A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
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| Predecessor | Florida Championship Wrestling |
|---|---|
| Founded | July 11, 2013 |
| Headquarters | United States: 5055 Forsyth Commerce Road, Suite 100, Orlando, Florida, United States United Kingdom: Unit 30/31, Great Cambridge Industrial Estate, Lincoln Road, Enfield, London, England |
Key people | Paul "Triple H" Levesque (EVP of Talent Relations, Head of Creative and Chief Content Officer) Shawn Michaels (VP of Talent Development Creative) Matt Bloom (VP of Talent Development, Head Coach) Sara Amato (Assistant Head Coach) Robbie Brookside, Steve Corino, Lince Dorado, Fit Finlay, Johnny Moss, Norman Smiley, Terry Taylor (Coach) |
| Owner | Endeavor |
| Parent | WWE (TKO Group Holdings) |
| Website | recruit.wwe.com |
The WWE Performance Center is the official professional wrestling school system of the American organization, WWE, a division of TKO Group Holdings, a subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. The system currently operates two Performance Center locations, which serve as training facilities for WWE wrestlers, as well as sports science and medical facilities. The first branch, located in Orlando, Florida, was opened on July 11, 2013. The second branch opened on January 11, 2019, in Enfield, London.[1]
During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the main studio of the Performance Center in Orlando became WWE's home arena, with the company moving its weekly television programs and all pay-per-views for Raw and SmackDown (including WrestleMania 36) behind closed doors at the facility from March 2020 onward. In August 2020, WWE moved Raw and SmackDown's closed productions to an arena setting as the WWE ThunderDome—which used a larger-scale production more in line with its touring shows but with a virtual audience.
NXT and 205 Live subsequently moved to the Performance Center in October 2020, with NXT moving from its former home at Full Sail University, and its main arena being reconfigured as the "Capitol Wrestling Center" (CWC) to suit the look and feel of NXT programming. Unlike Raw and SmackDown's tenure at the Performance Center, NXT's move was permanent, and most of its remaining COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in June 2021. The CWC naming was dropped in September 2021 as part of a larger relaunch of NXT, which saw a second reconfiguration of the arena.
History
Training facilities
The Orlando facility covers 26,000 square feet (2,400 m2) and includes seven training rings (including a special padded ring for high-flying moves), a strength and conditioning program, edit and production facilities including an ultra-slow camera, and a voice-over room that performers and on-air announcers can use to practice.[2][3] The facility was opened in 2013 and replaced the training center at WWE's former developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW), which was based in Tampa and had been serving as WWE's developmental headquarters since 2008.[3][4][5]
The Performance Center trains around 65 to 70 wrestlers at any one time. Trainees have a variety of experience levels, from beginners from non-wrestling backgrounds to experienced wrestlers from the independent circuit. Wrestlers train to improve their in-ring performance, strength and conditioning, as well as working on their characters and personality. Upcoming referees, ring announcers, commentators, and backstage interviewers also train at the Performance Center. The trainees train full-time, while also performing at weekly NXT house shows and appearing on NXT television. In addition, established WWE performers often use the facility for training and injury rehab while mentoring new trainees.
