Missed feud with WWE legend & more - 4 biggest mistakes Tony Khan made with Ricky Starks in AEW

Ricky Starks has reportedly left All Elite Wrestling. The Absolute, along with Malakai Black and Miro, has been removed from the company's official roster page.

Starks' departure is a massive loss for the Tony Khan-led promotion. The 34-year-old star is one of the most charismatic in the business and a very popular figure among AEW's fanbase. Stroke Daddy's ability to keep fans glued to their screens during his performances makes him a valuable asset to any wrestling company.

Unfortunately, Tony Khan could never capitalize on the untapped potential of the former FTW Champion. In this article, let's look at the four biggest mistakes the AEW President made with Ricky Starks in the past four years.

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#4. Ricky Starks should have received a long run with a mid-card title

Ricky Starks wrestled against numerous prominent stars in All Elite Wrestling. The former member of Team Taz had several great feuds against CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, and Chris Jericho.

Unfortunately, The Stroke Daddy could not convert the momentum gained from these feuds into singles championship success. The young star could only win the FTW Championship during his AEW run, a title that was never officially recognized by the Jacksonville-based promotion.

Tony Khan missed a trick by not crowing Ricky Starks as a mid-card champion in AEW. The Absolute should have been handed either the TNT Championship or the International Title.

A long run with one of AEW's secondary titles could have done wonders for Starks' career. It would have established the 34-year-old star as a legitimate performer who can back his words with his actions. Most importantly, a successful run as a mid-card champion would have opened the doors for Ricky Starks to secure a long-term spot in the main event picture.

#3. Ricky Starks should have won his feud against Bryan Danielson

Ricky Starks pulled off an upset in the finals of the Men's Owen Hart Foundation Tournament in July 2023. The former AEW World Tag Team Champion defeated CM Punk to win the second-ever edition of the prestigious competition.

A few weeks later, the charismatic star unsuccessfully challenged The Best in the World for the Real AEW World Championship. After failing to defeat Punk, Starks brutally assaulted the Special Guest Referee, Ricky Steamboat, with his own belt.

The Stroke Daddy's feud with The Voice of the Voiceless was put on halt when Punk exited All Elite Wrestling in September 2023. Things took an interesting turn when Bryan Danielson returned to take CM Punk's spot and punish Ricky Starks for attacking the 71-year-old veteran.

Danielson and Starks clashed in a violent strap match at All Out 2023, where The American Dragon decimated his cocky opponent. The two stars battled in a Texas Deathmatch a couple of weeks later, where Danielson emerged victorious again.

It was a huge mistake for Tony Khan to have Starks lose the rivalry against the former AEW World Champion. Having already defeated The Best in the World, a victory over The American Dragon would have further elevated the former Team Taz member as a dominant heel.

Losing to a talented youngster might not have affected Bryan Danielson's credibility. However, it was a classic example of Tony Khan's inconsistent booking, as he did not follow up on the momentum Starks had gathered by this point.

#2. The former FTW Champion should have had a feud with Cope

In October 2023, Ricky Starks had a heated interaction with Cope on AEW Collision. The two popular wrestlers clashed during a memorable promo battle, including Christian Cage and Bryan Danielson.

During this segment, Starks made the infamous "bug eyes" comment on The Rated-R Superstar. The Ultimate Opportunist was infuriated with The Stroke Daddy's remarks and mocked his fashion sense.

Things escalated to another level when The Master Manipulator called Starks an inferior version of The Rock. Cope's outburst surprised the former FTW Champion. The young performer then made an "Edge" reference, which received a great response from the crowd.

AEW could have pulled off a masterstroke by booking a feud between Ricky Starks and Cope following this segment. A full-fledged rivalry between the two performers would have attracted a lot of eyeballs.

Fans would undoubtedly have been invested in this program. By having Cope put him over in this program, Tony Khan could have easily turned The Absolute into a megastar.

#1. Ricky Starks should have had an extended feud with MJF

In December 2022, Ricky Starks emerged victorious in the Dynamite Diamond Ring Battle Royal on AEW Dynamite. With this victory, The Absolute earned himself a title match against the then-reigning AEW World Champion, MJF.

A few moments after Starks' win, The Salt of the Earth came out to engage in a promo battle with his next opponent. The Stroke Daddy seemed unfazed by the verbal jabs and insults MJF threw at him.

The tensions between the stars reached another level once Ricky Starks took the microphone in his hand. The 34-year-old star left the crowd stunned by verbally destroying The Devil.

Starks called MJF an undeserving champion who could not deliver on people's expectations like he could. The two stars fought fiercely for the AEW World Title the following week, and The Devil hit his rival with a low blow to retain his title.

It seemed like the start of a blockbuster rivalry between the two excellent trash talkers. Unfortunately, Tony Khan had no such plans, as Starks never got his rematch against the Long Island native.

TK's decision not to renew this rivalry potentially took away a career-defining opportunity from the former AEW World Tag Team Champion. Considering how ruthless he was against MJF the last time, The Absolute could have ended up being the one to dethrone The Salt of the Earth.