The Redemption of Ricky Starks

Ricky Starks, aiming for the Inspire Pro Wrestling title (Photo by Joel Loeschman, Courtesy of Inspire Pro Wrestling)

When "Absolute" Ricky Starks steps between the ropes of Inspire Pro Wrestling tonight, and takes on champion "Dirty" Andy Dalton, it's not just about winning the title. It's a chance to rewrite two years of his own wrestling history.

The title shot everyone expected two years ago is finally here. "It's been a terrible stop and start thing," Starks said, "and some of that is due to my own negligence."

Starks' path to the top of Inspire Pro has been a rocky one, and he's the first to admit that he's put some boulders in his own way. At the Austin promotion's very first event in 2013, he gave away an easy win to Bolt Brady when he refused to break a submission hold. Six months later, he made the same mistake against Dalton. Since then, he admits he's been busy trying to "duck and dodge around other obstacles that have slowed down my momentum. And once that momentum has slowed down, it's hard to get it back going."

But 18 months later, and it's a very different Starks that pledges to take the title from Dalton. Fresh off a hard-fought number one contenders match with Ray "Death" Rowe in May at the In Their Blood show, he feels ready to take on his biggest challenge. Not Dalton, but himself.

He credits that initial self-inflicted defeat by Dalton as the moment he started to turn it all around. "From that, I was able to learn how to put that anger in check." He's also learned from every wrestler who has tried and failed to beat the reigning champ, falling either before his in-ring skills or his cheating ways outside the ropes. "Mathew Palmer couldn't beat Andy Dalton. ACH couldn't be Andy Dalton. Steve O'Reno couldn't beat Andy Dalton. But watching all those guys, I wouldn't say fail necessarily, but not succeed in winning the title, has made it a little easier for me to study and say, here's where they went wrong, and here's how Dalton capitalized. I should be wary of that."

Starks is part of a new, invigorated Texas wrestling scene, spearheaded locally by Inspire Pro. Their dedication to developing local talent, as well as bringing in big names from Mexico and Japan, has put the two year old promotion on the radar internationally. Ask him to sum it all up in one word, and he simply says "hungry."

It's a scene the Louisiana native has seen develop over the last nine years, after moving to Austin after a brief stint in Las Vegas. He attended George de la Isla Wrestling Academy in East Austin for a year, where he got to know Inspire Pro mainstays like powerhouse Houston Carson, youngest ever NWA Women's World Champion Barbi Hayden, and the local scene's breakout star, ACH, who now performs with the nationally syndicated Ring of Honor promotion. "They all came from the same school that I trained at," said Starks. "It's pretty crazy to think how we're all in the same place now."

Their hunger doesn't stop at the Texas border, and Starks points to the success of ACH. The people he trained with want his success to make him a trailblazer, not an outlier. "They look at how ACH came out of here, it's not as much of an unrealistic dream for them. They look at him and say, well, he did it. He signed to Ring of Honor. I damn sure can do that."

Tonight, as he tests himself against Dalton, Starks will be the hungriest of them all. "I think the difference between me and other people in this kind of match is that it's not just a title match for me. It's more than just a title on the line. The meaning is that someone is giving me what's just due to me, that I've worked hard for, and I finally get the chance."

Inspire Pro Wrestling presents Fade to Black. Aug. 9, 6pm. Marchesa Hall and Theater, 6406 N. I-35. More info and tickets at www.inspireprowrestling.com.