New NXT UK Tryouts Held; Session Moth Martina and Candy Floss Among Those Invited

WWE announced that they held a new round of tryouts this week at their Performance Center for their NXT UK brand. Eighteen female participants from the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and Canada were invited for the three-day camp led by WWE’s Head of Global Recruiting William Regal and several others associated with the NXT UK brand.

Among the notable indie wrestlers invited were Session Moth Martina and Candy Floss. Martina has worked for a variety of notable indie promotions located in the U.K., United States, and Japan. Floss has made several appearances for NXT UK during the past year as a freelancer.

WWE.com released an official list and bios of all the attendees invited:

• 28-year-old Dubliner Karen Glennon, a seven-year veteran who competes under the name of Martina. Known for her irreverent behavior inside the ring, Glennon is currently a titleholder in Scotland and has toured the U.S. and Japan, in addition to throughout the U.K.
• Popular Londoner Candy Floss, 19, who has made many appearances in NXT UK. A freestyle wrestler in her youth, she began training for sports-entertainment at age 15.
• Six-year pro Bethany Jefferson, aka Shax, who has previously trained at the WAW Academy in Norwich headed by Paige’s parents, Saraya & Ricky Knight.
• Italian wrestler Sabrina Casiraghi, who’s gone by the aliases Jokey and Aivil. Casiraghi made her debut in March 2015 and is currently a champion in Italy. She has also competed regularly in Glasgow-based Insane Championship Wrestling.
• Professional bodybuilder and bikini model Heather Schofield of Manchester, England. Schofield began training at Marty Jones’ Squared Circle Wrestling Academy in Manchester last year.
• Ireland’s Valkyrie Marie Cusak, 22. After initially learning the ropes in Bray in 2014, she traveled to England to study at various wrestling schools. She holds the women’s title for Over The Top Wrestling in Dublin.
• Australia’s “Python Powerhouse” Steph De Lander. Before training for the ring, De Lander played soccer and danced in various styles, including ballet and tap.
• Jamie Hayter, from Southampton, England. The 5-foot-8 Hayter, who recently battled Piper Niven on NXT UK, has four years’ experience, including touring with Japan’s Stardom promotion.
• 24-year-old Winona Makanji, better known as Kanji, a high-flyer who made her in-ring debut in December 2017.
• Philippine-born Gisele Mayordo, from Canada. Trained by Lance Storm, the 5-foot-7 Mayordo wrestles as Gisele Shaw. She wrestled in high school and was a competitive figure skater before turning to the squared circle.
• 22-year-old “Rhio” Rhianna McDonnell. A two-time Preston City Wrestling Women’s Champion, McDonnell is a multi-sport athlete who has a background in karate and taekwondo.
• Former powerlifting champion Kaydell Joyce, from Dublin, better known as Debbie Keitel. She began her training three years ago and has since learned under the likes of England’s Marty Jones and Japan’s Emi Sakura.
• 20-year-old Mariah May Mead, a wrestler and model from England. Training since January 2018, she made her in-ring debut earlier this year. While in high school, Mead ran track and field and cross country, including in national competitions.
• British wrestler Jade Noble, aka “Poison Princess” Jayde. The 5-foot-10 Noble held titles for APEX Pro Wrestling and HOPE Wrestling.
• 20-year-old Emma O’Sullivan, aka Raven Creed, from Cork, Ireland. A black belt in karate, O’Sullivan has been wrestling for five years in Ireland and the U.K.
• Liverpool’s Hannah Simpson, aka Jessica light. The 25-year-old learned the ropes at the Fighting Spirit Wrestling School headed by NXT UK Tag Team Champions Grizzled Young Veterans.
• British wrestler Chloe Smyth, better known by the ring alias Dani Luna. Making her pro debut in late 2016, Smyth is the reigning women’s champion for the Wales-based Dragon Pro Wrestling.
• 25-year-old Mercedez Blaze, an independent wrestler who competes on the U.K. indie scene.