"Millions of dollars!"
The Prime Time Players were a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Titus O'Neil and Darren Young, who wrestle in WWE both getting their start on NXT, Darren during the first season, and Titus during the second, and both of them competing during the 5th season. The duo, who initially opposed each other in several matches, have managed to twice become the number one contenders for the WWE Tag Team Championship. As the team name suggests, their gimmick portrays them as young, brash, and cocky, dubbing themselves as "The Real Deal" and "Mr. No Days Off", respectively. Former WWE wrestler Shad Gaspard has likened their gimmick to a version of his former team Cryme Tyme sans the "gangster style" and bling-bling fashion.
They split up on January 31st, 2014, as Titus turned on Young after a tag match, calling Young dead weight. Over a year later, on February 16th, 2015, Titus came to Young's rescue against The Ascension, leading to the two reuniting as a team. In June 2015, the team defeated The New Day to win their first WWE Tag Team Championship. After losing the titles back to The New Day, the team would disband again after Titus was suspended in February 2016. Titus would go on to debut the "Titus Brand," which would later become "Titus Worldwide," while Darren Young was released from his contract in 2017.
"Makin' Tropes! Makin' Tropes! Makin' Million Dollar Tropes!":
- Afro Asskicker: Darren Young. Titus O'Neil had an afro for a single night, or rather, Titus's "uncle" Pancake Patterson had one.
- Ambiguously Gay/Camp Straight: Even in the ultra macho often shirtless world of pro wreslting, Darren Young comes off as a bit flamboyant. Not so ambiguous anymore after Darren came out as gay in an interview with TMZ.
- Artistic License – Geography: During the 12/23/13 Raw in Austin (this is important), Darren Young (who usually leaves the talking to Titus) asked if he could cut a promo before the match. Titus lets him, Darren raises the mic to speak, and the first word out of his mouth was "Houston." The commentators mention this is why he doesn't talk much, their opponents, The Usos, milked it for all it was worth, and the crowd ate it up, chanting "Houston sucks!" and turning the not uncommon "This is Awesome!" chant into "This is Austin!"
- The Brute: They're both big but of the two, Titus, most definitely. That would also make Titus The Big Guy, post-Face turn.
- Bullying a Dragon: "Big Zeke ain't got not cuts! Big Zeke ain't got no cuts! He's big, he's strong, but he ain't got no cuts!"
- Catchphrase: "Millions of dollars!"
- Colour-Coded for Your Convenience: Their trunks (and Darren's knee pads) are always identical colors.
- Even Evil Has Standards: They may be heels, but they've done some decent things, like helping Mae Young when she was giving birth, breaking up a brawl between John Cena and Dolph Ziggler, and joining the fight for Santa after Alberto Del Rio ran him over.
- Expy
- Their antics bear a resemblance to Edge and Christian.
- As noted above, Shad Gaspard claims they're based on Cryme Tyme. Besides rhyming, they do both have revenue related catch phrases.
- Titus, with his 2017 suit-wearing hammy talent manager/coach/mentor gimmick, has hilariously enough become a near carbon copy of the Prime Time Players' initial manager, AW.
- Face–Heel Turn: Titus after he had enough of the neverending season 5 and his pro Hornswoggle.
- Heel–Face Revolving Door: Darren Young, he was a face on NXT season 1, turn heel with The Nexus, had a face turn after leaving, then turned heel again during the fifth season of NXT.
- Titus is an even better example. He started as a heel on Season 2, then a face on season 5, turned heel in the middle of Redemption, went back to being a face when Darren Young came out, then turned on Darren months later. Then, he and Darren made up and started teaming again. Then, after a short solo face run, he turned heel and started feuding with Darren Young again. Later he established the Titus Brand as a one-man heel stable before Apollo Crews joined him and brought in his friend Akira Tozawa. As the storyline progressed, Titus started losing his obsession with money and became a caring manager to his clients.
- Heel–Face Turn: After Darren Young came out, as WWE couldn't really have their first openly gay wrestler be stuck as a heel jobber.
- Titus turned face again when he saved Darren from a beatdown by The Ascension, officially reforming the team. They would remain a face team and eventually win the tag titles from The New Day.
- Heel–Face Revolving Door: Darren Young, he was a face on NXT season 1, turn heel with The Nexus, had a face turn after leaving, then turned heel again during the fifth season of NXT.
- Grievous Harm with a Body: One of their Signature Moves involves Titus front-suplexing Darren onto a prone opponent.
- Happy Dance / Catchphrase : "MILLIONS OF DOLLARS! MILLIONS OF DOLLARS! MILLIONS OF DOLLARS!"
- "The Hero Sucks" Song: See Bullying a Dragon.
- Identical Stranger: Two different cases. Young, mainly because of his build and facial features, manages to look like a black version of John Cena. O'Neil bears more than a passing resemblance to WWE's Guyanese strongman, Ezekiel Jackson. This was of course Lampshaded during a YouTube Q&A vid.
- Large Ham: Titus.
- Love Triangle: Thanks to Tamina, but it did not break up the team.
- Odd Friendship: He and Titus are implied to have one with Mark Henry.
- Real Men Wear Pink: Even before they switched to a rather glaring hot pink, most of their trunks since their team-up have been really bright colors.
- Rule of Three: "Millions Of Dollars" at least three times in succession.
- Small Name, Big Ego: Titus and Darren both consider themselves to be worth "Millions of dollars."
- Straight Gay: While Young's sexuality is basically public knowledge now for anyone who cares to look, it's not really incorporated into his on-screen character, nor is it really commented on much. Given WWE's history of rather... tasteless portrayals of stereotypes, many would say that this is probably for the best.
- Took a Level in Badass:
- Each has scored a pinfall over Jack Swagger - that's multiple-time singles champion Jack Swagger.
- Even before that, Young holding his own for over 10 minutes with CM Punk.
- Villain Team-Up: Titus and Darren with Abraham Washington. Titus tried to get his friend Percy Watson to turn as well, but to no avail.
- Vomit Indiscretion Shot
- Forced into a match against Antonio Cesaro on 11/29/13 after an eating contest, Titus shows that the food's not settling in well. Darren interferes in the match to get help for his friend...only for Titus to throw up in JBL's hat and throwing up on Zeb Colter.
- And you know what the funny thing is? That wasn't scripted. Titus O'Neil explained in an interview
that he can vomit on command. Not even Vince McMahon knew of it!
- Wild Card: Their second incarnation isn't completely heel, but isn't completely face, either.
