10 Insane Stories From WWE Tryouts
3. WWE PASSED On The Next Batista
WWE is the most inscrutable organisation, possibly of all time.
You can't like wrestling too much, otherwise they'll think you're a mark; at the same time, you can't disrespect the sanctity of the business, otherwise you'll get called a c*nt and be made to change in the hallway.
That's if you even make it that far: WWE is also inscrutable because it's very difficult to determine what they're actually looking for.
Consider Wardlow: he's tall, in great shape, is (respectfully) a super hunk, and is a strong pro wrestling actor who got over in AEW very gradually with his subtle use of camera-friendly body language. He's also perfected the simple, universally satisfying power-based style that every incarnation of WWE has loved then, now, forever.
You'd think he was a lock, but WWE passed after he tried out, which is insane in and of itself. He himself believes he aced it with flying colours, but WWE wasn't bothered. As an editorial comment, that might have something to do with the fact that Triple H was around that time besotted with chasing the osmosis high of workrate acclaim.
Wardlow also revealed to Chris Van Vliet that the ex-NFL wrestlers he tried out alongside openly expressed their apathy about wrestling.
Guess who from that group became a wrestling star!