Mark Henry Predicts a Breakout Year for Trick Williams in WWE

During a recent edition of Busted Open After Dark, WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry predicted that former NXT Champion Trick Williams will be this year’s breakout WWE Superstar and newcomer of the year. Below are some highlights (via WrestlingInc.com):

Mark Henry on Trick Williams

“I know I’ve said this the last two weeks. Trick Williams, not only is he looking like a million bucks, he sounds like a million bucks. And he’s, after the match he had tonight, I have to say that, you know, Trick is going to be in the discussion — if he has the year that I think he’s going to have in ’26 — he’ll be, at the end of the year, the newcomer of the year. And you can’t really call him a newcomer because he’s been paid his dues. He’s been around the block a couple of times, but not as a feature on SmackDown or a feature entertainer on Raw. He’s got his opportunity on SmackDown now, and I feel like he’s got a chance of being somebody.”

On Williams Emulating Randy Orton

“But I think I would have chosen somebody else other than Randy Orton to be that first guy. But you know what? Maybe Trick has visions of grandeur. Maybe he feels like, Randy did it, why can’t I?”

Trick Williams beat Rey Fenix in his SmackDown main roster debut earlier this month. On last Friday’s SmackDown, he beat Matt Cardona to earn a spot in the Fatal 4-Way match for a shot at the WWE Undisputed Championship at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event.

At WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, Williams faces Randy Orton, Damian Priest, and Sami Zayn in a No. 1 Contender’s Fatal 4-Way. The winner will then challenge Drew McIntyre for the WWE Undisputed Championship at the 2026 Royal Rumble.

WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event XLIII takes place on January 24 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. It will stream live on Peacock in the U.S. and on Netflix internationally.