PHOTO: WWE (Bob Croslin)

In a move that had been rumored for a while now, WWE officially announced that they had signed Donovan Dijak. Dijak is fresh off his final indie appearance at PWG’s Battle Of Los Angeles this past weekend, and he officially reported to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando today.

Dijak announced in July that he was wrapping up his independent bookings. A Ring of Honor Top Prospect tournament winner, he didn’t resign with Ring Of Honor after his contract expired earlier this year. He was expected to surface at the Performance Center in short order, but seemed to be one of the wrestlers caught up in a short-lived dispute between WWE and ROH over WWE attempting to start negotiations with Ring of Honor talent too close to their ROH contract expiration dates.

Whatever the reason for it, Dijak’s extended independent farewell tour gave us one more time to feast our eyes on one of independent wrestling’s hottest talents. Perhaps most importantly, it gave us Keith Lee and Donovan Dijak in Monstars jerseys at BOLA.

Dijak will no doubt be making his NXT television debut in the near future, and with talent like his, he’s bound to shoot to the top of the brand sooner rather than later.

The post WWE Officially Announces The Signing Of Donovan Dijak appeared first on TopRopePress.com – Wrestling News, WWE News, TNA News, Wrestling Results.

Photo: WWE

40 Tryout For WWE This Week At The Performance Center

WWE held three-day tryouts at their Performance Center in Orlando, Florida this past week. All in all, the company had 40 different athletes from all walks of life take part in the event.

WWE themselves gave brief summaries of all of the competitors that took part in the camp, which you can read below, courtesy of WWE.

Obstacle course racer Hunter McIntyre, the reigning champion of Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge competition series and a decorated Spartan Race runner.

Amarlo Herrera, a 250-pound linebacker from the University of Georgia who was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL Draft.

Noke Tago, a 300-pound defensive tackle from American Samoa who played at Oregon State.

6-foot-2, 230-pound Raynor Whitcombe, a New Zealand-born football player-turned-bodybuilder who was the first-place winner of the 2015 BodySpace Spokesmodel Search.

Denzel DeJournette, a 6-foot-3, 265-pound All-American wrestler from Appalachian State University who finished eighth in the NCAA heavyweight wrestling championships.

6-foot-1, 205-pound Nicolai Salchow, a Brazilian-born, German-raised kickboxer and grappler who is 6-1 in professional MMA fights.

CrossFit competitor Lindsey Kelly, a former swimmer at the University of Arizona who has deadlifted 410 pounds and squatted 315 pounds, according to her CrossFit profile.

Reginald Gibbs, a 275-pound, Georgia-based independent wrestler and protege of WWE Superstar Mr. Hughes who competes as “Odinson” in the southeast region.

Brothers Arthur and Josh Haug. Arthur Haug was a four-sport athlete in high school and a former bodybuilding champion who has trained with Impact Pro Wrestling. Josh Haug was a three-time letter winner as a wrestler at the University of Iowa, a 2016 national qualifier and an Academic All-American.

Minnesota powerlifter Nick Brewer, a 295-pounder who has been known to bend horseshoes and roll up steel frying pans with his bare hands. At the 2009 London Strongest Man competition, he pulled a firetruck..

Vernon Willis, a 6-foot-4, 275-pound California state wrestling champion.

Andrew Cavanna, a 6-foot-1, 220-pound Connecticut weightlifting champion and five-time wrestling champion.

Briana Brandy, a hip-hop artist who has performed with the likes of Soulja Boy and Ying Yang Twins, and trains in MMA and CrossFit.

Wrestling veteran Cody Deaner, a multi-time heavyweight champion in Canada who once faced Kurt Angle on SmackDown in 2004.

“Crazzy Steve” Steve Scott, a 14-year veteran from Ontario who received training under NXT’s Eric Young.

6-foot-9 Paul “PB Smooth” Bilbo, of Erie, Pa., a former college basketball player who has wrestled for Cleveland-based Absolute Intense Wrestling and CWF Mid-Atlantic in North Carolina.

23-year-old Matt King, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound model and independent wrestler from Atlanta who competes as “Raphael King.”

6-foot-6 Troy Russell, a graduate of Lance Storm’s wrestling academy who trains at the famous DeFranco’s Gym.

Tehuti Miles, a 210-pound U.S. Army veteran who served in Afghanistan and played for the University of Maryland football team.

Twenty-year-old Quelton Toliver, a 6-foot-4, 265-pound wrestler from Missouri.

Football players-turned-fitness models Christopher & Morgan Hill.

Brothers Morgan and Christopher Hill, football players-turned-fitness models from Las Vegas.

Elena Pogosyan, a 24-year-old journalist-turned-wrestler who trained under WWE Hall of Famer Johnny Rodz and has wrestled for almost two years.

Jeslen Mishelle, a three-year wrestling veteran and blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu who competes on the West Coast under the alias “Desi Derata.”

Nikii Duke, a 24-year old bodybuilder, International Federation of Physique Athletes pro, and World Beauty Fitness and Fashion bikini competitor.

Twenty-five-year-old Mike Taverna of New York City, who has wrestled in Chaotic Wrestling, Chikara and New York Wrestling Connection, among other groups.

Marquis Carter, a U.S. Army veteran who was deployed once to Afghanistan and twice to Korea, and has officiated in several Florida wrestling organizations.

Haley Kate Yellin, a fitness model with a background in dance, track and taekwondo.

Will Cuevas, a California-based independent wrestler, former referee and U.S. Marine Corps veteran who is a former All Pro Wrestling Worldwide Internet Champion.

Blake Dees, a 240-pound former college football player who played linebacker at Texas Tech and South Alabama.

Micas Harris, a 28-year-old independent wrestler from Indiana who played semi-pro football.

Marshall “Solo” Williams, a Maryland-based, 260-pound powerhouse wrestler who has trained under former WWE Superstar Gillberg and was an aviation ordinanceman in the U.S. Navy.

Independent wrestler and former college football player Zach Johnson

6-foot-5, 240-pound Zach Johnson, an independent wrestler from North Carolina for whom this was a second WWE tryout.

Michael Richards, of New Zealand, a 6-foot-2 independent wrestler who has trained in the Ring of Honor Dojo.

6-foot-3, 285-pound former college football player Joe Maples. He made appearances in three Bowl Games as a member of the University of Missouri football team.

Haley Tipton, a 24-year-old model and former Junior Olympics beach volleyball player.

Rawle Chichester, a 6-foot-2, 245-pound wrestler with six years’ experience.

Abigail Burgdorf, a college track athlete who is also an active powerlifter.

Brock Lesnar’s Upcoming WWE Schedule

Despite the build toward his match with Samoa Joe at Great Balls of Fire ongoing, Brock Lesnar will not be appearing at WWE RAW this Monday night. The Universal Champion will, however, be part of every other RAW leading into the PPV event. He is also scheduled for the RAW the night after Great Balls of Fire.

Southpaw Regional Wrestling Return

According to a report from the Wrestling Observer, WWE is currently filming more episodes of the wildly popular Southpaw Regional Wrestling spoof for YouTube. The series is expected to make a return in the not too distant future.

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