'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
WWE analyst Sam Roberts recently discussed potential surprises in the upcoming 2025 Men's Royal Rumble match. He pointed out that a current AEW star could be one.
Ricky Starks has been working for the Tony Khan-led promotion since 2020. However, the former AEW World Tag Team Champion has not competed in the promotion since March amid rumors of him potentially leaving to join WWE. The 34-year-old has a close friendship with the current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.
The Absolute even attended several shows, including WrestleMania 40, to support The American Nightmare.
On his Notsam Wrestling podcast, Roberts said Matt Cardona (fka Zack Ryder) was the obvious surprise entrant for the 2025 Men's Royal Rumble. However, he mentioned that Starks could be one too.
Trending
New Champs in WWE! More RIGHT HERE
"I mean Cardona is kinda the obvious one, right? It's kinda the easy one. Maybe Ricky Starks? That might be somebody that you could say is a surprise, right?" Roberts said. [1:10:17 - 1:10:26]
Ricky Starks says he got Tony Khan's approval before attending WWE WrestleMania 40
Ricky Starks was spotted celebrating at WrestleMania 40 after Cody Rhodes captured the Undisputed WWE Championship by defeating Roman Reigns. In an interview with Chris Van Vliet on Insight, the former AEW World Tag Team Champion discussed the backlash he received after attending the premium live event.
The 34-year-old claimed he got Tony Khan's approval before going to the show to support his friend.
"You know who else was in the box with me? Dustin [Rhodes], QT Marshall, Aaron Solo. This is not me putting them on blast. This is just saying yes, there’s people in the box. There’s footage of me celebrating. There was no issue about that. There was no issue at all. Only because before I had went, Tony already said, 'Hey, it’s okay.' So like, there was no issue. Now, if he actually didn’t mean that, okay, I don’t know, that’s different. But there was no issue about that and I still, to this day, don’t see a problem with it," Starks said. [H/T: ITR Wrestling]
Starks recently confirmed that he was still under contract with AEW. It would be interesting to see whether he would soon return to the ring in the Tony Khan-led promotion.
Please credit Notsam Wrestling and give an H/T to Sportskeeda if you use the transcription from the article's first half.
