10 AEW Wrestlers Tony Khan Totally FUMBLED
4. Ricky Starks
Ricky Starks' exit from AEW has felt inevitable for longer than any of his sustained pushes, which feels important to note in a list with a title salaciously crafted around blame that lies mostly with Tony Khan. From the outside looking in - and even if this is completely not the case - the road has looked rocky for some time, and more's the pity for All Elite Wrestling.
From the moment he debuted, Starks oozed charisma, skill, and that elusive and increasingly hard-to-harness pro wrestling "it" that made him stand out. His work with Team Taz showcased his immense potential, but once that faction dissolved, AEW failed to capitalise on his momentum. Despite occasional flashes of brilliance as a babyface in a TV feud with MJF, Starks has been hindered by stop-start pushes and the all-too-familiar lack of sustained direction.
Often thrust into programs that either lacked substance or failed to highlight his real strengths, he was left adrift twice in 2023 and early 2024 - once when his burgeoning feud with CM Punk was axed thanks to the latter's sudden firing, and the other when his title winning team with Big Bill reached its natural conclusion. It's been limbo ever since, unless that's changed by the time you read this. Which, to circle right back, is again kind of the central problem.