Over the last week, WWE has unveiled a new program, WWE ID, that will partner directly with independent wrestling companies to scout the best talent on the market. Given that AEW just signed a new big-money television deal, they don’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. Of course, competition is healthy, particularly in wrestling, where talent will have many viable options to choose from.
The recruitment program follows in the footsteps of the successful WWE Next in Line (NIL) which provides college athletes with an opportunity to become future stars in the ring, like Bianca Belair, Roman Reigns, The Rock and so many more. WWE ID works with wrestling schools around the country, namely Seth Rollins’ Black & Brave, Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling, and the Rhodes family’s Nightmare Factory.
According to a press release, WWE ID will “identify top independent wrestling prospects with an official WWE ID “prospect” designation and support their developmental journey by providing financial opportunity and assisting with training, mentorship, and development, including access to world-class facilities, best-in-class ring training, athletic trainers and more.” In addition, WWE ID will give fans the opportunity to follow the paths of these prospects via curated behind-the-scenes content, highlights, and matches showcased across WWE’s social platforms.
Said WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque in a statement, “WWE ID is the latest in our efforts to identify and support the journey of up-and-coming wrestlers, in turn raising the profile of and strengthening the independent wrestling ecosystem.”
The Future of WWE?
Zayda Steel, “Cold Brew” Cappuccino Jones, Bryce Donovan, Zara Zakher and Jack “Cartwheel” Summit were among the standouts of the first round of recruits. Steel, from Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) makes history as the first woman chosen for the venture. She’s certainly got a lot of potential as an athlete. Steel began her career in 2022 and has wrestled all over the globe, including Japan where she competed in Marigold, a company that has partnered with WWE in the past.
Cartwheel is a rowdy high flyer that captivates crowds everywhere he goes. He began his career in 2019, appearing in companies like GCW, AAA, PWG, NWA and AEW. He’s a quintessential flippy wrestler who fits into the style of NXT well.
Zakher is quite new to the wrestling world. Debuting in 2022 she has wrestled over 100 matches, according to her Cagematch.net profile. The 22-year-old powerhouse has appeared in TJPW, GCW and Prestige.
Donovan is an all-rounder who has nearly a decade of experience in the business. Trained at the Create a Pro Academy in New York, he appeared a handful of times on AEW Dark. Scouted out of This is Wrestling, Jones is from Coffeyville, Kansas and he made his debut in 2022. Currently, he is the Core Professional Wrestling CPW 918 Champion.
The post WWE ID Just Announced the First Round of Prospects appeared first on VICE.
The post WWE ID Just Announced the First Round of Prospects appeared first on VICE.
