AEW Star Ricochet Blasts WWE for Making Him Lose Love for Wrestling

Ricochet has been very open about how he feels regarding his time on WWE’s main roster. The AEW National Champion has said that the experience hurt both his passion for pro wrestling and the legacy he had worked hard to build.

Speaking on The Mark Hoke Show Pro Wrestling Radio Podcast, Ricochet compared those years to being wiped out by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War. He said the five years he spent on WWE’s main roster felt like a career “blip” that slowed down all the momentum he had built on the independent scene, in Japan, and during his popular NXT run.

Ricochet did acknowledge that WWE gave him some opportunities, exposure, friendships, and even the chance to meet his wife. Still, he believes it came at the cost of his in-ring style and identity. In his view, his career path changed the day he was drafted to RAW. “I think that the day we got called to RAW was the worst thing that happened to Ricochet’s wrestling career,” said the AEW star.

Now that he is in AEW, Ricochet says he has found his love for wrestling again. “The Ricochet that I am now is the same Ricochet that I was on the independent scene and in Japan,” he explained.

Ricochet Reflects On WWE Run And Creative Frustrations

Recently, Ricochet outlined his frustrations on X as he engaged in discussions with fans. He candidly explained how his WWE run affected him.

In one post on X, he wrote, “They took my love of pro wrestling away. I’ll never forget how I felt walking into work every week. And that platform was only to make other look good at my expense. And I told them, I’d rather quit and go back to the indies and make whatever I’d make there than to come back next week.”

He also said he doesn’t think his situation was unique, adding, “Same thing happens to Balor, Shinsuke, Apollo and many others. WWE kills legacies and love of the sport. Its what they do best.”

When a user asked him why the situation has been different for other WWE superstars like Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens, Ricochet sparked a debate among fans by comparing legacies, replying, “I’d argue El Generico has a better legacy than Sami Zayn.”

He also shared his opinion about mid-card titles like the WWE Intercontinental and United States Championships. The AEW star asserted that they haven’t meant much for a while, including during his own reigns. “They don’t. They haven’t for a while. Even when I was IC and US champ. They meant nothing,” he wrote.

Ricochet also mentioned that many fans discovered him at a time when his “talents and legacy were being taken advantage of” by WWE, which “didn’t care” for him. He also claimed that he has made many more fans after he joined AEW.