WWE NXT quietly dropped a five-man rookie class on Oct. 24, 2025 — a compact, athletic intake that mixes European independent wrestling experience, international athletes and multi-discipline performers.
Below is a researched, sourced and transparent profile of each new signee: what is public about their background (college/sports/wrestling experience and transferable skills), what WWE has officially announced, and where public records are thin so you can follow up as they’re integrated into NXT programming.
Jaime Garcia — coach/club owner turned NXT recruit
Who he is (what we can confirm): Jaime Garcia appears in local business and wrestling-club listings as the owner/head coach of Texas Style Wrestling Club and runs a custom-cabinets business; his social profiles identify him with grassroots wrestling training and coaching. WWE lists Jaime Garcia among the newest rookie class.
Background & skills: Based on his public profiles, Garcia brings grassroots coaching experience and hands-on training knowledge — valuable for fundamentals, ring safety and working with other developmental athletes. There are no widely published college athletics records or major independent-wrestling running histories under that name available in mainstream wrestling databases as of this article; this suggests a local/regional coaching and training pedigree rather than a long international independent résumé.
2) Mike Derudder (a.k.a. Mike D Vecchio) — proven European indie talent
Who he is (what we can confirm): Mike Derudder is best known on the European independent scene under the ring name Mike D Vecchio. He’s a former wXw (Westside Xtreme Wrestling) competitor and was wXw European Champion, active across RevPro, Progress and the broader wXw circuit. Multiple wrestling databases and recent coverage track his independent run and title history. WWE’s announcement lists “Mike Derudder” as part of the Oct. 24 rookie class.
Background & skills: Derudder brings a fully formed professional-wrestling resume: aerial ability, multi-promotion experience in Europe, and championship runs that show he’s been trusted as a lead performer. Independent experience means ring-readiness and TV instincts; his move set (moonsaults, lariats, etc.) and experience with large European crowds will reduce ramp-up time in Orlando. He had been active in wXw and RevPro through 2024–2025 and vacated a wXw title in 2025 due to injury before this signing was reported.
3) Dušan Novaković — European football (American football) background; athletic conversion
Who he is (what we can confirm): Dušan Novaković is a European American-football player with a history in club-level teams such as Panthers Wrocław and signings in European leagues; coverage indicates he played as a lineman/defensive/offensive position in Europe’s American-football circuits. He’s also listed in some MMA/fighting databases under similar name variants, reflecting combat-sports crossover activity in the region. WWE included Dušan Novaković in its Oct. 24 rookie announcement.
Background & skills: Novaković’s athletic profile is that of a powerful, contact-sports athlete accustomed to blocking, tackling and short-explosive efforts — skills that convert well to the big-man physicality of pro wrestling. European American-football players have increasingly been part of WWE tryout pipelines, valued for size, conditioning and team-sport toughness.
4) Cyril Coquerelle — regional athlete/performer with online presence
Who he is (what we can confirm): Cyril Coquerelle appears in social profiles (Instagram/Facebook) under the handle @cyrilc93 / Cyril Moore and is listed among the names WWE included in its Oct. 24 announcement. Publicly available professional bios or longform press pieces are limited.
Background & skills: Because public records are sparse, what we can say with confidence is limited to social-profile indicators: athleticism and European/French naming that suggests he may come from a regional sports or performance background. Until WWE publishes a full bio or Coquerelle’s prior ring history surfaces in wrestling databases, treat his public background as emergent.
5) Nathan (Nathaniel) Cranton — model / independent wrestling background (England)
Who he is (what we can confirm): Nathan Cranton (sometimes listed as Nathaniel Cranton or Nathan Angel on social posts) has appeared in pageant/modeling contexts (Mister International England 2024) and social posts describe him as a farmer and professional wrestler from Wareham, England. WWE names “Nathan Cranton” in the Oct. 24 rookie lineup.
Background & skills: Cranton’s background indicates a mix of modeling/pageant experience and regional wrestling or athletic activity — a blend that translates to a marketable look and promotionally useful presentation skills (camera comfort, promo readiness). His profile suggests he may be an athletic or character-driven recruit rather than an extensively toured indie veteran.
What this class signals for NXT & WWE development
- Targeted, hybrid approach: This five-man class is small but diverse — a mix of European indie trusted hands (Derudder), international athletic conversions (Novaković), local coaching talent (Garcia), and promising regional performers (Coquerelle, Cranton). That diversity lets NXT quickly populate a variety of spots: tag utility pieces, power threats, TV-ready indie workers, and camera-friendly names.
- Fast-track potential: Mike Derudder’s indie résumé makes him the likeliest quick-use talent on NXT TV; others will follow a more traditional Performance Center development path.
- European scouting continuing: WWE’s signing of multiple European talents (and athletes from European football circuits) matches a recent pattern of global scouting and talent acquisition. Expect more regionally sourced recruits in future NXT intakes.
Make sure to subscribe to our Late Night Crew Wrestling YouTube Channel. Follow @yorkjavon, @kspowerwheels & @LateNightCrewYT on X.
