Trick Williams, currently a member of the WWE SmackDown roster with multiple championship reigns, first appeared on WWE programming in an unexpected role. In March 2021, just weeks into his WWE tenure, Williams was featured as a background presence on SmackDown, serving as a bodyguard for Apollo Crews, who portrayed a character claiming Nigerian royal heritage. This marked his initial exposure to WWE audiences prior to his rise as an NXT Champion.
Williams shared details about this early phase during an interview with the No-Contest Wrestling podcast. He explained that at the time, he was brand new to WWE and unfamiliar with filming procedures. The creative team had assigned him a role as an elite guard based on his partial Nigerian ancestry.
“They said, ‘Hey, we need you on SmackDown. We looked at your ancestry roots and we saw that you are 32.5% Nigerian, so you going to come be a Nigerian bodyguard.’ Alright, cool,”
Williams recalled.
He also mentioned meeting Apollo Crews and fellow guard Denzel Dejournette during this period.
“I meet Apollo, he’s dope. Denzel Dejournette, he was the other Nigerian guard. That’s the first time I met the [office], people in Gorilla at the time. That was a cool moment for me,”
he stated. The week following their debut, the team returned to continue the storyline as Crews introduced his character’s backstory to viewers.
Character Presentation and Storyline on SmackDown
On the March 5, 2021 episode of SmackDown, Apollo Crews told the audience about his heritage as a descendant of Nigerian royalty, with Trick Williams and Denzel Dejournette standing behind him as his bodyguards. Crews reflected on his past attempts to fit in, choosing instead to embrace his roots and assert his identity. After a confrontation with then-WWE Intercontinental Champion Big E, Crews declared he would no longer try to blend in but would stand out and defend himself. He then challenged Big E to a rematch for the Intercontinental Title, raising the stakes on the storyline involving his character.
COVID-19 Impact Ends Williams’ Role as Bodyguard
Williams’ stint as Crews’ elite guard was short-lived, ending by April 2021 when Commander Azeez replaced both Williams and Dejournette. This abrupt change was linked to COVID-19 affecting the WWE roster and staff. Williams recounted a situation in which he and Dejournette unknowingly carried the virus during travel to WWE events.
“I just remember a couple days before we had this ring build at NXT where everybody’s together and we’re building the rings for training. Somebody must have had COVID or whatever the case was. That wasn’t good because that thing must have spread,”
Williams explained.
“I didn’t know that I had COVID and I rolled down to Tampa with Denzel. He didn’t know that he had COVID. We got to get tested to enter the building because the protocol is serious. We both get tested. We were riding down, laughing, joking, eating food the whole ride down to Tampa. Then they said, ‘Actually, both of you tested positive for COVID. You are not needed for SmackDown.’”
Reflection on How Early Setback Benefited His Career
Looking back, Williams believes that contracting COVID and the resulting removal from the SmackDown storyline proved fortuitous for his long-term development. At the time, he was still learning the inner workings of WWE, and the interruption allowed him to focus on training at the WWE Performance Center and develop his skills within the NXT brand. These experiences prepared him well for his current full-time role on WWE’s main roster where he has found success with multiple championships.
If using quotes from this article, please credit No-Contest Wrestling with a hat tip to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
