Velveteen Dream’s Arrest Shows Just How Far He’s Fallen

Patrick Clark aka The Velveteen Dream has been arrested again, adding to the incredible downfall of one of the WWE’s most promising stars.

Former WWE superstar Velveteen Dream has spoken out about accusations from former colleague EC3 surrounding some controversial things he did in NXT. EC3 claimed in an interview that Velveteen Dream (real name Patrick Clark) tried to film other NXT stars in the toilets at a party at Ethan Carter III’s house, as well as using drugs in videos known to the WWE.

However, Clark has responded to these accusations. During an Instagram live stream, he admitted to being at a party with EC3 but denied filming the videos.

“Okay. Let me tell you this. I’m trying to help my old man out on a computer, and I just type in WWE, right? Tell me why the first thing I see is EC3 has talked to the dirt sheets, I guess since I’m on TMZ now I’m somebody again. EC3 has gone to the dirt sheets saying that, if you haven’t seen it, he had a party at his house one night. And if I’m to be correct, this was about 2017/2018 EC3?

“And I’m not going to tell people who was at this party out of respect for our mutual friends. But one of our mutual friends is a former NXT talent that no longer works for the WWE, and the other person is a current Monday Night Raw talent who used to wrestle, talent for NXT.”

Velveteen Dream had been arrested and charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia in a move which could put a holt to his dream of returning to WWE. The former NXT North American Champion has long been rumoured to be making an NXT return but his recent controversies make his return unlikely.

WWE’s Ashante “Thee” Adonis of the recently reunited “Hit Row” stable was said to have bailed him out of jail as he awaits trial for his crimes, although no date for that has been set quite yet.

 It has also come out that the Velveteen Dream’s arrest is tied to a significant drug case he caught last year, and now Dream could be facing some time in state prison. This would almost completely rule out a return with WWE with Triple H back in charge of the company.

While former felons like MVP and Booker T have been hired by WWE in the past, the company now run a more family-friendly product and would think twice about hiring someone with a criminal record. However, Velveteen Dream hasn’t given up hope and still wants to return to the company as a wrestler once his trial is concluded.

What Was Velveteen Dream Accused Of?

Velveteen Dream was accused of sending indecent images to underage boys on Instagram, with a reddit post revealing messages and voice notes communicating with the school-age boys on social media. A naked photo of what was alleged to be Dream was also posted, prompting speculation surrounding the situation, which was out rightly denied by the Velveteen Dream. He was also accused of sending explicit photos to an underage girl in the same way two months later, which was also denied.

He spent a significant amount of time away from the WWE, where an investigation occurred relation to the accusations. They found no wrongdoing to do with the case, but still released Patrick Clark in May 2021 after an extended period off TV. No reason for given for this release and came as part of a larger, COVID-related budget cutting measure.

He was also accused by the NXT locker room of filming secretly in the bathroom. He was purported to have filmed in the NXT performance centre, as well as in EC3’s house, although that has never been proved and not what he was fired over.

Velveteen Dream aka Patrick Clark

Former WWE star Patrick Clark, better known as “Velveteen Dream” in NXT during a multi-year run, has recently revealed WWE’s scandalous plan for the star’s WWE return during his time in NXT.

Velveteen Dream was one of the brightest young stars in NXT and a crowd favourite from the beginning. He first burst onto the scene in WWE’s reality show Tough Enough, and was signed after a great showing in the competition.

After appearing occasionally as a jobber on NXT, he transitioned to his new character, Velveteen Dream. “The Dream” was an androgynous, Prince-inspire gimmick which was a far-cry from the Patrick Clark people know from Tough Enough.

He went on to become a NXT North American Champion, but his career would be shattered when some allegations relating to sexual misconduct with a minor came out. Derailing his career, the allegations seemed to be of substance, although WWE never found any wrongdoing on behalf of Patrick Clark aka The Velveteen Dream.

It was alleged that Velveteen Dream sent explicit messages and photos to numerous underage boys, and later an underage boy. These allegations were a part of the wider “Speaking Out” movement which was making waves in wrestling in 2020.

Along with Velveteen Dream, other stars like Marty Scurll and David Starr had their careers derailed due to allegations, whilst Jimmy Havoc was fired from AEW for admitting that the things he was accused of were true.

However, Velveteen Dream denies all and any accusations, and was even set to return to WWE after the allegations came out, in a way that wasn’t the best look for WWE…

Velveteen Dream on WWE Return

In an interview with the  Dishing Drama podcast, Velveteen Dream made a shocking reveal about how WWE wanted him to return, amid his “Speaking Out” allegations.

While he had major heat with the audience due to accusations of trying to seduce teenage boys, Velveteen Dream revealed that WWE had the idea of having his wear a mask to the ring, even wrestling with it on. As well that, he was to not speak, perhaps so people would not realise he was the same Velveteen Dream who was accused of such misconduct.

