AEW's Ricky Starks Considers This WWE Star His Best Friend

Ricky Starks and Jade Cargill may no longer be co-workers, ever since Cargill left AEW to sign a multi-year contract with WWE last year. Even still, the two have remained tight, with Cargill and Starks continuing to train together down in Atlanta, in between their off days for their respective companies.

In an appearance on "Gabby AF," just days before Cargill made her WWE debut in the Royal Rumble, Starks talked about how much he cared for the former TBS Champion, referring to her as his best friend. He also noted how hard Cargill was working in preparation for her WWE run, describing them as kindred spirits in terms of drive and ambition.

"She busts her ass, she busts her ass more than anyone wants to give her credit for," Starks said. "It isn't up to her to try and disapprove these things that people say about her. And that's why I tell her. 'You won't ever change someone's opinion about you, and even then, it's not your job. It's not your job to change someone's opinion about you.'

"I'm so excited and happy for her, and how things have gone. I will never shy away from supporting my friends publicly, because I think they would do the same for me. And yeah, I think she's a great person, and she deserves everything she has because she works for it. She's made a ton of sacrifices."

Starks also praised Cargill's maturation as a performer, which he's seen firsthand from their training together.

"She's so creative," Starks said. "She's very creative and her mind of how wrestling is, to see it shape and how its starting to unravel is very cool. Cause she gets it. And...in training no less. A thousand percent, [she's] always giving it a thousand percent."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Gabby AF" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription