WWE has officially unveiled more details about its “WWE ID” initiative, a program designed to support, develop, and—let’s be real—probably monopolize independent wrestling.
Announced last October, the WWE ID program is Hunter Hearst Philanthropist’s way of “strengthening the independent wrestling ecosystem.” Translation? If you’re an indie wrestler with potential, WWE wants to slap a barcode on you.
What’s WWE ID?
Think of WWE ID as a fancy scouting system where winning matches in approved indie promotions could earn you a spot in WWE Evolve, a new developmental show launching on March 5 on Tubi.
Yes, Tubi. The same place where you accidentally stream Sharknado 4 at 2 AM. Truly, the future of wrestling is now.
How WWE ID Matches Work
- Matches will take place across various independent promotions. WWE is basically hosting “tryouts disguised as real matches” in places that were once all about resisting them.
- Winning these matches matters. Every victory ups your stock, potentially leading to a spot on WWE Evolve and, if you’re lucky, a future contract.
- The “WWE ID Universe” is a thing now. Expect a parallel WWE-approved indie scene where only some companies (and wrestlers) get the golden ticket.
EVOLVE: The Reboot Nobody Saw Coming
Five years after WWE bought out the original EVOLVE promotion, it’s back—but now, instead of a hot indie product, it’s basically NXT’s NXT.
Triple H confirmed that Performance Center trainees will also be featured, meaning indie talent and WWE hopefuls will battle for screen time. Right now, 100 to 120 wrestlers train at the Performance Center at any given time, and you better believe they’ll be ready to take the Evolve spotlight.
What’s Next?
- March 5: WWE Evolve debuts on Tubi. Expect the biggest exposure for indie talent WWE has ever allowed… but with strict WWE branding.
- More WWE ID matches across independent promotions. Which ones? That’s still unclear. But if you don’t see an ID-branded match on your local indie card, that promotion probably didn’t make the cut.
- More aggressive talent scouting. Winning WWE ID matches will likely become the golden ticket to a WWE career, meaning wrestlers who aren’t in the program might have a tougher road ahead.
The Bottom Line
The WWE ID initiative is a brilliant business move—WWE gets access to top indie talent without fully committing to contracts. Wrestlers get exposure, but at what cost?
Is this the future of scouting, or a sneaky way to slap WWE branding on the indie scene?
Either way, Triple H is playing chess while the indie world plays checkers.