Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat Talks Original Plans for Ricky Starks Angle

In a recent sit-down with Sportskeeda WrestleBinge, WWE Hall of Famer Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat opened up about his storyline with Ricky Starks. Steamboat revealed that he had different ideas for the angle than originally proposed, primarily because he wanted to elevate Starks.

"Steamboat shared, "They suggested an outcome that I didn't like. I told them, 'You're gradually turning Ricky Starks heel, but the way you're going about it won't generate any heat for him.' So, I pitched my idea, which is what fans ended up seeing. I wanted to make sure this young talent got the spotlight."

Delving further into the original plans, Steamboat elaborated, "They had scripted a feel-good moment. I thought to myself, 'Where's the intensity for Ricky Starks in all of this?' I'm 70 years old, and the narrative would be that an old-timer had outperformed him. We needed to pivot in a direction where he catches me off guard, allowing something impactful and almost disgraceful to happen."

Steamboat also recounted recommending CM Punk to WWE's John Laurinaitis in 2004 after serving as the special guest referee in a Ring of Honor match. "I was the third man in the ring for an hour-long bout and listened to Punk call the entire match. His grasp of psychology was extraordinary, so I told Laurinaitis, 'You need to take a look at this guy.' John said they'd seen him but weren't impressed. I insisted that he deserves another audition but with a better opponent and more time. Eventually, they took my advice, and he got hired."

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— Ben Jordan Kerin Sep 27, 2023 09:05AM