Let’s begin this piece with a disclaimer: we will not, and cannot in good conscience, make light of anything regarding the situation surrounding Enzo Amore, the allegations and his subsequent release. It is extremely serious and not to be regarded as trivial. Any brief mention of Amore or these very difficult circumstances is simply done to push the narrative of this article along.
The accusations made against Enzo Amore and his firing from WWE could well be the death knell for 205 Live and the Cruiserweight division as a whole.
Prior to this week’s disgraceful headlines, many had jokingly referred to the Cruiserweight Championship as a cursed artefact; noting that anyone who had held the belt since the division was revamped had fallen on bad times.
Inaugural champion and Cruiserweight Classic winner TJ Perkins has been under fire for his apparent dissatisfaction with Sasha Banks and Charlotte Flair headlining Hell In A Cell in October 2016. More recently, Perkins faced online opprobrium for supporting the repeal of Net Neutrality. He has, at time of writing, been unable to dab himself out of these situations.
Neville, the man who excelled himself while keeping the division relevant for nearly an entire year, walked out of a RAW taping in October 2017 after being asked to job to Amore; a decision he felt unjustified given his talent, dedication and matters pertaining to suspension of disbelief. His status with the company is, much like the man himself, up in the air.
Rich Swann will most likely never appear on WWE television again after his arrest for allegedly attacking his wife. Meanwhile. The Brian Kendrick is nursing a broken orbital bone and nose after a botched GTS from Hideo Itami in December 2017 shelved him for the foreseeable future.
Only Kalisto and Akira Tozawa have emerged from holding the title unscathed, but with their reigns clocking in at thirteen and nine days respectively, it seems they weren’t in place long enough for this apparent curse to take hold.
With the title now vacant amid an incredibly mealy-mouthed response to events (Amore has been “abdicated” from the division and his title, according to SmackDown Live GM Daniel Bryan), questions remain over just how long 205 Live can sputter along before the plug is pulled completely.
Prior to his firing, WWE had pitched their lot in with Amore, banking on his on-screen charisma and unique look to breathe life into the ailing brand.
All storylines converged on the former champion and his so-called Zo Train. In his permanent absence, the gimmick is naught but a black hole that leaves Drew Gulak, Noam Dar, Ariya Daivari and Tony Nese scrambling to scrub themselves of the stain of this incredibly harrowing real-life event.
In an attempt to cram this week’s events into one of George Orwell’s proverbial Memory Holes, WWE are marching ahead with the promise of a new GM for 205 Live.
Yet…can the show be saved? Should it be saved? Here a few steps the WWE might be inclined to take if they wish to do just that.
Erase and rewind
Ah yes, WWE’s forte. When in doubt, pretend somebody or something never existed.
The McMahons are not above completely erasing the past in attempts to shun, forget or conceal bad decisions. Incidentally, WWE are looking to do all three when it comes to the Cruiserweight division.
This is the most likely scenario and seeds of this philosophy have already been planted with the vacancy of the title and the sudden prominence of the show’s lesser storylines and feuds.
Tuesday’s broadcast focused on Jack Gallagher’s rivalry with Hideo Itami, the apparent creation of a Lucha-focused stable consisting of Kalisto, Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado, as well as looking to make either Cedric Alexander or Mustafa Ali – two clean-cut faces that are sorely needed at this very moment – the standard bearers of the division.
Whatever tournament or match setup WWE decide to run with to crown the new champion, expect either of the latter two competitors to pick up the strap at this Sunday’s Royal Rumble.
Carrying on is, for better or worse, what WWE do best.
New Familiar Faces
If the two packed houses and high viewing figures enjoyed by Raw 25 are an indication, nostalgia is a sure bet.
If a rickety, tired, and just not funny D-Generation X one night only revival can stack ‘em high, then a sustained torrent of familiar faces winging their way back to WWE could do wonders for both the show’s quality and fan interest.
Regardless of whatever consternation and bad blood may lie between the company and any of its former talent, WWE’s power and reach is such that most will accept a phone call to pack up their tights and head to Stamford once more.
Imagine, if you will, a four-week period in which WWE reintroduces the likes of Chavo Guerrero, Psychosis, Jamie Noble and Paul London back to the ring. The company inexplicably brought Tajiri back for a cup of coffee in 2016 before letting him go again, so what’s to stop him picking up the phone once more?
Shane Helms has already made a tongue-in-cheek overture to the suits at WWE. Still able to draw a crowd and work like the old days, bringing Helms in as himself or The Hurricane would be an incredibly smart move.
Why not call upon old hands like Dean Malenko, Nunzio and Taka Michinoku to work backstage as road agents, or the Performance Center, or throw them in the ring for a match here and there?
While we’re here, let’s push the boat out and get Rey Mysterio back. The vastly reduced schedule would suit his age and physical condition, and the temptation of getting one last run at the top as the face of an entire division is too much for any wrestler to refuse.
Sure, it may – nay, probably will – come at the expense of a slew of performers currently plying their trade, but WWE is a money-making business. Having said that, consider the technical textbooks we could rifle through watching Gallagher/Malenko, the athletic awe of Tajiri/Alexander and much more. It can be done.
Assimilation
One of the biggest gripes about 205 Live is its constantly fluctuating status within the WWE Universe.
It has its own weekly broadcast and distinct stipulations and title, but the waters are muddied when the purple ropes turn up on Raw (though they’ve even given up on that now). Not everybody who watches or attends Raw knows or cares about 205 Live, so any confusion is felt by the quizzical and silent reactions of the crowds.
So, to coin a really lovely American phrase, “shit or get off the pot”. Do or die. You either keep 205 Live as a totally separate entity, or incorporate it into either the Raw or SmackDown Live brand.
The recent 205 Live house shows may have been something of a success – although against expectation – but the cards have been bolstered by the continuing Matt Hardy/Bray Wyatt feud. Without those two, sales may have been markedly down.
It’s unfair on the performers, and confusing to the fans, to keep them separate but on the periphery of everything else concurrently. It’s the wrestling broadcast equivalent of a will they/won’t they love affair and frankly, it’s becoming just as tedious.
Incorporate Closer Ties To NXT
We can keep this nice and brief. Pete Dunne, Tyler Bate, Mark Andrews. All accomplished wrestlers, the former pair have already placed markers with their talent, ingenuity, and stand out matches across 2017.
Just consider these three involved in bruising three-way classics for the Cruiserweight Championship. The United Kingdom Championship can also come into play, although its status as a touring independent title seems to be drawing the crowds just fine currently. That’s about all.
Do All of the Above and Also Get Neville Back
Please?
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