Report: WWE No Longer Scouting Talent From Indie Promotions

[THE 101]

A lot of the biggest drawing fights in boxing and UFC didn't involve heavyweights. But in wrestling we have to pretend it's still the 1980s and you can only draw money with roided out meat heads just cause Vince McMahon has a homoerotic obsession with men with muscles.

Even though two of the most over stars the WWE have had in the last decade were indie dudes.

And their biggest overall star is just a regular looking women's wrestler.

What's next, bring back ICO-PRO?

 

[jwinfield]

We’re going with aesthetics over skills but have one of the most athletically gifted women wrestlers ever, that you developed, get squashed by Becky Lynch

 

[DoubleJ13]

All these NXT reports are amusing when the only thing that will change anytime soon is the look/presentation (which isn't a bad thing since it looks like they film out of a basement) anyway.

Even this report sounds like a big deal but really the indies ain't in a spot where there's just a bunch of talent out there like that. Between the rona shutting everything (except GCW pretty much) down for the majority of 2020 & everybody having a contract somewhere at this point, it's going to take a while to build back up & WWE will go right back to signing people.

 

[Killer Instinct]

fukk WWE, but the workrate era coming to an end in the company is actually a good thing. The fault lays at the feet of WWE ultimately for not writing solid stories, but too many fans began caring more about "good matches" than they did good stories. As a result, you got a bunch of goobers who were "honored to be here," and ambitions stretched only as far as having a "great match." Band aid on a bullet wound if Vince is throwing out entire scripts ten minutes before they go live though.

 

[TRIPLE M]

Roman, Orton, Ziggler, Bray Wyatt,Braun Strowman, Lashley,Charlotte , Bianca, Montez
were all homegrown and never worked the indys

But I don’t buy the thought of them not scouting the indies because if someone is good they’re going to give them a look

 

[Mike the Executioner]

Batman, Spiderman, Superman look like regular dudes suspend there disbelief
But somehow cant with wrestling it dont make no sense

It reminds me of that Grant Morrison quote where he made fun of adults for how seriously they take stories sometimes. "'Who pumps Batman's tires?' It's a made-up story, you idiot! Nobody pumps the tires!"

 

[richaveli83]

Also easier to low ball people as well
They have no clue in how the business work easier to get over on them and like you said make them follow the wwe robot style

 

[richaveli83]

Nothing will matter if the booking/writing is still garbage.

 

[Reality Check]

Nothing will matter if the booking/writing is still garbage.

This. They should be focusing on improving inside out.

 

[Reality Check]

Seems like Cezar Bononi-like wrestlers are the prototype for what they want for the new NXT

 

[R=G]

Makes sense. If they want people to fit their style, may as well doing it from a blank slate.

What about the Olympic wrestler that wanted to sign up? Is that someone who fits the new MO?

 

[NoMorePie]

Gable Stevenson and Parker bordeeaux may very well be the two guys that help build this company for the future.


And God dammit velveteen dream. He would have been NICE right about now

 

[Green Ranger]

fukk WWE, but the workrate era coming to an end in the company is actually a good thing. The fault lays at the feet of WWE ultimately for not writing solid stories, but too many fans began caring more about "good matches" than they did good stories. As a result, you got a bunch of goobers who were "honored to be here," and ambitions stretched only as far as having a "great match." Band aid on a bullet wound if Vince is throwing out entire scripts ten minutes before they go live though.

How are guy and girls post to get over if Vince & company cant constantly create completing and interested story and micromanage everything down to a tee. The only way talent can get themselves over without having a story or gimmick or any type of mic time is there in ring work. I'm not going to blame the talent for that

The good matches are really the only reason WWE probably still even has the fans it has now. The matches have to be the story because the company wont and can't create anything constantly. The stuff that the fans forced them into like the Kofi or Becky stuff or they finally push Lashley but then kill his crew they have to put there spin or it and screw it up. If the Alexa stuff is the best they can create then

Wrestling fans have a weird love hate relationship with wrestling alot of fans hate watching a good match or hate that guys and girls actually care about there job and putting on a good match.

The whole marks are in the ring you don't hear this about any other type of sport or entertainment are they post to just mail it in and not care how good or bad they look out there.

 

[Ben Ovabich]

That could be good news for companies like ROH, Impact, & NWA...

 

[Thebadguy]

Six athletes reported for training today at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla., to begin their journey to WWE Superstardom.

The new class of recruits features second-generation Superstars, including a member of the legendary Anoa’i family dynasty, as well standouts from football, gymnastics and amateur wrestling.

Minneapolis’ Bobby Steveson, the brother of 2020 Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson, stands 6-feet tall and weighs 220 pounds. He wrestled at the University of Minnesota, the same alma mater as his brother, former World Champion Brock Lesnar and Raw Superstar Shelton Benjamin.

Twenty-year-old Ben Buchanan is a former Alabama state high school wrestling champion from Ranbourne, Ala. He was undefeated in the 285-pound weight class during the 2019-2020 season. The 6-foot-4, 250-pounder is also the son of former WWE Tag Team Champion Bull Buchanan.

Brady Booker comes to the Performance Center from the world of college football, having played middle linebacker at the University of South Dakota. Also a skilled archer, the 21-year old hails from Lasalle, Ill., stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 245 pounds.

Jessica Woynilko is a 21-year-old gymnast, bodybuilder and CrossFit athlete from Prior Lake, Minn. As a gymnast, she specialized in tumbling and trampoline, competing on the 2016 U.S. national team.

Joseph Fatu of Las Vegas is the younger brother of SmackDown Tag Team Champions Jimmy & Jey Uso and the son of WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi. The 6-foot-2, 240-pounder has two years’ experience in sports-entertainment and played football in college.

Twenty-three-year-old Joshua Dawkins of DeBary, Fla., is the latest trainee of WWE Hall of Famer D-Von Dudley to be signed to the WWE Performance Center. The 6-foot-1 recruit is also the nephew of NBA legend Darryl Dawkins.