began managing the former Big Cass during his (storyline) suspension. They went on to defeat FTR for the AEW World Tag Team Championship and held the titles for 123 days before dropping them to Sting and Darby Allin.

Unfortunately, that seemed to be the end of their partnership, as Starks disappeared from television soon after. Meanwhile, Big Bill joined Chris Jericho under the latter's "Learning Tree."

In a recent interview with WhatCulture Wrestling, Ricky Starks talked about making the most of his partnership with Big Bill:

"The way that we even came into teaming together was a bit of a crap shoot as well. Honestly, this is everything I had predicted was going to happen anyways. I got suspended, so I couldn’t be at All In, but I could be at All Out. During my suspension, I had a manager’s license, and that’s when I started being with Bill. I would tell people, me and Big Bill, we really don’t know each other that well. We’ve gotten to know each other over the course of the months, but that was something that me and him had to just make work. Every time they give something, we just make it work. So it was fun. I thought it was cool for what it was. Seemed like people were into it."

He went on to praise Bill and expressed happiness for his former tag team partner's success:

"Not too much of a chance given, so to speak. People can say what they want, but I think there was a little bit more to it that could have happened that didn’t. But you deal with stuff, and that’s how it is. He’s a great dude. I really, really hope that things work out for him. I’ve always actually campaigned for that. I’ve always made sure, if anybody out of this would be taken care of, it’s him. So I’m glad to see that he is doing good because he’s a good dude." [H/T Ringside News]

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Ricky Starks was spotted at WrestleMania XL

Some fans have predicted that 'Absolute' Ricky Starks will depart AEW once his current contract is up, pointing to his current absence from TV and his friendship with Cody Rhodes as potential reasons to make the jump.

Starks was spotted at Royal Rumble and WrestleMania this year, but he doesn't seem to think it's a big deal. Speaking to WhatCulture, he claimed that he was supporting his friends:

"It's no different than seeing Swerve win his title at Dynasty, or me seeing Jade freakin' have a tag match [at WrestleMania]... there's no difference, so I'm gonna continue to support my friends at whatever company, because... who gon' tell me otherwise? Who am I hurting? What village am I pillaging? Like, who cares?" Ricky Starks said.

Ricky Starks has found plenty of success in All Elite Wrestling, but his booking has also been seen as inconsistent. Whether the former NWA World Television Champion chooses to stay on in AEW or make his way to WWE remains to be seen.