Backstage News On If Adam Copeland-Ricky Starks AEW Collision Promo Drew “Heat”
A heated promo from Adam Copeland and Ricky Starks led to backstage rumors of heat, but a new report suggests that story was overblown.
There were some online rumors about a promo that took place during the October 14th episode of AEW Collision. According to those reports, Adam Copeland and Ricky Starks were upset about some of the things that they said to eachother while hurling insults at the start of the show.
During the promo, some of the dialogue saw Copeland make fun of Starks’ leather pants while also claiming that Ricky was just a “vanilla midget version” of The Rock who was ripping off The Rock’s gimmick. Edge said “know your role” as well, which is a Rock-ism. Starks had a sarcastic line about how that sent him “over the edge” as a reference to Copeland’s WWE name Edge.
Adam Copeland just called Ricky Starks the Vanilla Midget version of The Rock.
HAHA, WHAT A BACK AND FORTH.https://t.co/MHEB7Q4Ybt
— Drainmaker 🌧️ 💵 (@DrainBamager) October 15, 2023
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio made these comments about the exchange, which led to there being reports of heat.
“It was awkward. I mean, it was very clear that something got started, and they were, at that point, it was not scripted. One of them got a little bit mad and the other one got mad back, I mean, you can make it work, there’s nothing wrong with it, but it wasn’t smooth, I was like ‘Where is this going?’ They’re professionals, and they finished it. It was just brutal.”
The Adam Copeland-Ricky Starks promo exchange did not lead to any heat
In an update on the situation, Fightful Select reports that those reports are likely false and that “there didn’t appear to be any heat backstage.”
It was also reported that Adam Copeland really doesn’t get rattled by promos like that and also writes his own material like he did when he was in WWE as Edge. The belief is that Copeland was just firing back at Starks to give back what was given to him.
As for Ricky Starks, he was upset about the promo and that what Copeland said was similar to what Starks had heard in the past.
Regarding the future, AEW sources believe it’ll be a similar back-and-forth promo if they do something in the ring again. There are no concerns about things escalating to where it becomes an unprofessional situation.
Fightful adds that Adam Copeland has received great reviews from people within WWE, but at least one person said the “vanilla midget” line wasn’t necessary.
Tonight’s episode of AEW Collision takes place at the FedEx Forum in Memphis.