AEW is just hours away from its Dynasty pay-per-view in Philadelphia, but the company is getting dragged online for a PR blunder that couldn’t have come at a worse time.

A new photo surfaced showing an AEW production truck prominently featuring Ricky Starks—now known as Ricky Saints in WWE—who just won the NXT North American Championship this past week. The image, which quickly spread across social media, shows Saints’ face plastered alongside Cash Wheeler and Daniel Garcia, despite the fact that he’s no longer with AEW.

Fans didn’t waste any time piling on AEW President Tony Khan, reviving the now-viral “Tony Fumbled” chant that first broke out during Saints’ match on WWE NXT. The timing of the truck sighting, just ahead of Dynasty, added even more fuel to the fire.

The image highlights a very public fumble for AEW, as Saints continues to shine in WWE while still being featured in AEW marketing. It’s especially rough considering Saints has already made a major impact in NXT, walking out with gold and becoming a fan favorite overnight.

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The entire situation has become a meme among wrestling fans who feel Khan let a future star walk out the door without getting the most out of him. Between the chants, tweets, and now visual evidence, the internet is having a field day with it.

Do you think AEW dropped the ball by letting Ricky Saints go—or is this just a case of bad timing and worse optics? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know where you stand on this growing AEW vs. WWE storyline.

Do you think AEW dropped the ball by letting Ricky Saints go—or is this just a case of bad timing and worse optics? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.

Steve Carrier is the founder of Ringside News and has been reporting on pro wrestling since 1997. His stories have been featured on TMZ, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and more.

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