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The latest episode of WWE NXT featured the shocking debut of Ricky Starks, just a day after his release from AEW’s internal roster. Starks had been inactive in All Elite Wrestling for quite some time for unknown reasons.
The former AEW star's exit brought an end to his five-year stint with the Tony Khan-led company. Starks emerged from the crowd at this week’s NXT, receiving an extreme reaction from the live audience and viewers at home. Fans have frequently compared Ricky Starks to The Rock, as the former AEW star shares a somewhat similar appearance to Rocky during his time with WWE in the '90s. Additionally, Starks’s gimmick and promo style closely resemble those of a young Brahma Bull.
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Given their shared traits, fans often wonder if Ricky Starks is related to The Rock. The answer is “no.” The 34-year-old star is a pro wrestler born in New Orleans and has no connection to The Final Boss’s family. Recently, WWE signee Tatyanna Dumas humorously commented on an Instagram post featuring Ricky Starks, drawing a comparison to The Rock.
The upcoming prospect joked that she would have believed it if someone had told her that Ricky was The Final Boss’s son. The Great One’s real-life daughter and NXT GM Ava reacted interestingly to the comment, posting a raised eyebrow emoji in response to Dumas’ remark.
Ricky Starks responded to comparisons with WWE legend The Rock
In 2022, while speaking to The Ringer, the former AEW FTW Champion shared his thoughts on fans often likening him to WWE legend The Rock. The 34-year-old star admitted that these comparisons have bothered him.
Here’s what he said:
"So when people try to discredit my talents because they think I'm trying to be someone else, that's when I have an issue with it. Yesterday, I went to this event and people are like, 'You remind me of ...' They always have to put an era of Rock on it for some reason, like 'the Nation of Domination Rock' or something like that. But then I get people who say, 'You just remind me of a young Rock.' And I go, 'That's really nice. That's really cool,' because at least that's a connection that you have." [H/T: The Ringer]
It will be interesting to see the Stamford-based promotion plans for Starks unfold in the coming months.
