| WWE Performance Center | |
| Location: | 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) |
| Predecessor: | Florida Championship Wrestling |
| Owner: | Endeavor |
| Parent: | WWE (TKO Group Holdings) |
| Website: | recruit.wwe.com |
WWE Performance Center is a group of professional wrestling schools owned by WWE. They serve as a training and tryout facility for WWE talent, and also contain sports science and medical facilities. WWE currently operates two Performance Center locations, with the first opened in Orlando, Florida on July 11, 2013, replacing the training facility of WWE's former developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW). A second branch opened on January 11, 2019, in Enfield, London.[1]
The Performance Center in Orlando temporarily became the home arena for WWE's Raw and SmackDown brands in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with its television programs Monday Night Raw, Friday Night Smackdown, 205 Live, and Main Event, as well as WWE pay-per-view events (including WrestleMania 36) being recorded in a studio at the Performance Center with no audience. In August 2020, WWE moved Raw and SmackDown's closed productions to an arena setting dubbed the "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 studio 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.
The Orlando facility covers 26000square feet 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] 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]
See also: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on television in the United States. 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]
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, NXT's move to the Performance Center was permanent. On September 14, 2021, the arena received a new set design as part of the "NXT 2.0" relaunch; the Capitol Wrestling Center name was dropped at this time.[31]
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 | |
| NXT | October 7, 2020 – present | |
| NXT Level Up | February 18, 2022 – present | |
| Television specials | ||
| Show | Date | |
| October 28, 2020 | ||
| December 23, 2020 | ||
| December 30, 2020 | ||
| January 6, 2021 | ||
| April 13, 2021 | ||
| July 6, 2021 | ||
| October 26, 2021 | ||
| 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 | |
| NXT: Heatwave | August 22, 2023 | |
| NXT: Halloween Havoc | October 24 and 31, 2023 | |
| NXT: New Year's Evil | January 2, 2024 | |
| NXT: Roadblock | March 5, 2024 | |
| NXT: Spring Breakin' | April 23 and 30, 2024 | |
| NXT: The Great American Bash | July 30 and August 6, 2024 | |
| Pay-per-view and WWE Network events | ||
| Event | Dates | |
| March 25–26, 2020 | ||
| May 10, 2020 | ||
| June 14, 2020 | ||
| July 19, 2020 | ||
| October 4, 2020 | ||
| December 6, 2020 | ||
| February 14, 2021 | ||
| April 7–8, 2021 | ||
| June 13, 2021 | ||
| August 22, 2021 | ||
| 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 | |
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]
| Names | Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Adam Scherr | Currently competes as Braun Strowman on the Raw brand. | |
| Alexis Kaufman | Currently competes as Alexa Bliss on the Raw and SmackDown brands. | |
| 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 and SmackDown brands. | |
| 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. |
| 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. 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. |
| Names | Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Adrian Jaoude | Competed as Arturo Ruas on NXT.Released from WWE in 2021. | |
| Amanda Saccomanno | Competed as Mandy Rose on the NXT. Released from WWE in 2022. | |
| Cezar Bononi | Competed on the NXT. Released from WWE in 2020. | |
| Chelsea Green | Currently competes on the SmackDown brand. | |
| Christopher Girard | Competed as Oney Lorcan on the NXT brand. Currently works as a trainer on 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. | |
| Satender Dagar | Competed as Jeet Rama on NXT house shows. Released from WWE in 2021. |
| 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 | Currently competes 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 and SmackDown brands. |
| 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 brands. 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. | |
| 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. |
| Names | Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Allyssa Lane | Currently competes as Kayden Carter on the Raw brand. | |
| Daniel Vidot | Competed as Xyon Quinn on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. Released from WWE in 2024. | |
| Deonna Purrazzo | Competed on NXT. Released from WWE in 2020. | |
| Dong Jianjun | Competed as Taishan Dong on the NXT. Left WWE in December 2018. | |
| Jessamyn Duke | Competed on the NXT. Released from WWE in 2021. | |
