TRICK WILLIAMS IS THAT GUY

CREDIT: WWE

The last time I saw a major double turn was when Dolph Ziggler cashed in on Alberto Del Rio on the Raw after WrestleMania 29. The crowd went wild, and even if you can argue that Ziggler’s WWE run had more misses than hits, his Money in the Bank cash-in remains one of the best moments of his career.

Now, I know they’ve been teasing Sami Zayn’s heel turn. After his failed main WWE title bid at the 2026 Royal Rumble against Drew McIntyre, he’s been showing signs of a breakdown. I think the moment that his face status went bye-bye was winning the United States Championship from Carmelo Hayes just days before WrestleMania 42. It felt like Hayes deserved a Mania match, and Zayn’s sneaky way of securing a main card spot helped trigger the turn.

Meanwhile, even though Trick Williams showed some heel tendencies heading into the event, it feels like he’s being built as the next Rock based on how he’s presented. And it’s not like he was pushed without preparation. His NXT title run established him as a face, and his TNA title run not only worked for him as a heel but also prepared him to carry a brand as champion. He comes off as conceited, but at the same time, he acknowledges that he owes part of his success to both Hayes and Booker T in the storyline.

And honestly, having Lil’ Yachty and The Gingerbread Man involved would’ve been a weak way to push a wrestler—unless you’re Trick Williams. I know the Trick and Melo pairing is the kind of relationship that will either stay a team or turn into a feud until one of them gets released, but it’s also a big reason why the current NXT works. Hayes moved to the main roster after they split, but with the old guard running SmackDown, his momentum got watered down.

Melo calls himself “HIM,” but aside from being undersized, he ended up paired with The Miz. If Ziggler is the gatekeeper for who can break into the main event scene, then Miz is the kind of character you have to get past to either move up or settle into an upper midcard spot. Miz excels in that role and has been successful in it, especially given how Daniel Bryan’s WWE career unfolded.

That said, the Melo-Miz pairing might have worked better as a feud rather than an unlikely mentor-student dynamic. Before his United States Title run, Melo felt lost in the shuffle. Maybe he needs a bodyguard again, like the one he had with Trick. I’m not a fan of rehashing old storylines, but he clearly needs some kind of reset to change how he’s currently perceived.

Meanwhile, Williams reached the main roster with extensive seasoning from NXT and TNA, which is why the former “sidekick” is now the more over character.

His promos are on another level. I mean, the guy threw up an “X” sign after The Gingerbread Man got dropped, then followed it up with a backstage speech that balanced the look of success with genuine sadness over the loss—so much so that they’re even having a funeral next week. It was awesome. It came off both goofy and cool at the same time, and once again, he pulled it off perfectly.

And of course, Booker T is hyping up his theme.

Whoop That Trick!

What?

As for Hayes, he’s still a solid worker with the potential to get over with the right feud.

But right now, he’s being presented like a modern version of MVP. Maybe they should give him an inflatable tube since his gear basically matches MVP’s colors—just kidding. Still, he needs something that will make him stand out, because the last thing he should be doing is calling himself a main event guy while being outside the main title picture.

When Williams won the Intercontinental Title at WrestleMania, it only confirmed what we already know: Trick Williams is the future of the business, Sami Zayn is due for a heel turn, and Carmelo Hayes needs a soft reset.