WWE brings in college athletes for tryouts at IMG Academy in Bradenton

BRADENTON, Fla. - Recently, WWE held a tryout for college athletes down at IMG Academy in Bradenton while looking for its next big star. 

Melanie Brzezinski has a big voice and even bigger dreams of becoming a WWE star. The 22-year-old is a senior mass communication major at The University of Tampa.  

She was part of a two-day WWE tryout at the IMG Academy.

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"I’ve always loved to act, I’ve always loved to dress up, I’ve always loved to kick butt," Brzezinski said. 

Just days before Darrien Grant suited up in black, he was wearing green playing in his final game as a Bull for the University of South Florida.

"I just see it on my life path and after football it seemed like the right thing," Grant said.  "Some of the conditioning, I don’t know football doesn’t prepare you for it."

This is all part of the WWE's new campaign to target and attract high-level college athletes as its next generation of stars. Thirty from across the country were invited to the tryout in Bradenton, from a variety of sports. 

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"I think the thing about being a WWE superstar is being a one of one, doing your best to stand out," said former WWE Champion Big E. 

Big E also is a former football player at Iowa, and he started his wrestling career in Tampa. 

"For me, I wasn’t the tallest, I wasn’t the biggest, but I found a way to separate myself and that’s what I encourage everyone to do," he said. 

Brzezinski did receive an offer for a WWE developmental contract. Grant was even invited to WWE's performance center in Orlando for an extended tryout opportunity.