Diamond Dallas Page has put over former NXT Champion Trick Williams after his surprise appearance at last night’s episode of the Black & Silver show.
The wrestling veteran made a brief on-screen appearance during the show, being shown as part of the crowd during the main event NXT Championship match between Oba Femi and Eddy Thorpe.
Page took to X on Wednesday morning to comment on his visit. He posted some backstage photos with Williams, claiming that the 30-year-old has a bright future ahead:
“A little over a year ago I was doing an interview and I was asked who I thought would be the next #NXT Superstar to cross over to the main #WWE roster and make a serious impact. I said it would be Trick! Nothing has changed. I think you can expect big things when my man crosses over”
Trick Williams dropped the NXT title to Oba Femi in a triple-threat match at New Year’s Evil earlier this month. This ended his second run with the championship at 98 days. The former champion confronted Femi after he retained his title at last night’s show, indicating that he was not out of the title picture just yet.
It’s not known if DDP’s surprise visit to the performance center had any behind-the-scenes significance. He signed a new legends deal with the company in October last year and it’s possible that his on-screen appearance is tied to some future storyline development.
A little over a year ago I was doing an interview and I was asked who I thought would be the next #NXT Superstar to cross over to the main #WWE roster and make a serious impact. I said it would… pic.twitter.com/6VNw1Eznzp
2024 was a huge year for WWE NXT, with exceptional matches and moments over the 12 months. During the final WWE NXT of 2024, the silver brand handed out its end-of-year results.
The three men met in a segment on the December 24 episode of the Black & Silver show. After an exchange of words, Williams suggested a triple-threat match for the upcoming special. NXT GM Ava then came out to make the match official.
After the announcement, Thorpe tried to sneak attack Trick but the NXT champion moved out of the way and Eddy caught Oba Femi instead. The three stars then brawled and the segment ended with Femi laying down Williams while Thorpe managed to slip away.
This is the second championship match to be confirmed for the upcoming show. Giulia previously earned a shot at Roxanne Perez’s NXT Women’s Title after winning the Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge match.
NXT New Year’s Evil will be taking place from the Shrine Expo Hall in Los Angeles, California on January 7, 2025.
The main event of this week’s NXT between Trick Williams and Eddy Thorpe ended in chaos and things didn’t improve even after the show went off air.
Williams defended the NXT Championship against Thorpe during the December 17 show after the latter faked an attack and convinced General Manager Ava to give him a shot at the title.
The ending of the championship match then saw Thorpe failing to get the pin after hitting Manifest Destiny on Trick, as he also knocked out the referee in the process. Williams recovered by the time the new referee approached and the match continued.
After some more offense from Thorpe, the NXT Champion hit the Trick Shot and he went for a pin of his own. The problem occurred when the other referee also recovered and simultaneously made the count in favor of Thorpe as Williams’ shoulder was also down.
What Happened After NXT
WWE posted the video of NXT GM Ava coming out to sort the situation followed by Shawn Michaels after the show went off air. Aca declared that Trick Williams was the retaining champion on account of all four shoulders being on the mat during the pinfall.
Thorpe was not happy with this decision and he continued arguing with the NXT official. In his frustration, the NXT star shoved Michaels, causing more referees to come out to contain him.
Williams then took matters into his own hands. Shoving Thorpe back into the ring, he delivered another Trick Shot. The NXT champion then stood tall, as both Ava and Michaels retreated through the stage.
This is the second time Michaels has been involved in a physical confrontation with Thorpe in recent weeks. Seeing how the events unfolded tonight, it doesn’t appear that the storyline is over just yet.
WWE NXT Champion Trick Williams has promised payback for Chase U ahead of tonight’s Deadline showdown with Ridge Holland. On the latest episode of WWE NXT, Holland attacked Williams in an assault that left the status of their title match ‘up in the air.’
On X, Williams shared a video, confirming that he’s been released from the hospital and has been cleared to compete against Holland tonight at WWE NXT Deadline. Holland admitted that Ridge got the best of him on Tuesday but said that there’s no way he’d take the NXT Championship.
“I’m doing this for Chase U. I’m doing this for NXT. And I’m doing this for me.”
Holland earned a shot at Williams last month with a win over Andre Chase. As per the match stipulation, this marked the end of Chase U, much to the dismay of fans of the popular, now-defunct faction. Holland has relished in ending the group, even arriving at the following week’s episode of WWE NXT to the group’s music and entrance.
WWE NXT Deadline will take place tonight, December 7, from the Minneapolis Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The show will feature two Iron Survivor Challenges, as well as the return of the NXT Underground match.
NXT Champion Trick Williams recently talked about his backstage relationship with CM Punk.
‘The Second City Saint’ has been a controversial figure when it comes to backstage presence. His infamous real-life backstage scuffles during his AEW tenure had led to his departure from the promotion. However, the two-time NXT Champion has shared his thoughts on Punk’s backstage behavior.
Williams admitted that he didn’t get an opportunity to meet CM Punk until after there were “rumors about his character.” During the No-Contest Wrestling podcast, Trick Williams revealed that Punk is very genuine. Williams said:
“I didn’t meet CM Punk until after the rumors about his character were brought about from other places. I didn’t know what to expect when I met him, but all I’m gonna say is that dude, Punk, man, good dude, like, solid. You can just tell when some people are just genuine, and he’s very genuine.
