Zayda Steel, Bryce Donovan, and Cappuccino Jones are the first WWE ID recruits

More than a week after World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) announced the launch of WWE Independent Development (WWE ID) to identify and promote the next generation of breakout wrestlers from the independent circuits, the first recruits under the initiative have been revealed. Zayda Steel, Bryce Donovan, and Cappuccino Jones—three young indie wrestlers—have been named as the first set of talent recruited by WWE.

Zayda Steel

Zayda Steel, aka "The Real Deal," was the first to be revealed as a WWE ID recruit. The 21-year-old from Washington, DC, was recruited from Combat Zone Wrestling. She began her professional wrestling career in August 2022, being trained by Brian Johnson, Diego Cruz, and Drolix. She has worked in the American independent circuit under the ring name "Zayda" and also as "Zayda Steel" for promotions such as Beyond Wrestling and Combat Zone Wrestling. She has also wrestled with Major League Wrestling (MLW) and performed for Marigold and Warriors of Wrestling, where she served as the WOW Women's Champion.

Bryce Donovan

Bryce Donovan from Wrestling Open is the second wrestler to secure a WWE ID deal. Donovan, who has been wrestling for eight years, has wrestled for Create-A-Pro, Beyond Wrestling, Limitless, and All Elite Wrestling.

Cappuccino Jones

Cappuccino Jones was scouted at This Is Wrestling. This wrestler from Coffeyville, Kansas, only made his debut in 2022 and is currently the Core Professional Wrestling (CPW) 918 Champion.

More WWE ID recruits are expected to be announced this week.

There is speculation that Zilla Fatu, the son of the late WWE wrestler Umaga, could be one of them. The 25-year-old is a fourth-generation wrestler from the Anoaʻi family of Samoan professional wrestlers.

WWE has partnered with several independent wrestling schools, including Booker T's Reality of Wrestling, Cody Rhodes' Nightmare Factory, and Seth Rollins' Black and Brave Academy, for the WWE ID programme.