Trick Williams: From HBCU Football to Wrestling Royalty

In a history-making second that shocked the skilled wrestling world, Trick Williams—actual title Matrick Belton—etched his title into the document books by turning into the primary WWE-contracted famous person to win the TNA World Championship. The victory, which occurred at NXT Battleground on Could 25, 2025, is not only a milestone for Williams but additionally a cultural second for HBCUs, highlighting the often-overlooked path from HBCU athletics to international superstardom.

Williams started his athletic profession in HBCU soccer at Hampton College. In 2012, he performed broad receiver for the Pirates soccer group, making modest on-field contributions—4 catches for 33 yards throughout six video games, together with a memorable 20-yard reception in opposition to Florida A&M. Although he remained on the roster in 2013, enjoying time eluded him.

That didn’t dim his drive.

Williams later transferred to the College of South Carolina, the place his athletic prowess blossomed. In 2015, he earned a beginning function with the Gamecocks, logging 11 receptions for 121 yards. Whereas his faculty soccer numbers weren’t earth-shattering, his bodily presents and drive attracted NFL consideration, and he acquired a minicamp invite from the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018.

However destiny had a unique area in thoughts.

From the Gridiron to the Ring

In early 2021, Williams signed with WWE and reported to its NXT model. With charisma that lit up the display screen and a physicality rooted in years of soccer, it wasn’t lengthy earlier than he captivated followers and rose by the ranks. In just some quick years, he grew to become NXT North American Champion after which captured the NXT Championship twice—cementing his place as certainly one of WWE’s hottest rising stars.

But it was his crossover victory at NXT Battleground that shifted the wrestling panorama. Going through TNA’s Joe Hendry, Williams shocked the business by successful the TNA World Championship, a belt traditionally held by legends like Kurt Angle, AJ Kinds, and Sting. No WWE-contracted wrestler had ever finished it earlier than.

Williams sealed the cope with his devastating finisher—“The Trick Shot”—after strategically utilizing the title belt through the match. The second drew comparisons to traditional wrestling invasions and crossovers, however this wasn’t simply storyline chaos. It was a career-defining assertion.

The Rise of “TrickNA”

The fallout from the win was speedy and unforgettable. Williams declared himself the “face of TNA” on WWE programming, cheekily rebranding the belt because the “TrickNA Championship.” His swagger wasn’t only for present—he issued open challenges to wrestling icons like AJ Kinds and Kurt Angle, signaling he had no intention of enjoying it protected along with his newly claimed title.

Up subsequent: Williams will defend his TrickNA crown in opposition to Mike Santana, a revered veteran with one thing to show. The feud has already ignited on-line buzz, with followers speculating whether or not Williams’s crossover reign is simply starting—or nearing a dramatic finish.

An HBCU Champion, On and Off the Mat

For Hampton College and the broader HBCU neighborhood, Trick Williams’s meteoric rise serves as a robust reminder of the expertise cultivated inside traditionally Black schools and universities. His journey—from catching passes on the Pirates’ gridiron to lifting certainly one of skilled wrestling’s most storied titles—is a testomony to perseverance, adaptability, and self-belief.

HBCU athletes have lengthy confronted an uphill battle for nationwide recognition, typically ignored by mainstream media {and professional} leagues. Williams’s success breaks that mould. His story isn’t nearly athletic transition—it’s about cultural elevation. He represents a brand new era of HBCU alumni making waves in unconventional arenas.

What’s Subsequent for Trick?

With WWE and TNA each inserting their chips on his star energy, Trick Williams is now in uncommon air. He’s confirmed he can draw eyes, generate headlines, and ship in high-pressure moments. Whether or not his future holds extra title unifications, a foremost roster debut, or headlining WrestleMania, one factor is for certain—Trick Williams is now not only a rising star.

He’s the second.

And for HBCUs throughout the nation, his triumph is greater than only a win. It’s a shining instance of the place grit, charisma, and HBCU delight can take you, even to the very high of the wrestling world.