Trick Williams added that the former WWE Champion mentors the younger talents and shares valuable advice. Williams made it clear that CM Punk has been helpful for them. He said:
“He takes pride in helping us, the next generation, to become the superstars that we need to be. He gives us real advice, too. He talks about how to handle yourself, in the ring, outside the ring, with everything it takes to become a superstar. Even closer to today’s time when we are dealing with different stuff, like social media and how to handle everything that comes with being a superstar in 2024 that other other superstars didn’t really have to deal with all the way. He’s been very helpful for a lot of us.”
NXT Champion Trick Williams recently received some words of wisdom from WWE legends Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley following NXT 2300.
NXT held its November 6th edition of show at the famous 2300 Arena and fans witnessed some epic moments with the return of several ECW originals.
WWE dropped a video clip on YouTube in which Trick Williams was speaking with Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley after their team lost. Trick Williams said that he was angry with the outcome and that he was better than that. D-Von Dudley then told the NXT Champion Williams that he needed to learn from the loss. D-Von further told him that he would see a lot of success in the future and advised him to keep his head up despite the loss.
“Listen, we all lose. We’ve lost many a times. We’ve been successful at it, and when I mean success, even though we’ve lost, we’ve had a lot of successful matches after that. You’re young, you’re hungry and you’re a hell of a talent, so keep your head up and don’t you dare look down.”
Bubba Ray Dudley had teamed up with Trick Williams to face Ridge Holland and “All Ego” Ethan Page. The final moments of the match saw Ridge Holland winning by rolling up Trick Williams. Following the match, Ridge and Ethan attacked Trick, but Bubba helped fight them off. The duo then hit some classic Dudley Boyz offense with D-Von Dudley returning after the match as well.
Trick Williams is the newly-crowned NXT Champion and he celebrated his title win with CM Punk and some pizza.
Last night, NXT ushered in a new era on CW in Chicago and Williams reclaimed the top prize of the brand. He had challenged Ethan Page for the title with the hometown hero CM Punk serving as the special referee. Williams walked out of the jam-packed Allstate Arena as the new champ and later celebrated the victory with ‘The Second City Savior.’
In an NXT Exclusive, Trick Williams reflected on his memorable win and celebrated with some pizzas courtesy of CM Punk. He said:
“Chicago’s crazy, isn’t it? This is my first time in Chicago, and they showed me love. I’ll forever appreciate that, Chicago. Thank y’all. But as we said, as I told y’all, I was going back and getting my baby. Look at this thing. It’s pretty, isn’t it? I got the new title, man. Welcome to the CW, we in here.”
Punk then showed up with a pizza, and offered it to Williams. The new champ noted that it was from Lou Malnati’s, which he called the champion of pizza.
“I know this is your first time in Chicago. I know we talked about this before, you never had the pizza, so I got you some Lou Malnati’s. The champ of pizza for the champ of NXT,” Punk said.
Trick Williams then took a bite and stated that it was scrumptious. When asked about the atmosphere in the arena, Punk said that he’d take any chance to be in front of his hometown crowd. The former WWE Champion said:
“I’ve done everything in this building I think you can possibly do. To be a referee in front of that hometown crowd, any chance I get to be in front of that crowd, electric. I’ll take it. It’s absolutely stunning. The place is amazing. They love Trick, they love wrestling.”
Williams then proceeded to thank NXT head Shawn Michaels and the coaches for giving him an opportunity. He said:
“All jokes aside, we going to the CW, we taking NXT to great heights, and shoutout to all the coaches. Shoutout to Shawn Michaels, shoutout to Matt Bloom, shoutout to Terry Taylor, giving me an opportunity. I’m gonna take care of this [title] with my life.”
Following Williams’ title win, CM Punk had announced that fans will be given free Lou Malnati’s Pizzas along with C4 Energy drinks.
Winning the NXT Championship was a very emotional moment for Trick Williams.
The WWE star recently had an interview with Chris Van Vliet’s Insight podcast. He discussed things such as Shawn Michaels comparing him to Scott Hall, NXT moving to CW, a potential main roster call up and more.
When asked about his NXT title win earlier this year, Williams first gave a shout-out to Ijla Dragunov for taking his career to the next level:
“Unreal. Shout out to Ilja Dragunov, who I would say really took my career to the next level, especially at that time, all three to four of our matches showed people that I had that next level in me. The day I did take the title from Ilja Dragunov, it was a beautiful moment.”
Trick Williams won the NXT Championship at the Spring Breakin’ event in April this year. The 30-year-old had put his NXT career on the line and with an outpouring support from the fans, he was finally able to defeat Dragunov to win the title.
According to the young star, the whole moment was unreal, and the emotion he felt during the time will be very hard to replicate in his life:
“I’m not sure if you saw but the whole arena was shaking from the Whoop That Trick chants, people stomping, people screaming, people crying. It was unreal, man, and the emotion that I felt in that ring at that time, it’s gonna be hard to duplicate, because it was just 100% everybody was behind, and that’s a special moment. Man, that’s why I wanted to do this.”
Though Williams’ reign didn’t last very long. He dropped the title to Ethan Page at the Heatwave event in July, after only 74 days. Trick will get a shot at redemption when he challenges Page for the title at tonight’s CW premiere episode of WWE’s third brand.
