WWE Performance Center Assistant Coach Will Be At The Next WWN Seminar/Tryout

WWN is very pleased to announce a rare opportunity and learning experience on June 10th in Ybor City, FL at The Orpheum before the EVOLVE event that night.

We will host an all day Seminar/Tryout with a very special guest. WWE Performance Center Assistant Coach Norman Smiley will attend and observe this Seminar/Tryout. Mr. Smiley will represent WWE in scouting at this Seminar/Tryout. He will give a lecture on what WWE/NXT is looking for and how they do things. He will also offer critiques and guidance when warranted. This is the first time Mr. Smiley has attended a Seminar/Tryout for independent wrestlers.

There will be limited spots for this WWN Seminar/Tryout. The format is designed to educate, be a networking opportunity, give quality video footage for you to use to promote yourself, as well as provide you with a chance to be booked in the WWN Family!

The WWN Seminar & Tryout will be led by head trainer Drew Gulak, assistant trainer Tracy Williams and WWN VP of Talent Relations Gabe Sapolsky.

More?

Evolve’s Gabe Sapolsky discusses Paul Heyman, Daniel Bryan, WWE

WWE Global Cruiserweight Series Qualifying Matches Announced For EVOLVE And PROGRESS Wrestling

WWE made the following announcements today:

PROGRESS Wrestling's Global Cruiserweight Series qualifying matches announced

The worldwide race to earn a spot in the WWE Global Cruiserweight Series is heating up, as U.K. independent promotion PROGRESS Wrestling has announced the participants in the qualifying matches they're playing host to ahead of this summer's tournament.

On Sunday, April 24 in Camden Town, London, PROGRESS will present two matches with the incredible opportunity to compete in the GCS on the line. In the first qualifier, international star and technical wizard Zack Sabre Jr. will begin his journey in the GCS when he takes on up-and-coming highflier Flash Morgan Webster, who will surely be out to play spoiler and catapult himself into the spotlight. The second bout sees world-traveled grappler Jack Gallagher square off against the hard-hitting "Bruiserweight" Pete Dunne.

These matches take place at PROGRESS Chapter 29: Practically PROGRESS in Every Way on Sunday, April 24 at 8 p.m. local time at the sold-out Electric Ballroom in Camden Town, London, England. Check back with WWE.com to find out which of PROGRESS' grapplers will advance to the prestigious tournament. For more information on PROGRESS Wrestling, visit PROGRESSWrestling.com, and follow them on Twitter @ThisIs_Progress.

Also:

Two WWE Global Cruiserweight Series qualifying matches take place at EVOLVE Wrestling on May 7

As the July 13 premiere of WWE's Global Cruiserweight Series on WWE Network draws near, the world's best competitors are going above and beyond to stand out in hopes of receiving an invite to this summer's historic tournament.

On Saturday, May 7, in Queens, N.Y., EVOLVE Wrestling plays host to two qualifying matches, giving four competitors the opportunity of a lifetime. Two of EVOLVE's most prominent mat technicians, reigning EVOLVE Tag Team Champions Drew Gulak and Tracy Williams, will square off against each other in the first qualifier. The second match is a battle to determine whether a rookie's pure determination can overcome experience, as up-and-comer Fred Yehi battles 15-year veteran TJ Perkins.

Don't miss your chance to see these all-important qualifying matches for what is sure to be one of the most talked-about wrestling events of the summer. The Global Cruiserweight Series qualifying matches take place at EVOLVE 61 on Saturday, May 7 at 6:30 p.m. ET, at La Boom in Queens, N.Y. For complete ticket information, visit EVOLVEWrestling.com.

The winners from these matches will join the following talents in the tournament:

-Rich Swann
-Johnny Gargano
-Tommaso Ciampa
-Noam Dar
-Akira Tozawa
-Ho Ho Lun
-Lince Dorado

Update On The EVOLVE / WWE Relationship, What EVOLVE Will Focus On Going Forward

PWInsider.com is reporting EVOLVE will be moving towards a focus on talents who have the most potential to move up to WWE developmental / NXT. The idea would be to have a list of talents that WWE could look at as potential signees, but they would still have the option of using other talents under contracts with other promotions for short term programs or for guest spots.

