WWE United States Champion Trick Williams has opened up about the secret advice from John Cena that helped shape his career. In an exclusive interview with Metro, Williams revealed that Cena, who retired from in-ring competition in December, has been a mentor since his NXT days.
Cena's psychological approach
Williams, 32, described Cena as a 'psychological guy' who focuses on storytelling. 'He thinks, "What's the story? Why are we doing what we're doing?" He makes you think about the business, the ABCs of wrestling,' Williams said. Cena's advice centered on ideology and embracing the moment.
Recalling a conversation in NXT, Williams asked Cena how to know when it's his time. 'What he said is, "Man, you got to take that opportunity by the horns. It's no perfect time, but you got to make it your time. You got to believe within yourself that now is your time,"' Williams revealed. Since then, he has lived by the mantra 'every day is my day'.
Fan connection and entrance
Williams credited fans for his signature chant 'Whoop that Trick', which has become a global phenomenon. 'The coolest part about my theme is that there's no lyrics, because everything that you hear is from the fans,' he said. 'We can go overseas, Canada, Europe, UK, Saudi Arabia, and everybody's whooping that Trick. It doesn't matter what language you speak.'
His bond with fans was highlighted in the Netflix docuseries WWE Unreal, where he rehearsed his entrance without fan interaction, showing how much he values their energy.
Lil Yachty's role and custom title
Rapper Lil Yachty has become a key figure in Williams' act, serving as a manager and training for a potential match. 'Yachty's special, man. He loves the business. He's a smart guy. He's a talented guy. And shoot, man, he may just have a match sometime soon. We've been training,' Williams teased.
Yachty presented Williams with a custom United States Title belt featuring white fur instead of leather, which has divided purists. Williams loves it: 'I got my own legacy title! Eight months into the game on SmackDown, legacy title, all white fur, Trick Willy fur edition. It's a beautiful thing, man.' He advised that wearing it requires a shirtless look with defined abs to 'let the people just see the product'.
SummerSlam defense against Baron Corbin
At SummerSlam this weekend, Williams defends his title against Baron Corbin. He dismissed Corbin as a 'bald-headed bum' seeking short-term gains. 'He ain't here for the long haul. He don't got it in him to influence the way Trick Willy's ready to influence. It's a no-brainer,' Williams said.
Williams aims to become a 'cultural icon' with years of WrestleMania main events ahead. 'What I'm trying to do is way bigger than what people can even imagine,' he added.
WWE Unreal season 3 is available on Netflix now. SummerSlam streams live on Netflix August 1 and 2 at 11pm.
