Ricky Saints Praises Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes’ friendship has made a significant impact on Ricky Saints both personally and professionally. The two performers share a deep bond that transcends the professional wrestling business. Their relationship dates back to a very important television broadcast several years ago.

In 2020, Rhodes brought Saints into AEW for a high-profile match on national television. That specific open challenge bout directly led to him being officially signed by the company. Both men have experienced extensive career shifts since that initial meeting.

They are now both part of the WWE ecosystem under the same corporate umbrella. Rhodes is currently a top draw on the main roster, while Saints is establishing his dominance in NXT. They do not get to see each other in person too often at the moment due to their conflicting travel schedules.

Despite the distance, Rhodes still regularly helps guide Saints in his career and life in general. During a recent interview, Saints opened up about the mentorship he receives. He spoke directly to the hosts of the Battleground Podcast about their ongoing dynamic.

“The friendship in itself is great because, I don’t know if he sees a younger kid in me [like] when he was first starting out,” Saints stated thoughtfully.

He expressed gratitude for the guidance, even if he isn’t entirely sure why Rhodes took him under his wing.

“I don’t know. I would think so, but I really don’t know,” Saints added.

He noted that Rhodes possesses a unique ability to pinpoint areas where he needs to grow as a performer.

“But he’s great in the fact that there are things that I’m figuring out on my own. And there are little pockets that I kind of miss, right?” Saints explained.

Instead of just handing him the answers, Rhodes helps him arrive at the correct conclusions on his own.

“He is great at identifying those pockets and giving me words of wisdom that allow me to ultimately guide myself to what it is that I should be learning or figuring out,” he detailed.

This specific teaching method has proven to be incredibly effective for the rising developmental star.

“He’s really, really good at that. He’s really good at giving you a perspective and you ultimately being like, ‘Oh, okay. I get it now,’” Saints noted.

He believes this type of vocal mentorship is often overlooked in an industry focused entirely on physical mechanics.

“It’s so undervalued in that sense, because you’re usually used to people like physically showing you this or doing that, right?” he asked rhetorically.

The geographical distance between them makes their sporadic in-person meetings even more valuable.

“Since we don’t live very close to each other, it’s hard. So when we do have these moments where we do see each other and we talk, the conversations are in depth,” Saints shared.

Their discussions cover a wide array of topics far beyond the confines of the squared circle.

“They have such a deep magnitude to them of like life and sh*t outside of wrestling, what I’m saying? It covers all of it,” he elaborated.

He remains incredibly thankful for the ongoing support system.

“So he’s been very impactful in my career and in my life too, personally and professionally. So I can’t really thank him too much [for] that,” Saints ended.

Saints has been in NXT since officially debuting for WWE in February 2025. He now has the grand chance to become a two-time NXT Champion. He will challenge the reigning champion, Joe Hendry, for the belt at the Vengeance Day premium live event this Saturday. This week will also see Rhodes challenge for gold when he faces Drew McIntyre for the Undisputed WWE Championship on Friday Night SmackDown. That specific main event matchup will have a significant impact on WrestleMania 42 plans, with Randy Orton now confirmed to be challenging the winner in Las Vegas.

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