WWE NXT featured a big segment where Ricky Saints, formerly known as Ricky Starks, signed his NXT contract. This entire ordeal was meant to bring a cap on the questions about his name. Now that the deal is done, fans can move on, but not so fast. The initial reaction was “meh” at best, with some going as far as to wonder if this name is going to cause Saints to come off as “less” of a star under the WWE banner. It’s a question that is worth asking but cannot be hastily answered.
Ricky Saints stepped into WWE NXT on February 11 as a surprise addition to the roster one day after being released from All Elite Wrestling. The surprise was huge, but before the shock wore off it was clear that WWE was intentionally not mentioning his name. On February 13, Fightful Select reported on that situation, pointing toward the speed of the deal potentially causing the hurdle.
“A source in WWE confirmed a tip that Fightful Select was given that the company often works on sync agreements that allow them to utilize names and other trademarks while a performer is with a company. It’s believed in the industry that Starks deal came together so quickly that they were working on the side of caution.”
Ricky Saints isn’t the first name change and it will not be the last
The man so many loved in AEW and NWA as Ricky Starks will be known as Ricky Saints in WWE. Does that make him any different? Doesn’t seem like it, as he’s kept his quick wit on the microphone and is already talking down his potential opponents and looking to elevate NXT as a brand. However, that hasn’t stopped many voices online from expressing concern over what the name change will do to Starks as a star.
It is way too soon to make such an assumption. WWE has a history of changing performers’ names for random reasons. GUNTHER was known as WALTER for more than a decade before his name was controversially changed. IYO Sky was Io Shirai in WWE NXT before making the jump to the main roster, another unnecessary but overall unimpactful change. Tyler Black, El Generico, Kevin Steen, Daniel Bryan, Jordynne Grace; there are so many name changes that can be used as examples in this case.
WWE has shown it is no longer in the business of embarrassing performers from other companies just as a “punishment” of sorts for working somewhere else. Changing Ricky Starks to Ricky Saints is more of a business move, one that could have been avoided, but a business move, nonetheless. Saints is a great addition to the WWE NXT roster and will continue his run as the star fans expect him to be.