10 Next Big Things Currently On WWE's Books
8. The Velveteen Dream

You may not be a fan of the Velveteen Dream shtick, but you can’t deny that Patrick Clark pulls off the gimmick with pizazz.
Clark’s first exposure to a WWE audience came on the most recent season of Tough Enough, where he went from being an initial favourite to being cut for a lack of humility. Rather than drifting from the business though, Clark knuckled down and continued to work the independent scene, appearing for the likes of Combat Zone Wrestling and Maryland Championship Wrestling, where he was a one-time Tag Team Champion.
That experience, plus the wake-up call that his Tough Enough elimination provided, eventually saw him score a return to the Performance Center when he signed a WWE developmental contract in October 2015.
After a few enhancement appearances, his current Velveteen Dream character was born, and though he’s clearly still young and somewhat green, he certainly has the kind of presence and flamboyance that’ll serve him well in the company.
Besides, he seems to have done enough to impress Shawn Michaels, so that can’t be a bad thing.