Titus O ' Neil Thaddeus Bullard ( April 29 , 1977 ) is an American professional wrestler and former college and professional football player . Bullard played college football for the University of Florida , and thereafter , he played professionally in the Arena Football League . Bullard is a professional wrestler , and is signed to WWE , working under the ring name Titus O ' Neil . He was part of the second season of " NXT " , and also competed in the show ' s fifth season , " NXT Redemption " . Early life . Thaddeus Bullard was born in Boynton Beach , Florida in 1977 . He grew up in Live Oak , Florida , where he attended Suwannee High School . He was a standout player for the Suwannee Bulldogs high school football , and was recognized by " USA Today " , SuperPrep , and " Parade " magazine as a high school All - American as a senior in 1995 . Football career . Bullard accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville , Florida , and played for coach Steve Spurrier ' s Florida Gators football team from 1997 to 2000 . He redshirted during the Gators ' 1996 national championship season . Bullard lettered the next four seasons , playing in forty - four regular season games with three starts . He was elected student body vice president in April 2000 , and graduated in August 2000 . While he was an undergraduate , he was initiated as a brother of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity . After college , Bullard played in the Arena Football League from 2003 to 2007 with the Utah Blaze , Tampa Bay Storm , Las Vegas Gladiators and the Carolina Cobras . Professional wrestling career . World Wrestling Entertainment / WWE . Florida Championship Wrestling ( 2009 – 2011 ) . Thaddeus Bullard signed a developmental deal with World Wrestling Entertainment in 2009 and began training with their development territory , Florida Championship Wrestling . He made his television debut on the January 16 , 2010 edition of FCW ' s show on Bright House Sports Network as Titus O ' Neil in a tag team match with Skip Sheffield , losing to the team of Vance Archer and Alex Riley . On December 3 , O ' Neil teamed with Damien Sandow to win the Florida Tag Team Championship after defeating Xavier Woods and Mason Ryan in a match for the vacant championship . The pair lost the championship to Richie Steamboat and Seth Rollins on March 25 , 2011 . NXT ( 2010 – 2012 ) . On the season 1 finale of " WWE NXT " that aired June 1 , 2010 , it was announced Titus O ' Neil would compete in the second season of the show , with Zack Ryder as his WWE pro and mentor . He debuted on the June 8 episode , teaming with Ryder in a loss to Eli Cottonwood and John Morrison . During and after the bout the two aruged . The following week in the two made up with . Two weeks later , O ' Neil was the first person eliminated from the second season of " NXT " , and gave a farewell speech before leaving the arena . O ' Neil returned for the season finale on August 31 , joining the other eliminated rookies in attacking the winner , Kaval . In March 2011 , O ' Neil was selected as one of the six former " NXT " contestants to return to the show in its fifth season , " NXT Redemption " , being mentored by Hornswoggle . In the season premiere , O ' Neil defeated Lucky Cannon in the main event . The two also feuded with Darren Young and his pro , Hornswoggle ' s old nemesis , Chavo Guerrerro . Following Lucky Cannon ' s elimination on the May 14 , 2011 edition of " NXT Redemption " , O ' Neil lead the fans in a rendition of " Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye " , as a tribute to the recently retired Edge . On the June 21 edition of " NXT Redemption " , O ' Neil ' s pro from season 2 , Zack Ryder returned for one night only to face and defeat O ' Neil . On the July 12 , 2011 edition of " NXT " , he faced off against Darren Young and Derrick Bateman in a triple threat elimination match , which saw him lose to Bateman . 