WWE Shifts Tryout Strategy to Focusing on Black Male Talent Amid Criticism of Paul Levesque’s Booking

WWE is revamping how it recruits talent—especially for its men’s division—and they’re not being quiet about it anymore. According to a new report from Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE’s most recent five-day tryout in Orlando was designed with two specific goals in mind: focusing on Black male athletes and bringing in more indie veterans.

Meltzer noted that the company is directly addressing criticism surrounding Paul “Triple H” Levesque’s track record. Specifically, some have claimed WWE under Levesque hasn’t pushed Black male talent consistently enough. In response, WWE is doubling down on a strategy to showcase diversity and physical presence.

“There was a five-day tryout in Orlando this week,” Meltzer wrote. “The idea was very much to focus on black males and bodybuilders due to the criticism that Paul Levesque doesn’t push black males.”

He added that WWE is clearly aware of the optics, citing the recent call-ups of Oba Femi, Trick Williams, and Je’Von Evans as part of the company’s effort to show they’re serious about representation.

Meltzer also confirmed a major shift in WWE’s recruitment philosophy: college athletes are no longer the top priority. Instead, the company is returning to indie roots, with names like William Regal and Gabe Sapolsky back out scouting the scene.

“They’ve done another about-face… regarding less college athletes and more indie talent,” Meltzer explained. “They are looking for people with the right kind of body and want people who can do promos.”

Here’s the list of male talent who participated in the Orlando tryout:

• Starboy Charlie
• Leon Lokombo
• LaBron Kozone
• Manny Lo
• Jariel Rivera
• Manny House
• Jack Pasquale
• Blade Brown
• Tyler Jordan
• Jeremiah Lakheani
• James Karnik
• Bruss Hamilton
• Ben Finnesseth
• Bhupinder Gujjar

Sources also suggest that many of these names—particularly those with prior experience in promotions like West Coast Pro, XDPW, and Prestige—could end up fast-tracked to NXT TV in a matter of weeks.

This new direction marks another turning point in WWE’s developmental system. Rather than spending years molding athletes from scratch, WWE is betting big on wrestlers who can deliver on camera, cut promos, and look like stars right out of the gate.

Is WWE finally fixing its developmental problems? Or is this just another short-term pivot? Let us know what you think in the comments below!