 Starks later attended Mesa Community College where he competed in football and track and field until 2002 when he transferred to Arizona State University.At Arizona State, Starks competed for the school's NCAA Division I wrestling team alongside former UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez and had a third-place finish in the PAC 10.Starks made his professional MMA debut in 2009 and fought primarily for the Rage in the Cage promotion in Arizona.