Ricochet Blames WWE Main Roster Call-Up for “Tarnishing” His Wrestling Legacy

AEW National Champion Ricochet isn’t holding back when it comes to how he views his run on WWE’s main roster.

During a conversation on The Mark Hoke Show, Ricochet compared his five years in WWE to being erased from wrestling history—describing it as a “blip” that derailed his career and reputation. When asked about an old tweet referencing a WWE match against AJ Styles, Ricochet made it clear that version of himself didn’t reflect who he truly was. Drawing comparisons to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he broke it down like this:

“I don’t think it’s any different than Marvel having different universes—different Iron Mans, different Captain Americas, different Spider-Mans… The Ricochet that I am now is the same Ricochet that I was on the independent scene and in Japan, doing the things that got me popular to where I am today.”

Things took a turn after the infamous 2019 call-up to Raw alongside Tommaso Ciampa, Johnny Gargano, and Aleister Black. Ricochet said that moment should’ve been monumental—but instead, it marked a massive setback:

“What should have been the biggest promotion in our industry… turned into something very different for Ricochet.”

He then dropped the quote that’s now got everyone talking:

“I really do think that the day we got called to Raw was the worst thing that happened to Ricochet’s wrestling career.”

Despite acknowledging the perks of WWE—his marriage, friends, and a massive platform—Ricochet feels the wrestling side of his legacy suffered deeply.

“That five years really tarnished Ricochet’s wrestling legacy… it completely changed the public’s image of who Ricochet was.”

Joining AEW felt like getting his identity back. Ricochet described the move as returning from a five-year blackout:

“Coming back to AEW and finding that love again—it’s like when Tony Stark defeats Thanos and everyone comes back. That’s how I feel now. Like Ricochet finally came back to what he was doing.”

Now, with AEW fully behind him and creative freedom restored, Ricochet believes he’s on the path he should’ve always been on—doing it his way, for the fans who remember what he was truly capable of.

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