Ricky Saints Addresses WWE Name Change From Ricky Starks

Ricky Saints doesn’t mind if fans still call him by his AEW name — in fact, he gets it. The NXT Champion opened up for the first time about WWE’s decision to rebrand him from Ricky Starks to Ricky Saints, and his response was surprisingly chill.

During his appearance on Busted Open Radio, Saints made it clear that the change didn’t shake his confidence one bit. While some fans continue to associate him with his previous persona, Saints says the recognition — regardless of the name — means everything to him.

“Yeah, I wasn’t stressed about it only because I’m still the same person at heart. And even then, when I’m in like the airport, people still call me Starks. They call me Starks. They go, ‘I’m so sorry, I’m calling you Saints, blah blah blah.’ Like either way, you still know who I am. So, I am appreciative and thankful for that in itself.”

He also explained that he never got caught up in wondering how long the adjustment period would last. Saints trusted that fans would come around once they saw the work he was putting in.

“But I didn’t really think about how long it would take. I just knew that it would happen and eventually people would be like, ‘Okay, yeah, I can see it. I can get with it now.’”

WWE name changes are often met with backlash, especially when they involve someone with a strong following from a previous company. But Saints’ relaxed attitude about the switch could cool down even the most loyal AEW fans who refuse to drop the “Starks” label.

Ricky Saints knows exactly who he is — and based on his NXT title run, he’s making sure the world knows it too.

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