Ricky Starks made his highly anticipated WWE debut on Tuesday night’s episode of NXT, but there’s one major mystery surrounding his arrival — his name was never officially acknowledged by WWE.
According to a report from Fightful Select, WWE not referencing Starks by name was not a mistake or oversight, but a deliberate decision. While the crowd’s reaction was anticipated, the reasoning behind keeping his name under wraps remains unclear for now.
Starks’ debut comes just days after news surfaced of several AEW talent releases, with reports indicating that Starks had been on the list of expected cuts for a while. Once he became a free agent, WWE wasted no time in signing him. In fact, sources say WWE had been aware of his potential availability, even though there had been no direct contact as of December.
It is said that WWE’s creative plans for WrestleMania 41 are already mostly locked in, leaving little room to incorporate Starks into a major storyline at this time. Of course, WWE NXT offers more flexibility, allowing WWE to integrate him into the action immediately.
Finally, it was added that word of Starks being at the WWE Performance Center spread just 30 minutes before the show went live, which likely means the decision was made and executed in a matter of hours.
Right time, right guy. https://t.co/Xx05s3sEHU
— Ricky Starks (@starkmanjones) February 12, 2025
We did it! https://t.co/g5k2IWjqY1
— Ricky Starks (@starkmanjones) February 12, 2025
The future is brighter than ever! 😎#WWENXT pic.twitter.com/4IRwnODDdO
— WWE (@WWE) February 12, 2025
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