What’s the story?
WWE is currently in the middle of a European tour, and as per usual, the promotion has announced a series of tryouts for aspiring WWE superstars. The tryouts are being held in London, and they took place last night before WWE RAW.
A number of independent wrestling standouts attended the tryout last night, with many expected to join at the O2 Arena this evening.
In case you didn’t know...
WWE is always on the lookout for new talent to join its ever-growing roster, and the European tryouts are the second international scouting events held in as many weeks. The promotion recently held a four-day tryout in Dubai, where the prospects included a former baseball pitcher, an Indian TV star and a number of wrestlers trained by former World Heavyweight Champion, The Great Khali.
A number of major superstars have joined the company after attending tryouts in Europe, including Sheamus, Drew McIntyre and Wade Barrett.
The heart of the matter
WWE has also posted a gallery of photographs from last night’s tryout, with a number of familiar faces. Current independent standout Travis Banks is among them, along with former WCPW Heavyweight Champion, Martin Kirby, Banks’ South Pacific Power Trip partner TK Cooper, current wXw Unified World Wrestling Champion, Jurn Simmons, and more.
It wasn’t just professional wrestlers at the tryout. Also attending were mixed martial arts competitors such as Ivan Kostadinov and former UK gymnast Sadie Gibbs, who also has a background in kickboxing and bodybuilding.
In total, 22 potential stars attended the tryout, with William Regal, Matt Bloom and Steve Corino on hand to put the hopefuls through their paces.
WWE has said on many occasions that it is constantly on the lookout for athletes from all across the board, and it wouldn’t be surprising in the slightest if a wide range of potential WWE superstars from these tryouts reports to the WWE Performance Center sooner rather than later.
What’s next?
It remains to be seen whether anybody is picked up from the tryout, but with WWE always looking to expand in the British market it would be hugely surprising if that was the case.
WWE held a similar tryout in Scotland last November, and a number of performers from that event ended up competing in the WWE United Kingdom Championship tournament this past January.
Author’s Take
Whilst independent wrestling in Britain is as healthy as it has ever been, it is easy to forget that a large number of pro wrestlers get into the sport with dreams of eventually making it to World Wrestling Entertainment. Here’s hoping that many get to live that dream.
It is a good time to be a professional wrestler in the United Kingdom!
