What’s the story?
WWE’s official website WWE.com has just posted a video of two-time Heavyweight Kickboxing champion Katya Kavaleva’s official WWE Performance Center tryout. With the announcement, it also appears that Katya might have been added to the list of rookies at the Performance Center.
Here's the actual video in question:
In case you didn’t know...
Katya Kavaleva, a former member of the Blackzilians MMA fighting team, is a two-time world Heavyweight Kickboxing champion. Katya stands at an impressive natural height of 6 foot 5 inches, weighing in at just over 200 pounds, and had been training for an MMA debut prior to her tryout with the WWE.
The 25-year-old Katya is originally from Belarus (currently based in Florida, USA) and is a black belt in Karate and Taekwondo. She was expected to face off in an MMA bout against the hulking Gabi Garcia in 2016 as part of the Rizin MMA promotion in Japan, but those plans eventually fell through.
The heart of the matter
Katya Kavaleva had initially been asked by the WWE to attend the WWE Performance Centre tryout, she had received the invitation last year in December and posted about it on Facebook.
Since then, Katya had given interviews and had made social media posts solidifying her intent about joining WWE. Due to her natural athleticism, Katya was touted to be a good fit for the WWE.
Katya attended the tryouts, as mentioned in her Facebook post, between the 1st and 4th of February, since then, it appears that Katya has been signed by the WWE to some sort of a contract, seeing as how her Instagram posts have been filled with pictures and videos of the performance centre ever since.
Here’s what Katya had said to WMMARankings about her WWE tryout:
“I guess I am like a real life Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hyde I can be sweet soft and real woman like, but in an instant [I] can snap and power-bomb someone through the ring!
I am mostly today (sic) just feeling honoured to even have this chance to be in the same ring as legends“.
Katya’s Facebook profile’s “About” section also lists her as a “WWE Superstar”, and she has been retweeting Triple H’s NXT tweets, which might further signify that she has indeed joined the performance centre. The video on WWE.com just further solidifies the same although it still lists as a “Tryout attendee”.
What’s next?
Katya Kavaleva, it appears, is currently training to be a WWE Superstar if her Instagram posts are anything to go by.
If she has indeed been signed up by the WWE’s performance centre, then she will be undergoing training for some time before she is called up on NXT television or on one of the main rosters, depending on where she’s needed.
Also read: Top 5 Women prospects in MMA
There is no hint so as to whether she has even been officially signed up yet but Kavaleva definitely has the right look and is also athletic and a fast learner. It will definitely not take much time until she’s a part of bigger things within the WWE.
Author’s take
Katya has trained with some of the very best MMA fighters in the world, including Anthony “Rumble” Johnson, when she was in the Blackzilians fight team. She is a very high-quality athlete and has several accolades to her name.
It is quite apparent that the addition of the 6-foot-5 Katya will do nothing but wonders for the WWE. If she joins, she will be the tallest female wrestler to have ever graced a WWE ring and the possibilities of a storyline are endless.
Let’s hope everything goes well for the lovely Katya and we see her in a WWE ring soon!
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