AEW's Ricky Starks has major praise for WWE star he considers his best friend

Ricky Starks debuted for AEW on June 17, 2020, and since then, he's made some very close friends while working his way to the top. Not all of these friends are still with the Jacksonville-based promotion.

It's no secret that Starks has been good friends with Cody Rhodes and Jade Cargill for some time. The relationship has continued now that The American Nightmare and Big Jade are in WWE. All three train when they can at The Nightmare Factory near Atlanta, GA, and have also been spotted at other events.

Starks recently spoke with Gabby AF, just days before Cargill's WWE Royal Rumble debut. The current AEW World Tag Team Champion called the inaugural TBS Champion his best friend and noted how hard she trained for her WWE run.

"She busts her a**, she busts her a** more than anyone wants to give her credit for. It isn't up to her to try and disapprove these things that people say about her. And that's why I tell her. 'You won't ever change someone's opinion about you, and even then, it's not your job. It's not your job to change someone's opinion about you.' I'm so excited and happy for her, and how things have gone. I will never shy away from supporting my friends publicly, because I think they would do the same for me. And yeah, I think she's a great person, and she deserves everything she has because she works for it. She's made a ton of sacrifices," he said.

Starks continued to praise Cargill, this time for her creativity. He added that she gets pro wrestling and always gives 1000%.

"She's so creative. She's very creative and her mind of how wrestling is, to see it shape and how its starting to unravel is very cool. Cause she gets it. And...in training no less. A thousand percent, [she's] always giving it a thousand percent," he said. [h/t Wrestling Inc]

Starks and Big Bill are scheduled to defend the AEW World Tag Team Championship on Wednesday's Dynamite. Their opponents are Sting and Darby Allin, who are expected to take the titles into Sting's retirement against The Young Bucks at Revolution in March.

Former AEW star Jade Cargill on her WWE Royal Rumble face-off

The 37th annual WWE Royal Rumble saw Jade Cargill make her in-ring debut for the company. She was the #28 entrant in the 30-Woman Royal Rumble match.

The big highlight of Cargill's Rumble debut for many fans was the showdown with Bianca Belair. The two went at it in a preview for their eventual singles match.

Speaking to Denise Salcedo on Instinct Culture, Cargill commented on fighting with The EST and claimed they will make magic no matter what in WWE.

"[What about that face-off that you had with Bianca Belair?] I know. I know. I mean, we're gonna see what happens. I think I would rather work with the great Bianca Belair. I think she's phenomenal. I think she's a great representation of the African-American community. And I just, you know, we're gonna make magic whether we work against or together. We're gonna make magic," she said. [0:54 - 1:16]

Belair previously discussed a potential match with Cargill.

Would you like to see Ricky Starks leave AEW for WWE? How did you feel about Jade Cargill's Royal Rumble debut vs. her last AEW match? Sound off in the comments below!