Ricky Saints made a surprise call-up to WWE’s main roster and debuted on SmackDown. WWE quickly posted clips of the debut, but two short clips on YouTube Shorts used the wrong name for Saints. Fans noticed the mistake and shared it widely online.
What happened on SmackDown
Saints appeared on SmackDown and confronted WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. WWE posted short video clips of the moment to social media to promote the debut. Two of those clips used the name “Ricky Starks,” the ring name Saints used when he was in AEW.
Two of WWE’s clips for Ricky Saints’ debut currently refer to him as Ricky Starks #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/MgiVRYqEIp
— WrestlePurists (@WrestlePurists) May 2, 2026
The captions were later fixed, but screenshots and saved clips had already spread. Each mistaken clip had more than 80,000 views before the captions were changed.
Why fans reacted
WWE runs a large social media operation that shares clips right after the shows. That fast pace helps promote moments, but it can also lead to errors. Fans quickly noticed the misnaming because Saints’ WWE name is already in use and familiar to viewers.
Some fans who only watch social clips and not full shows might have thought WWE restored Saints’ old AEW name. That does not appear to be the case. WWE corrected the captions and continues to use Ricky Saints as his WWE name.
Past similar errors
This kind of mix-up is not new. When Royce Keys debuted, WWE briefly displayed his AEW name, Powerhouse Hobbs. That change was likely done to get a bigger reaction because his debut was at the Royal Rumble and a familiar name helped the crowd respond.
In Saints’ case, his WWE name was already established from NXT, so it would not make sense for WWE to revert to his AEW name for the SmackDown call-up.
What this shows
The mistake is a reminder of how fast social media moves and how one error can spread. WWE fixed the captions, but the images and clips will remain online. Fans and commentators will keep sharing screenshots, and the incident will be part of the conversation around Saints’ main roster start.
UFCcoverage will continue to follow Saints’ first run on the main roster and any follow-up from WWE about his character or matches.
