WWE.com posted the following after formally announcing the signing of four new female recruits for the WWE Performance Center; the recruits include indpendent star Heidi Lovelace, former Chikara Champion Kimber Lee, former TNA / Shine star Andrea and newcomer Julia Ho:
From a punk-rock pugilist to a powerhouse protégé of The Dudley Boyz, four new female recruits have joined the WWE Performance Center, bolstering the already robust pipeline of competitors into the NXT, Raw and SmackDown LIVE Women’s divisions.
Independent standouts Kimberly Frankele, Dori Prange and MaryKate Duignan Glidewell, along with former mixed martial artist Julia Ho, reported for training this week in Orlando, Fla.
Frankele has competed for more than six years under the ring alias Kimber Lee. Trained by WWE Cruiserweight Drew Gulak, she came to sports-entertainment from the world of classical dancing, where she earned a degree in dance education and was a ballerina for much of her life. In addition to capturing titles throughout the independent scene, including in both Shine Wrestling and SHIMMER Women Athletes, Frankele was the only female to ever hold the Chikara Grand Championship. Frankele has also fought in NXT, coming up short recently against the undefeated Ember Moon.
Joining Frankele will be one of her most noted peers and rivals from the indies, Dori Prange, aka Heidi Lovelace. Nicknamed the “Punk Rock Ragdoll,” the outspoken Prange has competed not only in the U.S. indie scene but also in Japan, where she wrestled under the banner of World Wonder Ring Stardom.
“Pro Wrestling Illustrated” ranked Frankele and Prange at 17 and 20, respectively, in its 2016 list of the world’s top female grapplers.
