Ahead of SummerSlam at Cleveland Browns Stadium on August 3, WWE held a set of tryouts in the city before the pay-per-view with the likes of Shawn Michaels and CM Punk in attendance to scout the participants.
It emerged ahead of the tryouts that Elijah Holyfield, the son of Evander Holyfield, would be there as well as another former NFL player in Atrilleon "Trill" Williams. The full list of participants has been reported by X user @lexveraux.
All of the talents at the WWE SummerSlam tryouts were as follows:
- Naoufal Abouelhouda - Crossfit - Boyfriend of Katana Chance
- Elijah Holyfield - American football running back - Son of Evander Holyfield
- Shane Bonner - American football defensive end
- Camden Gagnon - American football defensive lineman
- Chase Kline - American football linebacker
- Atrilleon "Trill" Williams - American football running back
- Greg Benton Jr. - American football linebacker
- Jeremy Mercier - American football linebacker
- Kyle Klink - American football linebacker
- Carlos Aviles - Track and field - Part of WWE's 2021 NIL class
- Matthew Tago - American football linebacker
- Isaiah Chambers - American football defensive lineman
- Hayden Hatcher - American football linebacker
- Terrance Taylor - American football linebacker
- Von Young IV - American football linebacker
- Jack Freeman IV - American football offensive lineman
- Sirena Linton - Gymnastics - Part of WWE's fourth NIL class
- Sofia Iaderosa - Football
- Terralicia Mercadel - Track and field, Powerlifter, Fitness model
- Daryn Harris - Kickboxer
- Emilie Henningsen - Acrobatics and tumbling
- Darci Khan - Track and field - Part of WWE's fourth NIL class
- Hayley Montoya - Volleyball
- Makenna Turner - Rowing
- Alona Olshevka - Track and field
- Emily Burchette - Lacrosse
- Jaiden Fields - Softball - Part of WWE's third NIL class
- Kaitlyn Banas - Track and field
- Karyn Best - Track and field - NXT's Kale Dixon's girlfriend
- Kennedy Brace - Track and field
- Elena Carter - Track and field
- Bayley Humphrey - Acrobatics and tumbling - Part of WWE's fourth NIL class
WWE have hosted tryouts during SummerSlam weekend before, including in 2021 where the company ended up signing Nikkita Lyons, Tatum Paxley, Edris Enofe, Javier Bernal, and Maxxine Dupri.