Triple H Personally Phoned Ex-AEW Star To Secure WWE Deal
Triple H made sure to get his man.
After weeks and months of speculation, Ricky Saints finally made his WWE debut on the February 11 edition of NXT. Although the star had found a measure of success in AEW as Ricky Starks, he had slid down the pecking order through 2024, and his departure appeared inevitable.
Once in NXT, Saints was quickly featured at the top of the card before winning the North American Championship in April. The star ultimately lost the title to Ethan Page, but the pair are set to meet in a huge Falls Count Anywhere Match at the Great American Bash on July 12.
Triple H Made Key Ricky Saints Call
During an appearance on What Do You Wanna Talk About? with Cody Rhodes, Saints reflected on how he came to sign with WWE. The former NXT North American Champion revealed that Triple H personally phoned him to register an interest and try and get a deal done.
“Hunter (was who called me about coming to WWE). Yeah. Triple H called me. Just got off a flight to Seattle actually, and he called me and I was just like, ‘Uh,’ because I didn’t know the number, and it didn’t say Stamford or anything so I was like who is this? And I always answer it. Even if it’s an unknown, I’ll always answer…
So Hunter calls me, I’m getting off this flight in Seattle and I can barely hear him. The airport’s so loud and he asks me, ‘Hey, would you wanna come in?’ And, ‘We’re interested,’ blah, blah. ‘We’d love to have you. You’re talented,’ X, Y and Z and I was like, ‘Oh yeah, sure. Hell yeah,’ and right as I’m getting on the tram, he says something about — he was like, ‘Raw or SmackDown’ and I was like, ‘Wait, what? What did you say?’
I was so scared to say, ‘Hey, could you repeat yourself?’ Because I know how it feels, that I said, ‘Yeah, yeah, for sure.’ Basically, what he was saying was, ‘Hey, we’re not gonna put you on Raw or SmackDown just yet…’ But he wanted me to meet Shawn (Michaels), and so that was like a big thing.
I was like, ‘Of course I will. Yes, I would love that.’ That’s all I really wanted is just resources. I feel like I’m a rough diamond that just needs a little polishing.”
Ricky Saints also launched a staunch defence of his friendship with Cody Rhodes, firmly stating that it’s something he’ll never apologise for. Although he acknowledged that he might be dismissed by some due to being Rhodes’ friend, he remains adamant that his skills speak for themselves.
H/t to Fightful