WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker has shared his thoughts on former AEW star Ricky Starks joining NXT. Starks, who was released earlier this week by AEW after not being used on television for nearly eleven months, made a shocking debut in WWE NXT.
Ricky Starks entered through the crowd, microphone in hand, as WWE NXT fans erupted in cheers. Embracing the moment, he confidently declared himself a must-have star for the brand. Starks made it clear that he was there to shake things up on the black and gold brand.
His debut sent shockwaves through the wrestling world and caught the attention of The Undertaker. Speaking on Busted Open Radio, The Deadman recalled meeting Starks at a gym where he used to train.
He stated, “Yeah, so I’m training at this gym. I notice this kid (Ricky Starks) is there every day. Doesn’t say anything. Really respectful. As the training went along we needed different spotters and different help but he was always right there. Finally, we struck up a conversation and he told me that he was trying to break in the business, and I sat him, kind of talked to him about different things and he actually, on one of the (Royal) Rumbles that Michelle (McCool) was a surprise guest in, she wanted to get in the ring and he came down and trained with her, and I’ve seen him a few times here and there and I’ve always had great, great conversations with him. He’s such a good kid, such a respectful kid.” [HT: PostWrestling]
The Deadman mentioned how Ricky Starks had helped train his wife, Michelle McCool, before her surprise appearance in a Royal Rumble matches a few years ago.
The Undertaker reacts to Ricky Starks joining WWE NXT
In the same interview, The Undertaker discussed Ricky Starks’ shocking arrival on the latest edition of WWE NXT. He admitted that Starks’ debut took him by surprise, as he hadn’t seen him for a long time.
He stated, “Yeah, so that (Starks’ arrival in WWE) caught me completely off guard. I hadn’t seen him in probably a year, a year and a half maybe, and then I just looked up and saw him there but, yeah, that’s how we met. We met in a gym while I was getting ready for Shane (McMahon) at WrestleMania.”
In the past, Starks has spoken about his connection with The Deadman. He first met The Undertaker in 2016 before Shane McMahon’s WrestleMania 32 match and later trained with him in 2018, when The Undertaker was preparing for his return against John Cena at WrestleMania 34.
The Undertaker isn’t the only one who has reacted to Ricky Starks’s arrival in WWE. Several WWE Superstars, including CM Punk, Jade Cargill, and Shawn Michaels, have also shared their thoughts on his debut.
