#NEWS: Bordeaux, Blackheart & More Arrive At WWE PC

We love the big reveal in wrestling especially when speculation and suspicion run rampant on social media. While we are still patiently waiting for a CM Punk/WWE reunion, the company announced four new signees. Two of which will come to no surprise and much fanfare going forward.

Announced via WWE.com and their social media platforms, Scarlett Bordeaux, Shotzi Blackheart, Indi Hartwell, and referee Stephon Smith have officially reported to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.

For Shotzi, there have been rumors of her signing when a story went out she was offered an NXT contract by NXT General Manager William Regal at EVOLVE 137. For Scarlett, she was seen at the Performance Center for private tryouts as recent as September so this comes as no surprise.

For the other two superstars reporting to the PC today, Indi Hartwell is an Australia native and as stated by the WWE report, “the 22-year-old has cited Bayley and Sasha Banks’ epic battles in NXT as her inspiration in pursuing a career inside the squared circle. She’s racked up titles in her home country and for promotions like SHIMMER” while Stephon Smith “started out as an in-ring competitor before transitioning to donning the stripes. He’s a graduate of Ohio Valley Wrestling and most recently officiated for EVOLVE Wrestling”.

Below is the official statement from WWE:

Scarlett Bordeaux, Shotzi Blackheart, Indi Hartwell and Stephon Smith report to WWE Performance Center

Four new recruits have reported for training at the WWE Performance Center, strengthening the ranks of WWE’s training facility in Orlando, Fla. The latest group to report includes three independent women’s wrestling standouts and a referee.

Chicago’s Elizabeth Chihaia – aka Scarlett Bordeaux – has made quite the name for herself in America and abroad. The self-proclaimed “smokeshow” has been a standout for promotions like Mexico’s AAA, Ring of Honor and Ohio Valley Wrestling.

Ashley Urbanski, known on the independent scene as Shotzi Blackheart, is renowned for her fierce, in-your-face style. Fans will recognize Urbanski from her standout performance in a No Disqualification Match at EVOLVE’s 10th Anniversary Special that aired on WWE Network. She was presented her WWE contract by NXT General Manager William Regal last month at an EVOLVE show in Atlanta, Ga.

Australia’s Samantha De Martin, also known as “Impressive” Indi Hartwell, has been just that during her time on the indies. The 22-year-old has cited Bayley and Sasha Banks’ epic battles in NXT as her inspiration in pursuing a career inside the squared circle. She’s racked up titles in her home country and for promotions like SHIMMER.

Referee Stephon Smith rounds out the group of newcomers. Smith, a Baltimore native, started out as an in-ring competitor before transitioning to donning the stripes. He’s a graduate of Ohio Valley Wrestling and most recently officiated for EVOLVE Wrestling before joining the PC.

With NXT fully involved in an all-out brand war against RAW and Smackdown, I don’t expect Shotzi or Scarlett to debut as of yet, however, with a constant decline in ratings by the Wednesday night show, their call to TV maybe sooner rather than later.

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Caul’s Call

It seems like every day, we talk about the big pickups that each wrestling company are acquiring but for WWE’s women’s division, this is impressive. You know what you get from Shotzi Blackheart: a resilient, brash, and bold crowd favorite with a very unique look and style compared to the rest of the women’s roster across all the brands. With Scarlett Bordeaux, you also know what to expect from the “Smoke Show”: bold, risk-taker with an ability to keep eyes on her at all times. I can’t stress how much these two superstars add to a women’s roster already bolstered with talent, especially after current NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler announces an all-women’s house show in Jacksonville on December 5th.  It sounds like a perfect night to debut these two talented women.

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Are you familiar with Scarlett Bordeaux but not familiar with her ring work? Perfect, then this video is for you. Check out her match against another rumored NXT signee, Kris Statlander from earlier this year.

John Caul is a longtime wrestling fan since the Attitude Era. A former color commentator for several independent companies and former owner of independent wrestling company Imperial World Wrestling, John currently spends his time interacting with wrestling fans on Twitter while enjoying podcasts such as Cheap Heat and Jobber Tears.