In a tradition that has become as iconic as the grand spectacles themselves, WWE recently hosted a set of remarkable tryouts ahead of this year’s eagerly anticipated SummerSlam event. The wrestling juggernaut scoured the nation for 40 current and former college athletes and 15 football players, who were eager to showcase their prowess in the squared circle.
The selection was an extraordinary display of diversity, with participants hailing from 36 different universities, spanning every major conference in collegiate sports. A promising group of 21 men and 19 women, all with an average age of 23, stepped into the limelight, representing a vast array of athletic disciplines. Amongst the ranks were 11 former college track and field stars, six talented gymnasts, and accomplished athletes from the realms of wrestling, basketball, volleyball, powerlifting, softball, and cheer.
Nearly 50 athletes from across the U.S. are put to the test in this year’s #SummerSlam Tryout! Do they have what it takes to be the next WWE Superstar?
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— WWE (@WWE) August 3, 2023
Excitement filled the air as the head WWE Performance Center trainer, Matt Bloom, and the esteemed VP of Global Talent Development, William Regal, lauded this year’s batch of hopefuls as exceptionally impressive. The training staff was impressed by the raw potential displayed during the tryouts, setting the stage for potential future WWE Superstars.
Within the talented pool of former college football players, several individuals shone brightly, including Colin Schooler, renowned for his illustrious linebacker career at Arizona and Texas Tech, where he proudly etched his name as the sixth-highest career tackler in FBS history. Not to be outdone, Chance Lytle, an offensive lineman hailing from Duke and Colorado, left a lasting impact, revealing his surprising background in singing opera, which added a unique flair to his persona.
Amongst the standouts was Troy Yearwood, a former track and field sensation from the University of North Carolina, whose athleticism and charisma captivated onlookers. Meanwhile, wrestling aficionados were treated to the prowess of Kordell Norfleet, a four-time Pac-12 champion at Arizona State and a force to be reckoned with in the ring.
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The tryouts were a melting pot of talent, with gymnast Amara Cunningham impressing as a first-team All-Pac-12 selection at Washington, and Destinee Brown, an All-America sprinter from USC, leaving a trail of awe in her wake. Rojé Stona, an All-America thrower from Arkansas, and Sydne Watts, a former basketball star at Navy and the granddaughter of WWE Hall of Famer Bill Watts, added their unique flavor to the mix.
In an intriguing twist, the list also featured a familiar face, former San Diego State University defensive lineman Anthony Luke, whose ties to the WWE world via his real-life relationship with Maxxine Dupri of The Alpha Academy turned heads.
The aura of promise surrounding these athletes left no doubt that WWE’s ‘Next In Line’ program, focused on facilitating the transition of current college athletes to pro wrestling through name, image, and likeness, is cultivating a new generation of potential superstars.
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As the countdown to SummerSlam draws near, all eyes are on WWE’s latest crop of gifted hopefuls, whose dreams of treading the grandest stage of them all are now within tantalizing reach. Only time will reveal which among them will rise to become the future icons of sports entertainment, etching their names into the annals of wrestling history.
