Trevor Mann is striving toward a new goal.
A wrestling veteran with more than two decades’ worth of experience, Mann long ago embraced the day-to-day joy of the art form. He devoted himself to the craft, finding ways–primarily through his aerial assault–to move wrestling forward. From the moment he walked into the dressing room until the time he left, his singular focus was to add value to the card.
His goal is now slightly different. And more ambitious.
Mann–who wrestles as Ricochet–plans on doing it from the top of the card in AEW. He is hungry for a world title run, which would elevate him into foreign territory: the main event.
“I’m going to show everyone that I’m the man,” said Mann. “I’m going to prove I can carry a company. It’s time to show everyone why I’m here.”
After six years in WWE, Mann made his AEW debut this summer in Wembley Stadium at All In. He was a made man in WWE, a permanent and valuable part of the middle of the roster. But he aspires for more, which led to his move to AEW.
“I was talking with my wife about this, and I said there was this one hurdle in my career I need to jump, and that is being the top dog,” said Mann, who wrestles in the All Star eight-man tag on tonight’s Dynamite. “Becoming the best, that’s not why I started wrestling. I was a 14-year-old kid, and wrestling kept me off the streets. It was fun, it allowed me to travel, and I fell in love with it. That was always my goal, but it’s different now.
“I believe I’m one of the best, and I’m going to show it here.”
Watching a wrestler’s rise to the top is one of the purest parts of the industry. Whether Mann can propel himself to the zenith of the company is far from a guarantee, yet that is the beautiful reality of this supposedly scripted business.
And a world title run is in reach.
Mann is part of the International Championship title picture in AEW, but he also has a date with IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Zack Sabre Jr. at the joint show with New Japan Pro-Wrestling at the Tokyo Dome on January 5. If Ricochet defeats Sabre and wins that prestigious title, he will instantly place himself in elusive company.
“I’m super pumped for the future and what’s to come,” said Mann. “So much is possible. It’s a new beginning. There is no guarantee it will work. But for the past 21 years, it’s worked out pretty well everywhere I’ve worked. This is my chance to get to the next level.”
While WWE did want to keep Mann on the roster, he believed that the Ricochet character needed a change of scenery. The move also allowed him to retrace his roots–the early parts of Mann’s career were nomadic, and he relished moving from promotion to promotion. That Prince Puma spirit–Mann’s persona back during his incredibly underrated Lucha Underground run–is alive once again as he is able to roam between AEW and New Japan.
But there is an important distinction. Mann left WWE, but he did not depart on bad terms.
“WWE is killing it, they’re doing great,” said Mann. “For the Ricochet character, this was the right move. It’s not a knock on them. For me, being at AEW is the way to go. I’m really happy with the decision I made. It’s better to have two top promotions, it’s better for the market. And this is the place Ricochet is going to be able to show everything he can do.
“It’s really freaking cool that people wanted me to stay. But it feels right here, it feels natural. This is a place where I can finally show the world who I am.”
Mann’s gentle nature and humility make him a natural babyface. Genuinely likable, he thrives in an area where so many others struggle. The wrestling realm knows him well as a crowd favorite.
There are historical parallels to make, most notably with the legendary Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, who was an insanely talented babyface that spent the majority of his career as the opponent for star heels. Considering this current run for Ricochet is all about taking chances, perhaps a run as a heel will catapult him to heights he has yet to experience.
“You’ve got to believe in yourself, you’ve got to bet on yourself,” said Mann. “AEW is a company built on people betting on themselves. This is really the place for me. If AEW was around at the time, I would have gone here after Lucha Underground in 2016
“Nothing feels forced. I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.”
Mann’s future is fascinating. Can he make the jump? Will he become world champ? And would he do it as a villain?
“I’m here for a while,” said Mann. “And this is just the beginning.”
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