Ricochet Explains His Decision To Leave WWE For AEW

Ricochet was written off WWE television in June after being attached by Bron Breakker in the parking lot and stretchered off in an ambulance. Subsequently, his contract would expire, with most believing it was just a matter of time before he joined AEW. And now, having made his debut during All In’s Casino Gauntlet match, Ricochet has revealed to Sports Illustrated that he has decided to switch promotions as he believes he can have more fun in AEW.

“Honestly, the biggest reason is that I’ve been doing this for a long time, 21 years this year. And for me, the time when I was like, having the most fun in my career was when I was, like, traveling the world with those crazy lunatics in the back there … I just saw what AEW was doing. I saw the guys and girls over there and what they were doing, and it just seemed so fun. You want to be a part of it. Now that I’m able to be a part of it and hopefully help move it forward into the next, generation is going to be awesome. So, as hard of a decision as it was, I knew it was the right decision.”

35-year-old Ricochet, real name Trevor Mann, broke into the wrestling business in 2003, and after a decade, he would receive his first big break with New Japan. There, he would memorably wrestle fellow high-flyer Will Ospreay in matches that put both men on the map thanks to viral clips on social media. Yet, despite this opening the door for him to join WWE and become a worldwide superstar, many feel he was utilized, and therefore, a move to AEW could allow him to fulfill his full potential.