WWE has announced the following:
China recruits report to WWE Performance Center for training
Four new recruits arrived from China last week and reported for training at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, each with the goal of establishing himself as the next WWE Superstar.
Gao Lei, Gu Guangming, Cheng Yuxiang and Wang Xiaolong were among the seven Chinese recruits signed to WWE developmental contracts following a four-day tryout WWE held in Shanghai last June. The four join Zhao Xia, Yifeng and Big Boa, who began their training at the Performance Center last month, and Tian Bing, who last summer became WWE’s first Chinese talent signed to a developmental contract. Upon their arrival, they were also met and welcomed at the Performance Center by Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events & Creative.
“When we held our first-ever tryout in China last year, we identified seven gifted athletes who had the potential to become WWE Superstars,” said Levesque. “They are finally training together at the WWE Performance Center, where they will be given the opportunity to develop their skills and serve as an inspiration to millions of WWE fans back home. These recruits are also symbolic of WWE’s commitment to finding the most talented athletes and entertainers from around the world.”
Cheng Yuxiang
A native of Heilongjiang, a province located in the northeastern part of China, Cheng Yuxiang is an expert-level fitness trainer certified by the Beijing Zhuo Zhonghua International Fitness Academy. Having fought in numerous boxing competitions throughout China, he’s aware that his opportunity with WWE will be his toughest challenge, and potentially the most rewarding.
“I am very happy to be here in Orlando,” said Yuxiang, citing in particular the “very nice” Florida air, “and to be at the Performance Center to train. I will work hard every day during training to represent the Chinese crew.”
Gao Lei
In addition to being a champion in various Beijing traditional wrestling promotions, Gao Lei was the team leader of Inner Mongolia University for The Nationalities’s wrestling team.
“I believe that I am a great wrestler,” Lei said, “but being here in WWE makes me realize that I need to work harder, to get on everyone’s level. I am going to work hard to be the best that I can.”
Gu Guangming
Since 2012, Mudanjiang native Gu Guangming has ranked among the top amateur boxers in his weight class, and went on to win the National Men’s Championship in 2014. At 6-foot-8, Guangming is the tallest of the Chinese recruits; now he’s focused on standing out even more while training in Orlando.
“I am very happy to be here at the WWE Performance Center,” he said. “I want to learn everything I can about wrestling. I am ready to learn.”
Wang Xiaolong
Of the seven recruits’ diverse backgrounds, Wang Xiaolong’s is perhaps the most eclectic; he was a sport enthusiast from a very young age, and he studied at the Shandong University of Technology, with a major in sports. Then he pursued his dream of studying music at Beijing Contemporary Music Academy and later on received professional singing and dancing training.
“I used to be a dancer and a musician,” he explained. “But now I want to be a WWE Superstar, to fight for my family.”
With the China recruits now all together and training at the WWE Performance Center, only one outstanding task remains for each of them: To develop into a WWE Superstar that not only China, but the entire world, can cheer for.
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
