After securing a huge win at the final NXT Premium Live Event of the 2023 calendar year, Deadline, in the Iron Survivor Challenge, Trick Williams was fired up heading into the fallout edition of NXT.

Sure, the opening of NXT didn't go quite as he expected, as Carmelo Hayes was attacked – maybe – by an unknown assailant before the show could really get out of the starting gates, but through the up and downs of Shawn Michaels' two-hour program, he maintained enough gumption to address the fans in the Performance Center, letting them know exactly how his very good weekend could lead to even bigger opportunities in the future.

“Thank y’all for that. Alright, so let me get straight to business. Deadline was a movie. Hey, look, man, I walked into this match before the best here in NXT to do it, and I walked out of this match your Men’s NXT Iron Survivor,” Trick Williams told the NXT crowd. “Now, usually, I would come here, and I would cut up my opponents. But not this time. Not tonight. I mean, I got nothing but love for them boys, we put on a banger last Saturday. And I heard NXT is coming out with an awards show at the end of every single year, and I nominate that last 25 minutes, that match, against any match NXT had to offer all year long. Let’s talk about it. But here’s the thing: I was in the ring with some dogs, but they made one mistake: they forgot one very important thing: Trick Williams’ been balling his whole life. I mean, Trick Willie is clutching the court. Never mind Steph Curry, I’m Trick Curry. I’m Trickie McGrady, I’m Mike Trick, I’m 23 in LA, never mind who you thought I was, I’m Trick James, b*tch! In three weeks, we got New Year’s Evil. And imagine it now: The baddest man in NXT versus the hottest NXT Superstar under the sun.”

Unfortunately for Trick Willie, his rapid-fire effort to mix his name with NBA legends came to an end when Ilja Dragunov's music hit and the “Mad Dragon” made his way to the ring to address his future match with the hottest act in NXT at New Years Evil.

Trick Williams believes he can match wits with Ilja Dragunov.

After allowing Trick Williams to have his moment in the sun, Ilja Dragunov marched down to the ring to let his future foe know that even though they're friends, they simply aren't on the same level.

“A few months ago, you and I stood in this ring. And you, you thanked me for pushing you to a whole new level. Do you remember that?” Ilja Dragunov asked. “Well on this day, I said that I admired your courage, and that I’m proud of you, Trick. I couldn’t watch it. I couldn’t watch it live because I was getting into the zone for my own match. But I went back and watched the Iron Survivor Challenge, and you, you snatched a victory right from the jaws of defeat within the few seconds left. A misstep here or there and I would have a conversation with somebody else today. Trick, you ride a wave of momentum that has been barely ever seen before. I mean, whoop that Trick. It’s the talk of all of WWE. And I say this with respect to your journey, at New Year’s Evil, it comes to an end.”

Trick, clearly not afraid of standing shoulder to shoulder with the “Czar of NXT,” looked him right in the eye and fired back.

“Ilja, if you look me in the eye, and you said that a few months ago, I probably would have played it cool, and deep down wondered if I had what it takes to face Ilja Dragunov,” Trick Williams responded. “But this ain’t a few months ago dog. I ain’t in here trying to show my worth in this world, show the world what I can do. I’m that guy now, I’ve been talking that talk, I’m Trick Williams, I’m the man here in NXT. And in three weeks, Imma beat the best here NXT has to offer, and I’m gonna be your new NXT Champion.”

“I like you, Trick. I like you, I do,” Dragunov declared. “But I suffered too much to become NXT Champion, way too much to stay NXT Champion, and I’m so sorry, but I will do whatever it takes to remain NXT Champion.”

Oh snap, this match is going to be tight, assuming, of course, that it isn't impacted by the near five minutes that proceeded it, with Carmelo Hayes accusing Dragunov of attacking both himself and Williams over the past few months and the current NXT Champion firing that same assertion right back at the man he defeated earlier in the year. If this match is wrestled cleanly, it really could be one of the best NXT bouts in 2024, a match of the year candidate – at least for the promotion – that can stand up to 11 months of critique, but at this point, does anyone really expect that to happen?