The Performance Center uses former wrestlers as trainers. The inaugural head trainer was Bill DeMott, who departed the company in 2015 and was replaced by Matt Bloom.[6] Other trainers include Sara Amato, Robbie Brookside, Norman Smiley, Adam Pearce, Mike Quackenbush, Ace Steel, Scotty 2 Hotty[7] and Sarah Stock.[8] Dusty Rhodes was responsible for developing the trainees' microphone skills and wrestling personas until his death in 2015.[9] The Performance Center includes some guest trainers, including Kevin Nash and Scott Hall.[10][11][12]
In addition to training contracted performers, the Performance Center is also regularly used for tryouts which operate on an invite-only basis and include athletes from a wide variety of backgrounds, including established domestic and international professional wrestlers, amateur wrestlers, NFL and NCAA American football players, and individuals from a range of other sporting and non-sporting backgrounds.[13][14][15]
A second Britain-based Performance Center opened in Enfield, London on January 11, 2019.[16] In April 2019, WWE announced plans to open additional Performance Centers in India and China.[17]
Use as a home arena
On March 12, 2020, WWE announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic (which resulted in the suspension of many professional sports leagues), live episodes of Raw and SmackDown would air from the Performance Center without an audience until further notice, beginning with the following day's episode of SmackDown. The company had begun filming episodes of NXT without an audience at Full Sail University the previous day, although the March 11 episode was filmed at the Performance Center and was the last show produced with a live paying audience.[18] On March 16, it was announced that WrestleMania 36, set to take place on April 5 and previously scheduled for Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, would instead be moved to the Performance Center, again without an audience and would expand to two nights taking place on Saturday April 4 and Sunday April 5.[19]
The Performance Center continued to host episodes of Raw, SmackDown, 205 Live, and Main Event, as well as the pay-per-views Money in the Bank, Backlash, and The Horror Show at Extreme Rules, before the shows and pay-per-views moved to the new, larger-scale "ThunderDome" staging (under similar restrictions, but with a virtual audience on LED screens) at Orlando's Amway Center, beginning with the August 21 SmackDown and that weekend's SummerSlam. In December, the ThunderDome relocated to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida before moving to Yuengling Center in Tampa in April 2021, and being discontinued entirely in July 2021 with the resumption of touring shows.[20][21][22][23][24]
NXT moves to the Performance Center
In October 2020, beginning with NXT TakeOver 31, NXT and 205 Live moved to the Performance Center (from Full Sail University and the ThunderDome at Amway Center, respectively, as 205 Live was being subsumed by NXT), using a reconfigured version of the facility's main arena branded as the "Capitol Wrestling Center"—an homage to WWE's precursor, the Capitol Wrestling Corporation. It was designed to reflect the look and feel of NXT programming, with a virtual audience similar to the ThunderDome on an LED screen in the studio, and areas for limited outside spectators divided by plexiglass walls decorated with chain-link fencing.[25][26][27][28]
For TakeOver: Stand & Deliver in April 2021, the plexiglass wall dividers were removed and live audience capacity was increased.[29] TakeOver: In Your House in June lifted almost all COVID-19 protocols, including mask requirements and the virtual audience, and expanded its seating capacity to around 300, Those who had tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 14 days were asked not to attend.[30] While Raw and SmackDown resumed a live touring schedule in mid-July,[24] NXT's move to the Performance Center was permanent. On September 14, 2021, the arena received a new stage design with the relaunch of NXT as NXT 2.0; the Capitol Wrestling Center name was dropped at this time.[31]
Events hosted
The following are the events that have been held at the Performance Center while being used as a home arena:
| Weekly television shows | |
|---|---|
| Show | Dates |
| SmackDown | March 13, 2020 – August 14, 2020 |
