The landscape of professional wrestling has been drastically altered. On the February 11th edition of WWE NXT, wrestling fans witnessed the arrival of former AEW star Ricky Starks. He had been off television for almost a year and made outside appearances in other wrestling promotions.
Reports this week claimed that Ricky Starks’ AEW contract expired and that he was a free agent. A day later, The Absolute One made his surprising debut in NXT. He made it clear that he was there to change the game and become the future of the brand. With Starks now a part of WWE NXT, here are five matches we want to see him during his stint for the black and gold brand.
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5. Shawn Spears
One match that WWE NXT might see as a blockbuster for the brand would be between Ricky Starks and Shawn Spears. Much like Starks, Spears also jumped ship from AEW to NXT last year. Moreover, the duo never collided against each other in the ring, although they competed in a tag team match on AEW Rampage. So, WWE NXT could be the place for this exciting match between the former AEW stars that Tony Khan missed for his company.
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4. Charlie Dempsey
Charlie Dempsey has been taking his wrestling loyalty with a spectacular tenure in WWE NXT. The son of WWE legend William Regal has been turning heads with his in-ring performances and his run in the developmental territory so far. Moreover, he is also a former two-time NXT Heritage Cup Champion as well. Therefore, Dempsey could prove to be a top opponent for Ricky Starks to deliver a compelling in-ring showdown.
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3. Oba Femi
Amidst Ricky Starks arrival in WWE NXT, Oba Femi is the current ruler of the Black and Grey brand. He defeated Trick Williams at Deadline to become the NXT Champion. It is a matter of time before WWE positions Starks at the very top of NXT. So there is a high possibility of seeing a Starks vs. Oba Femi match for the NXT title in the near future.
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2. Ethan Page
Another superstar who shares AEW origins with Ricky Starks is Ethan Page. He experienced massive success in WWE’s developmental brand within months of his debut and even became NXT Champion. The Absolute One could also see that same meteoric rise in the company. Amidst that ascend to the top, Starks having an encounter with Page would surely be a captivating match for the fans.
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1. Trick Williams
The man who was the centerpiece for WWE NXT in 2024 is Trick Williams. The leader of the Whoop That Trick movement has been the top attraction for the brand for the last year. In doing so, he became a two-time WWE NXT Champion. This makes him a top target for a new star like Ricky Starks to go after to make an impact. Moreover, a match between Williams and Starks at a major NXT PLE would be one for the ages with two different styles colliding in the ring.