Before signing with WWE, Saints worked four matches as an enhancement talent under the name Ricky Starks, losing against wrestlers like Jinder Mahal, Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady, Kane and The Revival (Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder). On the July 29, 2013 episode of Raw, he appeared in a backstage video where he was bullied, mocked and slammed through a table by Ryback. Starks again made an appearance on the March 19, 2018 episode of Raw as a US Marshal, arresting Roman Reigns, only for Starks to be attacked by Reigns.
Starks made his official debut for WWE on the February 11, 2025 episode of NXT and adopted the ring name Ricky Saints the following week. Saints made his official WWE in-ring debut on the February 25 episode of NXT, teaming with Je'Von Evans to defeat Ethan Page and Wes Lee. On the April 1 episode of NXT, Saints defeated Shawn Spears to win the NXT North American Championship. During his celebration, Saints was attacked by Page. At NXT Stand and Deliver on April 19, Saints successfully defended the title against Page. On the May 27 episode of NXT, Saints lost the title to Page in a rematch, ending his reign at 56 days. On July 12 at NXT The Great American Bash, Saints failed to regain the title from Page in a Falls Count Anywhere match. At No Mercy on September 27, Saints defeated Oba Femi to win the NXT Championship, but lost it back to Femi at Deadline on December 6, ending his reign at 70 days. Three days later on the following episode of NXT, Saints turned heel after costing Je'Von Evans his NXT Championship match against Femi.