The making of Trick Williams: How a former football standout emerged as wrestling’s next big thing

It took two trips to get the appeal of Los Angeles. My first trek was in 2022 to see Kendrick Lamar’s “Mr. Morale” tour. Outside of the Crypto.com Arena and one nice restaurant, we mainly operated within the ZIP code of our Airbnb in Echo Park. The second was a work trip in 2023, covering all things WWE for The Ringer. Emilio Sparks, former WWE and AEW podcast producer, reached out to meet him for lunch. Being LA, our '50s style diner had a corner table occupied by rapper Da Baby, his mother, and two hulking bodyguards. But there was something else in Sparks' plans. Before I knew it, we were walking to Sirius XM’s LA Headquarters, and I realized what this place is: At any moment, you might get called on to do the coolest s*** ever, and you have to be ready to show and prove. He’d already volunteered us to write for DJ Whoo Kid’s upcoming radio show, featuring WWE talent. Before we knew it, three sets of wrestlers walked onto the floor: MVP and Omos, Top Dolla and Ashonte "Thee" Adonis, and Carmelo Hayes, flanked by the man eternally ready to do the coolest s*** ever when called upon, Trick Williams.

Confidence is only irrational if it isn’t rooted in experience. Every Black kid (and a decent amount of other kids too) from the South has a story about the time they set a freestyle circle ablaze, and Williams is no exception. A natural entertainer, he’s been sharpening his tongue since grade school. “‘We was in class, beating with the pencils on the desk, slide it make a different sound, tapping with the back," says Williams.

"We weren't trying to be rapper rappers, but we just opened our brain and we was able to replicate what we heard on the radio.’” For Whoo Kid’s show, he replicated one the greatest rapper’s greatest moments, putting his own spin on Lil’ Wayne’s “Walk It Off” song, aptly titled “Good Lookin’ Wrassla.” You could see it; here’s the least known, least experienced guy in the sextet, fearlessly performing in front of hip-hop royalty. Williams spent the next year growing in both acumen and artistry, going from Melo’s confidant to combatant. As Williams focused more on his own goals, then-NXT Champion Hayes took that as a personal slight, culminating with the two facing off in the main event of NXT Stand and Deliver this past April. Williams became a made man that day, defeating his former frontman, starting his path to becoming a now two-time NXT Champion.

Before he could be made though, some plans had to fall through.

After collegiate stints at Hampton University and the University of South Carolina, wide receiver Matrick Belton went undrafted, but got a chance to pursue his NFL dreams with an invitation to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018. When that didn’t pan out, he wasn’t sure of his next move, but he’d taken up watching WWE again, and got word of an open tryout they were holding. “My first cuss word was, ‘Open a can of whoop ass,' three years old, watching Stone Cold Steve Austin," Williams recounts, “I always loved wrestling, but just [growing up in South Carolina], football and basketball was the way. I just didn't know anybody who had become a professional wrestler.” A wide receiver’s skill set probably fits modern professional wrestling better than any other football skill position; the physique, the attire both on and off the field, and of course, the hours and hours of soundbites they give out, good game or bad. “I loved it, man. I knew off rip — this is made for me. The combination of athleticism, being able to talk, being a competitor, being an entertainer, and I get paid for this?”

Williams learned quickly that he needed to grow in a few areas: In-ring know-how, and evolving his jargon from what he knew as a toddler. “I went to the tryout and I cut an Attitude Era-like promo, because that was my favorite promo. And I remember distinctly [NXT trainer and former WWE competitor] Matt Bloom saying, ‘Mr. Trick, do you watch the product?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I've been watching the product.’

"Honestly, I was just getting back into it heavy because I was playing football for so long. He said, ‘Well, we don't cuss anymore. This is a PG product.’"

Bloom also told Williams that while they saw potential, he didn’t have any formal training, and if he was serious about this, he’d need to study a bit more and try again. Undeterred, Williams packed up and traveled back to Philadelphia with a new game plan, training with Combat Zone Wrestling. While he grew more ingrained in his newly desired field, he stayed with his uncle, who Williams affectionately refers to as “Sweet Baby James."

