10 Great AEW Wrestlers Who'd Be Better Off In WWE

Earlier this year, Ricky Starks' vainglorious promos about the FTW Championship almost made the strap feel legit.

There was a swagger to how he carried himself, a conviction in how he spoke, and a cocky showmanship to his ring work that just made everything Starks did that much more eye-catching. Fans took note, and soon enough, this natural heel was getting some surprise babyface reactions.

In order to cash in on Starks' budding popularity, AEW rather confusingly had Powerhouse Hobbs, already a heel, turn even more heel, by assaulting his also heel tag partner Starks. This setback turned 'Absolute' into a fairly white meat babyface, a role which he's largely struggled with.

Bar a powerful, emotional promo that pretty much had to fill in the Swiss cheese levels of plotholes in his Hobbs feud, Starks' whole character and presentation just feels off as a babyface. His crowd interactions often seem a bit try-hard, as do his more enthusiastic mannerisms and body language. Come bell time, he's still an immensely talented wrestler but his showboating and instincts just don't suit this upstart babyface role.

In WWE, his old heel persona would be an easy fit in the upper midcard almost immediately. The promotion has a long history of enjoying witty, arrogant heel and tweener characters. The snazzily dressed, snarky Starks would be an obvious and effective foil for grizzled babyface stars like Drew McIntyre and Kevin Owens.