The Undertaker Reacts To Ricky Starks' WWE Debut, Reveals How They First Met
The Undertaker on Ricky Starks' debut
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Feb 12, 2025
Ricky Starks shocked the pro wrestling world on Tuesday night as he made his debut on WWE NXT, only days after his release from All Elite Wrestling.
The Undertaker was watching NXT with Bubba Ray Dudley/Bully Ray on Busted Open After Dark as Starks made his debut and 'Taker revealed how he and Starks first met while he was preparing for his WrestleMania 32 match against Shane McMahon.
"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 and 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 into 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," The Undertaker said.
"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. Yeah, so that (Starks' arrival to 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."
Ricky Starks reportedly debuted on WWE NXT instead of the main roster as the majority of creative heading into WrestleMania 41 is already in place and NXT is more of a 'fluid' creative space for Starks to debut at the moment.
Whether the 34-year-old will be known as Ricky Starks when he wrestles on WWE NXT is unknown, however, as neither Starks nor the NXT commentary team referred to him by name.
H/T POST Wrestling
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