If South Carolina football fans are wondering what happened to former wide receiver Matrick Belton these days, well, he’s transformed into Trick Williams, who appears on WWE television shows. Belton goes by Williams these days as a professional wrestler. He gets plenty of fans cheering him on and chanting his “Whoop that Trick!” saying in unison.
Trick Williams Discusses Transition From Football to WWE
But Belton, or Williams if you will, hasn’t forgotten about his college football days. He’s worked hard to make the transition from the football field to the squared circle.
Williams made an appearance on Monday morning on ESPN’s “First Take.” He was asked by panelist Stephen A. Smith about making the transition from college football to pro wrestling.
“I saw some podcasts and everything where people were saying what I’m doing now as a WWE Superstar is cute,” Williams said. “But you got to understand, Stephen A. Smith, playing football, you know, we went through a lot of hard things. You know, you call the play, and then you’re going across the middle, you’re going to get hit.”
“And just because things are predetermined doesn’t mean that it don’t hurt,” Williams said, speaking of how decisions on who wins or loses are made in the pro wrestling world. “And what we do now as WWE Superstars, some things are predetermined.”
WWE wrestler @_trickwilliams talks about the transition from college football to professional wrestling ✍️ pic.twitter.com/aaAmjSG2hA
— First Take (@FirstTake) February 23, 2026
“But, hey, if you got to sit in that pocket and throw that Cover Two post across the middle?” Williams told Smith, referring to Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady. “You’re about to get hit. Just because you drew the play and knew what was going to happen doesn’t mean that it doesn’t hurt. You know what I mean?”
“And that’s what we do now,” Williams said. “Hey, we draw the play and get the job done. At the end of the day, you gotta get the job done. And you got to do it with the bright lights on.”
Belton started his college football career at Hampton University, where he played in six games for the Pirates. He then transferred to the University of South Carolina, but had to sit out for the 2014 season after spending the 2013 season on Hampton’s football roster. He did not see action in the 2013 season, though.
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In 2015, as a walk-on wide receiver, Belton played in every game for the Gamecocks. He caught 11 passes for 121 yards, an 11.0-yard average. Then, in 2016, Belton, as a fifth-year senior, played in nine games, most of those on special teams. He was also named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll that year.
But these days, it’s as Williams that Belton is known by WWE fans around the world. Williams has been a champion in the pro wrestling universe, winning the TNA World Champion’s belt. He’s made many appearances on WWE’s NXT show, but late last year, Williams was vaulted to the main WWE roster.
These days, college football and pro wrestling fans can see him on “SmackDown,” which airs on Friday nights on the USA Network. Williams has found a way to use his athletic prowess from college football and make it to the big time with the top pro wrestling company in the United States.
