Kevin Owens, Finn Balor and Latest WWE NXT Developmental News

Kevin Owens and Finn Balor, a pair of prospects poised for greatness at WWE NXT and beyond, both generated headlines in the latest developmental news.

Officials have noticed how well Owens is moving merchandise. Balor, meanwhile, needs to hold back his high-flying for the moment, as he isn't 100 percent.

Elsewhere, a guest trainer visited the Performance Center, scouts watched a luchador from up close and NXT picked up a big award. With Owens and Balor sure to make a major impact at Full Sail University, NXT has a great chance to add more trophies to its mantle next year.

Update on Adam Pearce's Role with NXT

Former NWA world champ Adam Pearce shared his knowledge of the grappling game to NXT prospects. He was at the Performance Center this week working with the talent there.

It's not a full-time gig, though. Mike Johnson reports for PWInsider, "Pearce is not currently signed with WWE, PWInsider.com has confirmed. He is simply there as a guest coach."

Pearce is a valuable mentor, a guy with a lengthy career behind him that has taken him all over the world. 

He has previously worked for NXT as a producer and a guest trainer, including a stint in 2013, per PWInsider. There is no word yet on whether WWE plans to keep him on for good. 

Luchador Gets WWE Tryout

WWE may not have filled its luchador quota yet. The company may be looking to add a standout from Mexico to NXT.

Kris Zellner writes in The Lucha Report on PWInsider, "Laredo Kid had a WWE tryout on Monday in Dallas, Texas, and he told Super Luchas that he thought it went pretty well and hopes they call him back."

Laredo Kid is an exciting performer, a quick, agile acrobat, much like Kalisto. Like him, though, size will be an issue. He is only about 5'8".

The Mexico native has spent the majority of his career in his home country but did have a brief stint in Japan working for Pro Wrestling Noah. With an impressive enough tryout, he could soon add NXT to his resume.

Finn Balor Suffers Minor Injury

At a NXT live event in Cocoa Beach, Florida, on Jan. 23, Finn Balor limped away from the ring. Fans were unsure if he was simply selling the punishment from the match or if he was hurt.

Turns out, the latter is true. According to PWInsider (h/t Wrestle Zone), officials gave Balor the weekend off to nurse an ankle injury.

It doesn't appear to be anything serious, though. Balor later tweeted a picture of himself on skis. Scooting around on skis is not typical behavior of guys with broken ankles.

WWE Reportedly Happy with Kevin Owens

Kevin Owens' NXT career is off to an auspicious start.

As he prepares to face Sami Zayn in the main event of the first live special of 2015, Owens' popularity is getting him praise. 

According to PWInsider Elite (h/t Wrestling Inc), WWE is impressed with sales for Owens' merchandise so far. The company is taking it as a sign that he has been able to bring his fanbase with him to NXT.

That kind of tangible success will help elevate Owens going forward. It's hard to measure someone's connection with the crowd, but counting up T-shirt sales is easy. 

Hopefully, this increases WWE's confidence in signing guys from Ring of Honor and elsewhere. There are plenty of talented folks out there to add to the mix at Full Sail University.

Other News, Notes

NXT may venture outside of Florida more often. PWInsider's Mike Johnson reports that the NXT event in Ohio in March sold out immediately. That's sure to have officials thinking about taking NXT on the road more often. 

That can only provide added exposure to the product.

It's obvious plenty of people are watching NXT already, though. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter published its 2014 awards (h/t Wrestling News Source), and NXT was well-represented.

In the Most Improved category, NXT women's champ Charlotte was the runner-up, while Sasha Banks came in third. The Best Weekly TV Show award went to NXT, beating out Raw, Lucha Underground and Ring of Honor. That's quite the feat.

It's no shock to the NXT faithful. The show is a taut, compelling, back-to-basics approach to pro wrestling. The main roster shows could learn a great deal by borrowing from their little brother.