4 reasons why Trick Williams will likely defeat Ilja Dragunov on NXT Spring Breakin': Draft looming, over the moon & more
Trick Williams has another shot to become the NXT Champion at NXT Spring Breakin'. After falling to Ilja Dragunov in a few previous attempts, Williams earned another shot after dispatching Carmelo Hayes in a steel cage.
One caveat attached to the match, however, is that if Williams loses at Spring Breakin', he must leave NXT.
With the timing of everything involving the WWE Draft, it might finally be time for the Trick Williams Era to begin in NXT. Williams is likely to defeat Ilja Dragunov for one of these four reasons.
#4. The unpredictability around the NXT title scene
Since Dragunov has defeated Trick Williams in every other encounter, it wouldn't be a shock if he did so again at Spring Breakin'.
The Mad Dragon is one of the most durable stars in wrestling and has beaten Carmelo Hayes and Bron Breakker. Those two stars were the foundation of NXT 2.0 and beyond.
On the flip side, stars who lose in prior attempts often get to stand at the top of the mountain. Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn are the latest examples of this. Even with the stipulation that Trick must leave NXT if he loses, things are trending in his favor. It would be a pleasant surprise if he finally won the championship.
#3. The 2024 WWE Draft is this week
In past Drafts, stars whom Vince McMahon wanted to push were often called up, regardless of whether they were ready. Nia Jax needed a bit more refining when she joined the main roster, as did Liv Morgan. Both women are now complete performers.
When it comes to the 2024 WWE Draft, few stars are more main-roster-ready than Ilja Dragunov and Carmelo Hayes. Dragunov already declared himself for the Draft. Hayes has had several matches on SmackDown.
Trick Williams is relatively new to the pro wrestling craft, while Ilja and Hayes are not. His two biggest rivals will probably be drafted this year, leaving him as one of the torchbearers for the foreseeable future.
#2. The in-ring game
NXT is filled with a plethora of talent, but the stars come mainly from two arenas - professional/collegiate sports or the independent wrestling scene. Most of the NXT stars from the United Kingdom are from the indie scene. The same goes for Roxanne Perez, Lyra Valkyria, Carmelo Hayes, and Dijak.
The majority of newer stars come from either NIL or other pro sports. WWE wanted to mold athletic performers into pro wrestlers. Trick Williams fits the second group as he came from football.
He's perfectly fine in the ring but needs a little more polish between the ropes. Staying in NXT as the Champion will allow Trick Williams to continue his growth as a pro wrestler. It will give him even more in-ring time while working with the coaches at the WWE Performance Center.
#1. Trick Williams is the top face in NXT
One problem with the current makeup of the NXT roster is the lack of huge babyfaces. The two current top stars are facing each other at Spring Breakin'. Whoever loses is likely gone from the developmental brand.
Dijak currently gets cheers from the fans but is a tweener. The other star who could be a future NXT Champ is Wes Lee, but he is currently out of action.
The simple fact is that because NXT needs a top face, it's likely that Trick Williams will win the title at Spring Breakin'. The brand needs to build up some other stars the way Williams has ascended the ranks to be one of the most over stars in all of WWE.