Super Bowl champion, Lei'D Tapa and Odell Beckham's cousin among tryout class
The quest to find the next Superstar continued this week in Orlando, Florida, where dozens of men and women — including a Super Bowl champion, a YouTube fitness sensation and the scion of one of wrestling’s greatest dynasties — attended a tryout at the WWE Performance Center.
The three-day camp featured a mix of experienced wrestlers and potential high-level beginners from other sports.
Isaiah Stanback, who was a member of the New York Giants during their 2012 championship season, was one of six attendees with professional football experience. Stanback played for five teams during his NFL career, as a wide receiver and a tight end.
Terron Beckham has connections to the league in another way, as the cousin of star New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Terron Beckham wowed football scouts with his Pro Day performance last year, though he did not receive a contract offer. He boasts a massive following on social media thanks to his freakish weightlifting exploits on YouTube.
Also in attendance were two relatives of former WWE Superstars. Five-foot-eleven Seini Draughn, better known to ring fans as Lei’D Tapa, is the hard-hitting niece of former WWE Superstar The Barbarian, and 24-year-old Lance Anoa’i is the son of Headshrinker Samu and the grandson of WWE Hall of Famer Afa the Wild Samoan.
Several combat athletes tried out, including Eduard Soghomonyan, a heavyweight grappler from Armenia who represented Brazil in the 2016 Olympics, and Katsiaryna “Katya” Kavaleva, 6-foot-5 female kickboxer from Belarus who has trained with the BlackZilians MMA camp. BlackZilians is the same team to which UFC light heavyweight Anthony “Rumble” Johnson belongs.
Big men were well represented at the Performance Center this week, as well, underscoring WWE’s efforts to recruit across all weight classes. Spencer Charette, who competes in Northeast Wrestling as “Wrecking Ball” Legursky, tips the scales at 410 pounds, and 375-pound Lakeem Bradberry, who wrestles throughout upstate New York, is a nationally ranked powerlifter.
Another notable was Lindsay Duncan, aka Nicole Matthews, a 10-year veteran who has wrestled for Vancouver-based Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling, among many other organizations.
Prospects from Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling, The Dudley Boyz’s Team 3D Wrestling Academy and the New Jersey–based Monster Factory also participated.
Stay tuned to WWE.com for continuing coverage of the WWE Performance Center, including to see if any of these athletes are offered developmental contracts.
WWE Shows Latest Results
Raw results, Nov. 4, 2024: Damian Priest wins the right to challenge Gunther on a chaotic Raw in Riyadh
Full ResultsSmackDown results Nov. 1, 2024: Owens and Gunther attack Rhodes and Orton en route to WWE Crown Jewel
Full ResultsWWE NXT results, Oct. 29, 2024: Axiom and Nathan Frazer retain the NXT Tag Team Title in thrilling fashion
Full Results