Former WWE NXT Superstar Patrick Clark (Velveteen Dream) made his first post-WWE appearance at a Dynasty Wrestling event in Albany, NY on Saturday night. Clark, who was unadvertised for the show, issued an open challenge. Clark also did a meet & greet at the show.
In March 2020, Patrick Clark was accused of having inappropriate contact with a minor. Several others came out during the #SpeakingOut movement, accusing him of inappropriate contact with minors and grooming by pro wrestler Joshua Fuller.
Velveteen Dream was released from WWE in May 2021 and hasn’t been seen much since.
Just last month, Clark took to his Instagram page to issue an apology to his family, friends, WWE, Paul Levesque, Shawn Michaels and others for his previous actions. He wrote,
“As you’ve probably seen or have heard over the course of the last few years, I want to apologize for my behavior, both professionally and personally. I always preach to those closest to me about the power of accountability and responsibility, and I take full accountability for my behavior over the last three years of my life. When narratives were written about me it doesn’t matter. It didn’t matter what was written about me.
It doesn’t matter what was said about me. It doesn’t matter what’s on the Internet about me. I was wrong. Okay. And because of that, I need to apologize to a few people. First, I want to apologize to the WWE organization. I want to apologize to the WWE organization for any unwanted attention and negative press that I brought to your brand and your product.
I want to apologize to the WWE Fans and the Velveteen Dream fans because when you hear the name Velveteen Dream, it should have only been spoken about in a productive and a positive light. Not the name Patrick Clark. as another statistic of what happens when talent and opportunity meet immaturity. That’s not what you spend your hard earned money on. It’s not what you invest your time and your money in. When you look on the TV and you come to the shows, you should escape reality, not have to deal with mine. I want to apologize to the WWE and the fans.
I want to apologize to Paul Levesque. Paul, you are such an understanding and patient man and leader and getting the opportunity to work with you and to learn from you. I get the sense of what makes you who you are and how you’ve been able to handle the responsibility of being in the public light for such a long time. I want to apologize to you Paul.
I’m sorry. I also want to say I’m sorry to Shawn Michaels. Shawn, it’s still beyond me that I’ve been having the opportunity in this lifetime to learn from you, to have your mentorship and your guidance. And I apologize if you feel like you’ve wasted your time and your energy investing into me. You have not. I’m still a work in progress, I’m still learning, and I remember all the lessons that you’ve taught me. Shawn, I’m sorry.
My best friend, Tehuti Miles. I want to apologize to you because before you were tied to me publicly for the support you’ve given me and you continue to give me your resume was impeccable and I apologize for any smudges that I may have put on that resume because of my behavior. You’re the last person that should have to deal with anything like that, and I’m sorry, man.
I want to apologize to my family, my mom, my dad, my brother, my sister, my nieces and my nephews, because you may read things you may hear about things, you may be confronted by people you don’t know, and you might feel the need to explain things on my behalf. I just want you to know that you do not have to do that ever. No one should have to explain anything for Patrick Clark. No one should have to trend because of Patrick Clark. No one should have to ask, answer the questions. Where’s Patrick now? What did Patrick do? What happened with Patrick? That’s not your responsibility. I don’t want you to feel burdened with that responsibility. That’s my responsibility and I apologize to you all for any energy negative energy that has had to come your way because of me.
Again, I want to apologize to the fans and those in my professional and personal life that I’ve affected by my behavior. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I recognize that I was losing myself and I apologize to anyone that I lost along the way. anyone that I’ve upset or offended because of my behavior. Man, I’m sorry and I hope you all forgive me. Thank you.”
According to a report from Pwinsider, Clark has done a lot since his arrest last year to address his personal issues. Additionally, he continues to attempt to make amends to a lot of people in his life.
YO ITS PATRICK CLARK (FKA velveteen dream) WTF pic.twitter.com/mkKMxXlOtO
— Za’Nief Washington (@zanief_) February 18, 2024
Velveteen Dream interrupts the opening match at Dynasty in Albany, NY. Makes an open challenge. pic.twitter.com/CgMrSUEbIt
— Headlocked Comics – NEXT: Stockton Winter (@HeadlockedComic) February 18, 2024
Former WWE NXT Superstar Patrick Clark, better known by his ring name Velveteen Dream, recently made his first post-WWE appearance at a Dynasty Wrestling event in Albany, NY. Clark issued an open challenge at the event, surprising fans who were not expecting his presence. He also took the time to do a meet and greet with attendees.
However, Clark’s return to the wrestling scene comes after a period of controversy and accusations. In March 2020, he was accused of having inappropriate contact with a minor. This accusation was followed by several others during the #SpeakingOut movement, with individuals accusing him of inappropriate contact with minors and grooming, alongside pro wrestler Joshua Fuller.
As a result of these allegations, Velveteen Dream was released from WWE in May 2021 and has since been relatively absent from the public eye. However, just last month, Clark took to his Instagram page to issue an apology to his family, friends, WWE, Paul Levesque (Triple H), Shawn Michaels, and others for his past actions.
In his apology, Clark acknowledged his behavior and took full accountability for his actions over the past three years. He expressed remorse for the negative attention and press he brought to the WWE brand and its fans. Clark also apologized to Paul Levesque and Shawn Michaels for potentially wasting their time and energy invested in him. He recognized that he is still a work in progress and expressed gratitude for the lessons they taught him.
Furthermore, Clark apologized to his best friend Tehuti Miles for any negative impact his behavior may have had on Miles’ reputation. He also addressed his family, assuring them that they should not feel burdened by having to explain or defend his actions.
According to a report from Pwinsider, Clark has been actively working on addressing his personal issues since his arrest last year. He has been making efforts to make amends with the people he has affected through his behavior.
Clark’s recent appearance at the Dynasty Wrestling event has sparked interest and discussion among wrestling fans. Videos and photos of his open challenge have circulated on social media, with fans expressing surprise and curiosity about his return to the ring.
While it remains to be seen what the future holds for Velveteen Dream in the wrestling industry, his appearance at the event indicates that he is taking steps towards redemption and personal growth. It is clear that Clark is committed to addressing his past actions and making amends with those he has affected. Only time will tell if he can rebuild his reputation and regain the trust of fans and the wrestling community.