WWE NXT Champion Trick Williams recently sat down with O’Shea Jackson on The No-Contest Wrestling podcast and provided some candid insights into his career, including the valuable lessons he’s learned from some of wrestling’s biggest names.
Williams discussed how being alongside Carmelo Hayes in NXT helped pave the way for his own success:
“I would say someone who laid a great platform for me is Carmelo Hayes. I learned a lot by being beside, or even back and to the right, of Carmelo Hayes. When he had the main event matches for the PLEs, for the Tuesday nights, I was able to sit there and learn, build a rapport with the audience without having the pressure of, hey, I have to put on this 15-20 minute banger and go get that title. I was able to see what the main event scene felt like without having the pressure first. I also got to sit back and learn all of Mello’s, you know, what he did great, what worked for him, and I got to learn what didn’t work for him.”
He also expressed his gratitude for BookerT’s straightforward advice and familial support:
We were just talking trash right before this interview. He’s talking about wanting to get in shape and have one more with Trick Willie. He’s talking to me like he’s my uncle. Not like a coach, per se, more like, ‘I’m gonna give you what’s real. This is what I dealt with when I was in the business. This is what I had to do to stand out. Hey, that little extra move you did right there, get rid of that. That’s going to hold you back. That’s stupid.’ He keeps it real with me, and I appreciate that because he really speaks to me like family. That’s just the dynamic we’ve had. Then with the Whoop That Trick and the ad-lib, man, that’s just been the cherry on top. The support that he does with the ad-libs, he gives me that support in real life too. Shout out to Booker.”
Finally, Williams shared his surprisingly positive experience with CM Punk, emphasizing his genuine nature and willingness to help the next generation:
“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. 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.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit No-Contest Wrestling podcast with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
