Newly signed Riders defensive lineman KeShaun Moore has ties to WWE

On Tuesday, the Saskatchewan Roughriders announced they had signed American defensive lineman KeShaun Moore. Moore also has a NIL (Next in Line) deal currently with the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment).

“They [WWE] reached out to me about a year ago and it’s been a good partnership with them during this time. I’ve never wrestled in my life but yeah, I have that going on as well as football,” Moore said.

Moore said the Next in Line program funnels more college athletes into the WWE.

“A lot of the superstars that have come from the past two, three decades who wrestled were big time superstars who were playing collegiate sports,” explained Moore on why he was recruited for the program.

Moore attended rookie camp with the Indianapolis Colts following the 2023 National Football League (NFL) Draft. He played two seasons at Hampton University where he recorded 106 tackles, 13 sacks, one interception, three forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries. Prior to that, Moore also attended James Madison University for two seasons.

On Tuesday, the Riders announced they had signed the six foot two, 279 pound lineman just before the start of rookie camp.

“The physical attributes, he’s a big strong dude, athletic, he can move, so we’re going to try and bring the best athletes possible and let it sort out on the field,” said Riders’ head coach, Craig Dickenson on signing Moore ahead of Rookie Camp.

“I talked to some of the coaches, they reached out to me at some bowl games in the US. Kind of looked into it, talked to my family, and I think it was the best decision I made in awhile so I’m excited,” said Moore on choosing to sign with the Riders.

“Before I signed, I was looking at the stadium and trying to learn more about the fan base and the culture of the team. It was my first time in Canada so everything is new for me. After looking into it, I saw a lot of things that I liked and it just piqued my interest,” he added about the process.

The American is eager to adjust his game to the Canadian style of football.

“It’s definitely different. There’s a lot of moving parts, especially on offence. But I play D line so I think the biggest one for me is just being a yard off the ball,” he said.

As for the wrestling route, Moore plans on pursuing that once his football career has finished.

“When my playing days are over, I most likely will be stepping in the ring. But right now I’m 24, I still got the itch to play ball. I’m definitely going to play football as long as I can for sure,” said Moore.

“I love wrestlers. I think guys that can wrestle are automatically tough, and they’re pretty good with their hands and feet, so that’s a good thing,” said Dickenson.

However, Moore has had opportunities to learn more about his potential future with the WWE.

“I’ve gone to SummerSlam, Royal Rumble, and I get ringside tickets when I go to events. They’re super awesome to talk to, I can reach out when I have a question about everything. They’re basically saying the doors always open for me to step into the ring whenever I decide to take that step,” Moore shared.

Moore is optimistic his football career will help him down the line when he does eventually make a go at the wrestling world.

“I love lifting weights, I love aggressive sports, combat sports. OS I think it’ll transition really well. I think the only thing that I would have to work on or at least make sure I have the skills to do is be able to talk on the microphone a lot,” he laughed.

In the meantime, Moore hopes to showcase his skill set and personality to Rider fans this season.

“They can expect a lot of aggression. Probably a lot of body slams, a lot of sacks, sack fumbles. I don’t yell or talk too much on the field. But when it comes to fans, you have to put on a show. They’re paying to come to see you. They’re always faithful. I’m excited to meet them and I’m looking forward to the season,” Moore said.