WWE have announced that six new recruits will be heading to the Performance Center. The recruits include the brother of an Olympic Gold Medallist and two second generation Superstars.
The headline name from the list is Joseph Fatu, (Sefa Fatu) the son of WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi and the younger brother of The Usos’. Other notable recruits include Bobby Steveson, the brother of Olympic Gold Medallist and WWE target, Gable Steveson and Joshua Dawkins, nephew of NBA legend Darryl Dawkins.
You can read the full run-down from WWE below.
“Minneapolis’ Bobby Steveson, the brother of 2020 Olympic gold medallist Gable Steveson, stands 6-feet tall and weighs 220 pounds. He wrestled at the University of Minnesota, the same alma mater as his brother, former World Champion Brock Lesnar and Raw Superstar Shelton Benjamin.
Twenty-year-old Ben Buchanan is a former Alabama state high school wrestling champion from Ranbourne, Ala. He was undefeated in the 285-pound weight class during the 2019-2020 season. The 6-foot-4, 250-pounder is also the son of former WWE Tag Team Champion Bull Buchanan.
Brady Booker comes to the Performance Center from the world of college football, having played middle linebacker at the University of South Dakota. Also a skilled archer, the 21-year old hails from Lasalle, Ill., stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 245 pounds.
Jessica Woynilko is a 21-year-old gymnast, bodybuilder and CrossFit athlete from Prior Lake, Minn. As a gymnast, she specialized in tumbling and trampoline, competing on the 2016 U.S. national team.
Joseph Fatu of Las Vegas is the younger brother of SmackDown Tag Team Champions Jimmy & Jey Uso and the son of WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi. Beyond being a member of one of sports-entertainment’s most decorated families, the 6-foot-2, 240-pounder also played football in college.
Twenty-three-year-old Joshua Dawkins of DeBary, Fla.,is the latest trainee of WWE Hall of Famer D-Von Dudley to be signed to the WWE Performance Center. The 6-foot-1 recruit is also the nephew of NBA legend Darryl Dawkins.”
Proud father Rikishi took to social media shortly after the announcement congratulating all six recruits.
Congrats to all the new future prospects of the industry your time is NOW especially proud of my son #TheProblem @RealSefaFatu 👈🏾 follow his journey and watch him grow @WWEUsos@WWERomanReigns@SamoanDynasty1https://t.co/QWcgVxrrct
— RIKISHI (@TheREALRIKISHI) August 31, 2021
Ahead of SummerSlam WWE held open try-outs in Las Vegas. The trials were attended by Triple H who spoke to the media after a number of WWE hopefuls had been selected.
Addressing speculation that WWE’s hiring philosophy had changed, Triple H said that it was business as usual, with the company looking for future WrestleMania headliners.