In a matter of hours,WWE NXT will launch on The CW with an exciting show from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois, where Trick Williams seeks to become a two-time NXT Champion. Speaking this week on the Insight podcast, Williams gave his high estimation for what the gold brand’s new era will look like.
“We are about to bring the best two-hour show to CW. I mean, I put our show against anybody’s. NXT is on fire right now, and shout out to Shawn Michaels. We just clicking on all cylinders and we’re ready to put on the show.”
All eyes will be on Williams tonight as he looks to end the 82-day reign of Ethan Page, who won the gold in controversial fashion at Heatwave in July. Page’s debut in May saw the ‘All Ego’ talent attack Williams and the pair have been at odds ever since.
“He stole the title, he conned his way into WWE. He conned his way into the title picture. He conned the title of me. He ain’t gonna con his way into CW, enough is enough.”
WWE NXT On The CW
Williams Vs. Page, as officiated by CM Punk, will be just one highlight of tonight’s launch of WWE NXT on The CW. The show will also see NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez take on Giulia. Wes Lee and TNA’s Zachary Wentz will collide in a Street Fight while Miz TV will feature Oba Femi and Tony D’Angelo.
Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on WWE NXT’s premiere on The CW, including breaking news and live results.
NXT star Trick Williams is open to the idea of possibly joining forces with his former partner, Carmelo Hayes.
After NXT was rebranded to NXT 2.0 back in 2021, Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes started teaming up. During their run together Hayes thrived as champion while Williams was a star in the making. Williams tried to come out of Hayes’ shadow and went after gold as well.
Trick Williams recently spoke to Going Ringside about the idea of burying the hatchet with Hayes. The former NXT Champion stated that Hayes was always the one with the issue. However, Willims assured if Hayes needs help, he has got his back.
“I mean, to be honest with you, I never had a problem with Melo. He had a problem with me. But, of course (there’s a chance we could rekindle that friendship). If I tell you, ‘You’re my boy, you’re my brother,’ I mean that all the way thick and through so, man, I can see us having room to — you know, if he needs my help, I got his back.”
Trick Williams will have another opportunity to reclaim the NXT Championship. NXT is set to premiere on the CW Network in Rosemont, Illinois on October 1st and Williams will challenge Ethan Page for the NXT title. It has been also announced that CM Punk will serve as the special guest referee.
WWE has confirmed CM Punk’s role as well as the appearance of another former World Champion for NXT’s CW premiere on October 1.
NXT GM Ava held a contract signing between NXT Champion Ethan Page and Trick Williams during the latest episode of the show. Before getting into the segment, she announced that The Miz will be holding a special edition of Miz TV on the CW premiere while also confirming a Randy Orton match for the week after that.
The contract signing couldn’t be completed, however, as Page delivered an Ego’s Edge on his opponent and left without putting pen to paper. This led to NBA star Tyrese Haliburton making an appearance during the main event of the show.
Haliburton brought out both Williams and Page and made them sign the contract. The basketball star mentioned that there was one more thing to announce and then Punk came out. The Straight Edge Star confirmed that he will be the special guest referee for the upcoming title match. The show ended with both NXT stars brawling each other.
This might not be the only championship match Punk gets involved in at the upcoming show. The episode also saw NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez offering some harsh words to her childhood hero during a segment before her upcoming title defense against Giulia.
Giulia herself came out later to confront the champion. Punk had to intervene to stop Perez from attacking the Japanese star with the title belt. It’s very much possible that the wrestling veteran will have a part to play when the two female stars finally face each other at the upcoming episode.
Apart from CM Punk and The Miz, WWE has confirmed that Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair will also be making an appearance at the upcoming show. Here is everything that has been announced for October 1:
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Jade Cargill & Bianca Belair
NXT Women’s Championship Match: Roxanne Perez (c) vs. Giulia
Miz TV
Street Fight: Wes Lee vs. Zachary Wentz
NXT Championship Match With Special Guest Referee CM Punk: Ethan Page (c) vs. Trick Williams
Trick Williams has got a step closer to reclaiming the NXT Championship after earning a shot at the coveted title against Ethan Page.
Last week, NXT Champion Ethan Page, fresh off his victory over Joe Hendry, said that he wanted to defend his title on NXT’s debut episode on CW. After Pete Dunne’s assault on Williams set up a match between the two which resulted in a double count-out. NXT GM Ava announced a Last Man Standing rematch for last night’s show.
Williams defeated Dunne in a Last Man Standing match on the September 10th episode of NXT. The final moments of the match saw both men going through tables after a Russian Leg Sweep off the platform in the audience. Williams managed to make it to his feet and hit a backbody drop on NXT Champion Ethan Page through the announce table. Williams managed to beat the 10-count and won the match.
Trick Williams had all the momentum by his side when he put an end to Ilja Dragunov’s 206-day reign at NXT Spring Breakin’. He became the 30th man to capture the coveted title. During his title reign, he even successfully retained the title against Ethan Page. However, it was also ‘All Ego’ who dethroned Williams at NXT Heatwave.
