For those that may have missed it, I reported on Ricochet being a nominee for the Breakthrough Superstar Award on WWE Backstage. Though it’s an honor, and a step up the ladder like his NXT breakthrough Superstar Award in 2018, he’s unhappy and frustrated with the moniker, an dhe has reason to.
As reported on thesportster.com elsewhere, He’s been in professional wrestling for 17 years now, but he’s considered a rookie by WWE standards. And that’s the rub.
No world outside WWE
Vince McMahon has long run his company on the premise that the WWE was the only promotion that matters. Hence why they have their own Hall of Fame (as do others) subject to his whims, and don’t acknowledge another promotion on the air. What this also means is that anything a wrestler did before singing on the dotted line never happened.
It’s an excuse for him to put them in NXT and see how they progress while seeing if they’re the real deal (Fun fact: it’s rumored he’ll put Killer Kross on a main roster if he signs. Signs of desperation?). It’s also a way to ensure they’re trained “the right way” and understand what he expects and wants to accomplish, etc.
It makes sense that he’d want a known commodity to enter the ring with his established superstars. But again, that’s the rub on those that have spent a decade or more in professional wrestling.
But to treat them like they’re rookies? That’s a bit much.
Ricochet has worked hard and earned his stripes in the WWE. He’s advanced through the ranks and shared the ring with AJ Styles and other top flight wrestlers. He’s a proven commodity, but he was before he signed.
In fact, he was enormously popular in the Indie circuit before signing with the WWE. He helped the fledgling promotion Lucha Underground to establish itself as King Puma (Along with John Morrison as Johnny Mundo. Just throwing that out there.) and elsewhere as King Ricochet.
His signing should’ve been a great moment in his career and for the WWE. Maybe it was. But to be labeled as a breakthrough star two years in a row when he’s broken through multiple times already just feels wrong. The WWE would do themselves a great service in showing the fans and their superstars they care by mentioning where Ricochet and others have come from. Let the fans know more about them, let them follow their careers more directly and it may just help ticket and merchandise sales.
Of course, it could backfire as fans see how tame and reigned in they are now compared to previously, but if professional wrestling history and respect means so much to McMahon, shouldn’t he be willing to give his superstars this?
Careful what you say
As talented and proven Ricochet is, this could be the moment any push they had in mind for him disappears. Vince McMahon has never been one to take criticism well when it comes from his own people.
For Ricochet and the WWE’s sake, I hope this is treated as water under the bridge and McMahon gives him the huge push he deserves. If not, there’ll be another reason for Ricochet to feel frustrated.
Any wonder why so many wrestlers would rather take their chances on the Indie circuit with their creative rights intact?
