WWE NXT head writer shares promo advice for aspiring wrestlers
At WWE’s SummerSlam week tryout in Minneapolis, Johnny Russo — the head writer of NXT — shared some advice on what the company is looking for when it comes to promos.
WWE uploaded a behind-the-scenes video documenting the tryout, which had a lot of indie wrestlers in attendance. Russo spoke to the group of wrestlers/athletes and shared some promo tips. When an aspiring wrestler is cutting a promo, WWE wants them to talk in normal, complete sentences instead of phrases. They should avoid being generic in what they say, and they should also avoid asking questions when there is no one there to respond to them.
“A couple of things that I see that a bunch of people do,” Russo said. “Don’t talk in phrases, talk in complete sentences. ‘[Robotic cadence] So…when…I…talk…like…this, I…don’t…sound…like…a…real…person.’ Just talk normally.
“Don’t ask questions, no one’s answering. ‘Hey guys, you want to know something?’ No one says anything and you continue. Don’t ask questions, just say what you gotta say.
“Don’t be generic. I heard a lot of generic stuff. ‘I want to be the best I can be. This is my dream. I work hard.’ How is that unique to you? Everyone’s journey is different. No one person is the same — even the tag team, you guys have a different story and journey. How does that make you different?”
When asked about incorporating body movement into your promos, Russo said it’s fine to do that as long as it doesn’t take away from what you’re saying. You don’t want to be pacing around awkwardly and have that draw attention away from your promo.
WWE tryout attendees —
NXT coach Steve Corino said there was “a lot of quality” at this tryout and a lot of people that he liked. One thing he noticed is that most people want to play villainous characters, which Corino understands since he was known for being a heel in his own career.
KJ Orso (former AEW wrestler Fuego Del Sol), Josh Bishop (MLW), J-Rod (American Gladiators/OVW), and Brooke Havoc (former AEW Dark competitor) were among the tryout attendees. Other indie names included Titus Alexander, Conan Lycan, Colton Theron Vaught, Joe Lando, Adam White, and Monica Monroe.
In WWE’s video, a promo by Joseph Chavis (son of former WWE wrestler Tatanka) is featured.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.