Published: 15 minutes ago by Dave Adamson | Last Updated: 9 seconds ago by Dave Adamson
Dave has been a website writer for WrestleTalk since October 2022, having previously written for Den of Geek, among a number of wrestling, movie and television-related sites. Dave has been around the independent wrestling scene for more than a decade, including behind-the-scenes.
WWE
Cody Rhodes has reacted to the arrival of Ricky Saints on the main roster ahead of the former NXT star’s debut on WWE SmackDown.
This week’s episode of WWE NXT saw Ricky Saints lose to Shiloh Hill in what will be the former AEW star’s final match on the Tuesday night show.
After the April 28 episode of NXT went off air, Saints addressed the fans in attendance, sharing an emotional message covering his time in WWE.
With Saints heading to SmackDown this Friday, Cody Rhodes has shared a message of his on Twitter that reads:
“Crybaby Ricky gonna’ do something or what? 🤜
“(Pumped for you)”
The tweet would be accompanied by a Nicolas Cage themed meme that featured the message:
“All these feelings hitting me at once.”
“Crybaby” is a term that has been associated with Rhodes previously, with The Rock having named fans of The American Nightmare as “Cody Crybabies“.
Saints would respond with a GIF of his own on Twitter, this time featuring Rhodes having eaten a hot wing on First We Feast, bearing the quote:
“It got me. You got me…”
The relationship between Saints and Rhodes goes back quite some time, with the pair having both been stars in AEW.
Prior to signing with WWE, the then-Ricky Starks was spotted backstage at the Royal Rumble in 2023, thanks to a security photo that captured him alongside Cody Rhodes, with the star commenting on the viral snap.
WWE SmackDown Is Ricky Saints’ Time To Shine
A main roster debut, for many fans, seemed like a surefire way to introduce the former Ricky Starks to the WWE roster, yet he made his first appearance on NXT in February of last year.
Saints has previously shared an insight into his NXT standing, noting his position in helping other newer stars grow as a worthwhile part of his story, something he suggested he didn’t expect to experience.
While Jade Cargill and Royce Keys may have made their way straight to the main roster after leaving AEW, Saints and Ethan Page have been two examples of stars who have headed to NXT, elevating their game on the ‘developmental brand’ before their inevitable call-up.
To use a common aphorism, “a rising tide lifts all boats” and while it’s easy to say that Saints and others should be on the main roster straight away, there’s a benefit to having those with exposure elsewhere, particularly on a televised product, on a show like NXT, where they can work with talented, though less experienced stars.
There’s no doubt that Saints has all the skills to succeed on the main roster, with every likelihood he will follow the NXT and North American Championship with SmackDown singles gold and, for many fans, they’ll continue to watch his journey for all the right reasons
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