Hot on the heels of Neville possibly asking for his WWE release, a similar indie sensation might be actually headed to the company. Based on a video interview that Ricochet did after the NJPW King of Pro-Wrestling event this past weekend, the high-flying superstar gave what appeared to be a farewell speech to New Japan, adding fuel to the rumors that he is on his way to the WWE.
Ricochet Is Officially A Free Agent
Ricochet had contractual obligations to Lucha Underground and was also working in Japan for NJPW. However, his contract with Lucha Underground officially expired in July and he was free to work in other companies.
Ricochet worked under a mask and the name Prince Puma in Lucha Underground and was one of the biggest stars in the experimental wrestling promotion. Lucha Underground has contracts that do not allow wrestlers to compete elsewhere as long as they have upcoming television appearances, which is tough since they tape so far in advance.
For Ricochet, that contract ended in July. In New Japan, Richochet worked in the tag team called Funky Future alongside Japanese superstar Ryusuke Taguchi. The two competed at the NJPW King of Pro-Wrestling event and held the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.
Roppongi 3K (Sho and Yoh) beat Funky Future for the titles at NJPW King of Pro-Wrestling. In the post-match interview, Ricochet said that the loss was his fault and he then thanked New Japan, the fans, and everyone, before apologizing for losing. It sounded very close to a farewell speech.
Where Would Ricochet Wrestle In The WWE?
Wrestling World News reported that Ricochet has cleared up his schedule and all his obligations and he will take off the month of November and then head to the WWE. He can’t actually appear on television for the WWE until mid-January because of his Lucha Underground clause that prohibits it for 90 days after Season 3 of their current season ends.
However, Ricochet could head to the Performance Center in December and work some dark matches with either the main brand or the NXT brand. It would give him a chance to work the WWE-style before making his official debut.
After that, there are a few options for Ricochet. He could debut in NXT and become their next big star as Drew McIntyre might be ready to move up to the main roster by then. He could also move straight to 205 Live since they might have an open position if Neville really does quit.
Another less likely option would be for Ricochet to debut at the Royal Rumble like AJ Styles did two years ago. However, Ricochet is not a popular name like Styles was for casual fans, so his debut wouldn’t be as explosive.
[Featured Image by Tabercil/ Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.00)]