Former Gameco*ck earning fame in pro wrestling as 'Trick Williams' (2024)

In professional wrestling, connecting with fans is key to success.

Former South Carolina Gameco*ck football player Matrick Belton is doing that, and big doors have been opened with that key.

Known as "Trick Williams" in World Wrestling Entertainment's developmental group NXT, Belton recently won the NXT title, making him next in line for an opportunity on WWE's main roster.

For Williams, that important connection with fans occurred organically, as is the case sometimes in the wacky, scripted world of physicality and sports entertainment. A clever catch phrase can go a long way, especially with the fanbase and WWE's branding, marketing and social media machine behind it.

Fans love Williams "Whoop That Trick" entrance, putting their hands in the air and singing together as he enters the ring. Williams was puzzled the first time he heard it.

"I remember looking at (a friend) and saying, 'Hey, are they chanting for me or against me?'" he said. "We just kind of shrugged it off and went about our business. Then, just so happened, every time I had a match, the crowd continued the chant, and then it really broke out at NXT Heatwave.

"When I had a match against Ilja Dragunov, my entrance music changed to an instrumental beat, and the crowd filled in the instrumental beat with 'Whoop That Trick' chants, and it's taken off ever since."

Williams takes pains to distance his fans' chant from the more derogatory connotations of the phrase.

"Kids were getting in trouble for chanting 'Whoop That Trick,' and I want to clear that up right now," he said. "'Whoop That Trick' is a chant of endearment: Standing up for yourself, standing up for what you believe in. It is not a derogatory term. It's a good thing for kids to stand up for what they believe in and fight for when it's the right time to fight and defend yourself.

"That's what we do when we 'Whoop That Trick.' We're standing up to bullies. We're not taking no nonsense. We're going to get our own championship, whatever that may be."

Because of those fans in Orlando, Williams' star was born.

"It's all crowd participation, the energy in the room, (Hall of Fame wrestler) Booker T on the ad-libs, and I just do my entrance; I do my thing," Williams said. "Everybody gets involved. It's like a nightclub."

Columbia roots

The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Williams is from Columbia and grew up a pro wrestling fan. He graduated from Columbia's Keenan High School in 2012, and was an all-state receiver as a senior with 1,157 yards and nine touchdowns. He also played basketball and ran track, and fondly recalls high school friends Tyler George and Tyler Smith.

"They took me in and treated me like family when I transferred to Keenan High School," he said. "They showed me the ropes. Keenan High School is in the central part of Columbia, where you had to be tough. You had to go get it out of the mud, which is another valuable lesson that I had to learn. You have to be tough, and if you want something you have to go get it."

Williams played football for Hampton University in Virginia, and then at South Carolina for coach Steve Spurrier, earning a degree in physical education in 2016 and then a shot at the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles.

"My experience with college football and my short stint in the NFL was everything I needed to prepare me for where I'm at now, being a WWE superstar," Williams said. "I learned in college, one, how to take a chance on myself and two, the hard work that it takes to become great at the craft.

"Very similar to how I had to go into (WWE executive) Shawn Michaels' office and ask for an opportunity, I walked straight into the office of coach Steve Spurrier."

In 2015, Williams was a walk-on at USC, but he in played every game, making five starts and hauling in 11 passes for 121 yards. He caught two passes for a career-high 34 yards at Tennessee, including an 18-yard reception. He had two catches for 33 yards in a start against Spurrier's alma mater Florida, including a career-long 25-yarder. And he was named the outstanding walk-on for the offense at the 2015 spring game.

About two years after he hung up the football cleats, Williams decided to test pro wrestling as a career. He signed a developmental contract with WWE in February 2021 and was assigned to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando.

"Everything I learned from that experience of trying to make a name for myself, kind of prove myself, trying to be great in the football world, learn how to take a chance on myself, putting the hard work in, has put me to where I am right now."

Jim Varsallone (jvarsallone@herald.com) works part-time for the Miami Herald Sports Department and is also a freelance feature writer/interviewer, covering pro wrestling, preps and MMA.