Tommy Dreamer & Bully Ray Critique Ethan Page-Trick Williams Segment From WWE NXT
Trick Williams is set to defend his NXT Championship against former champion Ethan Page in a Devil's Playground match. Page and Williams confronted each other on the final "WWE NXT" before their match at Halloween Havoc and the "Busted Open Radio" crew felt the faceoff didn't do Williams any favors.
"I felt like this was a little too long and drawn out," Tommy Dreamer began. "I didn't know if the 'NXT' audience was totally into it. There comes a time where it's enough talking, and it's hard. They have had such a long feud as well as their face-to-face with each other."
Dreamer feels that Page left Williams twisting in the wind, using the confrontation to go over his trials and tribulations, leaving Williams very little to respond to. Even worse, Dreamer feels that the segment left fans sympathizing with the heel Ethan Page.
"I liked the one response Trick said. But you kinda sorta want to go the, 'These are the dues I paid to get here, you did not,'" Dreamer said, not liking that the heel was "more correct" than the babyface Williams. "Trick literally turned his back on the heel, which is disrespectful to do and then he walked away. Ethan Page should've beat the crap out of him and bloodied him in that nice white outfit that he had."
Not everyone needs to be strong all the time
Tommy Dreamer's broadcast partner Bully Ray also felt the segment didn't quite come together.
"Ethan Page is doing a great job of trying to be the guy to breathe down Trick Williams's neck," Bully said. He reminded the audience he has been asking for someone to play that role for a while, and while "NXT" appears to be listening, he still has notes. "What they're trying to do with Ethan last night is make Ethan the guy to breathe down the neck. It felt forced to me."
Ray also didn't appreciate the nonchalant way that Williams brushed off Page's monologue. The former TNA World Champion felt that it didn't look like Page got into Williams's head, despite that being the intent of the segment.
"When Ethan Page is telling Trick Williams about the [metallic taste of blood]. That's the moment in time I needed to see the gear change from Trick to go 'S***, this guy's right. Maybe I am in over my head,'" Ray continued. "Not everyone needs to be strong all the time. A great babyface will show vulnerability."
Page won the title from Williams at WWE NXT Heatwave over the summer and lost the title back to Williams at the beginning of October, on the debut of "WWE NXT" on The CW.