WWE may be planning a name change for Ricky Starks following his surprise debut on the February 11 episode of NXT.
Starks made his first NXT appearance by entering through the crowd before addressing the audience, making it clear he intends to be the future of professional wrestling. However, during his segment, he never actually said his name and commentary also refrained from identifying him.
According to Fightful Select, this omission was intentional.
“Starks debuted on the February 11 NXT, notably not actually saying his name. The crowd knew, however, and chanted it repeatedly. We’re told this was the expected reaction, and that not mentioning him by name wasn’t an accident. However, we’ve not been told why specifically that is.”
The lack of a name drop has fuelled speculation that the company is planning to rebrand Starks under a new ring name, a practice the company has frequently used for talent coming from other promotions. Interestingly, WWE recently trademarked 12 new potential ring names, leading to theories that one of them could be intended for Starks.
While no official confirmation has been made regarding a name change, the decision to avoid using “Ricky Starks” on-air suggests they may be preparing to introduce him under a different identity.
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