The Vanity Project, Eli Knight, & Keanu Carver Signs WWE NXT Contracts

WWE
Jan 13, 2026

WWE announced earlier today that WWE ID talents The Vanity Project (Jackson Drake, Brad Baylor, & Ricky Smokes) and Eli Drake and WWE EVOLVE talent Keanu Carver recently signed official developmental contracts for their NXT brand.

Prior to their official signings, Drake, Baylor, and Smokes had been under WWE ID deals since November of 2024 and had been working in WWE’s WWE EVOLVE brand. Drake is the current holder of the WWE EVOLVE Men’s Championship.

Knight had been under a WWE ID deal since this past October and had been working in WWE’s WWE EVOLVE brand.

Carver had been under a WWE developmental deal since November of 2023 and had been working for WWE’s WWE EVOLVE and NXT LVL Up brands.

Trending
  1. WWE: Tyler Breeze Reveals When His "One-Of-A-Kind" WWE Contract Ended, Andrade El Idolo Clarifies His Comments About Some Samoan Wrestlers Getting Underserved Pushes In WWE & Reason Why He Had Returned To WWE In 2023, New TrademarkWWE: Tyler Breeze Reveals When His “One-Of-A-Kind” WWE Contract Ended, Andrade…
  2. AEW Dynamite Results – Sept. 2, 2026 – AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland To Kick Off Show, Swerve Strickland & The New Level vs. The RascalzAEW Dynamite Results – Sept. 2, 2026 – AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland To Kick Off…
  3. Swerve Strickland on When He First Learned Of The New Level's Contract Situation With WWE, His New Trios Partnership With The New Level In AEW, & His Favorite Female WrestlersSwerve Strickland on When He First Learned Of The New Level’s Contract Situation With…
  4. Trey Miguel Opens Up About His Battle With Borderline Personality DisorderTrey Miguel Opens Up About His Battle With Borderline Personality Disorder
  5. AEW Dynamite Notes: Will Ospreay Tells Kenny Omega To Name Time & Place For Rubber Match, Ospreay To Form His Own AEW United Empire, AEW World Tag Titles 3-Way Ladder and Jon Moxley vs. Ospreay for AEW World Title Matches Set for All Out 2026, Josh Alexander Returns, 9/5 Collision Show CardAEW Dynamite Notes: Will Ospreay Tells Kenny Omega To Name Time & Place For Rubber…
  6. WWE: Bron Breakker on The Legacy He Wants To Leave When His Wrestling Career Is Over, Triple H Posts Uncensored Royce Keys & OTM Beatdown on The Usos Segment From 8/31 WWE RAW Show, Sean Waltman on His Praise of Wren Sinclair's X-Factor MoveWWE: Bron Breakker on The Legacy He Wants To Leave When His Wrestling Career Is Over, Triple…