WWE is looking for its next generation of stars in Hawaii, but Triple H says having muscles, speed and athletic ability only gets you so far. When it comes down to what really separates somebody from the pack, WWE’s Chief Content Officer says charisma still rules everything.
While discussing WWE’s upcoming Hawaii tryout, Triple H was asked what the company wants to see from prospective recruits. He started with the obvious physical traits, but quickly made it clear that those aren’t what WWE values most.
“Well, you know, obviously the obvious things, the athleticism, the desire, that drive. But the biggest thing is charisma. In our business, charisma is king.”
Triple H explained that WWE wants people who walk into a room and immediately feel different from everybody else. Being able to connect with people naturally and command attention is a huge part of what the company is trying to find. He said WWE isn’t necessarily looking for somebody who feels normal or blends into the background. They want personalities that people notice immediately.
“You know, so if you have that ability to be larger than life, if you’ve always felt like, you know, you have something more to offer than the average person and people gravitate toward you, we’re looking at somebody that can captivate crowds.”
“We’re looking for somebody that is not your traditional next-door neighbor. You know, somebody that’s larger than life.”
That doesn’t mean the physical part of the tryout won’t matter. Triple H made it clear WWE plans to push the recruits hard and find out exactly what they can handle.
“So the athletic ability, all that stuff is important. Obviously, when we do this tryout, we’re going to test them and we’re going to exhaust them and we’re going to do all the things you would expect us to do.”
But when the dust settles, Triple H came right back to the same point. WWE wants someone who can walk in front of a crowd and own the room. Triple H also made it clear that if somebody has that rare combination of personality, presence and athletic ability, WWE could be the place where everything changes.
“But the reality of it is we’re looking for charisma. We’re looking for the person that can captivate a crowd.”
“And if you can do that, WWE just might be the home for you.”
It’s a pretty simple message from the man running WWE creative: you can be a great athlete, but if nobody cares when you walk through the curtain, that only takes you so far. Triple H wants people who feel like stars before WWE even puts a microphone in their hands.
Do you agree with Triple H that charisma should be the biggest thing WWE looks for in new recruits, or should in-ring ability matter more? Let us know what you think and leave your feedback in the comments.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
