Dragon Gate USA and EVOLVE officially merge

Dragon Gate USA and EVOLVE have announced their official merger. The two groups are booked by Gabe Sapolsky, and have always shared talent, but will now recognize the other as "existing in the same universe." The press release also notes:

-Live events and iPPVs will still be promoted under DGUSA and EVOLVE banners. EVOLVE events will be important single shots that bridge the gap between four or five major DGUSA weekends in 2012. The happenings and results of DGUSA and EVOLVE events will have an effect on each other.

-The DGUSA Champion and DGUSA Tag Team Champions will be acknowledged as the top title holders in EVOLVE. There will be possible title defenses in EVOLVE depending on the champions' availability. There is a possibility of an EVOLVE Title in 2012, which would also be defended in DGUSA.

-EVOLVE will still be based on win/loss records and its leader board. You can follow these in the About EVOLVE section at DGUSA.tv. However, there will be some changes made in the structure of these as well as the rules and regulations. EVOLVE will still maintain its unique identity and presentation.

Shore's Slant: Interesting development that I don't think affects the talent in any significant way. More than anything, this helps control costs by consolidating websites and stores.