"He's about to be unreal in WWE,""It's time??" - Fans excited amid speculation of top star leaving AEW soon

Wrestling fans recently shared their enthusiasm in response to rumors surrounding a top AEW star who, according to conjecture, may join WWE soon. The talent in question is none other than Ricky Starks.

Starks made his debut in the Jacksonville-based promotion in 2020, unsuccessfully challenging Cody Rhodes for the latter's TNT Championship on Dynamite. Beloved among fans for combining a smooth-talking, charismatic persona with his solid in-ring prowess, the Louisiana native was expected by many people to reach substantial heights in the Tony Khan-led promotion, especially after having competed against top names such as MJF, Chris Jericho, and current WWE Superstar CM Punk.

However, Starks has remained absent from All Elite programming since he and Big Bill lost to Top Flight in the quarterfinals of the 2024 World Tag Team Championship Tournament in March. The former FTW Champion reportedly had refused creative pitches from AEW, which was seemingly suggested to be a possible explanation for his hiatus. However, Starks himself took to social media some time ago to question the credibility of rumors related to him.

A recent report from Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful claimed that Ricky Starks has not been present backstage for All Elite Wrestling's weekly shows of late. Conjecture regarding The Absolute's in-ring future is at an all-time high after rumors started making rounds on X/Twitter recently suggesting that Starks' AEW deal may have expired already, making him a free agent. The aforementioned rumors further fueled speculations regarding the prospect of the former AEW World Tag Team Champion heading to WWE after his All Elite contract runs out, especially on the heels of previous reports which suggested that the Stamford-based company is interested in signing Starks.

Fans on X/Twitter shared their reactions to Ricky Starks potentially being a free agent and heading over to WWE soon. Most fans unanimously voiced their excitement over how Triple H may utilize Starks as a top talent. Some users argued that the 2023 Owen Hart Cup winner could join the main roster straight away, courtesy of his relationship with Cody Rhodes and CM Punk. Others suggested that the 34-year-old star could instead debut in NXT and possibly feud with Ethan Page over the NXT Championship.

Check out some of the fan reactions below:

Fans react to Ricky Starks possibly heading to WWE amid ongoing rumors. [Image credits: X/Twitter]

It remains to be seen whether Ricky joins WWE somewhere down the line.

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Ricky Starks recently shared a photo amid rumors about joining WWE

Ricky Starks has emerged as the talk of the town once again as rumors continue to snowball about his status in All Elite Wrestling and his possible move to WWE. The former NWA World Television Champion, who periodically shares photographs of himself on social media, recently posted a picture of his ripped physique in an Instagram story.

Check out a screengrab of Starks' Instagram story below:

Ricky Starks shared a photograph of himself on his Instagram story. [Image credits: Starks' official Instagram handle]

It remains to be seen what the future holds for Ricky Starks in the pro wrestling industry.