“Honestly, I learned a lot from him. ... My uncle was just a different perspective of life. And that's when I really dug deep and found out what the business was about. And I loved it, man. And I was performing then in front of eight [or] 10 people. But I feel the same way I feel now. I want to put on the best show possible.”

It’s been difficult to put a name on the Trick Williams era of NXT.

Florida Championship Wrestling, NXT Black and Gold, and NXT 2.0 all had their standout acts and moments, demanding an established name to commemorate their success. Williams comes from the first class to truly mix young, independent veterans with WWE NIL talents who bring the unique athleticism and bravado one can only develop through organized sport and millennial socializing. It comes across weekly, with Williams, his former partner in crime Melo, Bron Breakker, and so many more of their contemporaries. Williams revels in the environment, noting that while everyone’s rooting for one another, they all very much want to be THE GUY. “Melo, Tony [D’Angelo], Bron, the Creed Brothers, Grayson Waller, Dragon Lee — man, we all hungry. And don't get twisted. We like each other, but we compete.

"As you can see, Bron and Melo, when they were both champs, they both wanted to be the main event. And shoot, you saw me and Melo, I wanted to be the main event … But all of us, we want to be great.

"This crop right here, this group of people right here, [will change] wrestling's face forever.”

Trick, along with former collegiate athletes Jade Cargill, Bianca Belair, and Kalani Jordan shared a special moment on the most recent episode of NXT. Alongside Intercontinental Champion Jey Uso, they posed in the ring with championship gold, likely the first time so many Black champions have shared the ring together in the WWE universe. It signifies what may be a turning point in the industry; Black competitors are becoming less likely to be pigeonholed into a specific gimmick or pocket, and are being allowed to flourish as themselves and compete for the top spots in their respective divisions. It doesn’t hurt when you’re a talent like Trick Williams, all of 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, with the ability to talk people into the building, have even the commentators add ad libs to your theme, and the entire audience encourage you to the tune of Three 6 Mafia’s biggest hit.

But with Williams, there’s an understanding that while he’s always thrived when being himself, it’s working for those around him at a historic level. “Man, I'm going to put the frame on my wall”, he says of the still shot of himself, Cargill, Belair, and Jordan in the ring. “You never know, man, because think about it, through all the years, I've never seen a picture like this with gold being attached too.

"It's a beautiful thing, man. Representation matters and we're being represented well.”

It’s great to have the stamp of approval from your coaches, and from the fans, but pro wrestling is a fraternity like few others. The veterans, young and old, tend to control the narratives, and in some cases, the careers of those that have come after them. Tenured acts like Randy Orton and CM Punk have lended their time and talents to the NXT roster, but Williams got some in-person — and off-screen — advice from modern era WWE’s biggest star, fellow freestyle rap standout John Cena. On television, Cena stressed to Williams the importance of doing his own thing, and choosing success over perceived friendship in his dealings with Carmelo Hayes. But away from the cameras, Williams picked up on one of the traits that helped get Cena to the very top of the industry — the ability to hone in on all of the things surrounding the live performance. “We've had multiple talks, but I would say the most important thing I've learned from him is being able to listen and perform at the same time.

"He knows what every sound means, what every sound means that he should be, how he should respond and react to everything. … But just being able to listen and react accordingly to what the people are giving you, I think, is the most [important] thing that I've ever heard.”

Some wrestlers fold under pressure, others roll with the punches, but very few can turn the aggression of their opponents into offense. Williams is tried and true, finding ways to succeed when turned away. Moving schools, attending training camps, then getting the proper schooling for his latest venture, Williams found ways to prosper regardless of circumstances. Now he’s at the precipice of professional wrestling stardom, headlining WWE’s proving ground programming alongside NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez. Even when he wasn’t given the spotlight, he found ways to make sure the spotlight would find him. What’s ingrained in Williams exists across the latest iteration of WWE talent — you have to want this badder than anyone, and that has to show not only in attitude, but through the work you put in. “Man, if you're coming to take my spot, you're going to have to be better than me," he says.

"I'm doing extra. I'm doing our necessary gym workouts, then I'm hitting the gym myself. I'm working on promos. I'm writing diss tracks. I'm doing everything I can in my power to let the people know. Nobody wants this as bad as I do. This is where I'm supposed to be. But I've always been like this, man. There's nothing more important to me than being the best.”