Below are a couple of top WWE & AEW news stories of the day, involving Triple H, Pat Patterson and Ricky Starks.
• Conrad Thompson discussed the relationship between Triple H and WWF Hall of Famer (Class of 1996) Pat Patterson during the late 1990s and early 2000s with Jim Ross on Grillin’ JR.
Thompson addressed the open secret that Pat Patterson, who passed away in 2020, was closer to The Rock than to Triple H. Patterson was reportedly not a fan of Triple H’s behavior, particularly his tendency to nit-pick The Rock in front of others, which Patterson considered petty.
Known for his backstage politicking, Triple H managed to get into the most influential circles in the industry, something Patterson allegedly disliked.
JR explained that Patterson was closely aligned with Vince McMahon during some crucial years, including the mid-1990s, which Ross referred to as the “bad times”. As the booking style evolved, Patterson’s comedy-based approach became outdated, coinciding with Triple H’s growing influence with McMahon.
This conflict eventually led to Patterson temporarily leaving WWE in late 2004, though he returned in a limited capacity in May 2005. Ross noted that despite the tension, neither Patterson nor Triple H ever approached him to insult the other.
WATCH: Stephanie McMahon’s Buns Exposed By Triple H:
• Rumors are circulating that Ricky Starks’ time in AEW may be coming to an end after not being used for months. According to Fightful, Starks recently turned down a pitch to feud with Big Bill, believing that a loss for Bill wouldn’t benefit him. Starks preferred an amicable split instead.
Speculation is growing that Starks might be heading to WWE, with reports indicating that the company is interested in the former AEW World Tag Team Champion.
A social media rumor suggested that Starks might already be a free agent, but neither AEW nor Starks have confirmed his status.
While no reports confirm his departure from AEW, Fightful Select reported that there is “significant interest” within WWE to bring Starks to the NXT brand once he becomes available.
NXT will move to The CW Network in October and they are going to do weekly shows outside of the WWE Performance Center as well.