8 days later , O ' Neil teamed up with NXT host Matt Striker in a winning effort against Darren Young and Derrick Bateman after Young was pinned by O ' Neil . On the September 8 episode of " WWE Superstars " , O ' Neil teamed with Percy Watson in a losing effort against Curt Hawkins and Tyler Reks . O ' Neil and Watson would enjoy success against Derrick Bateman and Tyson Kidd , as well as Bateman and JTG . However , O ' Neil and Watson would find themselves unable to beat Darren Young and JTG . On the November 16 , 2011 episode of " NXT " , O ' Neil was assaulted by a returning Darren Young . Young was then able to get the better of O ' Neil twice in tag team matches . The conclusion to O ' Neil ' s feud with Young came when O ' Neil defeated Young in a no disqualifications match on the January 18 episode of " NXT " . O ' Neil then turned heel after the match , verbally ripping on the audience , his former pro Hornswoggle , and NXT itself . O ' Neil later urged his friend Percy Watson to also turn his back on the fans on the January 25 , 2012 episode of " NXT " . When Watson refused , O ' Neil shoved him and a match between the two was booked , leading to O ' Neil defeating Watson . O ' Neil continued to attack Watson after the match , leading to Alex Riley saving Watson . O ' Neil then formed an alliance with former enemy Young , and the duo teamed up to defeat Watson and Riley on the February 1 and February 29 episodes of " NXT " . O ' Neil also faced and defeated Riley on the February 22 episode of " NXT " . On the March 7 episode of " NXT " , Watson received his rematch against O ' Neil and defeated O ' Neil . O ' Neil and Young then moved on to feud with The Usos . The Prime Time Players ( 2012 – 2014 ) . On the April 18 episode of " NXT " , it was announced that O ' Neil , along with Darren Young , had been moved to the main roster . The team made their debut on the April 20 episode of " SmackDown " with a victory over The Usos . They started on a winning streak defeating the likes Ezekiel Jackson and Yoshi Tatsu , Santino Marella and Zack Ryder before their streak was ended on the May 18 edition of " SmackDown " after lost to then - Tag Team Champions Kofi Kingston and R - Truth . In June at the No Way Out pay - per - view , O ' Neil and Young won a fatal - four way tag team match to become number one contenders for the Tag Team Championship , due assistance from A . W . who turned on his clients Primo and Epico . On the July 16 episode of " Raw " , O ' Neil and Young unsuccessfully challenged Kofi Kingston and R - Truth for the Tag Team Championship . On the August 10 episode of " SmackDown " , they defeated Primo and Epico in a number one contenders match via disqualification when A . W . provoked Kingston and R - Truth , who were on commentary , into interfering in the match . That same day , A . W . was released from his contract . Despite losing A . W . , the Prime Time Players received their title shot at SummerSlam , but were again defeated by Kingston and Truth . On the September 7 edition of " Smackdown " , Prime Time Players defeated Primo and Epico and The Usos in a triple threat tag team match to earn another shot the Tag Team Championship . However , on " Raw " three days later , Prime Time Players lost their title shot to the team of Daniel Bryan and Kane . At the Survivor Series pay - per - view , O ' Neil took part in a 10 man elimination tag team match , but was eliminated by Tyson Kidd . At the 2013 Royal Rumble , Titus entered the Royal Rumble match at number 7 . However , he was elimated by Sheamus . On the March 18 episode of " Monday Night Raw " , O ' Neil debuted a new character called Rufus " Pancake " Patterson , his " uncle " , accompanying Darren Young in his match against John Cena , in which Young was defeated . During the early months of 2013 , O ' Neil wrestled in less than a handful of matches and made occasional backstage appearances . Some of his matches included a losing singles match against Sheamus . O ' Neil and Darren Young also faced The Uso Brothers on the CW Saturday Morning Slam in another losing effort . On June 26 edition of " WWE Main Event " , O ' Neil and Young successfully faced Tensai and Brodus Clay in a tag match during the closing half hour of the program . During the June 24 episode of " Monday Night Raw " , O ' Neil came in after a match between CM Punk and Darren Young and attacked him before the ambush was thwarted by Curtis Axel . The next week on the July 1 episode of " Raw " , O ' Neil and Young faced Axel and Punk in a tag match , losing the match after Young was pinned by Axel who capitalized on the offense delivered by Punk to Young . On the August 19 , 2013 edition of " Raw " , the Prime Time Players turned face in a winning effort against the Real Americans . The face turn had been speculated about for some months , especially after O ' Neil ' s tag - team partner Darren