In July 2013, Ricky Starks appeared on WWE television, playing an arena worker who was abused by Ryback.
In the segment, Ryback slapped Starks around and put him through a table, sending a message to John Cena ahead of their Tables Match.
Speaking to Renee Paquette on Oral Sessions, Starks recalled the segment.
"I got slapped in the face three times. He never told me he was going to slap me, so when you see me tense up, that's legit. Initially, I was trying to cry and Michael Hayes came to me and was like, 'You ain't gonna cry like that in a real fight, would you?' I said, 'Hell nah, you're right. I'd bow up to a motherfucker.' I really enjoyed it, they paid for my shirt that he ripped up. I remember walking to the back and Miz and CM Punk were like, 'good job on the segment.' That was the end of it," he said.
Starks continued, discussing his time working as a WWE extra and when he realized things just weren't coming together in the company.
"When I was brand new and getting the call, I was like, 'this is how I get hired.' It's a great feeling. That's how I learned the most. I sat up on Raw days in the crowd with William Regal while they're testing the music and he'll tell me these stories and me asking questions. I'm a very observant person so sometimes I just sit back and watch everything," he recalled. "It was an awesome time, but for me, at a certain point, I got tired of it because I felt like there was a ceiling that I kept hitting every time I came. 'Well, if ya'll didn't care for me after the 17th time, how is this 30th time going to be any different?'"
Starks would eventually find success in the NWA before joining AEW in 2020. Ryback left WWE in 2016.
Elsewhere during the interview, Starks discussed his relationship with Tony Khan. You can find his full comments by clicking here.
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