Sign, sign, everyone on the independent scene is getting signed by WWE…or at least it seems is receiving a tryout at their Performance Center in Florida.
There is news this week that quite a few independent talents will be trying out with WWE, just one month after reports that Triple H and company were reducing the number of independent wrestling talent they bring into WWE. The idea of less independent talent being able to make it into WWE after several years where opportunity had been expanding (due to success stories such as CM Punk and Daniel Bryan) had been fueled by WWE passing on Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards, who subsequently signed with TNA.
Roderick Strong was reported to one those wrestlers who will attend tryout camp with WWE soon. Kevin Steen had been attached to the same report amid rumors that he had an open invitation and that had been working hard on getting into shape in order to prepare for that audition. Michael Elgin had also been a part of the report that he would be participating, although said in a later Tweet that the report was slightly off and that he was not scheduled as yet, just inquiring. Added to those names this week is ACH, as noted by the March 10th, 2014 edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. That’s just one year after ACH made a career jump by signing an official Ring of Honor contract and joining its official roster.
Meanwhile, though he has not officially announced the news himself, APW leaked the news that Drake Younger has accepted an offer with WWE after participating in a previous Performance Center tryout. Pro Wrestling Pondering’s Newscast audio show reported (citing PWInsider.com as a source) that Younger may actually wind up working as a referee.
So, what’s the deal with all of the independent wrestlers receiving try-outs with WWE? It’s a part of the circle of life in professional wrestling (yes, it moves us all). Gone are the days of moving on from territory-to-territory, or being a big deal free agent who crosses borders from WCW or ECW to the WWF / WWE. The same applies for international wrestlers, even if you’re a big-time superstar from Japan (KENTA).
Nowadays, if one wants to make it into WWE, it’s necessary to go to the Performance Center and try out for the job.
WWE is not alone is using try-out camps as a main avenue for sifting through the job applicants. TNA had an established relationship with Ohio Valley Wrestling for several years and used that promotion as its developmental territory before bringing up wrestlers. Ring of Honor runs several tryout camps a year and have been heavily pushing that if a wrestler wants to get noticed by the company that they should go to one of these camps.
On the one hand, this becomes a bit of a racket. The camps cost money to attend and there is no guarantee of making it any further. However, that is the way things are now in professional wrestling-the cost of doing business and trying to achieve career advancement.
WWE is going to continue to try to find the best pieces to fit its humongous sports-entertainment jigsaw puzzle. At a recent conference call to hype the NXT Arrival show (which everyone should seek out for the amazing Cesaro versus Sami Zayn match that opened the show), Triple H reiterated his mission statement for the Performance Center and what he looks for in bringing up someone who is ready for the main roster.
“I like to look at the Performance in NXT as the on-deck circle and it’s about what do I need…a right hander, a left-hander, do I need a hitting specialist…do I need a pitch runner. What do I need?”
For Triple H, finding the right players for the right roles remain the most important aspect of his job. It makes sense that some will come from the collegiate amateur wrestling scene or some may be former football players or other athletic field (as both sources for talent have always been used throughout the history of professional wrestling to court and develop potential wrestlers). Likewise, Triple H and company will continue looking at the independent scene and inviting wrestlers from that track to try out for the company.
The successes of independent wrestlers who have moved up to WWE cannot be denied. It’s just that the independent track should never and hasn’t ever been the only way of making it to WWE. As Triple H put it:
“Wahoo McDaniels started as a football player…lots of guys started out doing different things. … What you want to attract is the right people.”
It just so happens that knowledgeable independent fans want to see the wrestlers they have watched rise up through the ranks being those “right people”. Who can blame them? They fell in love with the current era of independent wrestling and know the best talents in that scene have the ability to make it to that next level of success in the industry.
These fans should continue to root on for “their” guys. They should hope that Strong, Steen, Elgin (if and when he does go to one of the sessions) and ACH make the most of their Performance Center evaluation. They should wish the best for Mr. PMA, Drake Younger. The independent wrestling fans already know they are capable. They already know and it’s been proven that Ring of Honor and the rest of the independent scene will be able to bear the loss and continue its own circle of life—finding the young and the hungry and the eager to impress. After all, the independent wrestling scene is the largest try-out camp of them all.