Independent Wrestlers Already Under WWE Contracts as Part of New WWE ID Program

WWE’s latest initiative, the WWE Independent Development (WWE ID) program, has already secured contracts with several independent wrestlers, according to multiple sources confirming to POST Wrestling.

This groundbreaking program, introduced earlier this week, is aimed at identifying and supporting independent wrestling schools and talent. Notable schools like Reality of Wrestling, the Nightmare Factory, Black and Brave Academy, Elite Pro Wrestling Training Center, and KnokX Pro Academy were among the first to join the WWE ID program.

While the program is touted as a major opportunity for indie wrestlers, sources confirmed that no financial backing has been provided to these schools thus far. Furthermore, while specific names of contracted talent were not disclosed, several indie wrestlers are reportedly signed with WWE under deals that still allow them to appear in independent promotions. There are currently no restrictions on where these talents can compete or whether they can lose matches, making the terms quite flexible — at least for now.

Independent wrestling promoter Mark Pollesel, who runs C*4 Wrestling in Ottawa, expressed some skepticism about the program during an appearance on Pollock & Thurston. Reflecting on a similar deal WWE made with Samoa Joe in 2015, Pollesel remarked, “Remember when Samoa Joe was allowed to work indies restriction-free? How long did that last for?” He added, “WWE says a lot of things, and that’s fine, that’s their business. But for forty years, we have seen those things, and we’ve seen the ultimate direction where those things go.”

The potential for contracted wrestlers to appear in rival promotions like AEW remains unclear, as no definitive answers have been provided.

Many believe this new WWE ID initiative might also help WWE alleviate its antitrust concerns. WWE and its parent company, TKO, have faced legal battles in recent years, settling an antitrust lawsuit with MLW for $20 million in 2023. Meanwhile, UFC, another TKO subsidiary, is currently working to settle its own antitrust suits, one of which may be resolved for $375 million.

This initiative reportedly wouldn’t have been possible under the leadership of Vince McMahon, but with WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque and WWE President Nick Khan now at the helm, it’s been given the green light.