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WWE News: Ricochet, Candice LeRae and War Machine Tag Team Have Officially Signed

TJR Wrestling

The signings of four talented independent wrestlers were announced by WWE on Tuesday: Ricochet (aka Prince Puma), Candice LeRae and the tag team War Machine (Ray Rowe & Warbeard Hanson) have all reported to WWE’s Performance Center in Orlando officially. All three signings were expected for a few months, so it’s nice to be able to write about them as being official.

Here’s the Ricochet announcement from WWE.com:

If GIFs of indescribably creative wrestling moves have ever flooded your social feeds, there’s a good chance it was new WWE Performance Center signee Trevor Mann that you were watching. Better known by the ring name Ricochet, Mann, 29, of Paducah, Ky., officially reported today to the WWE PC in Orlando, Fla.

Standing 5-foot-9 and weighing 188 pounds, Mann brings an astonishing assortment of aerial moves to the ring. The decorated high-flyer has captured countless titles over his 14-year career, including championships on three separate continents. Among his many accolades, Mann has twice won Pro Wrestling Guerrilla’s annual Battle of Los Angeles tournament, and he is only the second American in history to win New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament. (The first was WWE Hall of Famer Eddie Guerrero.)

TJR Thoughts: I’m very excited to see him in a WWE ring. I think he’ll do fantastic in NXT because they will book him right and he’ll be a huge star there quickly. I have concerns about the main roster, but I would be fine if they kept him in NXT for the whole year. There’s no need to rush it. I’m interested to see if they keep the Ricochet name, if he goes by Trevor Mann or if they try something else with him. I don’t have a preference, but I think the Ricochet name is pretty cool.

This is a pic Ricochet posted on Twitter last year, but he deleted it. Thankfully, things never really leave the internet and I can share it with you.

They definitely need to re-create that picture soon.

Here’s the Candice LeRae announcement from WWE.com:

LeRae is regarded as one of the top female wrestlers on the independent scene. She’s no stranger to the WWE Universe, either, as she made it all the way to the Quarterfinal Round in the inaugural Mae Young Classic last year. LeRae left her mark on WWE while competing in the groundbreaking women’s tournament, reigning supreme in her First and Second Round clashes with high-energy performances. She also vied for an NXT Women’s Title opportunity last October as part of an over-the-top-rope Battle Royal and is married to current NXT Superstar Johnny Gargano.

TJR Thoughts: She’s very talented and has a lot of experience. I think she’ll be on NXT TV very soon since husband Johnny Gargano is one of the top guys in NXT, so there’s no reason to keep her off TV for that long. It’s not like she’s a rookie. She’ll do great.

The third signing announced today was for the tag team War Machine, who are Raymond Rowe and Warbeard Hanson. From WWE.com:

New signees Todd “War Beard Hanson” Smith & Raymond Rowe, collectively known as War Machine, have terrorized teams around the world since forming an alliance in 2014. Together, they have won championships in the United States, England and Japan, including the prestigious IWGP Tag Team Titles, the same championship held by the likes of Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson and The Steiner Brothers.

Weighing more than 550 pounds combined, the burly brawlers are every bit as tough as their War Machine moniker suggests. Smith & Rowe have made smash-mouth collisions their stock in trade, yet they’re more than just thunderous power; deceptively agile and expertly skilled, the pair has perfected an array of double-team moves, helping them achieve success wherever they go. With a gruff exterior that would look right at home beyond the wall in “Game of Thrones,” Smith & Rowe’s appearance alone is enough to strike fear in the hearts of opponents.

What WWE’s article didn’t mention is Raymond Rowe is engaged to Sarah Logan, who is part of the Riott Squad on the Smackdown brand.

TJR Thoughts: They’re a great team that have done well everywhere they’ve been and should fit into NXT easily. I can see them being on NXT TV very soon too.

Here’s a video from WWE announcing the new talent signings as well.