Ricochet Leaving WWE: Five Dream Matches For Him in AEW
Ricochet reportedly gave his notice to WWE earlier this month.
Ricochet is on his way out of WWE. The innovative high-flyer reportedly gave his notice to his current employer earlier this month, notifying WWE that he would not be re-signing when his contract expires later this summer. The exact date that Ricochet hits free agency remains unknown. Considering the current professional wrestling market, there is a general expectancy that Ricochet will end up in All Elite Wrestling, as AEW is the only wrestling company going today that could outbid WWE. That said, Ricochet's exit appears to go beyond financials given the timing of his notice request and comments made about him by former rival Will Ospreay during an exclusive interview with ComicBook.
"I want him to know that there are people here that genuinely appreciate his work and I want to wrestle him again. I want him back here," Ospreay told ComicBook. "He's one of the best going, and if the opportunity presents itself, I think he should bet on himself. I think he should remind himself that he's one of the best high-flyers to ever do it. If it means he's got to come for me, then do it, boss, because I'm right here waiting for you."
If Ricochet is indeed set on reminding the world what he is capable of, there are plenty of dance partners within the AEW roster to create seen-to-be-believed contests with him.
Five Dream Opponents For Ricochet in AEW
Will Ospreay
It could be argued that Ricochet's motive to leave WWE boils down to wanting to mix it up again with Will Ospreay.
Ricochet and Ospreay both put themselves on the map during their critically-acclaimed contests against one another in the mid-2010s. With each man boasting an innovative acrobatic style, the two clashing resulted in magic that truly was unlike anything the squared circle had ever seen.
Seven years on since they last faced each other, Ricochet and Ospreay are largely evolved competitors. Both have years of experience wrestling on television and have each put on significant size. Running it back today, with the opportunity to go from a couple hundred people in Korakuen Hall to tens of thousands at Wembley Stadium, could catapult Ricochet to a global level once again.
Swerve Strickland
He swerves when he flies.
Swerve Strickland has been AEW's flag-bearer for a couple of months now. Swerve has enjoyed a career year in 2024 thanks to strong momentum leaving 2023 from his red-hot feud with Hangman Page. While Ricochet would have to rack up some wins to get a crack at the AEW World Champion, these two's styles are begging to be meshed.
Swerve and Ricochet have had two singles matches against one another, both coming in 2017. Ricochet secured the 1-2-3 the first time, but Swerve got his win back six months later in a 34-minute clash. Similar to Ospreay and Ricochet, Swerve and Ricochet are largely different competitors today than they were seven years ago.
Kenny Omega
It has been ten years since Ricochet and Kenny Omega squared off.
Back in August 2014, Ricochet bested the Best Bout Machine in a Battle of Los Angeles semi-final en route to his tournament victory. Ricochet parlayed that BOLA win to success in New Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla before eventually signing with WWE. Omega went on to become a cornerstone of NJPW, joining and eventually leading Bullet Club.
While they have in-ring history, just like Ospreay and Swerve before, the evolutions of both Ricochet and Omega over the ten years since they last met would make for an intriguing reunion, as long as Omega is healthy enough to return to the squared circle.
Kazuchika Okada
The Rainmaker and the One and Only have never met in singles competition.
Kazuchika Okada was the face of New Japan Pro Wrestling throughout the 2010s, headlining multiple NJPW Wrestle Kingdom events and holding the IWGP World Championship on numerous occasions. Because he was firmly in the heavyweight division and Ricochet was a junior, the two never had a reason to cross paths except for a pair of trios bouts in 2015.
With Okada under contract with AEW for the foreseeable future, it's only fitting that that company would play host to this first-time-ever singles encounter.
Sammy Guevara
Outside of the marquee names, one intriguing option for Ricochet in AEW is Sammy Guevara. Guevara is the closest thing AEW has had to Ricochet over the past five years, as his high-flying style has drawn parallels to Ricochet's abilities.
While Guevara has had his fair share of controversies in AEW as well as a number of precarious encounters in the ring, when he's on one, there are few that can do what he can do. Ricochet would provide a strong foil to the 30-year-old and could potentially give Guevara that certified breakout match that takes him to the next level.
Ricochet and Guevara have met in singles competition once back in that busy year of 2017 when Guevara was just 23 years old. Pit the two against one another in front of a televised audience, don't blink, and watch the game change once again.