In his reign, Page has successfully defended his title against the likes of Dante Chen, Oro Mensah, and TNA Wrestling’s Joe Hendry. On the other hand, Williams has been in pursuit of the NXT title for several months. He has now earned an opportunity to reclaim his title and become a two-time NXT Champion when NXT moves to CW on October 1. The first two weeks of the show on CW are lining up to be massive as CM Punk and Randy Orton are also scheduled to make appearances.
Ethan Page has won the NXT Championship and you wouldn’t believe what happened afterward. WWE’s development brand presented the Heatwave special from the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada this Sunday. This was WWE’s third consecutive night at the venue, following WWE SmackDown and WWE Money in the Bank.
The show was filled with many hard-hitting bouts which have become a signature of the brand under Shawn Michaels. Wrestling fans were buzzing on social media over the high spots in the tag title match between Axiom & Nathan Frazer.
However, it was the fatal four-way main event for the NXT Championship that stole the conversation. Trick Williams was defending his title against Ethan Page, Shawn Spears, and Je’Von Evans. The bout delivered everything you’d expect from an NXT main event with Evans proving to be the MVP of the match with many notable bumps.
The ending of the fight saw Page taking his frustration out on Evans for disrupting a pin attempt. Spears pulled Evans down, however, right when Page was about to hit the Ego’s Edge. Trick Williams then joined the action and took out both Shawn Spears and Je’Von Evans with a Trick Shot. He delivered one more to Page. This caused the former AEW star to fall on Evans who was lying in the ring. The referee started counting and he completed the three count before Williams could break the fall. Just like that, the landscape of NXT has been altered dramatically.
Ethan Page Recreates Classic WWE Ending
The finish reminded people of a classic WWE match from Backlash 2007. Notably, the WWE Championship match featuring John Cena, Shawn Michaels, Randy Orton and Edge ended in a similar fashion. Cena had unintentionally pinned Orton to retain the title back then, when he fell on the Viper after taking a Sweet Chin Music from HBK.
Backstage after his big win, Ethan Page clarified that his success has nothing to do with luck. He doesn’t even consider himself a lucky man – he’s just that good.
WWE NXT Champion Trick Williams is ready to put his title on the line against Ethan Page following the ex-AEW star’s surprise debut last week.
Page, who parted ways with AEW mere weeks earlier, appeared on the May 28, edition of WWE NXT and attacked Williams in the closing moments of the show. As WWE NXT went off the air, Page hoisted the NXT Championship aloft. Williams also made clear that he had been behind the attacks on Meta-Four, attacks the group had blamed Williams for.
Page wants a shot at the NXT Championship and Trick is ready to be a fighting champion. Williams, speaking on The Masked Man Show, expressed his readiness to defend his title against the AEW alum.
“All you gotta do is [ask.] ‘Hey man, I want a title shot.’ Hey look… let’s make it happen.”
While there’s no word on when such a match will take place, one would have to expect a showdown at the upcoming WWE NXT Battleground. The June 9, event has yet to see Williams booked for a match and it appears WWE have been waiting for Page’s debut. Tonight’s WWE NXT will be the final show before Battleground in the UFC Apex.
Trick Williams is ready to put the title on the line.
What’s to Come?
Page’s debut certainly had the wrestling world talking as the AEW alum was trending on Twitter/X for some time after last week’s episode of WWE NXT. The gold brand will no doubt hope to continue that wave of momentum with tonight’s show ahead of Battleground. It will also be interesting to see where Lash Legend falls into things as she and Trick have been increasingly flirty on TV despite Lash’s status with Meta-Four.
The wrestling business is buzzing after Ethan Page shockingly made his debut on the May 28 episode of WWE NXT. After three years signed to All Elite Wrestling, Page left the company on May 2. ‘All Ego’ seemed interested in testing free agency and is still booked for independent wrestling shows. However, based on his appearance last night and a report from Fightful Select, it’s believed that he has signed up with WWE.
Page dramatically ended the recent WWE NXT episode by assaulting world champion Trick Williams. It’s also worth noting that his attack from behind on Williams led to the champion clashing heads with Lash Legend.
Page revealed he was responsible for attacks on Noam Dar and Oro Mensah backstage. Afterward, he delivered a running knee to Williams in the corner and posed with the NXT Championship as the show went off.
— “All Ego” Ethan Page (@OfficialEGO) May 29, 2024
Ethan Page Denies Being Signed TO WWE
It seems WWE is leading to a potential match with Williams as soon as NXT Battleground on June 9. However, Page has spoken out in a video on X, claiming he isn’t signed to WWE. He touted the media attention that the company received over his shocking debut and how this gave him leverage for a deal. Page also called on the company and NXT champion to reach out if they want a deal done.
“…Contrary to popular belief, Ethan Page is not signed to any company or any contract, and I’m going to just assume that Trick Williams would love to get a little payback and revenge on Ethan Pag, so NXT, I’m going to leave this to you,” said Page.
He ended the video by saying that the ball was in WWE’s court to get a deal done.
What’s Next For Page?
Although Page has downplayed being signed with WWE, this seems to be part of his storyline with the company. He is advertised for a match against Shelton Benjamin for Prestige Wrestling on July 12. Despite still being promoted for an independent wrestling event, WWE could allow him to finish the dates he’s committed to working.
The next storyline development should come on the June 5 episode of WWE NXT. Williams will likely address his attack and want revenge on Page. It’s unclear if the company plans to have them compete at NXT Battleground, but it will make fans interested to tune in on next week’s episode.
