The WWE Performance Center Has CHANGED... (WWE News)
Ex-WWE star reveals how much has changed since Triple H took over from Vince McMahon.
Former WWE star Duke Hudson, who was released earlier this year after an extended period on the NXT brand, has revealed just how much the company's Performance Center had changed between Vince McMahon's departure and his own. During an interview with 'The Sweet Pop', Hudson went in depth on the different vibes between 2019-2020 PC and what it's like in 2025.
Duke said that the Center was "a mix of indy wrestlers and athletes" for a long time. "Now, it's really just Hunter guys". In other words, there's no blend of workers who'd suit the tastes of both Vince and Hunter, because McMahon isn't around and his own preferences for what a WWE star should be won't be taken into account.
Interestingly, Hudson also said that WWE would keep bigger trainees around even if they weren't doing particularly well (but "doing well enough") on the off chance Vince wanted to do something with them someday on Raw or SmackDown. That was true of several aspiring stars north of the 300lbs mark, or those who happened to be incredibly tall.
NXT peaked when Triple H scoured the independent scene to find the best on offer, but then everything changed once NXT 2.0 came into effect in September 2021. Suddenly, the indy flavour of the brand was downplayed in favour of building wrestlers from the ground up who maybe didn't have any experience of the industry before signing with WWE.
Hudson added that the Performance Center definitely changed during his time in the promotion. There was a noticeable shift once McMahon's influence dwindled.
Opinion: You Don't Need To Grow Up Loving Wrestling To Be Successful
Duke didn't put anyone on blast for never watching wrestling before they stepped foot inside WWE's Performance Center, but he did seem to hint that there was a disconnect between those who had grafted on the independents and those who had been signed because they were top athletes elsewhere.
Being fair, somebody doesn't necessarily need to grow up watching the classics to click and become a success in the biz. Tiffany Stratton, for example, was only a passive viewer in her youth. Her family checked out some WWE, but she had other things going on. It wasn't until later that she realised how athletic wrestling was - she inked a deal in late-2021 after being egged on by her parents and after being impressed by Charlotte Flair on TV.
Recent WWE Hall Of Famer and real-life inspiration Lex Luger wasn't a fan growing up either. He didn't have a clue about the industry before starting his journey in 1985. In fact, by his own admission, Lex only got a foot in the door to begin with because he was an avid bodybuilder and had an eye-catching physique.
Whilst grinding on the indy circuit can help somebody gain headway in wrestling, it isn't a one size fits all prerequisite.