3 mistakes WWE must avoid with Ricky Starks

Earlier in 2024, there were unfounded rumors and narratives regarding WWE and free agents. Due to All Elite Wrestling signing Will Osprey, Kazuchika Okada, and Mercedes Mone, some believed that Triple H and the biggest wrestling promotion on Earth was struggling to bring in big names.

This was untrue, as the company brought in Andrade, Kairi Sane, CM Punk, Jade Cargill, and others. In the months since then, this has only been furthered to be untrue as the promotion as WWE hired Tama Tonga, Jacob Fatu, Ethan Page, Giulia, and Stephanie Vaquer.

There is a chance that another big name could soon be signing with the Sports Entertainment juggernaut. Ricky Starks is reportedly being considered for a role in World Wrestling Entertainment. To add further fuel to the flames, he supposedly hasn't been backstage at an AEW show in months.

While fans are understandably celebrating Ricky moving up in the wrestling world, there are some key mistakes that Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and the company as a whole, must avoid making. For Ricky Starks' time in the promotion to be a success, key pitfalls must be avoided.

This article will look at a handful of potential mistakes WWE must avoid with Ricky Starks.

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#3. Triple H and Shawn Michaels can't make a joke out of him simply because of his AEW ties

Triple H and Shawn Michaels run WWE in 2024. At least, they run the creative and on-screen end of the Sports Entertainment titan. While the two are doing a tremendous job, it is, in many ways, surprising to see the two in the role.

There was a time when HBK and HHH were known for their antics in The Kliq and their oftentimes juvenile humor. They would go to the extreme with their jokes, often including inappropriate actions or gestures along with "shooting." This means they would break kayfabe or even make an opponent look bad for the sake of comedy.

When, and if, Ricky Starks comes into WWE, it may be tempting for either Shawn or Hunter to make a joke out of him, primarily thanks to his time in AEW. It is clear that management likes to occasionally troll the smaller wrestling promotion and making a joke out of Starks would serve that purpose.

Thankfully, this is unlikely to happen. Triple H and Shawn Michaels have grown up a lot over the years. Plus, bringing in talent just to bury them is a Vince McMahon move and not something either member of D-Generation X is known for. Still, it should be avoided.

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#2. He should not be rushed to WWE's main roster

WWE has three main brands and six weekly shows in total. The three main brands are Monday Night RAW, NXT on Tuesday night, and Friday Night SmackDown. Meanwhile, Main Event and NXT Level Up are B-shows for the promotion and Speed is a short-form X-exclusive.

All of the shows offer points of intrigue but, generally, the biggest money and the most eyeballs come with WWE's main roster of RAW and SmackDown. As a result, wrestlers typically want to go there and fans usually want their favorites on either show as soon as possible.

Given Starks' experience with television wrestling, there may be a temptation to send him to either SmackDown or RAW immediately, but that would be a mistake. WWE needs to make sure he has an NXT run first.

For starters, Ricky needs time to adjust to how the company runs, as they are far more organized than AEW. Additionally, this would give many fans who aren't familiar with him a chance to learn who Starks is. Lastly, and most importantly, NXT is a third brand and will tour soon - at least briefly. Star power is needed on NXT and Ricky can help provide some.

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#1. Triple H and Shawn Michaels must have a plan for Ricky so he doesn't get lost in the shuffle

The era of Triple H is dramatically different from that of Vince McMahon. While there are too many differences between the two eras to get into here, one key aspect that has changed is the booking. The Game favors a WWE with consistent, long-term storytelling.

This has proven to be tremendously successful with acts such as The Bloodline, Damage CTRL, and The Judgment Day. While Shawn Michaels offers less long-term booking on NXT than Triple H does for RAW and SmackDown, there is more emphasis there too.

When Ricky Starks comes in, WWE must have a plan for him. This means there have to be long-term plans that will help him develop as a character over many months and potentially years. Bringing Ricky in without direction will instantly kill any momentum he will have early on. He cannot get lost in the shuffle.