Why Ricky Starks Couldn’t Keep His Name in WWE

Ricky Starks made his way to NXT on the February 11 episode of NXT, and it was later revealed that he would now be known as Ricky Saints. Fans questioned why Saints had a name change in the first place and now the reason behind the change in name has been revealed.

Mike Johnson of PWInsider recently held a Q&A session where he answered several questions from fans. Johnson was asked why Ricky Starks couldn’t keep his ring name in WWE, even though it’s his legal name, similar to Jade Cargill.

Johnson explained that the simple reason is that WWE wanted to trademark a name for him themselves, saying, “The easy answer is WWE wanted to trademark a ring name themselves.”

Ricky previously revealed that he chose “Saints” to honor his hometown, New Orleans. The name represents the city’s culture, including its football team and French influence, while still sounding similar to “Starks.”

Ricky Saints also made his successful in-ring debut, where he teamed up with Je’Von Evans and beat Ethan Page and Wes Lee in tag team action during the February 25 edition of WWE NXT.

Some fans may still prefer the name Ricky Starks, but WWE’s choice to rebrand him as Ricky Saints follows their usual approach to owning wrestler trademarks. With a name honoring his hometown and a strong debut in NXT, Saints is already off to a good start, so we’ll have to see how he will be booked in the coming months.

Do you like the name Ricky Saints, or do you prefer Ricky Starks? How do you see him fitting into WWE NXT? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!