OFM_Dept_Lifestyle_WWE_1219_DEPT 11 / 20 / 19 4 : 56 PM Page 2 NXT Womens Champion Shaynaer Baszl trains at the WWE Performance Center NXT talent pool . NXT is one of WWE’s global never get the opportunity to flex their muscles touring brands and each Wednesday night , per - and are turned away . formers grapple live from Full Sail University “ There’s a process , we recruit heavily in mar - and the program airs on USA Network . WWE kets all around the globe , ” Levesque says . “ In also partners with the school , offering students football , the NFL cuts 500 players a year . [ These hands - on experience in promotion and produc - athletes ] are leaving the NFL and their dream is tion and proceeds of ticket sales go toward a going away . They’ll say , ‘ I played football because scholarship fund . I was good at it at a young age , but if you told The up - and - comers in Orlando are often me I could have been a pro wrestler , I would’ve recruited from around the globe and they are done it . ’ ” comprised of athletes from all walks of life , Levesque says the ideal candidates are people including football players , rugby stars , competi - with charisma and emergent leaders . And , they tive body builders and more . Anyone is welcome have to be comfortable with relocating to Orlando ; sionals and more , the 29,000 - square - foot facility to apply for the chance to be considered for a move that doesn’t take much convincing . offers everything under one roof . At any given a “ People say , ‘ Why don’t you have the center in time , there are as many as 100 performers fine three - to - four day tryout , but out of the thousands Stamford , tuning their craft , some of whom are part of the upon thousands of applicants they receive , most [ Connecticut , where the WWE’s cor - porate offices are located ] ? It’s harder to convince people to come to Stamford ; it snows a lot . It’s not the place you want to be , ” Levesque quips . “ I knew we needed an easy in and out corridor for flying . You needed a place that if you were any - where in the globe , recruiting in a smaller village in India and said , ‘ Do you want to go to Orlando ? ’ they know it . It’s a globally recognized city that has everything you could want . It’s a wonderful place to live and so it was not hard to convince people [ to come here ] . ” Recruits who arrive expecting to pump iron and body slam each other all day would be con - sidered foolish . There’s a lot more than just the physical aspect that goes into the training , with character development playing a major role in the success of any potential budding star . “ You look for people with big personalities that can take direction . The athletic part is the eas - iest part almost . It’s the other stuff ; it’s hard to teach charisma , how to teach people to act confi - Levesque consults an NXT dently and have swagger . Those things take Superstar prior to an episode of longer , ” says Levesque . NXT at Full Sail University The Performance Center has acting and ORLANDOFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM december 2019 ORLANDO FAMILY 13