What's Next For Ricochet

Despite signing with the WWE with great momentum and high hopes for the future things have drastically gone downhill for former NXT North American Champion, Ricochet. During his time on the indies scene prior to joining the WWE Ricochet was highlighted as one of the most exciting and promising stars working standout matches of the decade against the likes of Will Ospreay and Rey Mysterio. Becoming a major star both in Lucha Underground and NJPW Ricochet was a talent wrestling fans were excited to see grow and become a top star in the world wrestling entertainment. Fast forward to 2020 however and the former champion finds himself lower in the pecking order than we could ever predicted and after reaching rock bottom just what is next for the real-life ninja that is Ricochet?

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Returning to NXT

It will take some time to re-build momentum for Ricochet and get him to a point on the main roster where he truly deserves to be, and we can see things turn around for him. With that in mind, there is a great possibility we may not see him bounce back as well as many are hoping for and so a return to the black and gold brand may be the most promising next step for this former champion. During his time in NXT Ricochet felt like a top talent. His reigns as North American Champion along with standout bouts against the likes of Adam Cole and Velveteen Dream put him near the top section of the roster. Moving back to NXT may in the eyes of some feel like a huge step back but when we see what a return like this has done for Finn Balor there can be no denying what could be for him. Again, it will take some incredible booking and storytelling for things to work out for Ricochet but its NXT where I truly believe he will have the chance to work those intense lengthy matches that take us back and remind everyone how much of an incredible talent he is.

Taking a Short Leave

With Wrestlemania around the corner the timing isn’t great for Ricochet to be experiencing such a difficult time in terms of booking and especially considering taking a short leave may just be one of the best options for him. From his loss to Lesnar to the surprise loss to Riddick Moss the following night on RAW Ricochet has hit rock bottom and there is a general feeling of the WWE giving up on him. Now, to truly turn things around for him taking a break could be very beneficial indeed. It gives the WWE time to work a new big return angle for him that sees a fresh star, possibly a heel turn and new look that sends him off in a new direction. Again, the timing isn’t great but at this point it looks as though it would be best for Ricochet to take the leave and come back with a fresh start than continue to have booking like this.

Prince Puma

I don’t know about you but I really enjoyed watching Ricochet during his time in Lucha Underground as Prince Puma. This is where we got to see the most character and intensity from him and looking back at this time of his career could be where the key is held to really see things turn around and see Ricochet head into a completely new direction. Here the WWE has such an incredible talent who does have a story to tell, an intensity, more character abilities and of course fantastic athleticism and wrestling ability but we haven’t seen that in full as of yet during his time in the WWE so far. Removing Ricochet from TV for a short while, building his return and creating a strong hype around him is vital and then we see Ricochet return to take out a talent like Rey Mysterio however, this time Fans see Ricochet sport his Prince Puma gear. Its from this point, let’s say Ricochet attacks, Mysterio, after Wrestlemania that we see him really begin to tell his story. We see the WWE focus on his journey, the highs and lows and the former champion targeting Mysterio makes for a smart and promising booking decision that could highlight just how good he is better than anything we have seen so far. The two men have great history especially during the time in Lucha Underground and taking inspiration from what we saw there between them is vital!

Cruiserweight Champion

The cruiserweight division really has improved recently in terms of the booking and the handling of the talent. Using NXT to elevate the division and the title has turned things around drastically and recent champions in the form of Angel Garza, Lio Rush and Jordan Develin have changed the feel of the title and the division massively! With that in mind, it makes for the perfect time to see Ricochet focus on the NXT Cruiserweight championship and collide with some of the incredible names we see on the scene and around this title today. Singles matchups against the names we just mentioned make for dream bouts and could be the first big step in turning things around and allowing Ricochet to at least show the depths of his move set and the type of fantastic matches he can be apart of. Its here we also have the chance to see him compete in potential match of the year bouts that take us back to early days of his career.

Good Luck with Your Future Endeavours

While I would love to see the WWE turn things around for Ricochet and see him booked as the star he is but at this stage it feels pretty unlikely and with that in mind I cant help but feel as though moving on from the WWE may honestly be the best result. When we look at what promotions like AEW and even IMPACT Wrestling are doing right now there are options for Ricochet that could see him become a top star in a way the WWE seems unprepared to book him as.

Of course, there are more possible avenues for Ricochet moving forward. Whether it be moving to Smackdown or simply see him slowly build momentum in singles matches over the coming weeks and months but with this former champion reaching rock bottom can things really turn around for the best or have the WWE already given up on him?

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