WWE held tryouts ahead of last August’s SummerSlam premium live event (PLE) in Minneapolis. Among the participants were notable independent stars such as Titus Alexander, Josh Bishop, J-Rod, Colton Theron Vaught, Conan Lycan, and Brooke Havok. These individuals had the opportunity to engage in three promotional sessions, two in-ring training opportunities, and matches, in addition to attending a special reception dinner.
According to Fightful Select, some of the talent who participated in the tryouts have signed developmental deals with WWE, though the only name confirmed internally is Brooke Havok. Unfortunately, Havok recently sustained a torn ACL and meniscus, which will require surgery. The report also indicated that WWE had significant plans for her, but those may now be delayed or canceled, and it is unclear if she signed a deal before her injury. On the other hand, J-Rod and Josh Bishop have attracted interest from TNA and have even been spotted in the crowd at their events.
Havok, who made her wrestling debut in 2020, received training in part from WWE star Cody Rhodes. She was ranked #247 in the 2024 Pro Wrestling Illustrated Top 250 Female Wrestlers. Havok previously suffered a similar ACL and meniscus injury requiring surgery after a match on AEW Dark in 2021 and has primarily competed on the independent scene since then.
