Trick Williams Beats Ethan Page to Retain NXT Title at Battleground 2024
Mike Chiari@@mikechiariFeatured Columnist IVJune 10, 2024
Photo credit: WWE.com
Trick Williams defeated Ethan Page at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Sunday at Battleground to retain the NXT Championship.
WWE @WWEIt’s a party in Las Vegas!@SexyyRed314_ and @_trickwilliams celebrate a HISTORIC night at #NXTBattleground!!! pic.twitter.com/HR55Hm0tVs
WWE NXT @WWENXTThe Whoop That Era is alive and well.@_trickwilliams takes down @OfficialEGO to remain the #WWENXT Champion at #NXTBattleground! pic.twitter.com/RoLOwi29Q7
Sunday marked Page’s first match in WWE, as he made his debut less than two weeks earlier in shocking fashion.
Near the end of an episode of NXT TV, Williams was declaring his innocence to Lash Legend with regard to recent attacks launched against Meta-Four members Noam Dar and Oro Mensah. At that point, the lights went out, and Page appeared when they came back on.
Page attacked Williams from behind, announced that he was actually the one who took out Dar and Mensah, and posed with the NXT title belt in his hand.
The following week, Page showed up at NXT to negotiate a contract with general manager Ava. On that same show, Williams announced his intent to gain retribution against Page for what he did the previous week.
Page made some huge demands in his contract, and Ava was hesitant to accept the terms, but Williams insisted due to his desire to make “All Ego” pay for his actions.
Even when Trick was informed that Page’s contract demands included a title shot at Battleground in his first match, he never wavered, and Page signed his deal to make the match official.
Page, 34, has long been viewed as a wrestler with immense potential. It was on full display at the many stops he has made during his career, including AEW, Impact Wrestling and various independent promotions.
The Canadian star most recently wrestled for AEW from 2021 until this year, and while he had his moments including challenging MJF for the AEW World Championship, he largely wasn’t utilized to the best of his capabilities and was eventually relegated to Ring of Honor.
Page last wrestled under the AEW/ROH umbrella in February, and speculation ran rampant regarding his status with the company in recent weeks after he was removed from the roster page.
That proved to be a sign that his contract was up and he was on the move, as he made NXT his new home.
Page fell short in his first attempt to pry the NXT title away from Trick, but given that he was put in such a big match immediately after signing with WWE, he figures to be a major player in NXT for a long time to come.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below.
