Ricky Saints Delivers Heartfelt Off-Air Goodbye To WWE NXT Ahead Of SmackDown Debut

Ricky Saints is heading to the main roster and “WWE SmackDown,” and following his last appearance on “WWE NXT,” he paid a heartfelt tribute to various people on the brand.

Saints was in the main event of the April 28 edition of “NXT,” where he lost his singles match to Shiloh Hill. After the show went off the air, the former AEW star thanked several people for his time in “NXT,” beginning with the fans.

“I should be thanking you, I should be thanking the people in the production truck, Shawn, Matt, all of them. February 7th, I stood up there, and I talked my stuff, and you guys welcomed me, and you chanted Ricky Starks, and you made sure that you made me remember who I was, and then on the 11th, I had my match, and then a few months after that, I won the North American Championship. I want you to understand something, I did not know what I was getting myself into when I came here. But you welcomed me, and I’d be lying if I said this was all a very easy transition, but it was not, and that is okay,” he said.

Saints then went on to thank the production staff at WWE, as well as the coaches and trainers, and requested the fans to follow him on “SmackDown,” too.

“Coaches, trainers, the production, we got the prop guys, we got media, we got the cameraman, we got Jim, we got Cameron, we got Teddy at the merch stand, we got Christian, we got Howie, we got, we got Huntley, we got, you know, Rome, Big Rome, we got all of them. So if this is the last time that you may see me in this NXT ring, then thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I would hope that this Friday on SmackDown — I’m sorry, Bloom, if I’m doing it wrong — I would hope that you watch me there, too.”

Saints has been called up to the blue brand, and will debut on this week’s show, which will air from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

WWE’s Becky Lynch Responds To Receiving ‘Becky Hogan’ Nickname From Fans

“Becky Balboa,” “Becky Two Belts,” “Big Time Becks,” “The Man.” But “Becky Hogan.” Should Becky Lynch feel insulted being compared to one, if not the greatest, wrestlers/entertainers of all time in Hulk Hogan? She doesn’t think so. However, in the past, she rejected that opinion, saying she didn’t want to be compared to “this scummy person on earth.”  Known to swing at similar fences and catch a few career-defining homeruns within her WWE career, like the late Hogan, now, Lynch doesn’t feel so slighted by that nickname that the fans have given her for sometime now.

“People don’t understand how creative happens,” the now three-time WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion said on “Insight.” “And if they see somebody that is in a preferable spot for a long period of time, they go, ‘Okay, that’s because that person is politicking, and trying to hold everybody down.’ And I am! People don’t know how it happens, and they don’t know what goes into it. And that’s fine. They’re entitled to have their opinions. I want you to have your opinions…I’m just going to do what I do.”

Lynch finally put to bed her heated rivalry with AJ Lee on “The Grandest Stage of Them All” WrestleMania 42 two weeks ago in Las Vegas. Many believe her reigns past and present with the Intercontinental Championship have elevated the title’s significance from a mid-card belt to a high-stakes marquee championship. And no, Sports Illustrated isn’t just saying that.  So far, she’s the only woman whose carried the Women’s Intercontinental Championship three times in her decorated career. 

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Insight with Chris Van Vliet” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

WWE Files Trademark For Nox Raijin Name

Posted By: Ben Kerin on Apr 30, 2026 WWE Files Trademark For Nox Raijin Name

WWE has filed a new trademark that could hint at another incoming name for its growing roster.


If you reference any quotes from this piece, please attribute them to the original source, and kindly credit WrestlingNewsSource.com (h/t) for the transcription.

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NWA Powerrr Announces Full Card For Comet TV Debut Weekend

Posted By: Ben Kerin on Apr 30, 2026 NWA Powerrr Announces Full Card For Comet TV Debut Weekend

NWA Powerrr is set to launch on Comet TV this weekend, with back to back broadcasts scheduled for Friday, May 1 and Saturday, May 2. The promotion has now confirmed the full lineup of matches that will air across both shows as part of the rollout.


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WWE Using AI To Track Fan Reactions And Shape Storylines

WWE Using AI To Track Fan Reactions And Shape Storylines

New details have surfaced on how WWE is quietly integrating artificial intelligence behind the scenes, with early efforts already shaping how the company evaluates its programming and audience response.

A report indicates that TKO CEO Mark Shapiro revealed during an internal town hall that WWE has begun using AI-driven analytics to better understand its storylines. The technology is being used to track which angles and performers are connecting with audiences and where those reactions are strongest.

Shapiro explained that both Nick Khan and Paul Levesque are leaning on AI tools to evaluate fan engagement across different regions, helping the company refine multiple aspects of its business.

“Nick Khan and Triple H are using AI for storylines with the WWE. What’s resonating? What superstars are resonating? In what pockets of the country are they resonating? That helps us with, obviously, our content, our editorial, our creative, our mapping, our touring, and of course, maximizing revenue and getting our product out to the fans most in need of it.”

The use of AI is not limited to WWE. Shapiro pointed out that Ultimate Fighting Championship has already implemented similar technology for ranking fighters, showing how TKO is exploring data-driven approaches across both major brands.

Meanwhile, TKO CFO Andrew Schleimer clarified that the rollout is still in its early phases. So far, the company has only conducted testing and pilot programs, with limited applications focused on consumer data insights and small enhancements to broadcasts.

AI has actually been part of WWE’s internal toolkit for some time. Previous reports noted that creative teams have used it as a support tool, particularly for research tasks such as tracking past matchups between talent. Leadership in this area has been guided by Cyrus Kowsari, with much of the implementation believed to be geared toward production rather than directly scripting storylines.

While still evolving, the growing role of AI suggests WWE is continuing to modernize how it builds and delivers its product, blending traditional storytelling with data-driven decision making.