When World Wrestling Entertainment schedules its NXT brand to tour Florida, part of that Coconut Loop, that Citrus Circuit, sometimes includes Fort Pierce.
Like on May 18.
WWE’s NXT brings its action-packed, fun and family friendly pro wrestling show to the Havert L. Fenn Center. NXT features developmental talent, training at the state-of-the-art WWE Performance Center in Orlando.
At NXT events, see the future of WWE up close and personal, complete with solid in-ring matchups, a few debuts, photos, selfies and maybe an autograph or two.
Who will wrestle will be determined on show day, but NXT Champion Trick Williams knows what it’s like competing for NXT in Fort Pierce.
WWE wrestlers Carmelo Hayes (left) and Trick Williams (right) greeting fans at the Havert L. Fenn Center in Fort Pierce. PHOTO BY JIM VARSALLONE
“Coming to the Havert L. Fenn Center, coming to Fort Pierce, it’s always magical,” Williams said. “We always have a great crowd there, at least 300-plus, and they’re there to chant; they’re there to have a good time. There’s lots of kids there, and the energy we receive from the kids, from the people and to be able to reciprocate that, bring it back, and everybody is having a good time.”
“You get to see the future stars. Everyone wants to get a glimpse of what the future is going to look like. It’s right here at the live events. It’s right here at NXT. You’re looking at the next megastars of the world — not just Florida, not just WWE, but of the world! — right here in Fort Pierce; so you wanna make sure you don’t miss that.”
A former University of South Carolina football player, the 29-year-old Williams is the next incarnation of NXT talent on the cusp of making the WWE main roster (Raw 8 p.m. Mondays on USA Network or SmackDown 8 p.m. Fridays on Fox).
WWE wrestlers Trick Williams (back) and Carmelo Hayes (front) from “WWE NXT In Your House 2.0” PPV at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando. PHOTO BY JIM VARSALLONE
In September, Gifford’s Jade Cargill (Sebastian River HS, Vero Beach HS, Jacksonville University) by-passed the developmental level and debuted on WWE’s main roster at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view in January. She has since won WWE tag team titles with established superstar Bianca Belair, and they are featured on the national, long-running SmackDown television program.
Williams is a new champion, too, winning NXT gold, after connecting with the crowd per his “Whoop That Trick” entrance. Fans love it, hands in the air, singing together, as he enters the ring area for his match. Making that connection with fans is so important in the elevation process of a pro wrestler.
Williams said: “The ‘Whoop That Trick’ chant started early into the 2.0 days. I was alongside my ex-brother, my ex-best friend Carmelo Hayes, and I remember we came out for a tag team match, and a section of the crowd was chanting ‘Whoop That Trick’ at an NXT Tuesday [live TV show from the WWE PC in Orlando on USA Network]. I remember looking at Carmelo and saying, ‘Hey, are they chanting for me or against me?’ We just kind of shrugged it off and went about our business. Then just so happened every single time we had a match; every time I had a match, the crowd continued the chant, and then it really broke out at ‘NXT Heatwave’ [in August 2023 in Orlando] when I had a match against Ilja Dragunov, and my entrance music changed to an instrumental beat, and the crowd filled in the instrumental beat with ‘Whoop That Trick’ chants, and it’s taken off ever since.”
Video provided by James Varsallone
Because of those fans in Orlando, his star was born.
By the way, “Whoop That Trick” is kid friendly.
Williams noted: “Kids were getting in trouble for chanting ‘Whoop That Trick,’ and I want to clear that up right now. ‘Whoop That Trick’ is a chant of endearment — standing up for yourself, standing up for what you believe in. It is not a derogatory term. It’s a good thing for kids to stand up for what they believe in and fight for when it’s the right time to fight and defend yourself. That’s what we do when we ‘Whoop That Trick.’ We’re standing up to bullies. We’re not taking no nonsense. We’re going to get our own championship, whatever that may be.”
NXT Fun at The Fenn
Hundreds of fans fill the Havert L. Fenn Center for NXT shows, and they are close to the action — cheering, booing, supporting, heckling those on the card. Tickets are $15 general admission or $25 ringside.
As for these pro wrestlers on NXT shows, it’s a good dress rehearsal for those learning how to perform in front of a crowd with aspirations of making it on WWE’s TV programming and pay-per-view type shows.
