Ricky Saints credits Cody Rhodes with playing a pivotal role in advancing his career, particularly when Rhodes elevated Saints into the national spotlight during an open challenge for the TNT Championship in AEW in 2020. Over the years, Rhodes has remained not only a mentor to Saints but also a close friend, guiding him through the challenges of professional wrestling.
Insights Into Rhodes’ Unique Mentorship Style
On the Battleground Podcast, Saints explained that Rhodes possesses a distinctive ability to recognize subtle areas of growth that Saints might miss on his own. Although they do not live near each other and cannot meet often in person, their chances to connect are meaningful and impactful.
“The friendship in itself is great because, you know, I don’t know if he sees a younger kid in me [like] when he was first starting out. I don’t know. I would think so, but I really don’t know. But he’s great in the fact that there are things that I’m figuring out on my own. And there are little pockets that I kind of miss, right? He is great at identifying those pockets and giving me words of wisdom that allow me to ultimately guide myself to what it is that I should be learning or figuring out. He’s really, really good at that. He’s really good at giving you a perspective and you ultimately being like, ‘Oh, okay. I get it now.’ It’s so undervalued in that sense, because you’re usually used to people like physically showing you this or doing that, right? Since we don’t live very close to each other, it’s hard. So when we do have these moments where we do see each other and we talk, the conversations are in depth. They have such a deep magnitude to them of like life and sh*t outside of wrestling, you know what I’m saying? It covers all of it. So he’s been very impactful in my career and in my life too, personally and professionally. So I can’t really thank him too much [for] that.”
—Ricky Saints, NXT Star
Ricky Saints’ Progress and Upcoming Championship Challenge
Since debuting on the NXT roster on February 11, 2025, Saints quickly established himself as a top competitor. In September 2025, he captured the NXT Championship by overcoming Oba Femi at No Mercy. Although Saints lost the title back to Femi during the NXT Deadline event in December, he has already returned to championship contention.
Saints is scheduled to face Joe Hendry at this Saturday’s Vengeance Day event, aiming to become only the third wrestler in NXT history to hold the NXT Championship more than once, underscoring his continued rise in the wrestling world.
The Enduring Influence of Rhodes on Saints’ Career and Life
The impact Cody Rhodes has had on Ricky Saints extends beyond in-ring performance, affecting both his personal growth and professional development. The mentorship and friendship between the two demonstrate how meaningful guidance can shape a wrestler’s trajectory and mental approach within the industry. Saints’ career progression and upcoming title opportunity highlight the lasting significance of Rhodes’ support as he continues to make strides in NXT.
