What training do celebrities undergo before wrestling matches in WWE, and who trained Bad Bunny?
Executive summary
Celebrities brought into WWE are usually put through real, regimented in-ring training—often at the WWE Performance Center under assigned coaches—and are expected to rehearse specific bumps and moves repeatedly until safe and show-ready [1] [2] [3]. In Bad Bunny’s case, WWE assigned multiple coaches and on‑screen talent to his education (Adam Pearce, Drew Gulak and others), he lived and trained in Orlando at the Performance Center, and also worked with peers and producers in ad‑hoc sessions—earning praise for treating the work seriously [1] [4] [2] [5].
1. How WWE normally prepares a celebrity for the ring
WWE’s model for celebrity integration is not a publicity-only handshake: celebrities who are expected to perform in the ring typically train at the WWE Performance Center where producers and veteran wrestlers teach fundamentals, ring psychology, how to bump (take falls) safely, and the choreography of the planned match, often repeating specific sequences many times to minimize risk [1] [2] [3]. Trainers and producers such as Adam Pearce have said they approach celebrities like any other novice, assessing athleticism and passion before layering on technique and timing—treatment Pearce explicitly described as identical to that for a regular trainee [2]. Sources note WWE also pairs celebrities with on‑air talent or producers to rehearse spots, and sometimes runs extra sessions offsite when logistics require it [5] [3].
2. What the training actually looks like—drills, repetition and “bumps”
Reporting describes training as granular and repetitive: specific moves (for example, top‑rope dives or a pre‑planned tornado DDT) are practiced “maybe one hundred times,” and celebrities learn both how to deliver and safely receive maneuvers, including high‑risk flips and piledrivers, under veteran supervision [1] [3]. Trainers emphasize ring psychology—timing, selling, and crowd work—so the celebrity’s presence reads like part of a storyline rather than a stunt, and producers treat rehearsals as both technical and performative schooling [6] [4].
3. Variability: not every celebrity undergoes the same depth of training
While Bad Bunny’s process is widely documented as intensive, WWE’s celebrity training is not monolithic; some guests do minimal rehearsal and are used more for segments than physical matches, and industry writers note celebrity appearances historically range from embarrassingly light to genuinely competent depending on the celebrity’s commitment and the company’s needs [6] [3]. Critics and analysts also flag that bringing mainstream stars serves WWE’s ratings and publicity goals—meaning the business imperative to land a celebrity headline can shape how much risk and training the company is willing to undertake [3].
4. Who trained Bad Bunny—names, roles and scope
Bad Bunny’s in‑ring education was spearheaded at the Performance Center with assigned trainer/producer Adam Pearce and fellow coach Drew Gulak among the primary instructors; other coaches and producers like Norman Smiley and Jamie Noble have been credited in various reports, and Damian Priest also acted as a training partner and in‑match teacher, hitting rehearsal spots and even administering a painful kendo‑stick initiation recounted by Bunny himself [4] [2] [7] [8]. Multiple outlets report that Triple H publicly praised Bunny’s commitment and that Bunny rented a house in Orlando to be near the Performance Center for frequent sessions [1].
5. How much and how often Bad Bunny trained
Contemporaneous reporting and later retrospectives indicate Bad Bunny trained “regularly” at the Performance Center—sometimes multiple days per week—and practiced specific moves repeatedly; Priest told outlets Bunny trained with him every week, multiple days a week, and observers noted he even trained the day after Grammy appearances, signaling a level of consistency rare among celebrity wrestlers [1] [3] [9]. Additional sessions in Los Angeles with Damian Priest and Jamie Noble have been reported when schedule or event timing dictated offsite prep [5].
6. Outcomes and competing narratives
The result—widely cited praise for Bad Bunny as one of the most competent celebrity wrestlers—feeds a narrative that dedicated training can turn a pop star into a credible in‑ring performer [9] [10]. Skeptics and some industry observers remind readers that celebrity involvement is also a strategic ratings play for WWE, and that not all participants commit similarly; reporting from Vice frames the investment as both a personal passion project for Bunny and a calculated pull for mainstream attention [3]. Sources consulted collectively show that while training protocols exist and were applied rigorously in Bunny’s case, outcomes depend on the celebrity’s willingness to be treated like any other trainee and on WWE’s production calculus [2] [3].