By PWTorch Staff

Update on WWE/WWNLive: WWE personnel attended the EVOLVE 47 show in New York on Saturday.

Canyon Ceman, who is the Senior Director of Talent Development for WWE, and new WWE writer Jimmy Jacobs were both spotted backstage talking to WWNLive head booker Gabe Sapolsky and various WWNLive talent.

The indication is that WWE is interested in a working relationship with WWNLive after meeting with officials. The extent of a potential partnership is still being worked out.







Original Story June 10

PWTorch has learned that WWE has reached out to WWNLive (DGUSA and Evolve brands) about a potential working agreement.

WWE is looking for avenues to recruit independent talent, especially for try-out camps. Sources tell PWTorch that no formal offer has been made to WWNLive.

WWNLive officials are not commenting on the developing story after being contacted earlier this week.

WWE's main objective right now is finding places to recruit new NXT stars outside of TNA and Ring of Honor.

WWE is especially cold on ROH talent. This follows WWE management being caught off-guard by Ring of Honor (a) announcing current WWE NXT champion Kevin Owens (Kevin Steen) in their first ROH figures line and then (b) announcing a TV deal with Destination America.

The idea is that ROH will assuredly begin promoting the toy line on their syndicated TV show, which will then air on cable TV, making it seem like a main roster WWE star like Kevin Owens (Kevin Steen) is affiliated with ROH.

WWE is focused on protecting their interest in the wrestling toy market because Mattell has the exclusive, master toy license deal to produce and market WWE toys. If Mattell pumped out a Kevin Owens figure, the belief is they would end up competing with a similar Kevin Steen figure released by Figures Toy Company.

Owens/Steen was one of several independent wrestlers to sign a five-year licensing deal with Figures Toy Co., which is producing ROH's figures line. Owens signed the deal before he joined WWE.

Figures Toy Co. Chief Marketing officer Chris DePetrillo addressed this in a recent interview with PWTorch Collectibles specialist Michael Moore on the new ROH product line announced last month:

"We never go in blindly making the figures and hoping for the best. I personally talk with ROH regularly, and together we brainstorm about who will be the best fit and who we should or shouldn't do," said DePetrillo. "Development on this began before Kevin left Ring of Honor, and we retain the ability to release it based on that fact."

The story continues to unfold, especially with conversations between WWE and WWNLive at the preliminary stage. But, if a deal is worked out, WWE stands to benefit from having access to WWNLive's current and future talent roster, and WWNLive stands to benefit from securing an agreement with WWE.

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