The US title scene is officially the main event

Pull up a chair and grab a drink, because we need to talk about Trick Williams. Ever since he hoisted that United States Championship after dusting Sami Zayn at the big show back in April, the man hasn't just been holding a belt; he’s been holding the entire company’s energy hostage. The energy behind him is arguably hotter than the pyrotechnics at a Tuesday night taping. We are just weeks away from SummerSlam 2026, and the chatter regarding his next challenger has turned the internet wrestling community into a digital gladiatorial pit.

The believers want a main event ascension

If you hang out in the right corners of X or the deeper threads on Reddit, you would think Trick Williams was already carrying the brand on his back. A massive chunk of the fan base isn't content with just watching him defend the mid-card strap. They want to see him fast-tracked. People are pointing to that specific night in April as proof that he can carry a main event program. The sentiment is obvious: stop checking the watch and put him in the ring with the biggest names on the roster immediately.

Trick Williams is the most natural babyface we've seen since the early 2010s; put him in the ring with a true heel veteran and let him cook for 20 minutes.

The enthusiasts argue that Trick has the charisma that can't be taught at a Performance Center. He has that rare ability to make a simple promo feel like a heavyweight title fight. They cite his ring work as having taken a massive step forward, specifically his timing on his signature knee strike. It’s hard to ignore the crowd pops. The guy gets reactions that usually take ten years to build.

The skeptics are crying for quality control

Of course, this is a wrestling forum, so you know there is a loud contingent that hates the fun. The contrarians aren't buying the hype just yet. They argue that throwing Trick at the top of the card at SummerSlam is a fast track to burnout. One vocal group insists he needs another six months of grinding through mid-card feuds to actually solidify his move-set before he starts mixing it up with the company's elite.

These folks keep pointing to the pacing issues in his recent bouts. They aren't wrong about the occasional disjointed sequence, either. There was a stretch in his last televised match where the transitions felt like a local indie promotion on a bad night. The skeptics want to see him work a technical clinic with someone like Chad Gable or a grizzled veteran who can force him to sharpen his craft. They fear he's being pushed based solely on his personality, which is a recipe for a flat SummerSlam performance.

My take: The momentum is the mission

Honestly, the skeptics need to loosen their collars and stop acting like they’re scouting for a basement promotion. In 2026, you don't stall a guy like Trick Williams just because his arm drags might need a little polish. If you have a performer who can get 20,000 people screaming in unison, you capitalize on it before the audience moves on to the next shiny object. The wrestling business has lost enough stars to cold feet.

My analysis? The argument for holding him back is pure cowardice disguised as logic. We have seen this movie before where a hot act is cooled off by 'proper booking' and ends up performing in opening bouts by November. You give him the big stage at SummerSlam, win or lose, and you let him see if he can hang under those bright lights. If his cardio holds up at 30 minutes, you have your next true headliner for the next three years.

Is he flawless? Absolutely not. His selling can get a bit lazy, and he occasionally forgets to protect his own momentum by focusing too much on the crowd. But wrestling is, first and foremost, a show. If you ignore the star power right in front of you because you’re worried about booking flowcharts, you’re in the wrong business. Let Trick run. If he trips, at least he will have tripped in front of the biggest crowd of the summer. That is how you turn a mid-card act into a legend.