Summary

Ricky Saints closed out his NXT run on Tuesday night, then stayed behind after the show to thank the crowd for backing him during his time on the brand.

Saints lost to Shiloh Hill in what was presented as his final NXT match before his move to SmackDown. After the match, he addressed the fans and reflected on how quickly his run changed after he arrived in NXT in February.

Quote from Ricky Saints

"I should be thanking you. I should be thanking the people in the production truck. All of them. February 7, I stood up there and I talked my stuff, and you guys welcomed me and you chanted 'Ricky Starks', and you made sure I remembered who I was. 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 didn't know what I was getting myself into when I came here, but you welcomed me."

Saints also admitted the adjustment was not always smooth, while making it clear how much the support from fans and staff meant to him.

"I'd be lying if I said this was all a very easy transition, but it was not and that is okay, that's how it gets sometimes, but at the end of the day, I came out here, I busted my ass, I made sure that I did what was needed for business. You guys repaid me with love, with stroke, with buying the shirts, with all of that. I don't think that I would even get this far had it not been for the people here, and definitely for the people in the back."

Saints later went on to say:

"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 would hope that you'd watch me there too."

Ricky Saints wraps up his NXT run

The speech served as the clear end point for Saints' short but eventful stay in NXT. In that stretch, he went from a newcomer finding his footing to a North American Champion, and Tuesday's loss to Shiloh Hill now stands as his final match on the brand.

What Ricky Saints' move means for SmackDown

Ricky Saints heading to SmackDown immediately gives WWE another fresh main roster act to spotlight on Friday. His farewell message also framed NXT as a successful reset for him, which gives SmackDown a wrestler arriving with momentum instead of starting over from scratch.

If WWE follows through on that momentum, Saints' first appearance matters because it will show whether this call-up is just a cameo or the beginning of a real push.

Sources

WWE NXT via X