AEW National Champion Ricochet has openly criticized former WWE referee Jimmy Corderas and has refused to apologize for his remarks. On February 5, 2026, Corderas took to Twitter to respond to Ricochet’s recent criticism of how WWE treats its talent. Ricochet had accused WWE of “killing the tradition and love of the sport,” listing wrestlers like Finn Balor, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Apollo Crews as examples of those suffering from creative and emotional burnout. Corderas didn’t take kindly to these accusations, saying Ricochet’s comments made him feel sick.
Corderas argued, “He stayed for more than five years and re-signed in 2022. If the situation was really dire, he could have asked for his release, but he didn’t. The same bad guys who chose to stay on for years and ‘speak for them’ are the Bush League. This just makes him look like the bad guy, not the company he’s constantly criticizing.”
Ricochet fired back with an angry, profanity-filled tweet, denying that he re-signed and accusing WWE of forcing him into a contract despite his desire to leave. He said, “Jimmy, shut up, you son of a bitch. I signed a five-year contract in 2019. My contract was until 2024, so I quit. Don’t quit, I won’t get a second one. I asked for a release. They refused, and they made me IC champion, knowing I didn’t like it. So maybe you should do some research before you open your mouth and say something stupid.”
This outburst came after a particularly intense 48 hours for Ricochet, who had previously taken to Twitter on February 4th to accuse WWE of stifling his career and draining his passion for wrestling. He claimed his time in WWE left him feeling like a “shell” of himself and took away his love for the sport.
He stated, “I certainly feel that way, and many others feel the same way. That company kills love and you end up becoming a shell of yourself and going through hardships.”
Corderas’ tweets clearly hit a nerve, especially his assertion that Ricochet was “constantly sabotaging” the company he had chosen to remain with. Ricochet’s rebuttal not only denied re-signing claims but also accused WWE of deliberately putting him in title matches he didn’t want in order to keep him under contract.
Now signed with AEW, Ricochet said he has found himself again—the same version of him fans originally fell for on the independent circuit and in Japan. If anything, this week shows he’s not going to stay silent about what he endured to get to where he is today.
Did Ricochet’s response to Jimmy Corderas go too far, or was it justified after years of feeling muzzled? Share your thoughts in the comments and let us know your take.
Fan Take: This exchange shines a light on the often-hidden struggles behind WWE’s glossy product, reminding fans that wrestlers’ wellbeing matters just as much as their on-screen personas. How this ongoing conversation influences talent treatment could have a lasting impact on the future of wrestling as a sport and entertainment.