| 205 Live | March 13, 2020 – August 14, 2020; October 9, 2020 – February 11, 2022 |
| Raw | March 16, 2020 – August 17, 2020 |
| Main Event | March 16, 2020 – August 17, 2020 (aired March 19, 2020 – August 20, 2020) |
| NXT (NXT 2.0 from September 2021 to September 2022) |
October 7, 2020 – present |
| NXT Level Up | February 18, 2022 – present |
| Television specials | |
| Show | Date |
| NXT: Halloween Havoc | October 28, 2020 |
| NXT: A Very Gargano Christmas Special | December 23, 2020 |
| 2020 NXT Year-End Awards | December 30, 2020 |
| NXT: New Year's Evil | January 6, 2021 |
| NXT's move to Tuesday | April 13, 2021 |
| NXT: The Great American Bash | July 6, 2021 |
| NXT 2.0: Halloween Havoc | October 26, 2021 |
| NXT 2.0: New Year's Evil | January 4, 2022 |
| NXT 2.0: Vengeance Day | February 15, 2022 |
| NXT 2.0: Roadblock | March 8, 2022 |
| NXT 2.0: Spring Breakin' | May 3, 2022 |
| NXT 2.0: The Great American Bash | July 5, 2022 |
| NXT 2.0: Heatwave | August 16, 2022 |
| NXT: New Year's Evil | January 10, 2023 |
| NXT: Roadblock | March 7, 2023 |
| NXT: Spring Breakin' | April 25, 2023 |
| NXT: Gold Rush | June 20 and 27, 2023 |
| Pay-per-view and WWE Network events | |
| Event | Dates |
| WrestleMania 36 | March 25–26, 2020 (aired April 4–5, 2020) |
| Money in the Bank | May 10, 2020 |
| Backlash | June 14, 2020 |
| The Horror Show at Extreme Rules | July 19, 2020 |
| NXT TakeOver 31 | October 4, 2020 |
| NXT TakeOver: WarGames | December 6, 2020 |
| NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day | February 14, 2021 |
| NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver | April 7–8, 2021 |
| NXT TakeOver: In Your House | June 13, 2021 |
| NXT TakeOver 36 | August 22, 2021 |
| NXT WarGames | December 5, 2021 |
| NXT In Your House | June 4, 2022 |
| Worlds Collide | September 4, 2022 |
| NXT Halloween Havoc | October 22, 2022 |
| NXT Deadline | December 10, 2022 |
Locations
United States
The first WWE Performance Center facility was opened on July 11, 2013. The Performance Center replaced the training center at WWE's former developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW), which was based in Tampa and had been serving as WWE's developmental headquarters since 2008.[4]
Wrestlers trained
2013
| Names | Notes |
|---|---|
| Adam Scherr | currently competes as Braun Strowman on the Raw brand. |
| Alexis Kaufman | currently competes as Alexa Bliss on the Raw brand. |
| Ashley Sebera | competed as Dana Brooke on Raw, SmackDown and NXT. Released from WWE in 2023. |
| CJ Perry | competed as Lana on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. Released from WWE in 2021. |
| Charles Betts | currently competes as Chad Gable on the Raw brand. |
| David Harwood | competed as Scott Dawson on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. Released from WWE in 2020. |
| Dean Muhtadi | competed as Mojo Rawley on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. Released from WWE in 2021. |
| Eric Arndt | competed as Enzo Amore on Raw and NXT. Released from WWE in 2018. |
| Gary Gordon | currently competes as Angelo Dawkins on the SmackDown brand. |
| James Smith | competed as Bull Dempsey on the NXT.Released from WWE in 2016. |
| Joseann Offerman | competed as Jojo on the NXT before becoming a ring announcer for Raw and SmackDown. Left WWE in 2021. |
| Leah Van Dale | currently competes as Carmella on the Raw brand. |
| Levi Cooper | competed as Tucker and Tucker Knight on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. Released from WWE in 2021. |
| Mikael Vierge | competed as Marcus Louis on the NXT. Released from WWE in 2016. |
| Matthew Adams | competed as Buddy Murphy and Murphy on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. Released from WWE in 2021. |
| Natalie Coyle | competed as Eva Marie on the Raw, SmackDown, and NXT . Released from WWE in 2017 and again in 2021. |
| Pamela Martinez | currently competes as Bayley on the SmackDown brand. |
| Stuart Tomlinson | competed as Hugo Knox on the NXT.Released from WWE in 2016. |
| Thomas Pestock | currently competes as Baron Corbin on the SmackDown brand. |
2014
| Names | Notes |
|---|---|
| Daniel Wheeler | competed as Dash Wilder on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. Released from WWE in 2020. |
| Gionna Daddio | currently competes as Liv Morgan on the Raw brand. |
