The Undertaker has taken on an increased role with WWE behind the scenes over the last year, and the legendary “Deadman” revealed some new insight into how different the company’s recruiting strategy is now compared to years past.
For decades, aspiring wrestlers went to local schools and worked toward their WWE dreams by honing their new craft on the independent scene. While that is still a part of the route to the biggest stages in the industry, WWE has created an all-new avenue with their Florida-based performance center — and FCW before that.
Instead of just bringing in performers with some experience in the ring under their belt, the company has a facility and infrastructure where they can mold talented athletes from various sports into world-class performers. With that becoming a consistent source for future WWE stars, The Undertaker revealed this week that the company is now looking to pull more from the NFL’s talent pool.
“There is a quota of guys [WWE] takes from independents, but I’m pretty sure the objective now is to hit these NFL Combines, the Big 12 Combines, and get those types of athletes,” The Undertaker revealed on a recent edition of his “Six Feet Under” podcast (h/t Wrestling Inc). “And they do have open workouts, too, they had one in Australia when we were over there a month or so ago. It’s a lot different. It’s another layer of the evolution of the product and the athletes.”
The Undertaker was blown away by that athleticism he scouted at the Big-12 combine
The NFL has an impressive pool of talent they pull from, and it is large enough that many of the players that don’t reach their league are instead playing for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s UFL this spring. But not only is it a large pool to pull from but the athletic level is amazing according to the WWE icon.
“Holy crap. That Big 12 combine I went to, man…When I played high school, we didn’t have running backs, wide receivers running 4.5 [second] 40 [yard dashes] and these guys are 300-pound, 6-foot-6, just motoring,” he said.
Quite a few current and former WWE stars have notable football backgrounds, including The Rock, Goldberg, JBL, and Lex Luger.
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