Marie Malenko is already making serious moves — and now WWE is officially in the picture.
Less than a month after debuting for Pro Wrestling NOAH, Malenko took part in her first-ever WWE tryout this week at the Performance Center in Orlando. The news was first reported by Fightful, confirming she was among the independent talents invited to showcase their skills in front of WWE officials. If the last name sounds familiar, it should.
Marie is the daughter of Dean Malenko, the legendary technician who captured championships across ECW, WCW, and WWE during his career. She’s also the granddaughter of Boris Malenko and the niece of Joe Malenko, making her a third-generation wrestler with deep roots in the business. Dean Malenko currently works backstage for AEW, adding another layer of intrigue to her WWE tryout.
Malenko wasn’t alone at the tryouts. Several other independent talents were reportedly in attendance, including Miranda Alize, Notorious Mimi, Zoe Sager, Promise Braxton, Ricky South, Valentina Rossi, Fallyn Grey, Nikki Blackheart, The Tuckman, and Scott Green, among others.
With WWE constantly scouting fresh talent and looking to strengthen NXT’s pipeline, Malenko’s presence at the Performance Center is sure to turn heads — especially given her pedigree and recent international debut.
Could a third-generation Malenko soon be stepping into a WWE ring, or will she continue carving her path elsewhere first? Let us know what you think.