| Michael Rallis | competed as Riddick Moss and Madcap Moss on Raw, SmackDown and NXT. Released from WWE in 2023. |
| Noah Potjes | competed as Kona Reeves on NXT. Released from WWE in 2021. |
| Sabatino Piscitelli | competed as Tino Sabbatelli on NXT house shows. Released from WWE in 2020 and again in 2021. |
| Savelina Fanene | currently competes as Nia Jax on the SmackDown brand. |
| Sunny Dhinsa | currently competes as Akam on the Raw brand. |
| Stephen Kupryk | competed as Steve Cutler on SmackDown and NXT. Released from WWE in 2021. |
2015
| Names | Notes |
|---|---|
| Adrian Jaoude | competed as Arturo Ruas on Raw and NXT. Released from WWE in 2021. |
| Adrienne Palmer | competed as Ember Moon on the Raw, NXT, and SmackDown.Released from WWE in 2021. |
| Amanda Saccomanno | competed as Mandy Rose on the NXT.Released from WWE in 2022. |
| Cezar Bononi | competed mostly on NXT house shows. Released from WWE in 2020. |
| Chelsea Green | currently competes on the SmackDown brand under her real name. |
| Christopher Girard | competed as Oney Lorcan on the NXT brand. Currently he is a trainer for the Performance Center since 2022. |
| Daria Berenato | currently competes as Sonya Deville on the Raw brand. |
| Dylan Miley | competed as Lars Sullivan on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. Released from WWE in 2021. |
| Gabriela Castrovinci | competed as Gabi Castrovinci on the sixth season of WWE Tough Enough. Released from WWE in late 2015. |
| Gzim Selmani | currently competes as Rezar on the Raw brand. |
| Joshua Bredl | competed as Bronson Matthews on the sixth season of WWE Tough Enough and on the NXT. Released from WWE in 2017. |
| Joshua Woods | competed as Preston Cunnigham Jr on the NXT.Released from WWE in 2016. |
| Kenneth Crawford | currently competes as Montez Ford on the SmackDown brand. |
| Nhooph Al-Areebi | competed as Aliyah on SmackDown and NXT. Released from WWE in 2023. |
| Patrick Clark | competed as Velveteen Dream on the NXT. Released from WWE in 2021. |
| Radomir Petkovic | competed as King Konstantine on the NXT.Released from WWE in 2016. |
| Sara Weston | competed as Sara Lee on the sixth season of WWE Tough Enough and on the NXT.Released from WWE in 2016. |
| Satender Dagar | competed as Jeet Rama on NXT house shows. Released from WWE in 2021. |
| Thomas Kingdon | competed on the NXT.Released from WWE in 2016. |
2016
| Names | Notes |
|---|---|
| Babatunde Aiyegbusi | competed as Dabba-Kato, Babatunde and Commander Azeez on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. Released from WWE in 2023. |
| Bianca Blair | currently competes as Bianca Belair on the SmackDown brand. |
| Cheree Crowley | currently competes as Dakota Kai on the Raw brand. |
| Danielle Kamela | competed as Vanessa Borne on NXT. Released from WWE in 2021. |
| Demitrius Bronson | competed on NXT house shows. Released from WWE in 2018. |
| Macey Estrella-Kadlec | competed as Lacey Evans on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. Released from WWE in 2023. |
| Nikola Bogojevic | currently competes as Otis on the Raw brand. |
| Sarah Rowe | competed as on Currently appears as Valhalla on the Raw brand. |
| Taynara Melo | competed as Taynara Conti on the NXT.Released from WWE in 2020. |
| Victoria Gonzalez | currently competes as Raquel Rodriguez on the Raw brand. |
2017
| Names | Notes |
|---|---|
| Eric Bugenhagen | competed as Rick Boogs on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. Released from WWE in 2023. |
| Dori Prange | competed as Ruby Riott on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. Released from WWE in 2021. |
| Julia Ho | competed as Zeda on the NXT.Released from WWE in 2018. |
| Kacy Catanzaro | currently competes as Katana Chance on the Raw brand. |
| Kavita Dalal | competed as Kavita Devi on NXT. Released from WWE in 2021. |
| MaryKate Glidewell | competed as Sage Beckett on the NXT. Released from WWE in 2018. |
| Shayna Baszler | currently competes on the Raw brand under her real name. |
| Steffanie Newell | currently competes as Tegan Nox on the SmackDown brand. |
| Thea Trinidad | currently competes as Zelina Vega on the Raw brand. |
| Yanbo Wang | competed as Boa on the NXT.Released from WWE in 2024. |
| Zhao Xia | competed as Xia Li on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT.Released from WWE in 2024. |