Who is Zayda Steel? All you need to know about the first WWE ID prospect

Modified Nov 08, 2024 22:46 GMT

An image of Zayda Steel [Image Credit: Instagram - @zaydasteel] — Zayda Steel [Image Credit: Steel's Instagram account]

In late October, World Wrestling Entertainment announced the WWE Independent Development (WWE ID). A program that would identify and promote groundbreaking talent in the independent wrestling scene. The announcement led to exciting reactions in the industry, and the promotion recently announced its first three selections.

One out of the three selected to be part of WWE ID is Zayda Steel. Born in Arlington County, Virginia, she has been wrestling professionally since 2022. Despite being relatively new to pro wrestling, she has already competed in promotions like Major League Wrestling and Dream Star Fighting Marigold.

The 21-year-old has been trained by Brian Johnson, Diego Cruz, and Drolix and has already managed to win a title. It's worth noting that she won the WOW Women's Championship and was ranked #123 in the 2024 PWI Top 250 Females.

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In her most recent appearance inside the squared circle, Steel competed in a defeat against Matt Tremont in a Mixed-Gender Match at H2O Monday Night Death #6. Steel, in her next appearance, will be competing against Masha Slamovich at Arrival Wrestling on Friday, November 22.

What did Triple H say about WWE ID?

WWE ID was announced on October 29, and based on the description of the program, it seems like a one-of-a-kind opportunity for wrestlers on the independent scene. The program is aimed at nurturing talents and helping them make a career in the Stafmord-based promotion.

While many fans reacted to the program on social media, one of the most important reactions came from WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H. In a statement released on the promotion's website, The Game spoke about what the company wants to achieve through the ID program and his hopes of strengthing the independent wrestling scene in the process. He said:

“WWE ID is the latest in our efforts to identify and support the journey of up-and-coming wrestlers, in turn raising the profile of and strengthening the independent wrestling ecosystem."

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WWE ID is just one of the many steps the promotion has taken to nurture talents in the last few years. In 2021, the promotion launched the NIL program, which aimed to provide a clear path from college athletics to the global juggernaut.

Overall, it will be interesting to see how the ID program helps in nurturing talent on the independent scene. It will also be worth watching if the company can realistically find talents that will become big names in the future.

About the author

Varun is a Golf and WWE journalist for Sportskeeda with over 4 years of work experience in his bag. Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he worked for many sites, including EssentiallySports, FanSided, Khel Now, Get Football, and a few others.

Varun is a fan of golfer Scottie Scheffler due to the latter’s mindset, and he admires Roman Reigns’ ability to keep moving forward in life regardless of any obstacles. As a purist golf fan, he would love to compete at the Masters if given the opportunity, but is also happy with LIV Golf driving more eyeballs towards the sport. If he could go back in time and be a manager for someone in the WWE, it would have been Big Show.

Varun’s mantra for writing factually correct feature articles is thorough verification. Another key element in his writing is staying updated with both sports through the official websites of pro wrestling and Golf. He has had the privilege of interviewing MMA legend Greg Jackson in his career so far.

Varun likes to spend his free time reading or writing poetry and fiction. He also plans to learn and play golf in his spare time.

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Edited by Sayantan Niyogi