WWE is once again looking outside the ring for its next wave of talent, and this time, the spotlight is on two standout athletes from very different worlds: rugby star Ilona Maher and WNBA center Kalani Brown.
According to Dave Meltzer's acclaimed Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the promotion has been in active talks with both women as part of its ongoing push to recruit athletes with proven physical dominance and crossover appeal.
While WWE has long sought talent from the world of sports, it’s rare for the company to actively pursue players who are still competing in their respective fields.
Maher, 29, is one of the biggest names in women’s rugby. A bronze medalist with the U.S. women’s sevens team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, she currently plays for the Bristol Bears in Premiership Women’s Rugby.
Off the field, she has become a viral sensation with nearly nine million followers across social media platforms, an appearance in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and even a stint on Dancing with the Stars.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Maher admitted she has been approached by WWE and joked that her ring name could be “Maher-vellous.” While intrigued, she also hinted her ultimate goal is Hollywood, saying she envisions a Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson–style career trajectory.
Brown, 28, has her own decorated résumé. The 6-foot-7 center was a standout at Baylor University, where she earned All-American honors and helped secure a national championship.
Since then, she has played for multiple WNBA teams, including the Dallas Wings and Phoenix Mercury. If she were to sign, Brown would become the tallest woman on the WWE roster, instantly giving her a unique presence in the women’s division.
She recently revealed that WWE’s Talent ID team, led by Macy Zabran, reached out directly to her about joining.
At this point, neither Maher nor Brown has committed to a deal. But if either decides to step into the squared circle, they’d join a long list of athletes—Olympians, fighters, and basketball stars alike—who have leaped from the sports world to WWE.