Did you know that a single wrestler's hidden injuries could change the entire hiring process of a global wrestling giant? That's exactly what happened with WWE and ‘The Patriot’ Del Wilkes. In a recent episode of Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard (available on Apple Podcasts), Prichard revealed a fascinating—and somewhat controversial—story about why WWE began pre-screening wrestlers before signing them. And this is the part most people miss: it all started because of Del Wilkes.
Prichard explained that when Wilkes joined the WWF, he brought with him a laundry list of undisclosed injuries that only surfaced after he was under contract. But here's where it gets controversial: Was it Wilkes' responsibility to disclose these injuries, or should WWE have had better safeguards in place from the start? Prichard shared, ‘There were guys that, man, every time they turned around, they would get hurt. I remember Del Wilkes coming in, and we found out he had a litany of injuries before joining us. This led us to institute a pre-screening process as part of hiring, so we could uncover any previous injuries—whether they were repaired or not. For example, you might find out, ‘Hey, this guy’s labrum is barely hanging on,’ or ‘His rotator cuff is practically non-existent,’ or even ‘He tore his bicep and never had it reattached.’ You can’t spot these issues just by looking at someone, and taking their word for it isn’t enough when they’re just trying to land a job.’
This pre-screening process, born out of necessity, has since become a standard practice in WWE. But it raises an important question: Does this policy protect the company at the expense of wrestlers' privacy and trust? After all, wrestlers are athletes with a history of wear and tear, and some might argue that expecting full disclosure is unrealistic.
Del Wilkes, whose real name was Delbert Wilkes Jr., passed away in June 2021 at the age of 59 (Fightful). His legacy in wrestling is undeniable, but his impact on WWE's hiring practices is a lesser-known—yet equally significant—part of his story.
What do you think? Is WWE's pre-screening process fair, or does it cross a line? Let us know in the comments below. And don't forget to credit Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard with an H/T to Fightful for the transcription if you share this story!
