Ricky Saints Bio
Ricky Saints is the ring name of Richard Starks, an American professional wrestler born February 21, 1990, in New Orleans, Louisiana. As of 2025 he is signed to WWE and performs on the NXT brand, where he reached the top of the brand as NXT Champion in his first reign.
Early Life and Background
Richard Starks grew up in New Orleans and was raised by a single mother alongside two siblings. He has discussed how being light-skinned and perceived differently was a source of bullying during his childhood, an experience that shaped his determination to succeed in professional wrestling.
Starks idolized performers from the Attitude Era and the larger-than-life stars of earlier generations while growing up, and he decided around the age of seventeen to pursue wrestling as a career. He trained under Mr. Mexico II and made his professional debut in 2012, beginning a steady climb through independent promotions.
Path to WWE
Starks built his early resume on the Texas independent scene, appearing regularly for promotions such as Anarchy Championship Wrestling and Inspire Pro Wrestling. He also worked enhancement matches for WWE before breaking through on the wider national stage.
In 2018 he began working with the National Wrestling Alliance, where he won the revived NWA World Television Championship tournament at Hard Times in January 2020, establishing himself as a credible competitor on a larger platform. That run and continued exposure on the indies led to a signing with All Elite Wrestling in 2020 and, after a multi-year run there, a return to WWE in 2025 under the Ricky Saints name.
Ricky Saints Career
Early Career (2012–2018)
Starks debuted in 2012 and spent his formative years working across Texas and other independent circuits. He developed a reputation as a hard-hitting performer with a charismatic, confidence-driven persona inspired by stars from the 1990s and 2000s.
During this period he appeared in small roles on WWE television and continued to refine his in-ring style and character work, positioning himself for higher-profile bookings with larger promotions.
National Wrestling Alliance Breakthrough (2018–2020)
Starks began appearing for the National Wrestling Alliance in 2018 and competed at the NWA 70th Anniversary Show. He returned to NWA programming through 2019 and 2020 and entered the tournament to crown the inaugural holder of the revived NWA World Television Championship.
At Hard Times in January 2020 Starks defeated multiple opponents in the tournament, culminating in a victory over Trevor Murdoch in the final to become the tournament champion. He lost the belt shortly afterward due to taping and scheduling, but the run raised his profile and opened doors to the national spotlight.
All Elite Wrestling Breakthrough (2020–2025)
Starks made his AEW debut in June 2020 answering an open challenge for the TNT Championship and was signed by the promotion soon after. He quickly established himself as a prominent heel and became part of Team Taz, aligning with Brian Cage and Taz in a program that raised his visibility on AEW television.
In AEW he captured the FTW Championship and held it for an extended period, at one point marking a 378-day reign that made him the longest-reigning FTW Champion at that time. He also won the Owen Hart Cup tournament and captured an AEW World Tag Team Championship during his tenure. His run in AEW included high-profile feuds and matches against top names and concluded when his profile was removed and his contract ended in February 2025.
WWE Era (2025–Present)
Starks returned to WWE in February 2025 under the ring name Ricky Saints and was assigned to the NXT brand as an unnamed free agent before adopting the new name. He quickly moved into featured storylines and captured the NXT North American Championship on April 1, 2025, in his early weeks with the brand.
Saints’ North American title run lasted 56 days before he lost the belt to Ethan Page on May 27, 2025. He remained a central figure on NXT throughout 2025, challenging for the title in subsequent matches and winning the NXT Championship at NXT No Mercy on September 27, 2025, defeating Oba Femi to become the brand’s top champion.
Driving Style and Strengths
Saints describes his in-ring style as a pastiche of influences; commentators and observers note elements reminiscent of The Undertaker’s selling and Bret Hart’s technical pacing combined with an Attitude Era-inspired mic presence. His finishing arsenal includes an inverted powerbomb called the “Rochambeau,” a lifting double-underhook facebuster often referenced as The Buster Keaton/Arms of Orion, and a leaping spear, which he uses to punctuate big moments.
Notable Races and Milestones
Key milestones in Saints’ career include winning the NWA World Television Championship tournament, a historic FTW Championship run in AEW, victory in the Owen Hart Cup, an AEW World Tag Team Championship reign, and rapid ascent in WWE to capture both the NXT North American Championship and the NXT Championship in 2025.
Ricky Saints Career Wins
Across his career Saints has collected championship gold in multiple promotions: the revived NWA World Television Championship, AEW’s FTW Championship, the Owen Hart Cup tournament, an AEW World Tag Team title, the DEFY World Championship on the independent scene in early 2025, and both the NXT North American and NXT Championships after signing with WWE.
Cup Series Highlights
Saints’ most consequential championship achievements in mainstream promotion came during his AEW tenure with the FTW Championship and the AEW World Tag Team Championship, followed by his 2025 breakout in WWE NXT where he captured the NXT North American title and later the NXT Championship.
Xfinity Series Achievements
Not applicable to Saints’ career as a professional wrestler; his major achievements occurred in NWA, AEW, DEFY, and WWE NXT where he quickly rose to championship status.
Truck Series and Other Wins
On the independent circuit Saints also held the DEFY World Championship for a brief period in early 2025 before relinquishing the title after signing with WWE. His independent run helped maintain his momentum between major promotion contracts.
Ricky Saints Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Saints was raised in a single-parent household in New Orleans with two siblings. There is no public record of extended wrestling lineage in his immediate family; his career developed through local training and regional promotions.
Personal Life
Outside the ring Saints has spoken publicly about his upbringing and the challenges he faced as a youth, including incidents of bullying related to his appearance. Details about any spouse or children are not part of the public record provided in the verified sources used here.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked a major transition year for Saints. He left AEW in February 2025 and signed with WWE, reappearing on NXT later that month before winning the NXT North American Championship on April 1. That title run was cut short on May 27 by Ethan Page, but Saints remained a focal point of NXT programming through defenses and rematches during the summer.
After a series of high-profile matches and a failed reclamation attempt at The Great American Bash, Saints reached a new peak by winning the NXT Championship at No Mercy on September 27, 2025. His 2025 arc reflects a successful restart in WWE, combining tournament pedigree, title experience across multiple promotions, and a rapid rise to the top of NXT heading into the next season.
