Trick Williams is less than a week away from what could be one of the defining moments of his professional wrestling career.

If he can put his recent attack at the hands of (probably) Lexus King – though maybe Carmelo Hayes – behind him, go the distance, and become the second-ever Iron Survivor Challenge winner after only SmackDown stalwart Grayson Waller, it could be a ticket to NXT immortality, with a guaranteed title shot going to the match's winner. And if he loses, or worse, someone costs him the win? Well, it could still be beneficial to his professional wrestling career, but without the same championship pedigree that can help a performer become a “made man” within the WWE Universe.

No pressure, right?

Discussing his fandom of the WWE Universe with Denise Salcedo of Instinct Culture, which goes back to before he was trying out for the Philadelphia Eagles after college, Williams recalled another key moment that solidified a performer as a “made man,” Kofi Kingston's win over Bryan Danielson at WrestleMania 35 – arguable one of the biggest feel-good fan wins in WWE history. For Williams, this was the moment that made him truly get what being a WWE Superstar is all about.

“Around that time, it was when Kofi Kingston had first won his title … I just remember I was at a buddy’s house, and he has been into wrestling his whole life, and tears came down my friend’s face,” Trick Williams said via 411 Mania.

“That was my first time really feeling it. Seeing the attachment and how much love really goes into this, I want that for myself, and I want to be able to send a positive message out into this world, and I want people to know my name. That was the first moment that really brought me back into wrestling, and I told him [Kingston] that. He’s probably heard it a million times — but he was honored by it, and that was really cool.”

A cool moment it was, even if the end of KofiMania may have soured his reign ever so slightly. Will Williams be able to place his mark on the WWE Universe in a similar way? Only time will tell, but considering the amount of media he's doing heading into the show, it's safe to say he has a puncher's chance.

Trick Williams isn't going to overlook NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov.

Turning his attention from the origins of his wrestling interests to the task at hand, Trick Williams discussed with Denise Salcedo his respect for Ilja Dragunov and why, despite his in-ring mastery, he still thinks he can overcome the odds to become the next NXT Champion.

“He’s a monster. Dragunov, he’s the guy that brings out the best in you, and I’m so grateful for that match. If you recall the promos, I knew what I was getting myself into. I said, this is going to be the moment when I really show the people who Trick Williams is and how I want to be perceived from this point on. I’m grateful for that, that whole angle with Dragunov,” Trick Williams said via Fightful.

“Just as long as he knows imma see him again. If I, when I take care of business in the Iron Survivor challenge, we gonna be able to run it back and he’ll see a whole new Trick Williams.”

Why, you may wonder, does Williams believe he can overcome the odds to become the next NXT Champion? Well, because this is what he's been pushing for all along.

“This is the vision that I had for myself all along. This is what I wanted for myself, I wanted to be a superstar, I wanted to be the guy,” Trick Williams said via PW Mania. “With that being said, I was brought into WWE alongside Carmelo Hayes, which is one of the best NXT superstars to ever do it, and I’m very fortunate for that. With me being so close to him, I got to learn a lot. I got to see how you conduct business, your mindset going into these big matches. I got to be in the light, even though it’s kind of more his light, but I didn’t have the pressure. Being at those big stages, okay, this is what it feels like, this is what it’s about right here. Being able to build connections with the crowd, it was awesome for me, and it’s also able to build my hunger, because when you see your boy eating, it makes you want to have some success on your own too.”

After watching Carmelo Hayes have his moment – multiple moments, really – in the WWE Universe, Williams has a chance to become his own guy in the final NXT Premium Live Event of the year. How he embraces that opportunity, however, will define his career one way or another moving forward.