Ricky Starks Reveals Bryan Danielson Thought He Was Just A ‘Pretty Boy’ Before All Out Strap Match

Ricky Starks isn’t one to shy away from a challenge, and his brutal strap match against Bryan Danielson at AEW All Out 2023 proved just that. But according to Starks, Danielson may have gone into the match with some doubts about his toughness.

During an appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Starks spilled the tea on what went down behind the scenes. After CM Punk’s sudden firing left Starks without an opponent for All Out, Danielson stepped up to fill the spot—despite carrying injuries of his own. And according to Starks, Danielson wasn’t exactly sold on his grit going into the fight.

“When that first leather strap hit me, the sound echoed through the arena. Then Bryan starts tagging me in the face with the strap and goes, ‘Are you going to take it? Are you a man?’ I think Bryan thought I was soft, a pretty boy who couldn’t handle the punishment,” Starks shared. “He wanted to test me, and honestly, I love that. I think I passed that test with flying colors.”

The match turned out to be a standout moment for Starks, and it sounds like Danielson’s perception of him did a complete 180 by the end of the night. Starks revealed that after the bout, Danielson delivered a fiery pep talk backstage in Gorilla Position.

“He yelled at me in the best way possible,” Starks recalled. “He said, ‘You’ve been thrown obstacle after obstacle, and every single time, you’ve knocked it out of the park. If anyone doubted you, you’ve proven them wrong tonight. That’s a main event.’”

For Starks, that validation from one of wrestling’s greats was the cherry on top of a hard-fought match—and proof that he’s more than just a pretty face.

What do you think of Ricky Starks’ rise in AEW? Has he proven he’s a top guy? Share your thoughts in the comments below!