10 Times WWE Turned Trash Into Treasure (... And YOU Didn't Notice!)
8. Trick Willy Really Is 'Bout It, 'Bout It
To say Trick Williams was trash when he first landed in NXT would be a smidge unfair, but the real-life Matrick Belton was nothing if not unproven and extremely green.
Having trained with Combat Zone Wrestling, Belton hadn't even had an official match before he signed with WWE in February 2021. A standout college footballer, the rookie made his debut on NXT 2.0 that October, being immediately presented as the best pal of Carmelo Hayes.
To go back and watch the early days of Trick Williams is somewhat of a slog. There's clearly charismatic potential there, but it comes across as if Trick is maybe trying to say too much, too quickly, with him tripping over his words or outright repeating lines.
Likewise, Williams' in-ring game was extremely rough at that point, with him used in tag team offerings or in brief singles matches. Of course, that was to be expected for someone so new to the business.
These days, though, Trick Willy has steadily developed into a ridiculously entertaining part of NXT programming; be that on the microphone or between the ropes. While it might be a stretch to say that Trick nowadays has as much upside as Carmelo, Williams undoubtedly has shown that he has enough magnetic star power, charisma, and aptitude for learning to make a major splash on the industry.