WWE LFG 2/16/2025

 WWE LFG 2/16/2025

This is the debut episode of WWE LFG.

Mickie James, Booker T, Bubba Ray Dudley and The Undertaker are our coaches. We have 16 competitors.

We are at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.

We see Shawn Michaels arrive at the PC. We also see the arena where WWE LFG is. Shawn greets the coaches. Shawn says they want to pull the curtain back, have the coaches train the wrestler and see how they implement the feedback the coaches give them. Shawn says they chose 16 of the 100 athletes at the PC. Shawn says some of them have been here a year and some have been here a week.

Shawn says every coach picks 2 men and 2 women and 2 people get contracts. Shawn says the coaches compete for the WWE LFG Title. Shawn says they excelled at what they did in this business and he wants them to pass their skills on to the next gen.

We see some of the athletes. Shawn walks in. Shawn says he wants to bring them training from some of the best WWE has seen. He then brings in the coaches. Shawn runs down the rules and says every coach is given a point if their trainee is labeled a "Standout".

Booker T comes in and we learn about him. Booker says he's looking for the elite wrestler and calls it Shakespeare and Romeo & Juliet. Booker says he wants someone who is hungry.

Mickie James is brought out next and we learn about her. James says she's looking forward to seeing how great some of the people are.

Bubba Ray Dudley comes in next and we learn about him. One of the trainees offers to shake Bubba's hand. He says he will shake their hand when they earn his respect. He wants he's not here to make friends and says this is a business. He says the sooner they get this, the better off they will be. BJ Ray talks about getting his handshake turned down by Bubba. He says it's not that deep.

The Undertaker then rides a motorcycle in. We go to break and return. Taker walks in and we learn about him. He says e will find out who's playing for second now. Taker says he expects everything and more from you. Taker says he has a lot to share and lots of things are lost from his era.

Taker tells one trainee to put a headlock on Shiloh Hill. He says there needs to be some struggle. Hill says he was terrified of Taker as a kid. Hill says he was a staring linebacker at Stanford. He says his dad was a big WWE fan and said he passed away. He says he thinks about him before having a match.

Bubba and Booker say they have their work cut out for them. Zena Sterling says she has big nerves. Drake Morreaux says having the coaches watch him do drills messes with your mindset. Booker tells a trainee to keep things in control.

Bubba says he's looking for someone with the IT factor like it's Mania. Bubba tells Hill he slipped on his drop down and needs to move within his own athletic ability. Bubba says that one slip could put someone in harm's way.

Anthony Luke says everyone has potential but he doesn't see anyone as competition. He's from Sacramento. He played football, did amateur wrestling and trained MMA. He's dating Maxxine Duprii. We see clips of Luke having a match.

Booker says Anthony has something and says he looks good. He says he sees a young Booker T in him. Mickie says it's always the easy stuff you get hurt on. Bubba tells two of the girls to circle before a lock-up. One of them is Dani Sekelsky. She says she wants to share the room with Bubba and says she's a nobody right now. She says she's from Connecticut. She says she has been a cheerleader her whole life and was an NFL cheerleader. She says it translates well into WWE. She says wrestling is tough but fun and rewarding.

They say we will pick people for matches tonight. Taker says we need to sell tickets tonight even though the tapings are free.

Thoughts: We have seen Drake Morreaux and Shiloh Hill on Level Up already. BJ Ray was on WWE Next Gen, though I didn't see the whole series yet so there could be more people from there.

The coaches are going to judge promos next. Tyra Mae Steele, who already debuted on Level Up, is up next. She's a gold medalist in wrestling and a 2x world champ. She says the medal opened so many doors for her. We see a clip of her on Level Up.

She says she knows what it's like to be someone at the top of her game but knows nothing here. She says she has something to offer. Bubba and Taker rip her saying they don't know who's she going to wrestle. She's bubbly and thanks them for the criticsm. She says it's intense.

Jasper Troy, who also debuted on Level Up already is next. He says he was fascinated with the business growing up. He says instead of dreaming, he made it his reality. He says everyone better show respect as the world will be under his thumb. Booker says that's the one. Troy says he loves promos.

Zena Sterling talks. She says she's tired of everyone telling her to watch her back. She says there's nothing there. She says she's going for a ditzy blonde. Booker says he doesn't buy it and it would be a good time to go to the bathroom when she talks.

Leigh Laurel is up next. She says she wants everyone to know what's it like to be alone like her. She says she better bring your best fight as she's a canine in the cage and ready to rage.

Drake Morreaux is up next. He says if you step into the ropes, you stepping into the swamp with him. He says if you ring the bell, you might not see him again.

Chris Island is next up. He says there's new blood in the waters and he's a shark. Taker says he doesn't feel like Chris believes it.

Elijah Holyfield is next. It's his first week here. he says he brings pain and destruction to everyone in his way. He says he's here to denominate and says it's Holyfield's time now. Bubba says he should use his last name as it is known. Bubba says to mention it but then get away from it so we know who he is.

Shiloh Hill is next up. He says no matter who he faces, he has the same plan. Hit em, hit em harder and repeat step 2. He says he didn't come here to prove he's a genius, he says it's time to prove he's the toughest. He says it's time to hit 'em. Booker says he wants to see a promo. Booker tells him to whoop his @ss. Hill says it's easy for Booker to sit on the chair. He says he doesn't know if Booker still likes to wrestle. He says he will bring him to NXT so he can look him in the eyes and get to know each other. Bubba asks why he was so sweet in the beginning and says he wants rage from the beginning. Taker says he's gonna do something.

