The NXT Discussion Thread

[WyattSheepMask]

The only place I’ve seen the name used is the CW Sports Twitter, but as we’ve seen in the past, that doesn’t mean that he’ll have the name once he debuts in ring. I expect he probably will do though

[DavidB6937]

There's definitely something up with the name. You don't have all that content and not put his name on it if you're using it or able to.

[Supremo]

Good for, “Absolute,” Trill London. Finally, truly free of the Jericho Vortex. My only disappointment will be if he stays on NXT full time. I can’t be arsed watching NXT weekly, and there’s a third hour of Smackdown every week begging for, “Absolute,” Tate Wilder.

Turning up the day after he gets his release is brilliant pro-wrestling drama. Proper boom stuff. Cody must have broken the speed limit getting the bus to pick him up. I’ve got a One Way Ticket to the Big Leagues with your name on it, “Absolute,” Braxton Cole!

Edited February 12, 2025 by Supremo

[Chili]

Fucking mental to me if he gets a name change but Ethan Page keeps his.

[Hannibal Scorch]

It’s not even the first time Ricky Starks has been shown in the crowd at a WWE show. Anyone else get a touch of the Scott Halls when he appeared? In terms of what he did of course, not comparing the two. Just it reminded me of when he turned up at Nitro. 
 

Good luck to him. I think he had a ceiling in AEW, I never thought he was World champ material, but NXT could be a great move for him. 
 

As for a new name? John Dwayneson.

[2Xtreme_lives]

4 minutes ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

It’s not even the first time Ricky Starks has been shown in the crowd at a WWE show. Anyone else get a touch of the Scott Halls when he appeared? In terms of what he did of course, not comparing the two. Just it reminded me of when he turned up at Nitro. 
 

Good luck to him. I think he had a ceiling in AEW, I never thought he was World champ material, but NXT could be a great move for him. 
 

As for a new name? John Dwayneson.

Ava and Starks the new NXT Powerrr couple 

[Devon Malcolm]

Superb little promo. The bloke immediately pisses charisma and presence. He won't be on NXT long. 

[DavidB6937]

I'm just pleased that he gets to work. He's too talented to just sit around and it's a real shame that whatever happened happened and he wasn't doing anything in AEW.

[mim731]

I suspect the name thing is to create buzz, and maybe @Infinity Land is correct and there's a legal hiccup with his name for now that needs to be ironed out. For once, it's great to see WWE striking while the iron is hot, and getting him on TV as soon as possible.

Can't see them changing his name though. Would be like when TNA changes Low KI to Senshi, killed him stone dead.

7 minutes ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

Good luck to him. I think he had a ceiling in AEW, I never thought he was World champ material, but NXT could be a great move for him. 

Have to disagree there. For a time, it looked like he could be a main event star in AEW but for some less-than-stellar booking. He was definitely over, so if there was a ceiling some of that may not have been imposed by his talent level necessarily than there being people in front of him who were favoured more by the boss (as is his perogative).

You'd imagin he'll not be in NXT long, and he'll do fine on the main roster. Probably not a world champion in WWE, but then that's rarified air these days even with two belts.  

[FLips]

Saw Starks debuted in NXT so gave the episode a watch as I've been a fan of his since the NWA days. There's still a lot of rubbish on these shows and I'm gutted A-Town Down Under are also infesting it as I hate both of them, but there was a lot more on this show than I liked on previous attempts to watch it.

The teams of Briggs and Inamura, and Hank and Tank were both right in my wheelhouse. I've never seen any of them before but they stood out in a wave of generic athletes. Hank and Tank's 2000s Mikey Whipwreck style flame jerseys gave them a unique look and the action in the ring impressed me. Compare them to Fraxiom who I thought looked and sounded rubbish when they came out. Put the belts on Hank and Tank!

'Absolute' Ricky Starx cut a decent as ever promo and it was good the crowd were into him. I agree with Scorch that in a sense it reminded me of Hall in WCW. Likely because it felt like he never got a 90 days and has just showed up the day after being released, in the crowd, talking about a revolution. It made me watch NXT so fair play to them. The revolution will be streamed on Netflix.

 

[Hannibal Scorch]

@mim731 I agree with you to an extent. He was always good on the mic (except that last big promo that basically halted his run against Edge), but I never saw him at the same level as Danielson, Mox, MJF, Omega or Page. Although people said that about Swerve once and we saw how he elevated himself. But I don’t think in ring he was as good as any of those names which is why I think he’ll be a huge deal in NXT, but I don’t see him becoming WWE champion in the future. 
 

Then again, Jay Uso won the Rumble and Ricky clears him in almost every way, so maybe I’ll be wrong there too. Regardless he’s a great talent and if he can check his ego at the door, he has potential to be a big deal. Hearing LA Knight is rubbing the locker room up the wrong way as a reason for being depushed, and knowing that Ricky was similar in AEW, you have to wonder what Billy Corgan was putting in the water down in NWA.

[tiger_rick]

Chuckled at this when it popped up outta nowhere this morning. Go get 'em, Ricky.

Credit: https://www.facebook.com/topropenationpod/posts/pfbid031Xm2cD7MPcFyL8N9LWB3nxhLZD6nUeLu6PQ3LWiDLvbsCdGV6tTKNJT8Sb8e69Mvl?__cft__[0]=AZUayaLeOds8y3BDYsvwxvOoslqfjA-cbPmsTiJuVxauXhMpg1ejuYad5l7d1zXNemWQF2RLsyvmYHSXU0Mkb4CDYMOaQRQ2I6cMPjMWBVusY8mflHe-7TKgONU5HXNdMksi0QM9J2Bb0Tmk8L1l3BcUHmcPlzDWG6PE7iUfzbpES-615PXESxsEjbVBXrj3HsI&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

[Supremo]

It’s reason number three hundred and twenty five why anyone wishing for the death of either company is a certified moron. Having two companies where lads can jump back and forth is the ABSOLUTE best. Plus, again, similar to Penta, if AEW never exists, I doubt Ricky Starks ever gets signed.

The day Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley turn up on Smackdown is going to be wild.

[mim731]

13 minutes ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

@mim731 I agree with you to an extent. He was always good on the mic (except that last big promo that basically halted his run against Edge), but I never saw him at the same level as Danielson, Mox, MJF, Omega or Page. Although people said that about Swerve once and we saw how he elevated himself. But I don’t think in ring he was as good as any of those names which is why I think he’ll be a huge deal in NXT, but I don’t see him becoming WWE champion in the future. 
 

Then again, Jay Uso won the Rumble and Ricky clears him in almost every way, so maybe I’ll be wrong there too. Regardless he’s a great talent and if he can check his ego at the door, he has potential to be a big deal. Hearing LA Knight is rubbing the locker room up the wrong way as a reason for being depushed, and knowing that Ricky was similar in AEW, you have to wonder what Billy Corgan was putting in the water down in NWA.

I think that's fair in all honesty. That's quite a list of guys in front of him in the pecking order, and with TK's propensity for bringing in released/free agent ex-WWE talent I don't think he would have progressed too highly.  One thing in his favour in WWE (which I guess was once in his favour in AEW) is being tight with Punk and Cody, but will have to see where that takes him.  

[Devon Malcolm]

25 minutes ago, Supremo said:

The day Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley turn up on Smackdown is going to be wild.

Come on man, it's my day off, I don't wanna read this!