WWE NXT: Will 2018 be the Year of The Velveteen Dream?
By Sarah Hirsch
Velveteen Dream hasn’t been on the WWE NXT scene since his match with Aleister Black at NXT Takeover: War Games.
Even though it has been mentioned on WWE NXT programming that Velveteen Dream was injured, it has otherwise been quiet for the man formerly known as Patrick Clark.
Velveteen Dream is one of those characters that is a proven asset to the company. One has to wonder what is next for him after his feud with Aleister Black culminated at NXT Takeover: WarGames. Could he be on the contender’s list for a NXT Championship shot down the line? If anything else, Velveteen Dream has proven that he’s someone to watch in NXT.
To be honest, WWE needs a character such as Velveteen Dream. The androgyny that is reminiscent of Goldust that matches the confidence and charisma of Rick Rude is something that fans haven’t seen in a long time. It’s refreshing, it’s fun. It’s what pro wrestling is all about. Velveteen Dream nails his character, and his in ring work is decent. While there’s room for improvement, the potential for Velveteen Dream to be a big star in WWE is high.
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His feud with Aleister Black last fall was one of the best feuds of NXT. With Velveteen Dream screaming “Say my name” often, the moral of the story was the fact that he wanted recognition. He wanted to be known for more than just his outlandish persona. Velveteen Dream has so much to prove, and he started on top with one of NXT’s biggest newcomers in Black.
Their match at Takeover: WarGames was one of the best matches of the night. It even garnered Match of the Year contendership thanks to the story told in the ring. The attention to detail from Velveteen Dream’s gear to facial expressions made the match fun and captivating.
The phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover” applies to the former Tough Enough contestant. One of the high points that could be taken from the feud was the psychology that was factored throughout. Velveteen Dream is no stranger to using this, and it should be his biggest asset from this point on. Looks are deceiving in his case, and overlooking him will be his opponent’s eventual downfall in a match.
Photo courtesy of wwe.com
Again, Velveteen Dream may be quiet for now, but fans should expect a boisterous comeback for when he does return. At the end of his match with Black, Velveteen Dream gained Aleister Black’s respect, in addition to the respect of others. So it will be interesting to see who Velveteen Dream will feud with next and where that will take him. He could even see gold in his future with the NXT Championship.
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Velveteen Dream knows how to get the fans talking, so it’ll be no surprise for when he garners buzz upon his return. His next opponent not only better say his name, but he best not forget it either.