One example given was Sami Callihan, who just signed a deal with Lucha Underground. Callihan was originally involved in plans to challenge EVOLVE Champion Timothy Thatcher this past weekend, and he could always be used in shorter programs, but getting a longer term storyline may be difficult considering EVOLVE’s new focus.

Additionally, there is a plan to start running more EVOLVE events. The company had previously been running shows every 6-to-8 weeks, but now would start hosting events every 4 weeks.

Details On WWE Global Cruiserweight Series Tapings

The WWE Global Cruiserweight Series tournament will be filmed over five days during the week of June 20th from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida, according to PWInsider. As we've noted, tournament qualifying matches will be held at upcoming EVOLVE, PROGRESS and Revolution Pro indie events.

William Regal announces that qualifying matches for WWE Network's Global Cruiserweight Series will take place on Evolve shows

During his appearance at EVOLVE 56 internet pay-per-view (iPPV), one of Triple H's right-hand men said this:

"Ladies and gentlemen, the reason why I'm here - I'll get to it. In a few months time, the WWE will be holding the Global Cruiserweight Series. 32 of the finest crusierweights from around the world will compete, and I am here tonight because I'm obviously scouting for those competitors. Most importantly, qualifying matches for the Global Cruiserweight Series will be taking place all over the world, but the qualifying matches here in America will be taking place at Evolve. So please, keep an eye out on the website and find out exactly when they are."

The Golden Age of Independent Wrestling Is Right Now: Don't Be Left Behind

There is an awakening. Can you feel it?

Last weekend, there were four independent wrestling promotions running within 45 minutes of each other in New York City - CHIKARA, SWA, House of Glory and NYWC. All four featured good live crowds and in the case of at least three of the events, they sold out. NYWC and House of Glory had so many fans, there weren't enough chairs with a number of fans choosing to pay to stand and watch the shows. In The Carolinas, there were multiple events with upwards of 1,700-2,000 fans showing up to see The Rock N' Roll Express battle the Powers of Pain in a Steel Cage for Big Time Wrestling while CWF Mid-Atlantic presented a 105 minute bout that everyone is raving about featuring Trevor Lee and Roy Wilkins. Multiple shows in California for promotions APW and Revolution Pro were sold out. Beyond Wrestling sold out two back to back shows in Rhode Island that received great reviews.

This weekend, Northeast Wrestling is expected to have close to 2,000 fans at their Wrestlefest event in Newburgh, NY. Pro Wrestling Guerrilla will present their latest big events, All Star Extravaganza in Reseda, CA that will undoubtedly draw raves and a sellout crowd. MCW in Baltimore will have another big house in Joppa, MD. There are countless other promotions running this weekend as well.

Wrestlemania weekend, there will be no less than TEN independent wrestling events with everyone from SHIMMER to EVOLVE to CZW to the NWA to VIP Wrestling to Queens of Combat to Kaiju Big Battel presenting shows. That number, by the way, does not include Ring of Honor. Most of these events, if not all, will be packed and will feature a lot of great in-ring wrestling. The biggest wrestling event of the year and ten events will be there as the alternative for the 100,000 fans in Dallas.

Mind you, none of what I wrote about mentions other promotions that are currently trying to build their foundation and brand name. AAW in Illinois. AIW in Cleveland. FIP in Florida. Tier 1 in NYC. WrestlePro in New Jersey. Atlanta Wrestling Entertainment in Georgia. Wildkat Sports in New Orleans. There are more quality independent wrestling promotions right now, at the same time, in the United States than at any point before this era.

Nor am I talking about promotions that can be seen in some vein, nationally, on cable. Championship Wrestling Hollywood. Paragon Pro Wrestling....or the countless ones that can be found on Youtube. Just this week, On Point Wrestling in New Jersey launched their own series online.

