WWE may be holding off on moving Ricky Saints to the main roster, despite internal discussions about a potential call-up.

According to Bodyslam, WWE has considered promoting Saints, but the CW Network has raised concerns about maintaining strong roster depth on WWE NXT. With several key names already transitioning to the main roster, the network reportedly wants to keep a proven talent on the brand during this period.

Recent call-ups have included Je’Von Evans, Trick Williams, Oba Femi, Ethan Page, and Joe Hendry. Their departures have created a need for stability on NXT, making Saints a key figure for the brand moving forward.

Saints has built a strong profile since arriving in WWE. He debuted in February 2025 following a five-year run with AEW. Within months, he captured the North American Championship in April and later won the NXT Championship from Oba Femi less than five months after that. His rapid rise has positioned him as one of the top names still active on NXT.

On the latest episode of WWE NXT, Saints further established his presence by attacking Shiloh Hill backstage. The angle set up a match between the two for next week and suggests that WWE creative is continuing to feature Saints in ongoing storylines.

The broader shift of talent from NXT to the main roster has been ongoing since January. Several wrestlers made appearances during WrestleMania 42 weekend, and more transitions followed immediately after.

On the episode of WWE RAW after WrestleMania, Sol Ruca and Ethan Page both made their in-ring debuts on the brand. Joe Hendry was also officially introduced as part of the RAW roster, with a concert segment announced for the following week.

Further changes are expected. The upcoming WWE SmackDown episode is rumored to include additional call-ups and roster adjustments, with Jacy Jayne and Rey Mysterio among the names discussed.

For now, Saints appears set to remain a central figure in WWE NXT as the brand manages its current transition period.

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A new report has provided additional context on recent comments about TKO Group Holdings having full control over WWE creative, explaining that while the authority exists, it is not often exercised.

The discussion follows recent remarks made by Mark Shapiro, who stated that TKO holds complete control over WWE’s creative direction. Meltzer addressed those comments in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter and clarified how that control is typically handled behind the scenes.

According to Meltzer, TKO leadership, including Ari Emanuel and Shapiro, does have final say when it comes to creative decisions. However, he noted that they “almost never use it” and tend to stay out of day-to-day storytelling.

“It was noted to us that in the end, Emanuel and Shapiro do have the final say in creative, but they almost never use it. It was said that in this situation, they used it at the most inopportune time. There was a ton of chaos regarding those on the wrestling side who didn’t want the McAfee and Jelly Roll involvement in a world title match they had been slowly building for months and how the celebrities took the focus away.”

The report specifically pointed to decisions made around WrestleMania 42, where the involvement of Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll in a top storyline drew internal concern. The program centered on Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton, and had been built over several months.

Meltzer also reported that at least one person within WWE had anticipated tension between TKO executives and the creative team well before WrestleMania.

“One person noted seeing the TKO Executives vs. WWE creative team battle coming for a year and said there was a lot of internal jockeying going on and that it was encouraged by Ari Emanuel and Shapiro,” Meltzer wrote.

He further noted that while TKO’s authority is widely acknowledged, the issue raised internally is not the control itself, but when it is applied.

“It was noted to us that everyone acknowledges that at the end of the day, they have complete control, but they rarely use it and the complaint this year was that when they use it it’s at the worst time.”

The situation highlights a rare instance where executive involvement directly influenced creative direction, leading to reported frustration among talent who felt the celebrity additions shifted attention away from a long-term storyline.

Update on TKO Creative Control Over WWE

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It’s been nearly one week since “The Super Bowl of Professional Wrestling,” WrestleMania 42, was held in Las Vegas. And while there were many spectacular moments in the ring, many were on the fence on how much celebrity involvement there was and how heavily it was sponsored. Some non-pro wrestlers like Lil Yachty, IShowSpeed, Jelly Roll, and Pat McAfee were featured either at ringside or actually competing in the ring. This week, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter provided an update on the atmosphere backstage in WWE’s creative, and who has ultimate control of calling these shots.

To catch those up to speed, when McAfee first returned to the WWE ahead of Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes Undisputed WWE Championship match, the likeability of this move was low. It was reported that TKO’s CEO and Executive Chairman Ari Emanuel was the one who was behind this decision, bypassing WWE’s creative. Following that ruling, TKO President and COO Mark Shapiro expressed to a class at the University of Alabama that TKO, the parent company of WWE, has “complete control” of WWE creative. This statement made several appearances online this week.

Dave Meltzer, veteran journalist and head writer of the WON, noted that while Shapiro’s comment is true, TKO executives almost never use it. When they did use it; however, it was at the most “inopportune time.” Meltzer added that there was “a ton of chaos” regarding those on the wrestling side that didn’t want McAfee and Roll to be involved in the Undisputed Championship match on night one in the main event. Some thought adding celebrities to the match would take the focus away from the ring action itself.

Additionally, Meltzer wrote that someone said they saw conflict between TKO and WWE coming a year in advance: “One person noted seeing the TKO Executives vs. WWE creative team battle coming for a year and said there was a lot of internal jockeying going on and that it was encouraged by Ari Emanuel and Shapiro.”

Originally, plans were discussed that McAfee and Roll were to join their respective allies and fight in a tag team match at WWE’s next PLE, Backlash, on Saturday, May 9. However, that won’t be the case now. As of this report, both McAfee and Roll have stepped down from their involvement between Orton and Rhodes, as McAfee asked to be removed from the equation earlier than anticipated. Earlier this week, McAfee officially confirmed his time in wrestling is over. Speculation is that Orton and Rhodes will continue their hostile rivalry this summer.