NXT Champ Trick Williams Talks 'Making History' With Fellow WWE Star Carmelo Hayes

Trick Williams is the new WWE NXT Champion, but his victory over Ilja Dragunov is just one of several milestone moments the performer has recently made happen. Williams also faced his former ally Carmelo Hayes at NXT Stand & Deliver 2024, taking place the same weekend as WWE WrestleMania 40. Appearing on "The Bump," Williams looked back on his victory against Hayes earlier this month.

"The whole arena was jumping," Williams said. "That's because I have a rapport with that audience. They've seen me grow for three years almost, and that all started being alongside of Carmelo Hayes."

When Williams joined up with Hayes onscreen, Hayes was coming off a big win in the 2021 NXT Breakout Tournament, and Williams said his job was to make Hayes look as good as possible. Over time, despite Williams working to put Hayes over, the audience grew to love both performers. Onscreen issues between the two wrestlers led to a breakup and feud, resulting in the main event match at Stand & Deliver.

"We made history, we broke records, all in the same night," Williams continued. "Nobody saw this coming. Nobody knew that Trick Williams was going to [rise] to the occasion, man. God just had a plan right here."

Williams acknowledged that, despite their issues onscreen, it was good to know that he and Hayes had the milestone match together. Both men seem likely to have significant futures ahead of them within WWE, and it's unlikely their Stand & Deliver match is the final time the two rivals will share a ring together.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The Bump" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.