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Cody Rhodes Hands New Nickname To Ex-AEW Star Ahead Of WWE SmackDown Debut

By Sridhar Krishnan • Published Apr 30, 2026 11:56 EDT
Cody Rhodes
Cody Rhodes – SmackDown, March 13, 2026 - Source: WWE.com

Cody Rhodes is excited about an ex-AEW star making their SmackDown debut on Friday.

The ex-AEW star is also the former NXT Champion, Ricky Saints, who competed in his final match on the developmental brand on Tuesday.

Saints had been involved in a feud with Shiloh Hill after both wrestlers crossed paths multiple times, either backstage or in the ring.

A couple of weeks ago, Saints attacked Hill for hogtying him and dragging him to the back during a match between his “friend” Ethan Page and Tony D’Angelo.

On April 28, both wrestlers competed in a singles match in the main event, which Saints expectedly dominated given his experience over the rookie, Shiloh Hill.

However, there were moments where The Absolute One also took his opponent lightly by goofing around in the ring.

In the closing minutes, the 36-year-old introduced a chair. However, Hill punched Saints and dropped him with a toe hold onto the chair. He then proceeded to hit his Whisper to the Beast finisher for the victory.

Saint’s NXT loss was due to his upcoming WWE SmackDown debut on May 1 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Meanwhile, Cody Rhodes, who shares a long-standing friendship with Ricky Saints owing to their time together in AEW, took to X, teasing the main roster debutant of his imminent shenanigans, labeling him “Crybaby Ricky.”

Ricky Saints Addresses Criticism Of His Friendship With Cody Rhodes

Ricky Saints and Cody Rhodes have always been upfront about their friendship.

However, he faced criticism when he turned up at the 2023 Royal Rumble event while being signed to AEW, with one of his peers confronting him directly.

Cody Rhodes brought up his WWE visit when Saints was the guest on his What Do You Wanna Talk About? podcast, hoping that he did not get in trouble over it.

To this, Saints revealed getting heat backstage, but made it clear that he valued their friendship, and he did not let such criticisms affect him.

I will never let somebody weaponize a friendship against me. This is the thing, like, I don’t have a lot of friends, so to speak, the people that have shown me being seen, being heard, being understood… I have such an endearing and deep love for you as a person because of what you have shown and reciprocated back.

I already knew being so public about an affection for a friend, especially in your position, was always going to be ‘That’s just Cody’s friend.’ That is. That’s cool, if that’s what you think of me, perfect,” Saints said. “But when I get in the ring, when I get on the microphone, you don’t, no one will ever say that sh*t to me.

While Rhodes and Saints competed a few times in AEW, it remains to be seen whether or not the two come face-to-face on SmackDown on Friday.

Along with Saints, Blake Monroe was also called up to the main roster, and will be joining SmackDown.