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AEW/WWE Former AEW World Tag Team Champion Ricky Starks has reflected on being spotted at WWE WrestleMania 40 from Philadelphia.
AEW star Ricky Starks was in attendance for WWE WrestleMania 40, along with Dustin Rhodes and other AEW talent to witness Cody Rhodes headline both nights of the event. The weekend ended with Rhodes defeating Roman Reigns to finally finish his story and become Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
Starks and Rhodes are well known to be friends outside of the ring, so the former AEW World Tag Team Champion will always support the former AEW EVP.
Speaking with WhatCulture Wrestling, Ricky Starks was asked about attending WWE WrestleMania 40. He answered:
“Dude, I made a joke to Cody. I was like, that video, they caught the video of me acting like that after I just saw ‘Taker come out, dude.”
“It wasn’t because you were winning. I was making that joke with him. Bro, it was crazy.”
“It was really cool to witness that because Cody…people make all these jokes about me being Cody’s friend and all this stuff, but the reality of it is that I shouldn’t feel like I can’t talk about a friend that I have.”
“Cody has done more for me behind closed doors and for my family than anyone will ever know. I don’t have to explain myself or justify any type of relationship I have with someone.”
“But I will just end it to that and say, beyond this wrestling shit, he’s done more for me than I could have ever asked someone to do.”
Explaining that Cody will always have his loyalty and respect, Starks said:
“So in return, he will always have my loyalty and respect because that is how, me as a person, that’s how I operate.”
“So to see that, to see that live, to know the things that he went through the year prior, that was really cool to see because as a friend, you should always want to see somebody succeed.”
“I was there to see Jade have her WrestleMania match, and I was so floored. Me and Jade were training so hard months prior to doing all that. No one knows that.”
“It’s cool because I’m invested as a person outside of wrestling to see these people succeed in what they are working towards, and they would do the same for me. So it was great to be there and to share that with everybody in the box,”
On not believing in tribalism between WWE and AEW, Ricky said:
“I loved it. I have no problem with supporting friends at other companies and all that stuff. I don’t believe in that tribalism bullshit.”
“You got people who’ve never been in wrestling that try to push that agenda, but I don’t care.”
“When I went to go see Cody at the Rumble, someone leaked the security footage. It’s not like I was trying to be seen. Someone leaked that footage. It was so bizarre, so weird,”
Cody Rhodes is scheduled to defend the Undisputed WWE Champion against United States Champion Logan Paul on Saturday, May 25 at WWE King & Queen of the Ring.
Transcription via Fightful
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