Massive international star to debut? - 4 possible finishes for Ilja Dragunov vs. Trick Williams at WWE NXT Vengeance Day
WWE's next big Premium Live Event is set to take place this Saturday. The company's third brand, NXT, will host its first big show in 2024. The event is called Vengeance Day and will be held at the F&M Bank Arena in Clarksville, Tennessee.
Six big-time matches have been confirmed for the show. This includes Dijak vs. Joe Gacy in a No Disqualification Match, The Family vs. OTM, Lyra Valkyria vs. Roxanne Perez, and Oba Femi vs. Dragon Lee.
Perhaps the most anticipated match on the show will be for the NXT Championship. Ilja Dragunov is set to defend his prized title against the up-and-comer Trick Williams. Trick is rapidly ascending and hopes to win the coveted championship on a major stage.
It isn't yet clear how the big-time championship match will end. This article will take a look at a handful of potential finishes for the massive bout, including the debut of an international sensation. How might the match conclude?
Below are four possible finishes for Ilja Dragunov vs. Trick Williams at WWE NXT Vengeance Day 2024.
#4. Trick could shock the world and pin the champion
Trick William's journey in WWE has been something to behold. Fans first started to notice Trick when he became Carmelo Hayes' hype man. The rookie developed both on-screen and behind the scenes from there.
In 2023, Trick broke out from the pack. He won the NXT North American Championship by defeating WWE RAW's Dominik Mysterio. While the title reign was brief, it helped put him on the map. Trick has continued to elevate his game over time since then.
Almost nobody expects the rookie to defeat the unstoppable Ilja Dragunov, but it could happen. If Trick hits his running knee, he may knock The Mad Dragon out and win the coveted NXT Championship for the first time in his young career.
#3. Trick Williams could win thanks to Carmelo Hayes' interference
Ilja Dragunov is the kind of superstar to run on his own. He rarely competes in tag team matches and has yet to be in any kind of full-time team or stable since signing with WWE. This includes both his time on NXT and NXT UK.
Trick Williams, on the other hand, has a regular partner in Carmelo Hayes. The two are so in sync that they are competing in the finals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic against Baron Corbin and Bron Breakker.
Carmelo Hayes could be the difference-maker in this upcoming bout. He could sneak out to the ring and cheat to help Trick win the gold. Williams could be in on it or be unaware of the tomfoolery taking place. Regardless, an attack or distraction from Carmelo could be a game-changer.
#2. Carmelo Hayes could cost Trick Williams the win
There is another option for how Carmelo Hayes could influence the upcoming bout at WWE's next Premium Live Event. Instead of The A-Champion helping Trick win, Carmelo could shockingly betray his long-time friend and partner and cost him the victory.
Hayes has proven to the world that he is Him, but he has also struggled to handle Trick's rise in WWE. There certainly seems to be some degree of jealousy over Williams' rapid rise to the top of the NXT brand, especially with Hayes being knocked off of his perch by Ilja Dragunov.
When The Mad Dragon clashes with Carmelo's best friend, Hayes could finally betray Trick after months of teasing. Fans would be shocked, even if, on some level, they also see it coming. Ilja would not approve of such tactics, but he has warned Trick to keep an eye on Carmelo.
#1. Ilja Dragunov could defeat Trick and then be confronted by Kazuchika Okada making his WWE debut
Kazuchika Okada is one of the top stars in the wrestling world. He is known for having become an ace in New Japan Pro Wrestling. It recently came out that the talented performer was leaving NJPW, and some think he could potentially jump ship to WWE.
For now, it isn't clear whether Kazuchika Okada will indeed join the biggest company in the world. If he opts to bet on himself and try his hand in the massive wrestling promotion, however, he could shake things up dramatically to close NXT Vengeance Day in style.
Ilja Dragunov could potentially defeat Trick Williams cleanly in the middle of the ring with the Torpedo Moscow. From there, just as fans expect the show to end, the familiar sound of a coin drop could be heard, and Okada may make his WWE debut confronting the champion.