Trick Williams Feels NXT & TNA Runs Prepared Him For WWE Main Roster: “Every Single Step Along The Way Was Very Necessary”

Williams opens up about his journey.

As the newest episode of Busted Open was airing, Trick Williams joined the show. Williams is now a member of the Friday Night SmackDown roster, and he opened up about his transition to the WWE main roster.

“The best possible time (to make the move to WWE’s main roster). I mean, patience is everything. Of course, as a superstar, as an athlete, as a competitor, you know, we always wanna get somewhere fast, right now. This is my time. I wanna be there now. A year ago, I was probably on this show saying, ‘I know I’m ready to be on SmackDown or Raw.’ But the truth is, every single step along the way was very necessary. TNA — excuse me — the Trick-N-A World Champion… All of this stuff was very necessary. Shoot, Philadelphia, that was almost a year ago. We was there too at NXT, working Ridge Holland and everything.” Bully Ray mentioned NXT beating AEW in the ratings that night, and Williams responded with, “And we beat the other company. That’s right,” Williams laughed. “But that’s what it is though. If you take away these moments, then this isn’t the same Trick Williams that we have right now at the perfect time. Like you said, right before the Royal Rumble, right before the build to WrestleMania. Once again, I’m still grateful, I’m still happy to be here and be able to do what I do.”

Following up on that, Williams expressed that his runs in NXT and TNA Wrestling helped prepare him for the main roster.

“Man, I’ma be honest with you, I feel like my formula, whatever it was, with NXT and TNA prepared me so much for the main roster, it’s crazy. Because you know how TNA locker room is. I don’t wanna say the wild, wild west but there’s a lot of freedom there, where you have to trust yourself as a performer to go with your gut and do what you feel is right. NXT, it is the quote-unquote developmental brand, where there’s a whole lot of other pressures as a young, aspiring talent. You feel the pressure from Shawn Michaels every single day you walking through Gorilla (Position). Now, if you can look Shawn Michaels in the face every single Tuesday, then you can do a one-on-one promo with Randy Orton… That type of pressure right there, in front of 300, feels like it’s WrestleMania every single Tuesday, when you’re trying to make it, when you have something to lose, you feel like. So, I just feel like everything I’ve been through honestly prepared me for where I am on the main roster. I haven’t been in the Royal Rumble yet, I haven’t been to WrestleMania yet. But as for now, I feel like, man, what they did for my career, I’m ready.”

Williams will have the opportunity to secure an Undisputed WWE Title match at the Royal Rumble Premium Live Event. He’ll be in a Fatal 4-Way at Saturday Night’s Main Event with Randy Orton, Sami Zayn, and Damian Priest.

The winner of that match will go on to face Drew McIntyre for the title at the Royal Rumble.

If the quotes in this article are used, please credit Busted Open with an H/T to Fightful for the transcriptions.