The Nation of Domination was a controversial stable when it first appeared on WWE television in the 90s, and it would likely be just as provocative today. WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry, a former member of the original group, has now shared his picks for rebuilding the faction in modern-day WWE.
The group responsible in launching The Rock’s career hasn’t seen a new version, although other groups like The Hurt Business and The Pride have come close. There hasn’t been a new Nation of Domination yet, but the World’s Strongest Man has his eye on a few possible members.
Speaking to K & S WrestleFest, Henry discussed his picks for a new Nation of Domination stable and made a surprising choice by picking Velveteen Dream over Trick Williams. While he praised Trick Williams, he felt Williams was too well-liked for the group’s dynamic. Instead, Henry chose Velveteen Dream, also known as Patrick Clark, as his wildcard pick, believing it’s time for Clark to have a second chance in wrestling.
A New Nation of Domination
Nation of Domination alum Mark Henry would include Patrick Clark (Velveteen Dream) in a new Nation over Trick Williams
Henry acknowledged the significance of cancel culture and its role in accountability but stressed the importance of grace and forgiveness.
“Number one draft pick, (Powerhouse) Hobbs, and then number two, Omos, and then I would go Carmelo Hayes and as much as I love Trick Williams, I think that Trick is — he’s too liked. I want people that people don’t like. I want Bobby Lashley. I want people that you just don’t like ‘em. And there’s a lot of young guys that I think could hold up.”
“But, my wildcard would probably be Velveteen Dream, would be Patrick (Clark). I think it’s time for his second chance. A lot of people in the world of wrestling love the talent. We’re in a cancel culture that is justified as so. We need a cancel culture. But, at some point, you gotta have grace and forgiveness and you gotta see if that person is gonna bury themselves again because habitual line steppers, that’s exactly who they are. Once they get that second chance and they’re out, I ain’t cosigning for you no more. But, everybody needs their second chance.”
Mark Henry’s AEW contract is reportedly up very soon. It will be interesting to see what he does next in his pro wrestling career. Henry made his AEW debut on May 30, 2021, at Double or Nothing, where it was announced that he would join the commentary team for the new show AEW Rampage and also serve as a coach.
Patrick Clark’s Controversies
In April 2020, Patrick Clark faced allegations of sending indecent images to underage boys, which he denied. During the Speaking Out movement in June 2020, further accusations emerged that he had inappropriate communications with underage individuals. WWE investigated but found no evidence of wrongdoing. He couldn’t appear on NXT television without #FireVelveteenDream trending. Velveteen Dream was subsequently released from his WWE contract on May 20, 2021, after five months of inactivity.
Clark’s legal issues persisted in August 2022, with two arrests in Florida: one for first-degree battery and trespassing, and another for possessing drug paraphernalia, though these charges were later dropped. After more than three years out of the wrestling spotlight, he made a return on February 18, 2024, at The Dynasty promotion, debuting under the new ring name Velveteen Man. He is working to rehabilitate his image, but he obviously has a long road to redemption ahead of him.
Welcome to the Daily Drop for May 8, 2024. There is a lot to cover every day in the pro wrestling world, but this should get you up to speed.
Before we get going, Vince McMahon and WWE came up in an unlikely place yesterday. Daniels mentioned her initial interest in discussing professional wrestling when she first met Trump. She knew about the long-standing friendship between McMahon and Trump and wanted to explore that connection. She shared a conversation with Trump where he realized the similarities between adult film stars and professional wrestlers, noting both are like athletes. Daniels, who works in adult films, chuckled in court as she compared her industry to pro wrestling, describing it as “real but not real.”
Now, let’s get into the Daily Drop!
WWE:
Announcer Call-Up: NXT ring announcer Alicia Taylor is on her way up to SmackDown. That will see female ring announcers on each WWE main roster brand for the first time in history, as Samantha Irvin still has RAW on lock.
Jacy Jayne Injured: During NXT this week, it was confirmed that Jacy Jayne suffered a broken nose during Spring Breakin’ week two. She needed surgery, and at this time there is no return time table for her return to the ring.
Sexyy Red Is For Trick: Popular rapper Sexyy Red was watching NXT this week, and she wasn’t happy about Noam Dar jumping Trick Williams. She posted on Twitter/X to say make it very clear that she was watching NXT this week.
Mannnn wtf I just watch on Supernova Sessions? MetaFour betta watch dey back cause Trick Williams gon be on dey ass now!! ??
Randy Orton Auditions: While speaking to Adam’s Apple, Randy Orton opened up a bit about acting outside WWE. He does still do auditions from time to time, but in the end, he’s actually glad when he doesn’t land those roles.
”I was just talking to Cody Rhodes about this (venturing into acting) in Marcé, France and it’s… I really love what I’m doing now. I love watching movies. There’s a lot of work that goes into them. 10, 12 hours a day on set… and I do auditions. I’m with U.T.A. and I do turn in some auditions, I do some self-tapes here and there but, sometimes I’ll see these roles pop up a year or two later that I don’t get and I’ll see it and I’ll be like, ‘Man, I’m glad I didn’t get that role.’ I would’ve busted my ass.