| Mansoor Al-Shehail | Competed as Mansoor and mån.sôör on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. Released from WWE in 2023. | |
| Marina Shafir | Competed on the NXT. Released from WWE in 2021. | |
| Rinku Singh | Competed as Veer Mahaan on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. Released from WWE in 2024. | |
| Ronda Rousey | Competed on the Raw and SmackDown. Left WWE in October 2023. | |
| Tehuti Miles | Currently competes as Ashante "Thee" Adonis on the SmackDown brand. |
| Names | Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Briana Brandy | Currently competes as B-Fab on the SmackDown brand. | |
| EJ Nduka | Competed as Ezra Judge on NXT house shows. Released from WWE in 2020. | |
| Jordan Omogbehin | Currently competes as Omos on the Raw and SmackDown brands. | |
| Karen Yu | Currently competes as Wendy Choo on the NXT brand. | |
| Omari Palmer | Currently competes as Odyssey Jones on the Raw brand. |
| Names | Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Anriel Howard | Currently competes as Lash Legend on the NXT brand. | |
| Emily Andzulis | Currently competes as Ivy Nile on the Raw brand. | |
| Gurvinder Malhotra | Competed as Shanky on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. Released from WWE in 2023. | |
| Jacob Kasper | Currently competes as Julius Creed on the Raw brand. | |
| Sidney Bateman | Competed as Scrypts on the NXT. Left WWE in 2024 after his contract expired. | |
| Simone Johnson | Currently appears as Ava on the NXT brand as general manager. | |
| Taylor Grado | Currently competes as Jacy Jayne on the NXT brand. |
| Names | Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Sean Tan Li Hao | Currently competes as Dante Chen on the NXT brand. | |
| Bobby Steveson | Currently competes as Damon Kemp on the NXT Released from WWE in 2024. | |
| Bronson Rechsteiner | Currently competes as Bron Breakker on the Raw brand. | |
| Drew Kasper | Currently competes as Brutus Creed on the Raw brand. | |
| Joseph Ariola | Currently competes as Tony D’Angelo on the NXT brand. | |
| Karissa Rivera | Currently competes as Elektra Lopez on the SmackDown brand. | |
| Jamara Garrett | Currently competes as Jakara Jackson on the NXT brand. | |
| Natalie Holland | Competes as Tatum Paxley on the NXT brand. |
| Names | Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Tiana Lillian Marie Caffey | Currently competes as Jaida Parker on the NXT brand. | |
| Jade Gentile | Currently competes as Jazmyn Nyx on the NXT brand. | |
| Madison Knisley | Currently competes as Thea Hail on the NXT brand. | |
| Breanna Ruggiero | Currently competes as Brinley Reece on the NXT brand. | |
| Sydney Jeannine Zmrzel | Currently competes as Maxxine Dupri on the Raw brand. | |
| Tracy Hancock | Currently training as Tavion Heights for the NXT brand. | |
| Currently competes as Izzi Dame on the NXT brand. | ||
| Calyx Harmony Hampton | Currently competes as Sol Ruca on the NXT brand. | |
| Carla Gonzalez | Currently competes as Roxanne Perez on the NXT brand. | |
| Monika Klisara | Currently competes as Karmen Petrovic on the NXT brand. | |
| Kennedy Cummins | Currently competes as Carlee Bright on the NXT brand. |
| Names | Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Anna Keefer | Currently competes as Adriana Rizzo on the NXT brand. | |
| Issac Odugbesan | Currently competes as Oba Femi on the NXT brand. | |
| Jade Cargill | Currently competes on the SmackDown brand. | |
| Peyton Prussin | Currently competes as Kendal Grey on the NXT brand. | |
| Lea Mitchell | Currently competes as Kelani Jordan on the NXT brand. | |
| Roman Macek | Currently competes as Luca Crusifino on the NXT brand. | |
| Valerie Loureda | Currently competes as Lola Vice on the NXT brand. |
The British branch was located at the Great Cambridge Industrial Estate in Enfield, London[32] and was opened on January 11, 2019.[16] The center was 17,000 square feet and included 2 rings.[33] [34]
In August 2015, Orange County Sheriff's Office deputies shot 29-year-old Armando Montalvo outside the Performance Center after he threatened them and ignored commands. Montalvo was "obsessed" with female wrestler AJ Lee and made numerous attempts to trespass through the facility, despite an injunction against him by WWE.[35] [36] Days after the shooting, Montalvo claimed he was bipolar when he was questioned by detectives. He faced trial in February 2016 on charges of aggravated assault, resisting an officer with violence, and trespassing. A public defender representing Montalvo has entered a written plea of not guilty on his behalf.[37]
On April 19, 2018, WWE filed an emergency restraining order against Montalvo after he returned to the Performance Center the previous month and harassed the employees. In addition, Montalvo posted a threatening message to WWE wrestlers and staff on his Instagram account.[38] On May 7, 2018, Montalvo was arrested for missing his court date with WWE.[39]