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This Sunday, July 20th, TNA Slammiversary returns to pay-per-view and TrillerTV from the UBS Arena in Long Island, New York—and it’s shaping up to be one of the most pivotal events in the promotion’s modern history. At the center of it all is Trick Williams, who has turned heads across the industry as the reigning TNA World Champion while still active as a top star in WWE NXT.
Already making history as the first NXT-contracted talent to hold TNA’s top prize, Williams is set to defend his championship in a triple threat match against two formidable opponents: Joe Hendry and Mike Santana. While some might feel the pressure of headlining one of TNA’s most important events of the year, Trick Williams is embracing the moment with unwavering confidence.
“Man, I ain’t worried about that,” Williams said when asked about the physical toll of the recent contract signing. “Haters gonna hate and ballers gonna ball. I’m feeling great, man. I just got a workout in, and once I get done with this interview, I’m gonna get another one.”
While Slammiversary has always served as a defining moment for TNA talent, Williams acknowledges the weight of this opportunity—and what it means for his career.
“The most unique thing about this experience? I think the fact that it is a triple threat with two guys who seem to be on the same accord, for a moment of time, just to take out someone like me,” he explained. “To me personally, that’s the biggest compliment I could ever receive. That it takes two TNA talents, two top talents from TNA, to take out Trick Williams.”
The weight of the history Williams is making slides off his back without a care.
“I feel like Thanos,” he said. “I’m collecting my Infinity Stones and trying to bring good to the world. I’m trying to bring good to TNA by gaining exposure, bringing it to our 800,000 fans tuned in on NXT every single Tuesday. We trying to move seats. We try to move tickets, and that’s what Trick Williams does for your brand.”
Before the title match, however, fans will see an unlikely trios match on NXT: Williams teaming with Hendry and Santana to take on Dark State. Williams slides into promotional mode in talking up tonight's episode of NXT on The CW Network.
“The audacity of Ava accusing me of being the leader of Dark State when I got jumped by them... Man, I don’t jump people behind their back,” Trick said. “Since I came into this game, Mike, I’ve never just jumped people from behind. I always make myself loud and clear. I step in the room, I do my entrance, we whoop that Trick, and then I do exactly that.”
On his partners tonight, Williams noted, “I don’t trust these guys. I can’t turn my back to ’em. I can’t get comfortable knowing that these guys want my head, man, that’s not cool. I’m gonna do my part, and I’m gonna let them do them. And we just see what happens. “I used to like Joe Hendry a lot. I had a lot of respect for Joe,” Williams said. “He seemed like the right guy for the job... but he got too big for his britches. Now there’s a new side of Joe Hendry I don’t recognize. He just wants the glory and wants the people chanting his name. But do you really wanna put in the work? Do you really wanna do what it takes to have the people believe?”
As for future opponents, Williams isn’t short on ideas. When asked who from the NXT roster he’d like to face for the TNA Championship, he had two names ready.
“Tony D’Angelo, man. He’s a guy who’s been a pioneer of NXT since the 2.0 era. Trick Williams versus Tony D’Angelo? I really feel like that’s the main guy,” he said. “Oba [Femi]... I’m going to get my NXT Championship back from him. Maybe we go title for title so I can go get what’s rightfully mine.”
But it was the mention of one name that lit a fire in Williams unlike anything else.
“Mike, I want AJ Styles,” he said. “I told Atlanta that I’m the greatest TNA Champion of all time, and the audacity of that crowd to turn and say ‘AJ Styles’? Completely disrespectful. There’s only one way to get to the bottom of this. Gimme AJ Styles. Let me prove myself. Let me show everybody how legit Trick Williams is. That’s the one I want. Trick Williams versus AJ Styles.”
Williams soaked in the atmosphere at the Great American Bash contract signing, held at Atlanta’s historic Center Stage—once home to WCW programming.
“Such a historic WCW venue... and man, the Tricks were whooped,” he said. “When they get to chanting in that building, everybody can hear it. It’s so loud. It’s just bouncing off the walls. I see why WCW had so much success.”
Now, he turns his attention to UBS Arena, where he’s ready to raise the bar even higher.
“Every time we go to New York, it’s special. But man, I ain’t gonna lie to you... I wanna sell the UBS out,” he said. “I looked it up. 2012 Slammiversary—I believe it’s the record holder, sitting at 6,000 plus. I believe that we can do that. UBS Arena, no pun intended, I believe we can get the job done.”
He continued: “You got three guys who believe they are the best thing for the brand. What more can you want? We got six title matches on the card. We got more NXT on the card. We got Jacy Jayne challenging for the TNA World Championship. Leon Slater... that young dude right there is special. This show—Slammiversary—is the one to get the job done.”
Williams takes immense pride in how far the WWE NXT brand has come, especially following its move to the CW Network.
“Shout to the CW Network. They do a great job of promoting us, making us look like the stars that we are,” he said. “Shawn Michaels is booking the show, putting the best talent out and letting us rock. That 2.0 era, man... a lot of people did not believe. A lot of people laughed at the show ’cause so many guys just got thrown onto TV. And to be honest, maybe we weren’t ready at the time—but look at us now. We on WrestleManias now. We headlining NXT and TNA pay-per-views. 2.0 has stepped up and showed out.”
And that, Trick says, is the lesson of his TNA run—and of the journey itself.
“It was sink or swim for every last one of us. And majority of us are swimming...and that’s a beautiful thing.”
As the clock ticks down to Slammiversary, Trick Williams remains focused on the task ahead—and unapologetic and confident, slipping back into promotional mode.
“I can’t wait to shut Mike Santana up,” he said. “He’s been yelling all over the place. Every single time he talks, he yelling. I don’t understand that. But once I beat him for the second time, this time he would finally shut up—and I can’t wait to smoke my cigar with my title after the match. [Santana and Hendry] need to be worried about Williams. I done beat Joe. I done beat Mike. I’m two-time NXT Champ, one-time, North American champ, Iron Survivor winner, the hottest thing on the brand. I’m carrying two brands. Let’s talk about it.”
TNA Slammiversary streams live Sunday July 20 on TrillerTV, TNA+, and traditional pay-per-view from the UBS Arena in Long Island.
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