WWE is set to hold its next round of tryouts during the SummerSlam 2026 weekend on August 1st and 2nd. This continues their long-standing practice of pairing recruitment sessions with major Premium Live Events.
According to PWInsider.com, two independent wrestlers have already been confirmed for the upcoming tryouts. One of them is Nigel Cawthon, who wrestles under the ring name Big Tito Lincoln. Based in Florida, he has competed for promotions such as Coastal Championship Wrestling (CCW) and Battle Championship Wrestling (BRCW). Before entering professional wrestling, Cawthon had an athletic background in multiple sports. He won the 2012 VISAA State Championship as a high school amateur wrestler, later played football at Hampton University, and competed as an amateur boxer. He is currently scheduled to team with former WWE star AJ Francis to face former WWE talents Bull James and Fulton in August.
The second confirmed participant is Nicky Mariano, a graduate of Seth Rollins’ Black & Brave Wrestling Academy. Mariano has wrestled for promotions such as TNA Wrestling, AAW, and Limitless Wrestling. Outside of wrestling, he competed on the second season of Beast Games on Prime Video under the name Conan Lycan.
These SummerSlam sessions continue a recruitment strategy WWE has followed for several years, using major event weekends to evaluate prospects from the independent scene and various athletic backgrounds. Several recent WWE signings have emerged from these tryouts, including Lizzy Rain, who was discovered during last year’s evaluations, and Nikki Blackheart, who recently debuted on NXT as Reina Volcan after attending a WWE tryout.
However, not every experience has gone smoothly. Earlier this year, wrestler Sallie Grace withdrew from WWE’s January tryouts after suffering a concussion. She later claimed on social media that other participants also experienced concussions during the camp. As SummerSlam weekend approaches, another group of prospects will have the opportunity to perform in front of WWE officials as the company continues its search for the next wave of talent.
