Ricky Starks is ready to be the next generational star in wrestling.
It's unfair to compare Ricky Starks to The Rock just because they dress similarly, but Starks has the large-scale thinking that helped The Rock take wrestling and himself to the next level in the entertainment industry.
Speaking to Renee Paquette on Oral Sessions, Starks discussed his big picture goals, not only in wrestling but in life.
"My goal is to be the wrestler that I wish I had when I was younger, in terms of, I don't really think there is someone who looks like me on TV right now or can represent a multi-racial guy from New Orleans who came out of obscurity, in a sense. I want to be that because that's what I wish I had when I was younger. I want to be the person who takes wrestling out of this bubble because wrestling is cyclical and I feel like we are in that turnabout where we're going to hit a peak. I want to be that person who leads the charge of it being popular. I want to be responsible for the emotional part of you watching. I think we're kind of desensitized when we watch wrestling nowadays; a guy does this and he does that and you go 'okay.' I want to bring the emotional part into it. I want to make the company a lot of money and have a lasting legacy that people can look back, especially my family and kids, and say 'Damn, he did a lot.' Even the small things. Then, go off and go do movies and rest up my body. I'm all about 'be like water,'" said Starks.
Starks is currently sidelined with a slightly fractured neck and is expected to miss three months of in-ring time, but will reportedly remain on television.
Elsewhere during the interview, Starks discussed his relationship with Tony Khan. You can find his full comment by clicking here.
If you use any of the quotes above, please credit the original source with a h/t and link back to Fightful for the transcription.