Ricky Saints is finally speaking out about the criticism that comes with jumping from AEW to WWE — and it all started with one direct question.
During an appearance on the Getting Over: Wrestling Podcast, Saints was asked whether he — along with other AEW-to-WWE names like Jade Cargill — feels like they’re judged too heavily by a certain section of fans, and whether that level of criticism is actually fair. Saints didn’t hesitate to respond, but he pushed back on the idea that the pressure is unique to talent coming from AEW, explaining that being under scrutiny is simply part of the job.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever given it much thought as being a microscope. I think, to be a wrestler, you’re going to be under a microscope regardless, you know, regardless of where you come from. Some people have it worse than others.”
Instead of getting caught up in online discourse, Saints made it clear he focuses on the reactions that matter most — the ones happening live in the arena. He also acknowledged the ongoing comparisons between AEW and WWE runs, but kept his perspective grounded in what he’s still able to do.
“But I’ve never really given it that much energy or thought, only because what I do—I can get the immediate reaction from the people who are in the live crowd and the people who are paying, right? And so I have to go off of that. And I respect people’s opinions that they have online about me or, you know, some other people from AEW and how they feel that, you know, we may have been better here or there or whatever the case may be. The point is that I am alive, I’m healthy, and I’m able to wrestle—and I’m still able to wrestle.”
For Saints, that alone is enough to consider things a success — no matter the promotion. Still, he didn’t completely dismiss the criticism. Saints admitted that some of the reactions — including toward other wrestlers — can cross the line.
“If you are a fan of Ricky Saints and I am still able to wrestle, regardless of where it is, that is a win, right? That’s a win for me. That’s a win for you. So yeah, I try not to—I don’t really dive too far into that. I do think that it is unfair. There’s some unfair criticism for sure—not just with us, but with almost everybody, you know, but that’s kind of what it is.”
In the end, he made it clear that how much attention you give that criticism is a choice — and for him, it’s not worth letting it take over: “And you can either choose to ignore it or you can choose to read into it fully and, you know, let it consume you. But I choose not to, just because it doesn’t serve me.”
With the AEW-to-WWE pipeline continuing to grow and fan debates showing no signs of slowing down, Saints’ comments show he’s staying focused on performance over perception — and letting everything else fall into place.
Do you think Ricky Saints is right that AEW-to-WWE stars are judged too heavily — or is that just part of being in the spotlight? Let us know your thoughts below.
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