The WWE Performance Center is the official professional wrestling school of WWE, as well as a training, sports science, and sports medical facility. It is located in Orlando, Florida, and was opened on July 11, 2013. It is not open to the general public. It is also close to Full Sail University, home base for WWE NXT productions and live events. On December 2, 2015, it granted full access to selected members of the public.
Background
The Performance Center is home to WWE’s talent developmental system, WWE NXT. The facility covers 26,000 square feet and includes seven training rings (including a special padded ring for high-flying moves), a world-class strength and conditioning program, cutting-edge edit and production facilities including an ultra-slow camera, and a voice-over room that performers and on-air announcers can use to practice. The facility was opened in 2013 and replaced the training center at WWE's former developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW), which was based in Tampa and had been serving as WWE's developmental headquarters since 2008.
The Performance Center trains around 65-70 wrestlers at any one time. Trainees have a variety of experience levels, from beginners from non-wrestling backgrounds to experienced wrestlers from the independent circuit. Wrestlers train to improve their in-ring performance, strength and conditioning, as well as working on their characters and personality. Upcoming referees, ring announcers, commentators, and backstage interviewers also train at the Performance Center. The trainees train full-time, while also performing at weekly NXT house shows and appearing on NXT television. In addition, established WWE Superstars often use the facility for training and injury rehab while mentoring new trainees.
The Performance Center uses former wrestlers as trainers. The inaugural head trainer was Bill DeMott, who departed the company in 2015 and was replaced by Matt Bloom. Other trainers include Sara Amato, Robbie Brookside, Norman Smiley, Adam Pearce, and Sarah Stock. Dusty Rhodes was responsible for developing the trainees' microphone skills and wrestling personas until his death in 2015. Other trainers include non-wrestlers, such as former mixed martial arts competitor Seth Petruzelli who is employed as a striking coach. The Performance Center includes some guest trainers, including Kevin Nash, Mike Quackenbush, and Scott Hall.
In addition to training contracted performers, the Performance Center is also regularly used for tryouts which operate on an invite-only basis and include athletes from a wide variety of backgrounds, including established domestic and international professional wrestlers, amateur wrestlers, NFL and NCAA American football players, and individuals from a range of other sporting and non-sporting backgrounds.
2015 shooting incident
On August 31, 2015, Orange County Sheriff's Office deputies shot 29-year-old Armando Montalvo outside the Performance Center after he threatened them and charged at them. Montalvo was "obsessed" with female wrestler AJ Lee and made numerous attempts to trespass through the facility, despite an injunction against him by WWE. Days after the shooting, Montalvo claimed he was bipolar when he was questioned by detectives. He faced trial in February 2016 on charges of aggravated assault, resisting an officer with violence, and trespassing. A public defender representing Montalvo has entered a written plea of not guilty on his behalf.
See also
- WWE NXT
- WCW Power Plant
- WWE Tough Enough
- Full Sail University
- WWE Network
References
