Ricky Starks Claims Adam Copeland Looked Stupid For Controversial Promo

Adam Copeland made his debut at AEW WrestleDream and he firmly established himself as a top star in no time. However, he did hit a snag when cutting a controversial promo on Ricky Starks last year. Ricky Starks has now finally addressed Copeland’s promo and claimed Copeland just looked stupid.

During the October 14, 2023 episode of AEW Collision, Ricky Starks engaged in a verbal exchange with Adam Copeland while addressing Bryan Danielson. As Starks spoke, he shifted his focus to Copeland, instructing him not to look at him with his bug eyes.

Adam Copeland responded by referring to Ricky as a “vanilla midget” and claiming that Starks borrowed his style from The Rock. Starks remarked, “That sent me over the edge.”

While speaking on Hold The Mayo, Ricky Starks was asked how much the whole promo segment was unscripted and whether Adam Copeland expected the reaction. Starks admitted that he saw Copeland got a little hurt by what Starks said and then claimed Copeland just looked stupid for calling him a vanilla midget.

“You know how it is. You know how it is. It’s just like, I’m trying to really choose how I want to navigate my career at this point [smiles]. I did say it off the cuff, but to me, it wasn’t a big deal. The response afterward, I want you to know, you know how you’re going back and forth with your partners, and y’all are roasting each other, and you can tell that they got a little bit hurt by it. If you watch it back, I got my glasses on, and I said, ‘okay.’ [shrugs shoulders]. You could see by my response, I was like, ‘Wow, that really sent me over the edge,’ then I kept it moving. I’m too cool with that shit. It’s just one of those things.

“I promise you, I did not get eaten up by his response, he didn’t eat me up. If anything, he looked stupid with calling me what he did. I really wish I would have hit him back, I thought about it after, I wish I would have said, ‘Ay dawg, I’m actually black. So, you’re wrong. Sorry.’ It was funny.”

As previously reported, Adam Copeland and Ricky Starks were legitimately upset over the unscripted insults during their AEW Collision promo. Regardless, we hope such an incident doesn’t happen again, as Copeland is in AEW to help put over talent and not put them down.

What’s your view on what Ricky Starks said? Were you disappointed Adam Copeland said such a thing? Share your thoughts in the comments below!