Former AEW Star Ricky Starks Has Reportedly Signed WWE Deal, Ring Name Still Unclear

It's been a busy week for former AEW star Ricky Starks. For one, he is now officially former AEW star Ricky Starks, after the promotion granted him his release, along with Miro and Malakai Black, on Monday. By Tuesday, he had already found a new home, appearing live on "WWE NXT" to declare he had arrived on WWE's third brand.

This would seemingly put to bed any questions regarding Starks future, but just in case anyone had them, they can now rest easy. PWInsider reports in their Elite section that Starks has signed a contract with WWE, and is listed internally as being a member of the "NXT" roster. Fightful Select has also confirmed that Starks has signed, with the belief within the industry that the deal came together quickly once Starks was let out of his AEW contract.

One question that remains unanswered is whether Starks will keep his name, as WWE didn't refer to him as "Ricky Starks" during his appearance, despite the crowd chanting it. As of now, Starks is listed under that name in WWE's internal roster, but it was noted that the promotion could change their minds in the days to come.

The answer to whether Starks keeps his name or adopts a new one could come as soon as NXT Vengeance Day this Saturday. Though Starks hasn't been announced for the show, independent promotion Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling revealed on Wednesday that Starks was now off their Saturday show, where he was originally scheduled to face AEW star Aaron Solo, strongly suggesting that Starks would be making his presence felt at Vengeance Day.