A recent report has shed more light on WWE’s newly introduced ID scheme.
WWE highlighted its ID course last week, describing it as a “developmental program intended to carve a promising path to a professional wrestling career in WWE” for rising independent wrestlers.
Further details about the initiative and how the WWE intends to utilize it have been shared by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
The report suggests that the WWE’s plan is to scout and recruit aspiring wrestling talents from various training sources at the earliest stages of their career.
Historically, the WWE practice was to call wrestlers for auditions and then decide whether to extend an offer to join the Performance Center or delay their potential involvement.
However, the refreshed ID scheme will primarily sign talents believed to have promise under a structure that mirrors the WWE’s NIL program for college athletes.
Participants in the program will earn a modest stipend, with avenues to greater opportunities subsequently. The notion for independent wrestlers is that they will carry on their training at wrestling schools associated with WWE ID and perform on independent circuits. This deviates from the old practice where WWE dissuaded contracted wrestlers from engaging in independent events unless they were endorsed by the WWE.
The newly created framework gives WWE the pole position to scout and sign talents if they are approached by rival promoters such as AEW, TNA, or NJPW.
If WWE shows interest, they have the provision to present a full-time contract and integrate these talents into their Performance Center in Florida. If the talents inducted into the scheme aren’t already training at affiliated institutions, they will be recommended to do so.
As previously noted on eWn, the initial talents chosen for the ID scheme are Zayda Steel, Bryce Donovan, and Capuccino Jones.
Today, WWE released news of another addition, Jack Summit (also known as Jack Cartwheel), who was sourced from GCW and made his debut in 2019.