In an unexpected twist that’s 100% not a crotch chop but might still get you over, WWE has reportedly enlisted Sean “X-Pac” Waltman to help shape the future stars of professional wrestling as part of its shiny new WWE ID Program. Yes, folks—the man who once main-evented a Raw with a Bronco Buster is now mentoring your future world champions. Let that sink in.
According to Dave Meltzer (who likely has more insider knowledge than the average airport security system), X-Pac is currently reviewing match footage from WWE ID talents and offering advice on how to sharpen their characters, tighten their moves, and avoid looking like they’re wrestling underwater during a botched tope suicida.
WWE’s ID Program—launched in October—stands for Identify and Develop, though many fans assume it also means In Development or I Dare you to make it through training without crying. The program partners with five independent wrestling schools across the U.S., including Cody Rhodes’ Nightmare Factory (where dreams are forged through squats) and Rikishi’s Knokx Pro Academy (where sitting on faces is a respected tradition).
So far, X-Pac has kept his mentorship role hush-hush on his own social media, likely because he’s too busy yelling “Keep the energy, lose the sloppiness!” at a grainy YouTube clip from a bingo hall in Toledo.
The ID program itself has been gaining traction, with official “ID Matches” promoted weekly on social media like it’s NXT: Extra Credit Edition. And during WrestleMania weekend in Las Vegas, WWE plans to hold an official WWE ID Championship Tournament, which sounds suspiciously like the prequel to the next season of Tough Enough: Indie Edition.
Waltman—who has the rare distinction of being in both D-Generation X and the nWo, and also surviving the Attitude Era with functioning knees—seems like a perfect choice to coach the next crop of headband-wearing, kick-throwing hopefuls.
Because who better to guide the stars of tomorrow… than the guy who once wrestled in jeans and got electrocuted in the name of entertainment?