In the interview, Velveteen Dream said;

“Just so you know, WWE definitely considered bringing me in with a mask and having me not speak.“

This is a scandalous declaration by the former NXT North American Champion. With such accusations levied at Velveteen Dream, WWE should have either backed their wrestler if they felt there was no wrongdoing (as Clark claims WWE’s investigation found), or left him off TV or even fired him for his wrongdoing.

Half-arsing it by putting him in the mask, basically profiting of these potential crimes, is a tasteless move that is not one that WWE is expected to make in recent years.

WWE did release Velveteen dream in 2021, a long time after the allegations regarding him came out. He did return to NXT TV in the meantime, but backstage issues and injuries forced him to miss an extended period of time prior to his release.

At the time of Velveteen Dream’s release, Dave Meltzer noted in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that his release was due to an incident that was reported to upper management by one of the ‘top stars’ in the company and had nothing to do with the 2020 allegations:

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer noted that, at the time of his release from WWE, that the allegations in 2020 had little to no bearing about his firing from WWE. Meltzer noted that an incident with one of NXT’s other “top stars” was what led to the Velveteen Dream’s release.

“We were told the firing didn’t have to do with those charges or anything that had been made public, but for a different incident that one of the top stars in the company alerted management to.”

Velveteen Dream’s Future?

While it does seem unlikely, Velveteen Dream has announced that he would like to return to WWE. In a Twitter post recently, the former NXT star revealed he would like to come back to WWE, stating he is “ready to go” and he would “like to have a career” within WWE.

Velveteen Dream said about a potential WWE return

“Despite trashy and unsavory allegations against me that I have beat! I’d still like to have a career with n the E. @wwenxt.

“I was never guilty and I got a hell of a lot of talent. I’m only 26. LFG. IM READY TO GO THE SHOW WHAT IT SHOULD BE.”

Whether or not he will return to NXT 2.0 remains to be seen, although with how little wrestling he has done since his release for allegations of grooming, it’s hard to see Velveteen Dream return to WWE anytime soon.

Velveteen Dream on his accusers

Velveteen Dream also shot on his accusers and the future plans he had for WWE. He revealed that the “Fire Velveteen Dream” hashtag cost him his WWE career, even after WWE found no wrongdoing on behalf of the former NXT North American Champion.

Velveteen Dream revealed that Triple H went on record to refute any accusations, but those that accused Velveteen Dream eventually cost him his job with their hashtag.

“I’d like to throw this in there as well, since you were talking about Josh Fuller and his convenient social media turnaround,” Clark said. “Josh Fuller was the one that when he decided to show up on social media with his b——t allegation. He started the hashtag Fire Velveteen Dream. That’s what it cost me.

“An investigation was done by WWE, our COO Paul Levesque, better known as Triple H, went on record and said there was nothing that WWE found that would incriminate me or cause any concern for the company, again a company who sells to children, and I’m being accused of soliciting sex for minors. I mean, come on. WWE found nothing.

“They even tried to put me back in a program with one of their top stars and then after the Fire Velveteen Dream hashtag blew up, during one of their PPVs, they were doing the digital audience and someone showed up, in their place instead of a person it’s hashtag Fire Velveteen Dream.”

Booker T Doesn’t Think The Dream Could Return To WWE

WWE Hall of Famer Booker T made his opinion known when he was asked about Velveteen Dream returning to WWE. When asked whether or not he would be re-signed by the company on his podcast, he very bluntly stated “No. I do not”. He then went on to add;

“[Brad Gilmore always says] that you could put yourself where something could happen and it could be bad. Sometimes, you can never find your way back from it and I think Velveteen Dream is going to be one of those guys that would’ve had a hell of a career if. That’s the end of that story.”

Considering Booker T spent 19 months in prison for armed robbery prior to his wrestling career, the fact that he doesn’t think that there is a way back into the company for the Velveteen Dream says a lot about the accusations against him and his attitude backstage, which reportedly ruffled a lot of feathers and caused him to be fired.

Velveteen Dream’s Arrest Footage Was Recently Release

Footage of the Velveteen Dream aka Patrick Clark released by TMZ on Sunday, December 18th 2022. The former NXT wrestler was charged with two counts of misdemeanor battery and trespassing on a property after receiving a warning. However, he was released once the charges were dropped and the victims chose not to prosecute.

Clark could be heard in the video yelling at the offices to leave his phone alone, before entering into a profanity-laden tirade toward the arresting officers.

“Hang up your f***ing phone, sir! I was not given my Miranda rights! You f***ed up! You f***ed up, sir! I was not given my Miranda rights, so go ahead and bring me to your motherf***ing station, you f***ed up!”