Bruce Prichard Reveals Reason WWE Started Pre-Screening Wrestlers Before Signing Them Is Because Of ‘The Patriot’ Del Wilkes

Prichard speaks about what led to WWE instituting a pre-screening for talent.

As the newest episode of Bruce Prichard’s Something to Wrestle podcast was ongoing, Prichard revealed that the reason WWE started pre-screening talents before signing them was because of ‘The Patriot’ Del Wilkes.

He stated that when Del Wilkes came to the WWF, he had a myriad of injuries that were not discovered until after he was under contract with the company.

“There were guys that, man, every time they turn around, they would get hurt. I remember Del Wilkes coming in and we found out that Del had a lot litany of injuries before coming to us, which has made us institute, because of Del, in the day, a pre-screening, as part of their hiring process so that you could find out whether or not someone had any previous injuries that either weren’t repaired or, ‘Hey man, this guy’s labrum is barely hanging on. His rotator cuff, man, there’s just nothing there,’ or, ‘He tore his bicep and never had it reattached. It doesn’t need to be but just so you know, but oh, there’s a tricep over here that’s getting ready to go any minute,’ and you can’t tell those things by looking at somebody and you take ‘em at their word, then, they’re just looking to get in and get a job. So, there have been things put in place since then…”

Del Wilkes, real name Delbert Wilkes Jr., passed away in June 2021 at the age of 59.

If the quote in this article is used, please credit Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard with an H/T to Fightful for the transcription.