WWE wrestler Trick Williams (front center) in trouble against WWE wrestler Kit Wilson of Pretty Deadly at the Havert L. Fenn Center in Fort Pierce. PHOTO BY JIM VARSALLONE
Since 2012, the Havert L. Fenn Center continues to be a regular stop on those NXT Florida tours. That translates to 58 shows there which featured NXT developmental talent who became WWE main roster superstars, i.e. Alexa Bliss, Andrade, Angel Garza Jr., Angelo Dawkins, Apollo Crews, Asuka, Authors of Pain, Baron Corbin, Bayley, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Blair Davenport, Bronson Reed, Carmella, Carmelo Hayes, Chad Gable, Charlotte Flair, Chelsea Green, Corey Graves (commentator), Cruz Del Toro, Dakota Kai, Damian Priest, Dexter Lumis, Dragon Lee, Drew McIntyre, Finn Balor, Giovanni Vinci, Io Shirai, Jason Jordan (agent), Joaquin Wilde, Johnny Gargano, Kayden Carter, Kevin Owens, Kiana James, Ludwig Kaiser, Lyra Valkyria, Kairi Sane, Liv Morgan, Montez Ford, Nia Jax, Omos, Otis, Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince and Kit Wilson), Raquel Rodriguez, Rhea Ripley, Roman Reigns, Sami Zayn, Shayna Baszler, Shotzi, Sonya Deville, The Viking Raiders (Erik and Ivar), Tommaso Ciampa and Valhalla.
St. Lucie County, especially Fort Pierce, has been part of pro wrestling lore for decades with Championship Wrestling from Florida and some independent offerings as well as some NWO shows and WCW events. John Carroll High School, the National Guard Armory, and the St. Lucie Civic Center housed many of those pro wrestling shows, and fans expressed their emotions toward the likes of The American Dream Dusty Rhodes, Arn Anderson, Bad Leroy Brown, Bam Bam Bigelow, Barry Windham, Bob Backlund, Bob Roop, Dick Slater, Don Muraco, Goldberg, Harley Race, Hiro Matsuda, Jack Brisco, Jerry Brisco, Jim Garvin, Kevin Sullivan, Konnan, Lex Luger, Macho Man Randy Savage, Meng, Mike Graham, Mike Rotunda, One Man Gang, Pat Patterson, Rey Mysterio Jr., Ric Flair, Ricky Morton, Robert Fuller, Ron Fuller, Stan Hansen, Stan Lane, Steve Keirn, Sting, Terry Taylor, The Hollywood Blondes (Buddy Roberts and Jerry Brown) with Sir Oliver Humperdink, The Junkyard Dog, Tommy Rich, and Rick Steiner.
With Steiner, pro wrestling came full circle in Fort Pierce as his son, Bron Breakker, wrestled on a few WWE NXT shows at the Havert L. Fenn Center in 2023.
WWE wrestlers Carmelo Hayes (left) and Trick Williams at a WWE NXT TV show at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando. PHOTO BY JIM VARSALLONE
When the civic center closed, and the Havert L. Fenn Center opened in Fort Pierce, pro wrestling once again became a staple of events hosted at the new venue, with WWE taking charge, booking its developmental brand NXT there.
WWE is the most lucrative, successful pro wrestling company in the world, and its state-of-the-art training center — known as the WWE Performance Center — is located in Orlando. Young talent learns from a wealth of coaches, former pro wrestlers, led by Matt Bloom, Sara Amato and HBK (The Heartbreak Kid) Shawn Michaels.
Some of today’s top pro wrestlers on WWE’s main roster developed, cut their teeth, honed their skills, while competing, performing on WWE NXT shows, like at the Havert L. Fenn Center. You are seeing the NXT stars of today and WWE’s main roster talent of tomorrow, including those just starting their in-ring journey, making their in-ring debuts on NXT house shows (no TV) at smaller venues throughout Florida.
Show details
WWE NXT Live
Saturday, May 18
Drop kicks-off 7:30 p.m.
Havert L. Fenn Center
2000 Virginia Ave.
Fort Pierce, FL 34982
Tix:
WWE NXT 8 p.m. Tuesdays on USA Network.
*A longtime South Florida resident, Jim Varsallone works part-time for the Miami Herald Sports Department and is also a freelance feature writer/interviewer, covering pro wrestling, preps and MMA.