Troy Yearwood is next. He is #1 all time in multiple strength and jumping categories. He says he needs to get better at talking. He asks people to look and see who he is. He says he has every weight lifting record they have. He says he's gifted in body and mind and is the next big thing in NXT. Booker says he doesn't believe it. He says he's from the street. Bubba says he could kick Troy's @ss and says he doesn't believe in him. Mickie says she sees a lot in him. Troy says they know what they are talking about and he will believe them as he has a lot to work on. A-Train tells him to show what he's feeling.

Booker says he needs whiskey. We hear promos from Anthony Luke, Bayley Humphrey and Dani Sekelsky. Bay says she has pulled bodies from rivers, cut them open and stitched them together. Tker says it's his wheelhouse. Tatyanna Dumas says she is known as Tat. Penina Tuilaepa is up next. She's a rugby player. She says she doesn't play and says to go play with the kids if you want to go play. She calls herself "P Nasty". Mickie and Booker love it. BJ Ray is next. He says he's a west coast gangster, a Division I wrestler at duke and from California. He says it was a lot at his tryout but says it's for him. BJ says he got kicked in the head a few weeks ago. He said people laughed at him. He says he has a message for you - you got Snapchat? Booker asks what's that and asks if it's a promo. Booker asks for a real promo.

BJ says he tried to shake Bubba's hand but Bubba disrespected him. He says he's not about that. He says about he's about showing respect. Bubba says it sounds like he has a real issue with him. BJ says he's a bully. Bubba says his ticks are showing. BJ mocks him. Bubba says he should think about his attitude and BJ says he will chew on it. Taker asks him to come back.

We goto break and return. BJ says he's having fun and Taker says he's risking it all to be a smart @ss. He asks if that sounds like a good idea. BJ says it was a promo and he says he's glad it came across as real. Bubba akss if they can book a match now and Taker says he's loaded with talent.

Anthony Luke says BJ knows how to tick people off. Sirena Linton is here and it's her first week. She says she's born a warrior and has never had an easy life. She says her dad was deported when she was a kid. She says she will take everything the other girls love and says she will be a champ. Bubba asks who got deported. Bubba says he brought emotion out of her and made her cry and says she needs to do it on her own.

Wrestlers will be picked for matches tonight. Dani Sekelsky fights Tyra Mae Steel and Shiloh Hill fights Anthony Luke. This will be Luke and Dani's TV debuts. She says the top male and female get to choose their mentor. We see Fit Finlay work with them on their match.

Shiloh Hill vs Anthony Luke

Vic Joseph and Jeremy Borash are on commentary. Luke side headlock takeovers Hill and side headlocks him. Luke shoulders him over. Hill shoulders him over then atomic drops him. Hill armdrags him. Hill hits corner spears then slams Luke.

Luke neckbreakers him. Luke pounds on him. Luke hits a suplex for 2. Luke chinlocks him. Hill jawbreakers him out of it. Hill crossbodies him, Luke rolls through and pins him with his feet on the ropes.

Thoughts: This was edited and not shot like a wrestling match. I don't really feel comfortable rating this since it wasn't true pro wrestling here. 

Taker says it looked like Luke was going through the motions. Shawn talks to both wrestlers after. Booker says they both did a good job but Luke stood out more. Mickie says Luke didn't do anything heelish and says the face didn't overcome any odds. She says Hill was better. Bubba says he saw things he liked and said he saw of The Rock in him and says Luke was better. Taker says Hill just stood in the corner before this started. He says he saw great things in both but says Luke was better.

Dani Sekelsky vs Tyra Mae Steele

Dani does a standing moonsault in the ring. They lock up. Tyra rolls her backwards. Tyra trips her then waistlock takedowns her. Dani cartwheels and wristlocks her. Dani armdrags her. Tyra slams her for 2. Tyra bangs Dani's face off the buckles. Dani 2nd rope sunset flips her for 2. Tyra hits a knee to the gut and backdrops her. Tyra side headlocks her.

Tyra throws her down and misses an elbow drop. Dani running forearms her then slams her. Dani misses a 2nd rope crossbody and is german suplexed. Tyra wins.

Thoughts: We saw a little more of this and it was more like a real match. Dani looked good here and is an obvious face. She's got a good look and I thought she did well here. 

Shawn is impressed with Dani. Booker says Dani was in total control and picks her. Mickie agrees. Mickie says it was good and picks Tyra. Bubba picks Tyra. Taker says both should be proud. Taker says he's impressed with both but picks Tyra.

Tyra calls her husband and asks who to pick for her coach. Her husband tells her to choose Taker and she does. Taker says he's excited and says her potential is unlimited. Luke says he watched all 4 wrestle. He chooses Booker as he's the best fit.

They then make Luke do a spinarooni as he said he practiced it as a kid. He then tries to do one. Booker says it's a 5.5-6. We then see clips of future episodes.

Overall thoughts: This was the first episode. They had a lot to do here and I'm sure next week's show is going to be different as the trainees pick their coaches. I would say the show is closer to Tough Enough than Level Up, though the trainees are already signed so they aren't quite competing for anything. We didn't get any true matches here though I think we will in future weeks. I feel like there was maybe some reality in some of the stuff we saw like the wrestlers critiquing the matches but that's really it. I think the show is just a way to see the legends to get to know some of the trainees so people are familiar with them when they get put on WWE Evolve or NXT. I wouldn't really recommend this show or episode as it all felt manufactured, it wasn't a true look at what training at the PC is like and it didn't give us any true matches either.