AEW:
AEW Dynamite 5/8 Card:
TNT Championship: Adam Copeland vs. Brody King
Orange Cassidy vs. Trent Beretta
Mariah May vs. Harley Cameron
Swerve Strickland face-to-face with Christian Cage
Hardy Boyz Want To Retire Together: In an interview with ComicBook, Matt Hardy discussed his retirement plans alongside Jeff Hardy. He mentioned that both he and Jeff aim to conclude their wrestling careers together, mirroring the way they started.
“That would definitely be our goal. It is very important to us to finish how we started. We started as two brothers on this journey. Our goal was to win the tag team titles of the world one time, and obviously we did that many times over. We do want to end that way. We’ve talked, and we’re both very aware of that. We want to end our careers together as a team.”
Ric Flair Footage: Tiktok user @bussines11.11 uploaded footage of Ric Flair’s incident at Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza in Gainesville, Florida. This was not the best look for the Nature Boy at all, as the footage captured him using strong language toward the manager by calling him a ‘dip****’ and challenging him to a fight outside the restaurant. Flair concluded the incident by offering a $1000 tip to a staff member.
Footage from the restaurant that Ric Flair says he was kicked out of
Welcome to the Daily Drop for Wednesday, April 24, 2024. WWE NXT brought Spring Breakin’ Week One last night, and there is a lot to unpack all over the pro wrestling world.
No More No-Competes: In a landmark decision handed down on Tuesday, all non-compete contracts in the United States are banned. The Federal Trade Commission voted 3-2 to ban non-compete agreements for all workers, with the new rules effective in the next 120 days. We will keep a very close eye on this story, because WWE Superstars are considered independent contractors and not full-fledged employees. Needless to say, this could dramatically change how WWE contracts are handled.
Cameron Grimes’ Release:The former NXT North American Champion’s name was added to the recent list of released Superstars. He hadn’t appeared on WWE television in a very long time, so this cut wasn’t a massive surprise. He let everyone know about this with an emotional video message on Twitter/X. Matt Hardy, who has known Grimes since he was literally born, has been incredibly supportive on social media.
Jey Uso Speaks On WrestleMania 40 Match: While speaking to the Gorilla Position, Jey Uso opened up a bit about his match against Jimmy Uso at WrestleMania 40. He knows that some people were disappointed by the match, and he felt like he let some fans down by how their contest turned out.
“I just said this to someone. I kinda felt like we did let the people down. [Really, you feel that?] Yeah, man, cuz I wanted to go out there and have a straight up banger too. I wanted to do the wrestling part but let alone make sure the emotion part is there. It was just a time issue. You know what I’m saying? You just gotta play your position on the team. That’s what happened. I’m still happy though, uce, I got a singles match at WrestleMania with my brother. That’s a big picture. So, I’mma always have me and him in a face-off at WrestleMania. I’mma frame a picture, that’s always, it’s marked off our box.”
NXT Spring Breakin’ Week 2: The NXT brand announced a packed card for next week’s Spring Breakin’ show on 4/30. That included an NXT Tag Team Title match.
WWE NXT 4/30 Card:
NXT North American Champion Oba Femi defends against Ivar
NXT Tag Team Champions Nathan Frazer & Axiom defend against Akam & Rezar
Raven Shoots Hard: Raven had a lot to say about how Hulk Hogan treated him. He also shared a story or two about drugs in the pro wrestling business. You may check out the entire interview from Ten Count Media below.
Bray Wyatt Tribute: At the Cage Warriors 171 event in Glasgow, Scotland, MMA fighter Chris Bungard honored the Eater of Worlds with a tribute. Bungard entered the arena dressed in Bray’s signature Wyatt Family look, complete with hat and shirt. He also sang “The Whole World in His Hands,” a children’s song that was long-associated with the late WWE legend.
In Homage to Bray Wyatt ???@CowaBungard's Walkout at @ArenaBraehead on Saturday night will never be forgotten…
AEW Women’s Division Speaks Out: Saraya uploaded a third video, which she claims will be the final edition, with the AEW Women’s Division letting fans know what it’s like to be a female wrestler. A lot of the information from this video pertains to creepy fan behavior.
We’re female wrestlers part three and final part.
(Lighten up to the people who can’t take a joke, this is all for fun, also still call me mother.. I like it ?) pic.twitter.com/usz8sOmz1v
AEW Collision Viewership: The April 20th edition of AEW Collision attracted an average overnight viewership of 461,000 viewers, maintaining a rating of 0.13 in the 18 to 49 demographic. This represents an increase from the previous show, which had 442,000 viewers and the same demographic rating of 0.13.
WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H believes Trick Williams’ future looks bright after the latter captured the prized NXT Championship.
Williams defeated Ilja Dragunov to claim the coveted title during this week’s NXT Spring Breakin’ Week One. The stipulation stated that Williams would be banished from the brand had he lost the bout. However, he came out on top and was crowned the new champion.
WWE has ushered in a new era with Triple H at the helm and it’s the dawn of a new era for WWE’s developmental brand as well with Trick Williams claiming the top prize of the brand. Hunter is quite impressed with the “well-deserved victory” after a “hard-fought” match and feels the era of Trick Williams is “looking bright”. Check out this Tweet below:
The match featured some thrilling moments which ultimately culminated into Trick Williams securing the coveted title. In the final moments of the match, Williams hit the finisher to get the pinfall and bagged the title. Following the match, Dragunov showed sportsmanship and hugged his opponent as the fans chanted ‘Whoop that, Trick.’ The brand-new champ also explained what this title win means to him.
