How to Be a WWE Referee
Refereeing a WWE match is definitely not the same as officiating a sporting event. Pro wrestling is obviously scripted athletic entertainment, as the moves and holds that the performers use are predetermined. Regardless, getting the chance to become a WWE referee is not much different than earning the opportunity to call penalties in the NFL: You must pay your dues for years developing your craft, and with a little luck, you could be refereeing a match in front of thousands of people on live TV.
Find and attend a pro wrestling school
Search the Internet and find a wrestling school's website or phone number. There are schools spread across the United States and Canada. Many of them are owned or trained by reputable pro wrestlers, such as Lance Storm's Storm Wrestling Academy and Killer Kowalski's Pro Wrestling School (see Resources).
Save up money before registering for any classes. Some schools can be costly; Florida Championship Wrestling, the official developmental territory for WWE, will cost you $1,500 in tuition.
Inform the training staff of your wrestling experience level. If you have little or no experience, the training techniques used will be different than those used for a seasoned performer.
Train as much as you can. Learn how to put together and take down the wrestling ring. Work on promotions for live shows. Gather as much knowledge as possible. Not only will it help in your development, but it would show your trainers that you are serious about making this a career.
Get in shape
Pro wrestling referees will at times get into similar physical altercations as the performers themselves if the match requires it. Lots of cardiovascular conditioning is crucial to keep up with the action. Strength-training is necessary as well, as you might be asked to perform moves yourself.
Maintain a healthy diet. Eating correctly is just as important in wrestling as it would be for a sports athlete. Not getting the right foods in your system would make you weak and sluggish. High-protein, low-fat diets are definitely recommended, especially since you would also be working out to get in shape.
Get plenty of sleep. With the toll your body is taking from the training and working out, you are going to need to re-energize it.
Make a videotape and send it to WWE
Make a videotape of your in-ring performances. Unless you are in FCW, there would be little-to-nothing that WWE would know about you. If your training school puts on live events, it's likely that it would have videotapes of its shows.
Get the tape into WWE's hands. It's very possible that one of your trainers or the school's owner/promoter knows someone that is or was affiliated with WWE. Networking is absolutely necessary to get a worldwide entertainment company like WWE to notice your work.
Give them time to come to a decision. WWE gets bombarded with applications from aspiring performers all the time. If it likes what it sees on the tape, it will definitely get in contact with you.
References
Writer Bio
Anthony Basileo is an aspiring journalist based in Buffalo, New York. He currently is a contributing writer for MyBuffalo.com, covering local events and writing online. He is a graduate of Buffalo State College, earning his bachelor's degree in journalism.