Trick Williams just won the TNA world title at NXT Battleground
Who would have ever thought a day would come that a show promoted by WWE would be headlined not just by a current TNA World Champion but that the match itself would be for said TNA world championship? That came to be at tonight's (Sun., May 25, 2025) Battleground premium live event at the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida, when the face of TNA, Joe Hendry, put his title on the line against one of the top stars in all of NXT, Trick Williams.
It was a Joe Hendry match, so they worked the gimmick to death:
Advertisement
But we also got Trick having fun with Booker T's old gimmick:
Late in the match, Williams brought the TNA world title into the ring, though he didn't intentionally use it as a weapon himself, thanks to the referee, so he didn't get disqualified. However, it did end up on the mat and he dropped Hendry right on top of it. The ref didn't DQ him for that either, and a follow up Trick Shot was enough to earn the three count.
We have a new TNA world champion, and he is an NXT star.
How about that finish?
Get complete Battleground results and coverage of every match on the card by clicking here.
More from cagesideseats.com:

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New York Post
12 hours ago
- New York Post
Pat McAfee fires back at Ben Stiller after he gets Knicks-Pacers Game 5 invite
There's plenty of star power on hand for Game 5 at Madison Square Garden between the Knicks and Pacers, but ESPN personality Pat McAfee is not among that group. The sports talk host told his audience on Thursday that he was not making the trip to New York for the game despite public pressure from Knicks superfan and actor Ben Stiller. Stiller had called on McAfee to be at the game on Thursday after he cut a WWE-style promo during Game 4 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, calling out Stiller, Timothée Chalamet and Spike Lee, who all made the trip to Indianapolis. Pat McAfee is not on hand for Game 5. Pat McAfee Show/X 'The New York Knicks are at home tonight, down three games to one, in Madison Square Garden. There will be a ton of people packed there in that arena. I will not be one of them,' McAfee admitted. 'Ben Stiller extended an invite to me publicly, but I am not paying $70,000 for a ticket. I'm sorry, I just can not do it. Obviously I will be watching the game. I'll be fired up for the game, but I will not be at Madison Square Garden. I'm just not doing it.' McAfee also claimed he had a scheduling conflict among other excuses that he gave for not going to the game. Stiller had reacted to the viral moment of McAfee on Wednesday while appearing on 'The Putback with Ian Begley' and said that he was 'not familiar' with McAfee's schtick. Timothée Chalamet and Ben Stiller pose for a portrait before the Knicks' Game 4 road loss to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect 'I did know that Timothée had been on his show,' Stiller said. ' And I was like, 'Oh, that's your boy. That's your guy.' So when that happened, I was a little bit like, 'Whoa.' But the WWE aspect of it, I get it. It's just not the way it happens in New York. He should come to the Garden for Game 5.'
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
From Suplexes to Sixteens: John Cena's ‘You Can't See Me Album,' 20 Years Later
When John Cena dropped his 2005 debut album, You Can't See Me, critics wondered if the wrestling powerhouse had more brawn than bars. What began as a perceived gimmick evolved into a two-decade-long run, marked by unfiltered charisma, sharp wit and unshakeable confidence. Sure, his popularity and in-ring dominance made him box office gold, but when he unleashed his mic skills — especially over Jake One's soulful beats — Cena cemented himself as the godfather of the rap-wrestling crossover. Released on May 10, 2005, You Can't See Me — a collaboration with his cousin, fellow rapper TradeMarc — debuted at No. 15 on the Billboard 200, also reaching No. 3 on Top Rap Albums — proof Cena had real appeal on the mic. Even while locking up with heavyweights like Triple H, Randy Orton, and The Undertaker each week, Cena carried that same grit and resilience into the booth. On tracks like 'Just Another Day' and 'If It All Ended Tomorrow,' Cena's raw candor and introspection made him surprisingly easy to root for. As he raps on the latter: 'You the new kid, now you gettin' some shine/ When every vet sayin' that it's not yo' time/ My hustle is non-stop and it's not yo' grind/ Plus I hear very clear, I'm not so blind.' More from Billboard Alice in Chains Cancel Tour After Drummer Sean Kinney's 'Medical Emergency' - UPDATE 'Monster' Hit: Volbeat Tops Mainstream Rock Airplay Chart Jackson Wang Talks Inspiration for 'MAGIC MAN 2': 'What Do I Want to Say as a Person?' And though Cena was dubbed WWE's Superman, his rap heroics on You Can't See Me became every critic's kryptonite. His bravado and swagger leglocked the doubters into submission. The album's title track became his armor — its hook both a taunt and a shield — as he swatted away skepticism with a single phrase: 'You can't see me.' The song became both a gift and a curse: a champion's anthem and rallying cry, but also a punchline for detractors who turned it into an easy jab, diminishing Cena even as he continued to dominate. Now on his final lap as a professional wrestler, Cena's recent partnership with Travis Scott — rap's latest generational leader — speaks volumes about his influence across both arenas. WWE is in the midst of a renaissance, with pop culture once again reinvigorated by its presence. Hip-hop's footprint in the ring is larger than ever: WaleMania just celebrated its 10th anniversary at WrestleMania, while wrestlers like Montez Ford and Trick Williams proudly showcase their rap chops with original music, and genre superstars like Drake, Metro Boomin, Lil Yachty, and Quavo now flood wrestling arenas with the same fervor and excitement as the everyday diehards beside them. Much of this stems from Cena's early efforts to meld both worlds — what began as a desperate bid to save his WWE career ended up bridging a gap between music and wrestling, one that remains tightly connected to this day. And while we may never get another album from the 48-year-old multi-hyphenate, You Can't See Me still deserves a spin — for everything it gave to hip-hop, wrestling, and pop culture at large. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
Metro Boomin Calls Making WWE Entrance Theme Music ‘A Lifelong Goal of Mine'
Metro Boomin wants to add WWE entrance theme composer to his already long résumé. The St. Louis producer, who's a big wrestling fan, tweeted this week about wanting to produce entrance theme music for WWE wrestlers. 'Would love to produce some WWE entrance themes. It's a lifelong goal of mine,' he wrote. More from Billboard Thom Yorke Releases 'Dialing In' as Theme to Apple TV+ Series 'Smoke' Kneecap Removed From Scottish Festival Following Safety Concerns From Police Baltazar Lora, Doctor Nativo & More Emerging Latin Artists on Our Radar And while the WWE hasn't responded yet, one of their hosts, Hot 97 DJ Peter Rosenberg, replied to Metro's tweet and said, 'Let's discuss.' Back in October 2024, Metro joined former WWE champ Cody Rhodes and executive vice president of talent relations and head of creative Triple H during the cold open of WWE's Bad Blood pay-per-view event at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, where he was tasked with helping Cody on a stakeout mission. Metro has posted pictures of himself holding WWE championship belts over the years with a most recent carousel of pics and vids being uploaded to his Instagram account on May 19 where the producer shows off his wrestling merch which includes an NWO belt and racing jacket. He also sometimes has belt over his shoulder when he's performing live. Hip-hop and wrestling have had a good relationship over the years, with rappers like Action Bronson, Wale and Westside Gunn making frequent references to professional wrestlers in their music and artists like Lil Kim, Method Man and Naughty by Nature providing entrance music for Trish Stratus, The Rock and Shane McMahon, respectively, while wrestlers like R-Truth and John Cena have rapped on their own entrance songs. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart