Ricky Starks Recalls His Oscar-Worthy WWE Appearance

AEW provides a competing high-level platform for wrestlers to work outside of WWE, but no such platform existed between WCW's end and AEW's launch, explaining why most talents were previously set on trying to work for Vince McMahon. This often led to wrestlers taking work as an extra, and that was the case for Ricky Starks who told "Rewind with Besa," that he "should have won an Oscar" for the performance that he put in when that opportunity arose.

Starks was simply described as an arena worker during his appearance on "WWE Raw" in 2013, which saw him slapped in the face with tuna by Ryback, who eventually put him through a table filled with food. "I had these people come to me after the first take and say, 'Hey, maybe that's a little too "Gone with the Wind" ... we don't need that. We need a little more timid, scared.' ... Then he slammed me," Starks said. "Afterward, they bought me a new t-shirt, Calvin Klein, they bought me new shoes because I got them dirty, and afterward the guy who slammed me he said, 'thank you for that.'"

Four years after being put through a table by the former Intercontinental Champion, Starks bumped into him just before he was set for a WWE tryout. Starks saw him in the gym and Ryback pulled him to one side and thanked him again for taking the bump while also saying, "let me give you some advice on how to make it there," which Starks appreciated.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Rewind with Besa" with a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.