As reported by PWInsider, WWE have officially announced the next batch of athletes who have had try-outs at the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. The state of the art facility has been a breeding ground for many of today’s top superstars, with a string of names coming through the developmental system.
The following list contains the names of all the men and women who attended the try-outs:
Obstacle course racer Hunter McIntyre, the reigning champion of Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge competition series and a decorated Spartan Race runner
Amarlo Herrera, a 250-pound linebacker from the University of Georgia who was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL Draft
Noke Tago, a 300-pound defensive tackle from American Samoa who played at Oregon State
6-foot-2, 230-pound Raynor Whitcombe, a New Zealand-born football player-turned-bodybuilder who was the first-place winner of the 2015 BodySpace Spokesmodel Search
Denzel DeJournette, a 6-foot-3, 265-pound All-American wrestler from Appalachian State University who finished eighth in the NCAA heavyweight wrestling championships
6-foot-1, 205-pound Nicolai Salchow, a Brazilian-born, German-raised kickboxer and grappler who is 6-1 in professional MMA fights
CrossFit competitor Lindsey Kelly, a former swimmer at the University of Arizona who has deadlifted 410 pounds and squatted 315 pounds, according to her CrossFit profile
Reginald Gibbs, a 275-pound, Georgia-based independent wrestler and protege of WWE Superstar Mr. Hughes who competes as “Odinson” in the southeast region
Brothers Arthur and Josh Haug. Arthur Haug was a four-sport athlete in high school and a former bodybuilding champion who has trained with Impact Pro Wrestling. Josh Haug was a three-time letter winner as a wrestler at the University of Iowa, a 2016 national qualifier and an Academic All-American.
Minnesota powerlifter Nick Brewer, a 295-pounder who has been known to bend horseshoes and roll up steel frying pans with his bare hands. At the 2009 London Strongest Man competition, he pulled a firetruck.
Vernon Willis, a 6-foot-4, 275-pound California state wrestling champion
Andrew Cavanna, a 6-foot-1, 220-pound Connecticut weightlifting champion and five-time wrestling champion
Briana Brandy, a hip-hop artist who has performed with the likes of Soulja Boy and Ying Yang Twins, and trains in MMA and CrossFit
Former TNA star Cody Deaner
Former Impact Tag Team champion “Crazzy Steve” Steve Scott, a 14-year veteran from Ontario who received training under NXT’s Eric Young
6-foot-9 Paul “PB Smooth” Bilbo, of Erie, Pa., a former college basketball player who has wrestled for Cleveland-based Absolute Intense Wrestling and CWF Mid-Atlantic in North Carolina
23-year-old Matt King, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound model and independent wrestler from Atlanta who competes as “Raphael King”
6-foot-6 Troy Russell, a graduate of Lance Storm’s wrestling academy who trains at the famous DeFranco’s Gym
Tehuti Miles, a 210-pound U.S. Army veteran who served in Afghanistan and played for the University of Maryland football team
Twenty-year-old Quelton Toliver, a 6-foot-4, 265-pound wrestler from Missouri
Brothers Morgan and Christopher Hill, football players-turned-fitness models from Las Vegas
Elena Pogosyan, a 24-year-old journalist-turned-wrestler who trained under WWE Hall of Famer Johnny Rodz and has wrestled for almost two years
Jeslen Mishelle, a three-year wrestling veteran and blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu who competes on the West Coast under the alias “Desi Derata”
Nikii Duke, a 24-year old bodybuilder, International Federation of Physique Athletes pro, and World Beauty Fitness and Fashion bikini competitor
Twenty-five-year-old Mike Taverna of New York City, who has wrestled in Chaotic Wrestling, Chikara and New York Wrestling Connection, among other groups
Marquis Carter, a U.S. Army veteran who was deployed once to Afghanistan and twice to Korea, and has officiated in several Florida wrestling organizations
Haley Kate Yellin, a fitness model with a background in dance, track and taekwondo
Will Cuevas, a California-based independent wrestler, former referee and U.S. Marine Corps veteran who is a former All Pro Wrestling Worldwide Internet Champion
Blake Dees, a 240-pound former college football player who played linebacker at Texas Tech and South Alabama
Micas Harris, a 28-year-old independent wrestler from Indiana who played semi-pro football
Marshall “Solo” Williams, a Maryland-based, 260-pound powerhouse wrestler who has trained under former WWE Superstar Gillberg and was an aviation ordinanceman in the U.S. Navy
6-foot-5, 240-pound Zach Johnson, an independent wrestler from North Carolina for whom this was a second WWE tryout
Michael Richards, of New Zealand, a 6-foot-2 independent wrestler who has trained in the Ring of Honor Dojo
6-foot-3, 285-pound former college football player Joe Maples. He made appearances in three Bowl Games as a member of the University of Missouri football team
Haley Tipton, a 24-year-old model and former Junior Olympics beach volleyball player
Rawle Chichester, a 6-foot-2, 245-pound wrestler with six years’ experience
Abigail Burgdorf, a college track athlete who is also an active powerlifter
