Some big changes to EVOLVE. Moving forward, the promotion is going to try and focus more on talents who have upward mobility to move onto WWE developmental. While the door is still open to use talents who are under contract elsewhere in shorter programs or as guest stars on certain events, the idea going forward is to have a pool of talents that WWE scouts could see and potentially want to hire, as they did Johnny Gargano last week.
As part of the initiative, Sami Callihan finished up with the promotion on Saturday as he's signed a deal with Lucha Underground. The original plan for Wrestlemania 32 weekend was to have Callihan challenge EVOLVE champion Timothy Thatcher. Again, the door isn't closed and he could pop up but a longer-term program or storyline is a little more difficult as he would be outside the parameters of what EVOLVE wants to focus on going forward.
Speaking of WWE, there should be some news about the EVOLVE matches for the Global Cruiserweight Series in the next week or two.
There will also be an increase in live events. The promotion had been running every 6-8 weeks. Once they settle in after the Wrestlemania weekend, the plan is to start planning out a schedule that will see them running events every four weeks as well as branching out into new markets. I think running more often is something they have needed to do for a long time.
EVOLVE champion Timothy Thatcher will miss the May events in NYC and Baltimore. The promotion will be giving a storyline explanation to cover his absence.
Stokely Hathaway, who is a hell of a talent, is now in as a regular managing TJ Perkins.
The WWNLive staff is just returning to Florida today, which was about a 24 hour trip. The EVOLVE 59 iPPV should be posted ASAP.
Tickets for the 5/6 Joppa, MD and the 5/7 NYC return are on sale now at www.DGUSA.tv. Talent announcements and matches will come shortly.
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