Ricky Starks was gracious enough with his time to have a phone interview with WrestleZone’s Dominic DeAngelo. The NWA‘s “Stroke Daddy” talked about what makes working for the brand so special. Starks, whose characteristics and vibe is unique in comparison to the other talent wrestling today, credited the NWA’s unique approach as being one of the several reasons that drew him to the company.
“Well, honestly, it was an opportunity for me to have a platform to be able to do what I was trying to do for the longest time, it’s just really getting out there and be a contrast to what everyone was seeing in wrestling at the time and even to today honestly. The goal that NWA had was very particular to what I figured would be in my best interest,” Starks said, “and ultimately would benefit everybody and that was providing a different product than what you were seeing on TV.”
Starks goes on to say that a great deal of today’s wrestling comes across as over-produced. NWA provides viewers with a ‘what’s old is new’ option and Ricky is intrigued to be one of the generational bridges over that gap.
“When you watch NWA, from a visual aspect, it’s entirely different. It’s a palate cleanser as I like to call it. so from what [Dave] Lagana had explained to me initially, I was definitely on board with it. I was like, ‘Okay this is definitely something fresh.’ I can actually go into something that people have viewed as a very old and archaic type of programming,” Starks said, “and I can be the one to freshen it up and I can be the one to be the bridge for the younger generation as well as the older generation. That’s what drew me in initially.”
NWA Powerrr debuted on October 8 has enjoyed plenty of early success and praise, but the brand recently came under fire after a controversial remark by Jim Cornette made it to air during the latest episode on Tuesday. Starks addressed the comments made by Cornette, who has since resigned from his role.
“I watched the whole show fully and I didn’t catch it and the reason being I didn’t catch it the first time is because I just tuned him out—I tune out the commentary. So I didn’t catch that and after listening to it, obviously, I kind of get it and I kind of don’t. I’m from the South, I grew up with a lot of older people who come from a different era than us,” Starks said, “and they say some things and they have some ideologies that are obviously not the norm of today and so I get that aspect of it right? But at the same time, there are some things that are inexcusable and obviously that’s one of them,” Starks said.
“The other is some other stuff that [he] said that just came to light, so that’s a perfect storm to just really, let him go. It’s not conducive to the brand, it doesn’t help with getting the match over,” Starks said. “So yeah, that’s probably going to be my final statement on it. I get it from that aspect, but I also don’t get it as far as why that was said and why it needed to be said. I think the right thing was done, break ties with it and we have to move on from that now.”
The subject turned to in-ring talk when Starks was asked who may be the identity of The Question Mark? The mystery remains for Starks as to who the man in the mask may be despite seeing some resemblances.
“You know, I had a good feeling about it prior to going out there and wrestling Question Mark, but now I honestly don’t know anymore. I really don’t and the funny thing about it is,” Starks said, “there’s people who look just like him that I’ve seen at multiple indy shows and I don’t know. I can’t, I can’t put a finger on it.”
You can catch Ricky Starks every week on NWA Powerrr, but this Sunday November 24 he’ll be a part of Glory Pro Wrestling’s Steel Cage Challenge in Belleville, IL in which you can watch for free on IndependentWrestling.tv.
(Transcription credit should go to Dominic DeAngelo of WrestleZone)
You can listen to the Starks interview in its entirety below:
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