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WWE talent scouts have searched high and low, in hopes of finding the next "big thing." Officials from the WWE Performance Center have traveled from Central Florida to China, Michigan and everywhere in between, just hoping to find that ever elusive diamond in the rough.
The most recent recruits to report to the WWE Performance Center include a wide variety of individuals, from all walks of life, various backgrounds and cultures. Some of the new recruits have a ton of wrestling experience, while others have very little if any at all. Regardless of their skill level, each of the new recruits all has the same goal in mind...to become a WWE Superstar.
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In this column, we will take a brief look at each individual recruit, hoping to get a little more familiar with them all before they hopefully become a household name on WWE programming. Here's a look at the new 9!
#9 Monique Jenkins
Her name is Monique Jenkins and beyond that, we know very little about the new WWE signee.
One thing we do know about Jenkins is the fact that was initially trained by WWE Hall of Famer Johnny Rodz and later she received additional training by another Hall of Fame duo, The Dudley Boyz. Monique trained in Florida at the Dudley owned and operated 3D Wrestling Academy.
Monique was able to get a couple of years of professional wrestling experience under her belt. She competed with top promotions Shine and Impact Wrestling.
#8 Denzel Dejournette
Denzel Dejournette is a 6'2", 260-pound former collegiate wrestler who competed at Appalachian State University. In 2017, Denzel finished the college wrestling season 8th overall in the NCAA Heavyweight Wrestling Championships. Denzel is also a 3-time NCAA qualifier, finishing his collegiate career as a 2-time Southern Conference Wrestler of the Year. It is also worth noting that WWE talent scouts were reportedly most impressed by 113 overall NCAA wins.
#7 Lacey Lane
Don't be deceived by this young lady's pint-size stature. Lacey Lane is a 30-year-old, 5'2" small package of dynamite. Lacey is a product of The Dudley's Team 3D Academy. While her experience is minimal, she expected to adapt to the "WWE way" relatively quickly.
Lacey is looking to lean on her proven athletic ability to help as she continues to hone her skills. Prior to wrestling, Lacey was a standout basketball player, who played as a top-level, Division 2 basketball player.
#6 Taishan Dong
This is a big one...literally. Taishan Dong is a 30-year-old, 7-foot former Chinese boxer who tips the scales at nearly 300 pounds. Not only is he a boxer, but he's a great boxer. In fact, Sporting News called Dong "the most intimidating boxer on earth." As a professional, Taishan holds an unblemished record of 6 wins, with zero losses.
Of all of the new recruits, Taishan Dong could eventually be the spectacle of the group and sometimes, being a spectacle can compensate for any lack of athletic ability. If Taishan catches on and develops properly, into a solid sports entertainer, he could turn into a huge name, resulting in big-time ticket sales.
#5 Luke Menzies
Now we introduce you to Luke Menzies. Luke is the pride of Batley, West Yorkshire, England. Menzies is a 30-year-old former English rugby player with over a decade of experience on the field.
Luke Menzies is new to the world of professional wrestling, but he certainly possesses some of the 'tough guy' attributes that a pro wrestler might have. Luke will lean on his Rugby experience to help him as he progresses at the WWE Performance Center.
#4 Stacy Ervin Jr.
Stacy Ervin Jr. comes to the WWE Performance Center as one of the most athletic recruits in quite some time. Ervin is a 24-year-old gymnast from Taylor, Michigan. Stacy is one of the smaller recruits, standing 5'8" and weighing a respectable 180 pounds. At his current size and stature, Stacy would fit in perfectly on the 205 Live roster.
It's also worth noting that Stacy was a member of The University of Michigan's 2013 National Championship Gymnastic team. Stacy also competed in several events, winning multiple medals along the way.
#3 Deonna Purrazzo
Deonna Purrazzo is someone who comes into the WWE Performance Center on the verge of becoming a top-tier women's wrestler. Prior to making her way to Orlando, Deonna cut her teeth with Ring of Honor, as well as TNA Impact Wrestling. She has competed all over the world, from the U.S. to Puerto Rico, the UK, Japan and everywhere in-between.
Prior to starting her wrestling career, Deonna excelled as a National competitive cheerleader.
#2 Lo Shirai
This one is expected to evolve into something special. Lo Shirai is a highly-touted star from Koto, Japan. As a 28-year-old professional wrestler, Lo is an 11-year veteran of the sport. During her career, Shirai has accumulated a number of championship titles, which include several titles as a star for Japanese women's promotion World Wonder Ring Stardom, which includes the WWRS Artist of Stardom that she won 6-times, respectfully.
Lo's career was almost jeopardized back in 2012 when she, along with her former boyfriend was detained at an airport in Narita, Chiba for attempting to smuggle marijuana into the country after officials discovered drugs concealed inside the framework of two paintings the couple was traveling with. In the end, it was revealed that the paintings were actually gifts from fans and Lo claimed to have no knowledge of the contents.
#1 Keith Lee
If you're a fan of independent wrestling, you probably know all about the man named Kieth Lee. Kieth comes to the WWE Performance Center as a 320 pound monster with roughly 13-years of professional experience.
Lee was a successful football player, with dreams on making it to the NFL and playing professional football. However, Lee gave up those dreams in exchange for a life as a sports entertainer.
Nicknamed "Limitless" by his peers, Kieth Lee has competed in several top-level independent promotions such as Pro Wrestling Guerilla and Evolve. In fact, Lee actually won the highly coveted PWG World Championship earlier in 2018 after defeating then-champion Chuck Taylor at the PWG 'Time is a flat circle' event.
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