The third slap of the referee’s palm reverberated first through the canvas, then through the crowd, walls and foundations of the WWE Performance Center. Finally those vibrations circled their way back between the ropes and through the central nervous system of the new NXT Champion, Trick Williams.
Williams, a debutant only three years ago, and one who has spent a substantial degree of his formative years in the business serving as hype man for his (once) best friend Carmelo Hayes, is one of the biggest success stories of NXT: The Heartbreak Years.
Only a few weeks ago, Trick became one of the first two wrestlers in WWE history to headline an all-African American men’s main event during WrestleMania weekend (opposite the aforementioned Hayes). A record NXT crowd of over 16,000 bounced in unison, booming out “Whoop that Trick”, inside the Wells Fargo Center, generating an atmosphere more akin to the main event of WrestleMania rather than an early afternoon Stand and Deliver.
Then this past week, Trick slayed the dragon. After one previous unsuccessful attempt at doing so, the former North American Champion dethroned the dominant Ilja Dragunov to lift his first NXT Title. With the other half of Trick Melo Gang headed to SmackDown as part of the current WWE Draft, with Dragunov probably not too far behind on his promotion to the main roster, there is now an enormous responsibility falling on the broad shoulders of the new champion.
As far as NXT goes, Trick is no longer just a hot prospect. He is now the face of the brand. He holds a title with a lineage including Seth Rollins, Samoa Joe, Kevin Owens, Finn Balor, Big E, Drew McIntyre and a certain C.Hayes. With a young roster surrounding him and a lot of star power exiting Full Sail, Williams could be perceived by many to be in a precarious position as champion during this period.
But when you’re learning under the tutelage of Shawn Michaels, you probably stand a better chance than most of flourishing rather than floundering under the pressure.
The Anointed One. Image: WWE
So just what has the new NXT Champion learned from the Heartbreak Kid?
Fortunately, over WrestleMania week in Philadelphia, Trick was only too happy to spend a few minutes with WrestleSphere, where he explained the teachings bestowed upon him by Mr. WrestleMania.
“It’s a dream come true, man [working with Shawn Michaels]. The biggest thing I’ve learned from Shawn Michaels is the importance of timing. There’s a time for everything. There’s a time for rest, there’s a time to attack, there’s a time to talk, there’s a time to sit. So just knowing the appropriate time to do everything is the biggest thing I’ve learned from Shawn Michaels.”
Slaying the Dragon. Image: WWE
So far, when it comes to Trick Williams, timing has been to-the-second perfect. His momentum has crescendoed at a point in time where the latest iteration of NXT finds itself at its most popular, with interest in the product soaring, crowds on the road constantly multiplying and a steady flow of main roster regulars now wanting to try their hand with the next big things, down in Orlando. Michaels pulling the trigger on making Trick The Guy at such a pivotal point of NXT’s current evolution signifies that he knows the time is right for Trick Williams to be The Guy. The time is now.
Although, given Trick’s rapid ascendency up the ladder in NXT, it would be no surprise to see his reign be short on time, yet high on quality before he makes that next logical step to Monday or Friday nights.
Featured Image Credit: WWE
NXT is available to stream now only on Peacock and WWE Network
