WWE Launches New Indie Developmental Program, 'WWE ID'
WWE Independent Development aims to "identify and support the journey of up-and-coming wrestlers."
WWE has today announced the launch of WWE Independent Development, a program designed to ease up-and-coming wrestlers' pathway from the independent scene to the market leaders.
Per the promotion, 'WWE ID' designation will be given to partnered independent wrestling schools, with the stated goal being to "provide new trainees and existing talent at these select institutions with enhanced developmental opportunities."
Involved in WWE ID are Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling, Cody Rhodes’ Nightmare Factory, Seth Rollins’ Black and Brave Academy, Elite Pro Wrestling Training Center, and KnokX Pro Academy (Los Angeles),
WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque commented:
“WWE ID is the latest in our efforts to identify and support the journey of up-and-coming wrestlers, in turn raising the profile of and strengthening the independent wrestling ecosystem."
The official announcement states that "top independent wrestling prospects" will be given "an official WWE ID 'prospect' designation", along with increased support in the form of "financial opportunity", training, mentorship, development, and "access to world-class facilities" (presumably WWE's).
WWE's Latest Indie Wrestling Invasion
WWE ID marks the market-leading group's latest foray into independent wrestling "collaboration", following notable partnerships with such groups as EVOLVE, Scotland's ICW, OTT of Ireland, and England's PROGRESS Wrestling in the 2010s. EVOLVE ceased operations within a year of its 10th Anniversary Celebration show airing on WWE Network in July 2019, with WWE absorbing the Gabe Sapolsky-helmed group's name, video library, and the bulk of its talent roster.
ICW, OTT, and PROGRESS still trade, though each had its roster stripped for talent ahead of WWE's now-defunct NXT UK brand's 2017 launch. Recently, WWE lent OTT alumni JD McDonagh and Finn Balor to the group for its Tenth Anniversary Show.
None of these brands operate at anywhere near the same level of prominence as they did pre-WWE partnership. Such is the history of an aggressive, dominant wrestling promotion whose operations ceased being to the wider scene's benefit when Vince McMahon set about systematically destroying the territory system in the 1980s.
In theory, WWE ID should provide more wrestlers with the opportunity to sign a full-time contract and enjoy the benefits that come with being part of such an organisation. This is good. But historically, such arrangements tend only to go one way for WWE's "partner" groups.