NXT TakeOver: Chicago 2 (June 16th, 2018)

[Stanford]

Back when he was Patrick Clark, he was just another guy who looked like he was only there because he was tall and ripped.

I don't believe that. I remember the discussions we had on this board during Tough Enough. All of us were confident that he had the ability to be a star. He was clearly the most talented in that group.

Once he became the Velveteen Dream he proved he had an actual personality and could conceptualize a real character.

On Tough Enough he was criticized for always doing a work-shoot style promo. One week someone called him out for it and he said "Oh, I can do something else," and then cut a promo in a totally different character. It's always been there.

[improper]

I don't believe that. I remember the discussions we had on this board during Tough Enough. All of us were confident that he had the ability to be a star. He was clearly the most talented in that group.

On Tough Enough he was criticized for always doing a work-shoot style promo. One week someone called him out for it and he said "Oh, I can do something else," and then cut a promo in a totally different character. It's always been there.

Eh...I'm talking about the live crowd perception of him. As Patrick Clark, he just seemed like another guy signed because Vince likes em big and muscular. It's the same reason fans were slow to warm up to Braun (at least until he started murdering Roman) and the same reason they've been cold with Lars despite the fact that he's noticeably improved a great deal since he's been pushed.

I'm also not saying he didn't have the ability all along. Obviously he did or he wouldn't have evolved so quickly. I'm just saying that, as Patrick Clark, he wasn't really showcasing anything terribly special.