Now, let's open our scope to include Europe. WXW in Germany. OTT in Ireland. IPW-UK, Revolution Pro, PROGRESS in Great Britain. [Note from Mike: Or ICW, which many fans wrote me about after I neglected to list them here. Sorry!] The level of wrestling and the sheer amount of stuff out there is staggering, even for someone like me, who loves to follow as much as he can.

Holy sh**!

Don't say it's a revolution. Don't say it's aberration. There is no doubt about it. We are living in the golden age of independent professional wrestling, and it's pretty awesome.

So, why is it happening now? There's always been an independent, undercurrent to what mainstream professional wrestling is. Independent wrestling used to be a dirty word. Back in the territory era, anyone who didn't run without permission were considered "outlaw" shows and if those shows crossed the wrong promoter, The National Wrestling Alliance members would team up to trounce them.

When the WWF national expansion took place, suddenly the rules had changed. One, the territory rules no longer applied. Two, many of the smaller towns and venues that had previously been home to spot shows from the larger companies or now-defunct promoters were available. The era of the independents had begun.

Independents used to be, for the most part small, fly by night promotions. They ran shows that were pretty much the equivalent of the circus coming to town for a day. There would be a few names that fans recognized - The Jimmy Snukas, The Terry Funks, The Big Bossmans, The Abdullah The Butchers - either former nationally known names or renowned wild men who were their own men - responsible for drawing the house. Underneath would be a litany of locals, some talented, some not. Most of the locals never made it past that level. The promotions would come in, put on a show and be done. The shows might be good, they might be bad but most often, unless it was a specific promoters, it was likely a haphazard show. How haphazard? I once witnessed Terry Funk beat Abdullah the Butcher in a Texas Death Match...by DQ. These were shows designed to get money and get out. There was no foundation.

Now, following on the blueprint that promotions like ECW, IWA Mid-South and Ring of Honor created, we have independent promotions running regularly in the same venues, with the same talents, telling storylines that exist over multiple months. Some of them are still running and promoting the old grass-roots style and having great success with it. Big Time Wrestling and Wildkat Sports routinely draw good crowds without seeking online audiences. There are also companies building their momentum on DVD sales, digital downloads and streaming websites. We are seeing promotions making good money with multiple revenue streams. They aren't anywhere close to destroying WWE's place as the top wrestling company in the world, but they are making money for themselves and in many cases, thanks to t-shirt companies like ProWrestlingTees.com, the wrestlers have regular additional income coming in for themselves.

So, why are things so hot again? A cross-sectional check-in with independent promoters and personalities show that there's a number of different reasons that all seem to be hitting at just the right time.

More?

EVOLVE Is Coming To Baltimore

WWN Alerts issued the following:

We are very excited to announce that EVOLVE is coming to the Baltimore, MD area for the first time! EVOLVE will have a full card at the MCW Arena at The Joppa Market Place on 1000 Joppa Farm Road in Joppa, MD on May 6th. Tickets will go on sale at www.DGUSA.tv this Friday morning. We'll have much more news on this event in the upcoming weeks.

William Regal Representing WWE NXT At Upcoming EVOLVE Shows, WWE Rep At WWN Seminar

WWN Live, parent company of EVOLVE, announced the following updates on their working relationship with WWE NXT in these latest alerts:

The relationship between WWE and WWN keeps getting more interesting. We have more mind-blowing developments. Let's get to it....

February 29th: We are very excited to announce that NXT General Manager William Regal is coming to EVOLVE in Queens, NY on March 19th and Brooklyn, NY on March 20th! Regal will be available for pictures and autographs at both events. There will be a fee. We are working out the details and will have info on the next WWN Alerts.

February 29th: William Regal will also be involved with the EVOLVE live events in both Queens and Brooklyn. This will be for the live audience only. We saw Regal interact with EVOLVE Champion Timothy Thatcher and Matt Riddle at EVOLVE 54 in Orlando. Regal even played a part in setting up the Thatcher vs. Riddle EVOLVE Title Match set for March 19th. What will happen when Regal returns to EVOLVE?

