All Elite Wrestling superstar Ricky Starks thinks fondly of his highly praised No Disqualification Strap Match with Bryan Danielson at AEW All Out on September 3, 2022. Fans loved the match, and Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer awarded him five stars.
In an interview with Forbes, Starks gives his perspective on his brutal contest against ‘The American Dragon.’ Admittedly, the AEW Tag Team Champion didn’t expect the overwhelmingly positive reaction he received for his match.
Forbes’ Blake Oestriecher transcribed the following quotes.
“It was cool that people reacted the way they did. I was blown away by it because I didn’t expect that type of reaction,” said Starks. He continued, “It was nice that someone thought highly enough to give it that rating. I thought that was pretty cool.”
While Starks took on Danielson at the event, the company was building towards CM Punk being his challenger. However, the company fired CM Punk due to a backstage incident ahead of the event, and they decided to pivot to Danielson as Stark’s opponent at AEW All Out.
Starks shared in the interview that he felt unsure of himself ahead of the Danielson match and why his match at AEW All Out was important to him.
“It was really a very therapeutic type of match for me,” said Starks. He explained, “My confidence had wavered up until that point just a little bit, and that really made me think, alright, this is where things start to pick up. Talk about putting the company on my shoulders and wanting to be the man, and I think I proved it.”
Ricky Starks On Being Praised By Bryan Danielson After Their Match
Although fans praised the match, the biggest compliment came from Danielson. After their match at AEW All Out, ‘The American Dragon’ credited Starks for his efforts and called him a star. The comments meant a lot to the AEW Tag Team Champion, and he was honored that Danielson thought highly of his performance.
“…The best part about that was the high compliment that Bryan gave me in that press conference afterward,” said Starks. He added, “Him saying that I’m one of his favorite opponents, that really means a lot. The fact that he said that was a badge of honor. Like, I know I belong.”
Although Starks lost the No Disqualification Strap Match, he earned many fans and Danielson’s respect that night. The stars may currently be involved in different storylines, but it’s possible they will face off in the ring again in the future.