6 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Dynamite: Fyter Fest (20 July)

4. Starks Drops Karter Like A Dime

Ricky Starks
AEW

"You were sleeping with the fishes the last time we saw you," said Ricky Starks to Cole Karter backstage. "Now you're swimming with the sharks."

A fun NXT reference for the former 'Two Dimes', who wrestled a firm fan favourite in a good TV match last night. Starks did a great job of balancing his alignment here. AEW audiences are now more behind him and Powerhouse Hobbs than ever before following their recent surge, but they haven't turned. They're still heels. It makes sense, then, for Ricky to take a time-out when Karter surprises him before the picture-to-picture, then perhaps feel himself a little too much, with his taunts opening the door for Cole's comebacks.

Karter was ultimately finished off after eating a spear following a missed 450 Splash. He did a good job in defeat. Afterwards, Ricky once again tip-toed between alignments, announcing another open challenge before shying away from Danhausen, claiming he was talking about next week, not right now.

Starks and Hobbs need to be on television every week at the moment. They are on the cusp of something special in AEW, even after failing to win the World Tag Team Championships. These FTW World Title open challenges are a good way of doing this, whatever happens next.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.