WWE released photos today, confirming former MLW Champion Shane Strickland and lucha star Garza Jr. had officially signed with the WWE NXT brand and would be training out of the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.

As previously reported on PWInsider.com, there was a delay for Strickland due to a contractual concern with his Lucha Underground deal. Strickland worked for the El Rey Network promotion as Killshot. Once Strickland was free of those contractual issues, he signed with WWE. Strickland has been a regular for Major League Wrestling since its relaunch. MLW had been preparing for Strickland's departure for months and at one point, he was going to be written out of storylines following the MLW Wargames event over the summer of 2018 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which is why the company booked him to be destroyed and carried out without being able to complete the match. Instead, Strickland turned at the Chicago tapings, playing an angry role where he has come out against the product MLW is producing and the fans who are supporting it, like Bret Hart in WWF in the late 1990s. He was then written out following a lose to Rush. Strickland, also a former CZW Champion, has been a regular for WWE conduit EVOLVE Wrestling since August 2018. He's been competing since 2009 and has been one of the most in demand independent wrestlers of the last several years.

Garza Jr., real name Humberto Garza Solano is the nephew of late WCW and TNA star Hector Garza and the grandson of lucha libre legend el Ninja. The third generation star, 26, debuted in 2008. He has appeared for Impact Wrestling in the United States but is best known for his run in AAA in Mexico and working in the Monterrey area.