With this triumph, Williams put an end to Dragunov’s 206-day reign and became the 30th man to capture the title. Williams and Dragunov previously fought for the title at Vengeance Day in February. That night, the Mad Dragon was able to successfully defend his title.
What’s next?
Trick Williams had all the momentum by his side heading into the title match. He scored a couple of massive wins in matches against his former buddy, Carmelo Hayes. They had squared off at NXT: Stand & Deliver and then in a cage match on NXT. It will be worth witnessing how his championship reign pans out.
On the other hand, Ilja Dragunov is heading to the main roster as he declared himself for the 2024 WWE Draft which commences on Friday, April 26 on SmackDown and will conclude on Monday, April 29 on Raw. It will be interesting to see which brand lands the signing of Mad Dragon.
Trick Williams’ emotional victory at NXT Spring Breakin’ Night One was the culmination of years of fighting, the new NXT Champion has said.
Williams captured the gold at NXT Spring Breakin (Night One) with a main event victory over Ilja Dragunov. This match was a rematch from their previous showdown at NXT Vengeance Day. The stakes were high for the match, as Trick had vowed to leave NXT if he came up short against the Mad Dragon.
When WWE’s camera crew caught up to Trick, the new NXT Champion was understandably excited about the win.
“It means the world to me man, I have been fighting a long time for this, this is a testament of hardwork. I have been fighting for this and I come from fighters. I have been fighting my whole life.
Williams also gave a shout-out to his mother who’s currently fighting her own battle in hospital and mentioned his brother who’s been fighting for a long time as well.
“My mamma’s fighting right now, she is in the hospital, my brother has been fighting for a long time it’s all good, so I just did this, it’s not just for me, it’s for everybody, people who love me, the people for having my back for a long time, they taught me how to fight and I am gonna keep fighting, I am never gonna stop fighting, believe that.”
Williams’ win is a feel-good moment, especially as he’s the most popular star in WWE NXT and one of the most popular stars in the entire company. The question now though is what will his reign on top look like. With Dragunov expected to be moved to the main roster in the upcoming draft, Trick will now have to cement his reign as NXT Champion without one of the best in the world by his side.
Trick Williams’ rise to the top of NXT was an amazing story to watch, and it reached a peak during Spring Breakin’ Week One on 4/23. Williams defeated Ilja Dragunov to become the new NXT Champion.
This match had a special stipulation for Trick, because he would be banished from NXT if he lost. In the end, he walked out of the NXT Arena as the brand’s top champion.
Before he went out, Williams was on the phone with his mother, who is in the hospital. She was certainly a source of inspiration for him during this match.
Williams entered this match 0-3 against his opponent. He and Dragunov last battled for the NXT Title at Vengeance Day in February. That match ended with the Mad Dragon retaining his championship.
After ending Dragunov’s 204-day reigns as champion, Trick Williams is the 30th man to hold the NXT Title. He was elated to speak about his win after Spring Breakin’ was over.
This match had a big-fight feel to it as it main evented the Spring Breakin’ special. The Creed Brothers and Ivy Nile were also sitting in the front row, cheering Trick on.
This match saw many high-intensity spots, including Williams putting Dragunov through the announce table with a Rock Bottom. They continued in the ring, where Trick kicked out of two H-Bomb finishers from the Russian.
Finally, Williams nailed a Trick Shot to secure the clean win and become the new NXT Champion. After the match, Dragunov hugged Trick before he left the ring while the NXT Arena chanted, “Whoop that, Trick!”
After entering WWE as Carmelo Hayes’ right-hand man, Trick quickly gained a following of his own. He eventually broke the news to Hayes that he wanted to maintain their alliance, but he needed to do things on his own.
Trick Williams is coming off of two big matches against Carmelo Hayes. He defeated HIM at NXT: Stand & Deliver on April 6 during WrestleMania 40 weekend. He then met, and defeated, Melo once again last week in a cage match on NXT. Those matches paved the way to this big match for Trick.
Trick Williams has been on WWE’s radar for quite a long time, and in line for a push. Shawn Michaels also gave special care to his program with Carmelo Hayes, ensuring that they snagged the main event spot at Stand & Deliver.
It was previously reported that WWE has paid attention to Trick Williams, and officials took notice of the reaction he got in his surprise SmackDown appearance back in January. There have also been pitches for Trick and Melo to continue their rivalry on the main roster.
The 29-year-old Williams actually entered WWE by way of an XFL tryout. He had aspirations on the gridiron in his eyes prior to accepting an offer to test his abilities at the Performance Center.
2024 WWE Draft
Ilja Dragunov already declared that he will be in the 2024 WWE Draft. Those important dates are coming up sooner than mater, as it will kick off with Friday, April 26 for SmackDown and Monday, April 29 for RAW.
WWE brought an action-packed show for NXT Stand & Deliver. The main event match certainly brought it on every level, as Trick Williams sought vengeance on Carmelo Hayes.
Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams battled in the main event of NXT Stand & Deliver. They made history in the process as the first-ever all black main event for an NXT premium live event. In the end, Trick Williams defeated Carmelo Hayes in the middle of the ring.