February 29th: We have some exciting news for wrestlers interested in our Seminar/Tryouts. There will be a WWE representative on hand for part of the WWN Seminar/Tryout on March 31st in Dallas, TX. This has become the opportunity of a lifetime! Go to the DGUSA.tv Seminar/Tryout page for more info. You must fill out an application and be approved to take part. There are still a few spots left in the March 21st Seminar/Tryout in New York, as well.

EVOLVE Talks Involvement with the WWE Network

EVOLVE has issued the following:

February 19th: The mind-blowing 2016 continued with WWE’s announcements of the Global Cruiserweight Series coming to the WWE Network in July. Triple H mentions EVOLVE in this article as a promotion they are looking to work with to secure talent. This is going to make things even more interesting as the stakes continue to grow! What names on the upcoming EVOLVE cards do you want to see in the Global Cruiserweight Series? Tweet using hashtag #WWNLive and let us know!

More?

Zack Sabre Jr Talks Meeting Triple H, More

Zack Sabre Jr recently spoke with Sports Illustrated Extra Mustard‘s Justin Barrasso, discussing his career path, meeting Triple H during the EVOLVE show on WWE Royal Rumble weekend, his wrestling influences, and much more. You can read a few excerpts below:

Zack Sabre Jr on meeting Triple H:

“He’s huge. I felt like a child in comparison, but he was very approachable, very friendly, and it’s so inspiring how much he loves the business. For someone who has had such a long and decorated career, and he’s coming down to an indie Evolve show in Orlando the night before the Royal Rumble–where he obviously had such an important night ahead of him–and he was there talking to everyone. When someone like that, who is at the top of the business with so many responsibilities, comes down with that type of attitude, it sets such a great example.

I introduced myself and spoke briefly to him. I’m good friends with [WWE talent scout/NXT trainer] Robbie Brookside, so I had a good catch-up chat with him, and I also met [William] Regal for the first time.”

WWN Live Issues Backstage Details on Triple H Appearing at EVOLVE

WWN Live has issued the following:

January 27th: Paul “Triple H” Levesque is always making moves. The night before he won the WWE World Heavyweight Title for the 14th time, he decided to stop by EVOLVE 54. We have the full story on this historic visit. William Regal informed Gabe Sapolsky at about 12:30pm on Saturday that Levesque would stop by EVOLVE 54 that evening. Levesque arrived at 7:57pm, just before the card was set to begin. Sapolsky and WWN CEO Sal Hamaoui greeted him. Levesque positioned himself right in the middle of the locker room and was approachable to all of the roster and staff. He even asked to meet a few particular wrestlers. Levesque and Sapolsky were seen in a lengthy conversation. Levesque then took some time to watch EVOLVE action. The entire experience was very positive for Triple H and EVOLVE. We want to give him our deepest thank you for attending EVOLVE 54. When EVOLVE officials woke up last Saturday they never dreamed that the WWE EVP of Talent, Live Events and Creative would attend the event. It ended up being an unprecedented night. We are in uncharted waters and there is no telling what will happen next. Join us on this roller coaster ride as we head to EVOLVE back in the Northeast in March and in Dallas on April 1st-3rd.

Triple H and More at EVOLVE 54

William Regal and American Alpha, Jason Jordan and Chad Gable, are scheduled to appear at EVOLVE 54. Other NXT members have also made their way to the event. Backstage at EVOLVE is Triple H, NXT trainer Robbie Brookside, and NXT superstar Simon Gotch. American Alpha signed items for fans before the show. You can see Triple H’s post below:

...everything evolves. @BookItGabe pic.twitter.com/7GiKT9hgrt

— Triple H (@TripleH) January 24, 2016

WWE Sending Top NXT Tag Team With William Regal To EVOLVE During Royal Rumble Weekend

As noted, WWE NXT General Manager William Regal will be appearing at the January 23rd EVOLVE event in Orlando, Florida during Royal Rumble weekend. This is part of the working relationship between WWE and EVOLVE's parent company WWN Live.

