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After make his first appearance onWWEtelevision on NXT last workweek , theformer AEW starRicky Starks has officially signed with the companionship and his Modern name has been unveil . After an extended absence from television capped off his All Elite Wrestling contract bridge , the ' Absolute ' star had n’t been catch on TV in nearly a class prior tohis surprise appearanceon NXT . With a pre - announced section to sign his WWE contract in the band live on The CW , speculation swirled regarding his name .
With plenty of hype move into the section , fans knew that the wrestlerformerly bang in AEW as Ricky Starkswould be doing an on - air contract bridge sign language . However , the piece that remained a complete mystery was whether he was actually start to be referred to as his literal name , “ Ricky Starks ” . Oftentimes , it iscustomary for stars enter WWEto see their names transfer out from self-governing lap name , even if the moniker is their genuine government name .
As was the case with Ricky Starks , who caused the internet to go wild with speculation about for the entire week between programme . Certainly helping to fire speculation , WWE filed trademarks for12 totally random anchor ring namesbut none of which vocalise as though they were really for Ricky Starks . Saving his contract section until the top of the second hr of broadcast , he was continually referred to withhis cognomen ‘ Absolute’but never by actual name .
Ricky Signs On The Dotted Line In NXT With A New Name…
Ricky Saints Pays Homage To His Heritage
In the contract bridge signing segment , the ‘ hot free agent in professional wrestling’continued to maintain the mysterythrough multiple interruptions . All Ego Ethan Page , another AEW deserter , interrupted the sign language segment to mark that while he respected Ricky ’s plans , the road he was traveling had been paved by Page himself . Before their altercation could move further , however , Page was attacked by Je’Von Evans and the pair brawled out of the scene .
Ricky still was n’t able to sign his NXT contract , however , as the newest member of the locker way was link by an NXT oldtimer - Wes Lee . While the pair lead back and forward , it wasagreed that they would square off next week on NXT . When Lee tried to get in a cheap shot , instead Ricky sent him over the top rope of the pack and was shown sign his NXT contract . The camera gettinga tight shot of the contract give away the star ’s new name - Ricky Saints .
In an interview withBully Rayfor Busted Open Radio , Saints opened up about theorigins of his raw WWE nameas an chance to pay homage to his hometown of New Orleans , Louisiana . Reassuring lover that he was felicitous they felt turbulently about require to change his name , he was felicitous to carry a piece of home with him in his new name . Noting that the someone had n’t changed , plainly the name had , ideal still exudes the same coolheaded confidence as ever .
It ’s just a atavism , it ’s not really a atavist because the New Orleans Saints are still around , but Saints in itself is pretty indicative of New Orleans , disregarding if you think of the football game squad or the French influence and things of that nature .
Saints' New Name Parallels His Moving On From A Dramatic Time In AEW
Ricky Saints Believes There Was A Personal Element To His Departure From AEW
In the same audience that interpret Saints excuse the line of his name , when Bully Ray opened up the floor for him to address his AEW exit , and a enchanting second of information was revealed . According to Saints , he still does n’t roll in the hay why he was off of idiot box for the difference of his contract with the society .
He went on to bring out that there was certainlya tone of a " personal " elementto the way thing go down , beyond that which was just professional . While he shared that he was out briefly due to trauma in March 2024 , never return to boob tube was n’t link up to any aesculapian condition . Reiterating that he never reject creative , Saints spilled some backstage item .
Saints say :
“ I will say this , there are some masses who stick their nose in my originative business organization that should n’t have happened . vet . And that ’s it , I ’ll pass on it at that . And if they got a problem with me , they got my number . And text me about it .
I think what it was is if it did n’t make for for their creative , then someone had to get the rush . That ’s how I see it . But I ’m not trying to be negative in my thinking process about it … if you want to step on me to get onward in your illustrious career , everyone has an famed career . Everyone should have an famed vocation . That is utterly fine . But at the same metre , I ’m not wet behind my ears . ”
study the lack of restraint Starks clearly felt in the final month of his AEW tenure , the personal contact in his new name feel far more loaded . It ’s not just a " rule of cool " name , it ’s like a reclamation of something more personal . A command to those who seek to tell him how to do things in AEW , unsolicited .
Ricky Saints is arrange to make his in - ring launching on this week ’s upcoming variant ofWWE NXT(February 25 ) trail with Je’Von Evans to take on the two interloper to his declaration sign language segment in Ethan Page and Wes Lee in a tag squad peer . Another major rag squad match is also specify for the show as the Hardy Boyz , Matt and Jeff Hardy are set to repay to WWE for the first time since they finished their clock time in AEW . The current TNA Wrestling Tag Team Champions are take on No Quarter Catch Crew ’s Myles Borne and Tavion Heights to find who will get a future title inject atWWENXT Tag Team Champions , Nathan Frazer and Axiom .
Sources : Busted Open Radio
Transcription viaWrestling Observer