Young ' s ( legitimate ) coming out the previous week which received mainstream media coverage . At the Night of Champions event in the pre - show bout , O ' Neil and Young won a tag team turmoil upon entering last , for the opportunity to face The Shield for the tag team championship , but lost to Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins on the pay - per - view . Furthering their face turn , the duo were amongst those who saved Daniel Bryan from being injured by Randy Orton . However , due to their brave actions , the Prime Time Players would be forced into a 3 on 1 handicap gauntlet match against The Shield as ordered by the COO , Triple H , as well as Dolph Ziggler , Kofi Kingston and Rob Van Dam . Singles competition ( 2014 ) . On the January 31 , 2014 edition of " SmackDown " , The Prime Time Players disbanded after O ' Neil allowed Curtis Axel to pin Young during a tag - team match . After the match , O ' Neil attacked Young , turning O ' Neil heel in the process . O ' Neil went on to defeat Young in a match at the 2014 Elimination Chamber pay - per - view . In the following months after Elimination Chamber , O ' Neil ' s misfortunes began piling up ; he lost a rematch to Young via roll up on the February 26 episode of Main Event . Sheamus and Big Show defeated O ' Neil multiple times on both Raw and Main Event , whereas on SmackDown Dolph Ziggler and Adam Rose gained victories over O ' Neil . From mid - April to mid - June , O ' Neil commonly appeared on Superstars , where he suffered many losses to Kofi Kingston and Big E . He was also unsuccessful in winning four battle royals : the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania XXX a battle royal for the WWE United States Championship in May , and a Money in the Bank qualifying battle royal in June and a battle royal for the WWE Intercontinental Championship at Battleground . Slater - Gator & Heel Turn ( July 21 , 2014 - February 16 , 2015 ) . On the January 31 , 2014 episode of " SmackDown " , The Prime Time Players disbanded after O ' Neil allowed Curtis Axel to pin Young during a tag - team match . After the match , O ' Neil attacked Young to turn heel . Before the Elimination Chamber , to gain momentum , Titus defeated Zack Ryder on Raw . O ' Neil went on to defeat Young in a match at the 2014 Elimination Chamber pay - per - view . In the following months after Elimination Chamber , O ' Neil ' s misfortunes began piling up ; he lost a rematch to Young via roll up on the February 26 episode of " Main Event " . Sheamus and Big Show defeated O ' Neil multiple times on both " Raw " and " Main Event " , whereas on " SmackDown " Dolph Ziggler and Adam Rose gained victories over O ' Neil . From mid - April to mid - June , O ' Neil commonly appeared on " Superstars " , where he suffered many losses to Kofi Kingston and Big E . He was also unsuccessful in winning four battle royals : the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania XXX , a battle royal for the WWE United States Championship in May , and a Money in the Bank qualifying battle royal in June and a battle royal for the WWE Intercontinental Championship at Battleground . In July 2014 , Heath Slater formed a tag team with O ' Neil , later known as Slater Gator . In July and August , they largely wrestled on " Main Event " and " Superstars " . Despite wins over the likes of Sin Cara & Zack Ryder and Goldust & Stardust , they suffered losses to the likes of Hornswoggle & El Torito and Big E & Kofi Kingston . In September , Slater Gator featured more on " Raw " , but this was at the expense of O ' Neil losing multiple matches to Adam Rose , as well as Slater Gator losing to the team of Rose and the Bunny . When O ' Neil entered the Royal Rumble match in January 2015 , he was immediately eliminated by the combined afforts of Dean Ambrose and eventual winner Roman Reigns . Return of The Prime Time Players ( 2015 – present ) . On the February 16 episode of Raw , O ' Neil turned face by saving his former tag team partner Darren Young from an attack from The Ascension . Then on the 23 February edition of Raw , the Prime Time Players reunited officially to battle The Ascension , with Young picking up the victory . Personal life . Over the 2011 Christmas holiday weekend , Bullard gave out over 800 gifts to underprivileged children near his home in Tampa , Florida . Bullard has two sons named Thaddeus , Jr . and Titus ( 2005 ) .