Folks, wrestling fans have seen some wild name changes over the years—but Ricky Starks becoming Ricky Saints? That one had people scratching their heads like they just took a chair shot.
While other ex-AEW stars like Cody Rhodes, Ethan Page, and Shawn Spears all kept their names when jumping to WWE, Starks was rebranded almost immediately. So, what happened?
WWE Couldn’t Secure the Rights to “Ricky Starks”
According to Fightful Select, WWE couldn’t lock down the proper rights to his original name—even though Saints was using it well before AEW.
- The exact legal issue is unknown, but it likely ties back to his AEW tenure.
- Instead of a legal battle, WWE simply rebranded him as Ricky Saints—because if there’s one thing WWE does well, it’s a fresh coat of paint on a new signing.
Ricky Saints’ Rocky AEW Run
Saints signed with AEW in 2020, and while he had his moments:
✅ FTW Champion
✅ AEW Tag Team Champion (w/ Big Bill)
✅ Several start-stop pushes that led to frustration
By the time his contract expired, Saints was reportedly unhappy with AEW’s creative direction, feeling like his career was stuck in neutral.
- He sat out much of the end of his contract out of frustration.
- He cut a scathing promo on AEW before leaving, leading to him being pulled from GCW shows.
- Days before his WWE debut, he won the Defy Championship—only to vacate it immediately.
Now, he’s all in on WWE as Ricky Saints—whether fans like the name change or not.
WWE’s AEW Exodus Continues
Saints isn’t the only former AEW star jumping ship.
🔥 Penta debuted in WWE in January, officially joining the Raw roster.
🔥 His brother Rey Fenix is expected to follow soon, after being removed from AEW’s roster page.
With so many AEW stars making the switch, the real question is: Who’s next?