The crowd was on fire for this match, which included a few notable close call two-counts. Trick Williams and Melo avoided each other’s finishers, but then Melo nailed his Nothing But Net diving ax-kick for a two-count.
Ava told the referee to give the two stars leeway in this match, because she wanted to see a definite winner.
They kept going, and Melo started to use a chair, until Trick Williams landed his trick shot knee to Melo’s face, and he got the clean pinfall after that.
The Wells Fargo Arena crowd chanted “Whoop that trick” loudly as he celebrated during the closing moments of the premium live event. This was a historic win for Williams, as it elevated him in a huge fashion.
After the two were a duo for the longest time, Trick started teasing the idea that he wanted to break off on his own while still remaining friends, which he eventually did. Hayes didn’t take the split too well.
Hayes shocked everyone by admitting he was the one who had attacked Williams back in October 2023. The two were enemies from that point on, and things escalated in a hurry.
At NXT: Roadblock on March 5, Tony D’Angelo used Williams’ entrance music to distract Hayes during their match. Tony D won that match to become #1 contender, and then Trick attacked Melo for real after the match.
The conflict between Hayes and Williams intensified the next week on NXT when Williams challenged Hayes to a match at NXT Stand & Deliver.
WrestleMania weekend is always packed with events. There are indie pro wrestling shows going on, and other fan conventions. WaleMania went down at the Philadelphia at Franklin Music Hall on April 4, and there are a ton of highlights.
Since its first show in 2015, WaleMania has combined hip-hop and wrestling. It stands apart from other events during WrestleMania weekend, serving as a gathering where fans and wrestlers come together, and every year it’s usually the best party all weekend.
Pro wrestlers from practically every company on the planet linked up for WaleMania this year. As you can see, it was quite a party, and there are many highlights to feature.
WaleMania 2024 Highlights
First off, we have to give Samantha Irvine all the flowers for this one. She not only rocked Razor Ramon’s theme music, but she did it on a flute.
Samantha Irvin, singing and playing a flute to razor Ramon’s theme was not in our bingo card today. pic.twitter.com/7geSUH2XPF
Rob Van Dam was there, smoking on stage, alongside Katie Forbes. It was quite a party as the crowd fed into the performance on stage, who were having just as much fun as the fans.
R-Truth was present at WaleMania, and he gave fans in attendance a different kind of show than they’re used to seeing from him. He grabbed the microphone and spit some fire bars for the fans.
Although he’s not booked for WrestleMania, WWE Hall of Famer RVD was also present. NXT Superstar Kelani Jordan couldn’t resist the opportunity to snap a photo with the Whole F’n Show.
Big E couldn’t miss WaleMania, either. The New Day member cut one of his trademark promos for fans, where he introduced Wale. As you can see in the clip, Trick Williams was there as well, and he had a wonderful time ahead of his main event match at NXT: Stand & Deliver against Carmelo Hayes.
Zilla Fatu didn’t miss the show, either. He was there in attendance at WaleMania, and he had a great time. As you can see in the video below, he also spent some time on the stage.
Kiera Hogan stunned the crowd with her dancing skills. Willow Nightingale didn’t miss WaleMania, either, as the two AEW stars had a great time on stage in front of the live crowd.
WWE has their eye on the NXT brand, and they have big plans brewing for two breakout stars, as Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams’ rivalry is finally come to a head.
NXT Stand & Deliver will go down on April 6, the afternoon prior to WrestleMania night 1. The night will include some of the biggest matches NXT has to offer, and one match has received a ton of attention that doesn’t even have a title involved.
WWE already has plans to call up Carmelo Hayes. There are also quite a few eyes on Trick Williams, and some are pulling for the two to bring their feud to the main roster. Right now, WWE has significant plans for NXT superstars Carmelo and Trick, and Shawn Michaels is heavily involved in crafting the storyline, indicating its importance within NXT.
Carmelo Hayes’ WWE Main Roster Plans
WWE has significant plans for two NXT superstars. Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams have been a duo for most of their time in NXT. Recently, Hayes turned on Trick, leading to a showdown between them at NXT Stand And Deliver during WrestleMania weekend.
Corey Brennan of Fightful Select was told that WWE has their eye on a main roster call-up for Carmelo Hayes this summer. He has been tapped for a call-up since before the Royal Rumble event.
Many have asked us about what the status of both men’s callups are. One source told Fightful Select that Carmelo has been set for his main roster callup since prior to the Royal Rumble and is expected to move up to the main roster fulltime in the summer.
It was also noted that WWE has paid attention to Trick Williams, and “officials took notice of the reaction Williams got in his surprise SmackDown appearance back in January.”
At this point, there have been pitches for the pair to continue their rivalry on the main roster after Stand And Deliver.
Trick vs Carmelo at Stand & Deliver
It was also reported that the current intention for Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes’ match at Stand And Deliver to close the show. While not yet confirmed, there’s a strong push from officials to give this intense storyline the main event spotlight.
Shawn Michaels has been heavily involved in Trick and Melo’s story. He has been instrumental in planning and shaping the storyline alongside Carmelo and Williams. HBK has been a huge fan of Carmelo for a while now.
SEScoops will have continued coverage of WWE NXT, and Stand & Deliver. Please keep checking back throughout the day for updates as they are made available.