WWN issued the following update and announced that NXT's "American Alpha" Chad Gable and Jason Jordan will also be appearing for a special signing.

In an unprecedented move, William Regal will be at EVOLVE 54 in Orlando, FL on January 23rd. This is the first time someone in Regal's position will appear on an independent wrestling event. He won't just watch the card from the locker room. He is coming for a reason and with a purpose. What will happen in front of the live audience with William Regal? Be there and witness it for yourself.

Jason Jordan and Chad Gable are officially coming to their first major independent wrestling show. The graphic says it all:

WWE Sending William Regal To EVOLVE

WWE NXT General Manager William Regal has been announced for the January 23rd EVOLVE event in Orlando, Florida during Royal Rumble weekend. This is the latest in the ongoing working relationship between WWE and EVOLVE's parent company WWN Live. They sent Sami Zayn to two shows late last year and allowed EVOLVE flyers for Rumble weekend to be handed out at the recent NXT TV tapings.

EVOLVE Flyers at NXT

In the continuing saga of the potential EVOLVE-WWE relationship, flyers for the EVOLVE events in Florida over Royal Rumble weekend were given out at tonight's NXT taping. There's no way they would have been allowed to do that in and around the venue without WWE clearance. It would appear the two sides are continuing to build their relationship.

There's talk of WWNLive.com being added to some new platforms soon. I use Roku as my platform and it's always excellent.

EVOLVE is working on adding some Northeast dates in different States to go along with the 3/19 NYC return.

EVOLVE Star Mocking Triple H

EVOLVE star Ethan Page, who used Triple H's entrance and theme song for the EVOLVE 49 event this past weekend, has released a shirt similar to one of Triple H's with his logo, as seen below. Page is the same wrestler WWE NXT Superstar Sami Zayn confronted after EVOLVE 50 on Sunday night.

https://t.co/eBrrGqw1IR On sale now! Get it before I get sued. pic.twitter.com/mgmbPuywoQ

— All Ego Ethan Page (@OfficialEGO) October 20, 2015

Sami Zayn Appears in the Ring After EVOLVE 49, Teases Big Things Between WWE and WWN Live

According to PWInsider.com, after last ight’s EVOLVE 49 iPPV went off the air, WWE NXT star Sami Zayn came down to the ring as Johnny Gargano and Ethan Page were recovering from their I Quit main event match.

Zayn said he got his start cutting his teeth in EVOLVE and added he has an “indy sized hole” in his heart. He thanked the fans for supporting him and EVOLVE.

Zayn then said this is the ground floor of something very, very big for EVOLVE and he teased more to the relationship between WWN Live and WWE. He put over Johnny Gargano, who participated in the Dusty Rhodes Classic, and told him that after seeing him in NXT and tonight, that there is no doubt Gargano is the man. Zayn said there’s there’s never been a more important time than now for him to step up and show it. This ended the night.

WWN Live Statement On WWE Relationship

WWN Live issued the following today in regards to their status with WWE after NXT Superstar Sami Zayn was announced for live appearances at this weekend's EVOLVE shows in New York City:

"You have supported us and you deserve an answers. You want to know what's going on with WWE and The WWN Family. This is the absolute truth. There are no answers. Yes, there is obviously a growing relationship. What direction it will take is unknown. There are rumors and speculation, but this relationship changes and develops almost weekly. This is a road that has never been traveled before. There is no precedent. We don't know what to expect nor what is possible. All this means is that anything can happen. There are infinite possibilities. The only sure thing is that this will be a wild, unpredictable and thrilling ride. We will all find out where this road goes together. There is no telling what will happen next."

Sami Zayn Announced For EVOLVE Shows

Gabe Sapolsky of WWN Live has announced WWE NXT Superstar Sami Zayn for their EVOLVE 49 and EVOLVE 50 iPPV shows in New York this weekend.

Zayn will be appearing in a non-wrestling role it appears and this is part of WWE working with WWN.