Ricochet: "Every PPV feels like a win"

Ricochet is living one of the best stages of his professional career in All Elite Wrestling, where he has become one of the most hated heels in the company. His change in attitude (which extends even to his use of social media) has not only resonated with fans, but has also revitalized his character, very different from the one he portrayed during his time in WWE.

However, this change in attitude was not a creative decision that came out of nowhere. At least that's what Ricochet claims, who in a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani Show, revealed that his heel turn was already planned at the time he signed with AEW, also revealing the date when that agreement was finalized.

"It's been incredible. It's been a lot of fun," he said about his first year in AEW. "In a way, it was exactly as I had envisioned. Before making any decisions or anything, when I arrived here - I actually signed in July, but didn't debut until late August - I spent some time and I always said: 'Ricochet, the goal is not to arrive, become champion immediately and dominate.' It was to arrive, have good matches, show people that Ricochet can still put on good fights, and then make a character change. Find something..."

"It was always planned for me to become a heel," he continued. "We had other plans with another group - I don't want to reveal too much - but we already had a trajectory planned before I even debuted, we knew where it was going. Then, what happened was that things were going so well on my own, that we decided to keep Ricochet as a solo act, because it was working really well. The plan was always to make a character change and do the turn. Things turned out as they did. Some things can be planned, others have to be improvised. Everything ended up fitting, and Ricochet has known how to take advantage of those moments."

AEW and WWE

Since his departure from WWE, Ricochet has become one of the biggest detractors of the company, which he has not hesitated to criticize on multiple occasions. While it is true that many see this attitude as just another facet of his new heel character in All Elite Wrestling, it is also true that some of his comments have generated a lot of controversy in recent months, leading many to wonder how much of this Ricochet is real and how much is just a character.

"It's a bit of both. That's where the line is drawn: what is real and what is not?," the wrestler responded. "The goal of any company is to make as much money as possible. That's why a company is created. That can't be argued. But when we feel that things are being done in bad faith, that's when I think: 'let's get a little crazy'. They (WWE) can say they do it for one reason or another, they can say whatever they need to feel good about themselves. But most people see it and interpret it in one way. Why not just say: 'Hey, we know what you're doing'? They can do that. They have their support."

"In the end, I think AEW is in a great position and we are focused on our own thing. Now more than ever, we are finding ways to create new stories, drama, and suspense, keeping it with a sports base, and offering an alternative to what people have known for years. Now more than ever, with the economy as it is... My father, my brother, my family... We grew up wanting to go to the shows, and even back then, we didn't have the money and couldn't afford to go. With the world as it is today, it's good to have a place like AEW that allows many families and people who may not be able to afford to go to WWE, to come to our show, have a good time, and experience new action, characters, drama, and an alternative to what has been happening for so long."

"Whether they want to counterprogram us or not, I'm glad AEW exists, because the locker room atmosphere is improving, the stories and drama are improving. We are trying to connect the dots and give people something coherent, and in the end, they can be proud of having seen everything, while we give them some of the best matches in the ring they have ever seen. That's important to us. It's not that it's not important to the other side, but we are a little crazy. We want to go out there and do crazy things, and put our bodies on the line. I'm glad that, no matter how they choose to handle their programming, AEW is still here, we are still present, and we are still focused on ourselves," he stated.

"We are growing more and more. You can feel it in the pay-per-views: it feels bigger every time. Maybe people are more emotionally involved, maybe that's the feeling I get. Every pay-per-view feels like a victory. It's honestly good to be in the place where we are, and see how the world of wrestling is. No matter what roster you look at. Overall, the wrestling world - in Japan, Mexico, Europe - is full of talent. We are in a great era for wrestling, and I'm glad that AEW is here to provide variety to what's out there."

"Since the beginning of wrestling history, we have somehow been programmed to despise other territories. In the territory days, fans would go to this show, but not to that one. We didn't like the other territory. And when they merged, it was WWF against WCW. One had to win and the other had to lose. One had to disappear. We were taught to despise other wrestling companies. Now, when a new one appears, it's like: 'Oh, we don't like that'. Not all fans are like that, but historically, it has never been well seen to have multiple wrestling companies on television."

"Competition is good, but there comes a point where there are people who want a certain company to cease to exist just because it's not the one they grew up watching all their life. I watched WWF and WCW. When I discovered ECW and New Japan, I watched them too. I was never that specific. I have never been that kind of person, so I find it hard to understand that feeling. Competition is welcome and it's good. I'm glad that AEW is here to compete," he concluded.