Thirty men, including four referee candidates, descend upon the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla., for a three-day tryout.
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Before anyone steps in the ring, the recruits undergo medical testing with Performance Center staff.
1 / 129
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
The prospects try to fight off their nervous energy by stretching in the Performance Center's world-class strength and conditioning gym.
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Canyon Ceman, WWE's senior director of Talent Development, welcomes the men.
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Head Coach Bill DeMott is the man charged with leading the tryouts.
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
The camp includes a cross-section of athletes, including an Olympic wrestler, a former NFL player and independent wrestling talent.
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
DeMott lays out the Performance Center rules, which including wiping your feet before entering the ring.
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Digg Rawlis, Hugo Knox and James Jensen, three "high-level beginners" who train at the Performance Center, are on hand to help lead drills.
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Former Superstar Jason Albert, a onetime student of WWE Hall of Famer Killer Kowalski, is part of DeMott's coaching staff.
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Advertisement: Click the arrow to continue
1 / 129
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
WWE Hall of Famer Gerald Brisco, a key conduit for amateur wrestlers seeking to break into sports-entertainment, greets DeMott.
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Thomas Kingdon, a hulking powerlifter, is new to wrestling but has experience playing football in high school and college.
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Nick Foti is a veteran of the independent wrestling scene.
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
By day, bodybuilder Justin Whitley maintains order as a prison guard.
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
The recruits, including indie wrestler Richard Swann, perform a variety of rolls on Day 1.
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Six-foot-six Blayne Beale-McDonald comes to the camp with a background in Division I wrestling, having competed at the University of Northern Iowa.
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
The prospects try their hand at Brookside shuffles.
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
The drill is a namesake of Performance Center trainer Robbie Brookside.
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
"Tough Enough" alumnus Ryan Howe is a participant.
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Advertisement: Click the arrow to continue
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Former NFL defensive tackle Jason Shirley speaks to WWE.com.
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
When DeMott senses the group needs motivating, he asks the Performance Center trainees to speak to the camp, away from the coaches.
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
"It's clear you're not feeling it," Rawlis tells the prospects. Jensen notes that injuries are already occurring. "We haven't done anything hard yet," he says.
1 / 129
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Former U.S. Marine Kenneth Allen Crawford returns for his second tryout. He gained nearly 40 pounds in muscle since his first camp a year earlier.
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Advertisement: Click the arrow to continue
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Norman Smiley rounds out the elite training staff at the camp.
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Day 2 of the camp, nicknamed "The Meat Grinder," begins in the strength and conditioning gym.
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
The recruits are run through rigorous circuit training.
1 / 129
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Squats, burpees and box jumps are just a few of the exercises.
1 / 129
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Sione Finaue, a former MMA fighter, pushes a weighted sled.
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
After the grueling early-morning workout, the camp takes a knee as the coaches offer their sage advice.
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
"I'm not passing the guard to someone who doesn't deserve it, and I'm real tight on who I think deserves it," Albert says.
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
"It's no secret what we're doing here," Brisco explains. "We want you to take this knowledge and spread it around the world."
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
"If I can help one person out, one person make it to where you're walking down that ramp [in WWE], there's no bigger thrill."
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Advertisement: Click the arrow to continue
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Brookside warns that his good mate will be on hand for Day 3: "William Regal can sniff talent out at a yard's pace."
1 / 129
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
"Muscle & Fitness" fitness editor Sean Hyson is embedded in the camp as research for a future article.
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
In groups of four, the recruits enter the ring and hit the ropes.
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
At 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds, 23-year-old strongman Michael Fierro is one of the biggest men at the camp.
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
As the drills intensify, recruits are instructed to strap on headgear.
1 / 129
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Knox enters the ring to assist with a rope-running exercise.
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Advertisement: Click the arrow to continue
1 / 129
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
DeMott gives feedback to bodybuilder Thomas DeLauer.
1 / 129
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Unlike Days 1 and 2, Day 3 includes a focus on communication. WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes and William Regal guide the workshop.
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Jeff Cobb wrestled in the 2004 Summer Olympics.
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
The prospects share notes after the workshop ends.
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Referees Drake Wuertz and Shawn Bennett explain to the refereeing candidates what life is like in NXT and WWE.
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Smiley leads the men through more rounds of rolls, drop-downs and rope-running.
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
1 / 129
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Advertisement: Click the arrow to continue
+ Show Caption
1 / 129
Day 3 winds down with a series of exhibition matches featuring recruits who come to the camp with previous wrestling experience.