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King: The Evolution Of 205 Live

Chris King shares with you how far the amazing Cruiserweights of 205 Live have come since their inception in 2016.

Published

7 years ago

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Chris King shares with you how far the amazing Cruiserweights of 205 Live have come since their inception in 2016.

I can’t believe it’s only been three years since we were all watching the incredible Cruiserweight Classic Tournament where Cruiserweights from all over the world put their bodies on the line to become the inaugural WWE Cruiserweight Champion. I remember holding my breath watching these insanely-gifted athletes blow my mind with their dazzling high-flying maneuvers.

In the finals, TJ Perkins defeated Gran Metalik after thirty minutes of high-octane action to become the inaugural WWE Cruiserweight Champion. Stemming from the success of the Cruiserweight Classic, a handful of Cruiserweights were signed by WWE such as Brian Kendrick, Rich Swann, Gran Metalik, Cedric Alexander, Lince Dorado, and Noam Dar were drafted to Raw. Each week the high-flyers were wowing the WWE Universe with their high-octane action in six-man tag team matches.

205 Live Has Arrived

Unfortunately, what appeared to be their greatest achievement of the Cruiserweights quickly turned into the downfall later on for the roster. Shortly after beginning to gain some momentum rumors spread that WWE was planning to water down the Cruiserweight style limiting the number of flips and high spots. Despite the restrictions, the WWE Universe got their first taste of a real feud for the Cruiserweight division, as Kendrick became the number-one contender to face his long-time friend Perkins at the Clash of Champions pay-per-view. This was also before the division was relegated to the pre-show as they are today.

What began as a friendly competition between two friends quickly disintegrated into pure jealousy and contempt as Kendrick revealed his true colors by viciously attacking his so-called friend following his loss. At the next month’s Hell in a Cell pay-per-view, Kendrick would win the Cruiserweight Title after feigning a knee injury and blasting Perkins with a headbutt followed by locking in the Captain’s Hook.

On November 26, 2016, the amazing Cruiserweights would find a new home on 205 Live which aired after SmackDown Live all-the-while they would still be competing in Raw as well.

The King of the Cruiserweights Saves 205 Live

A month later at the Roadblock End of the Line pay-per-view, the Cruiserweight division would be given the spark it so desperately needed as Neville made his long-awaited return to WWE turning heel on the Champion Rich Swann sending shockwaves throughout the WWE Universe. For several consecutive weeks, this new disgruntled and vindictive Neville obliterated the 205 Live division ahead of his title shot at the 2017 Royal Rumble pay-per-view.

On the January 16, 2017 episode of 205 Live ahead of Swann’s match with Tony Nese the self-proclaimed King of the Cruiserweights viciously attacked him from behind. He then picked up a mic and verbally eviscerated the entire Cruiserweight division. To add the exclamation point Neville eradicated Swann to become the new Cruiserweight Champion at the Royal Rumble.

During this time the WWE Universe was introduced to a man known as A-Double Austin Aries who made his main roster debut as a commentator while recouping from an eye injury. Neville continued berating the entire division week after week until someone finally stood up to him. During an in-ring interview, The King of the Cruiserweights would find his next victim in the form of the interviewer himself A-Double.

At WrestleMania 33 Neville and Aries went to war in an incredible match perfectly mixed with technical wrestling and high-octane action. With The King of the Cruiserweights reeling he dug down low and poked his challenger’s eye and hit the Red Arrow to keep his Cruiserweight Championship. A few weeks later at the Payback pay-per-view, Neville and Aries did battle once again adding another chapter in their bitter rivalry. This time The King of the Cruiserweights won by nefarious means while he was trapped in The Last Chancery pulling the official on top to get disqualified.

A-Double would get his final chance at dethroning the King at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view, except this time the stakes would be raised in a Submission Match pitting The Last Chancery versus Neville’s Rings of Saturn.

The King of the Cruiserweights prevailed at the pay-per-view but, at several points of the match, Aries could have easily walked out a champion as he had Neville tapping-out to The Last Chancery on the outside so it didn’t count. After the king disposed of A-Double, he would find his next challenge in the high-flying sensation Akira Tozawa.

Neville would retain his championship against Tozawa at the Great Balls of Fire pay-per-view. On the Go-Home-Raw for SummerSlam Tozawa was shock the WWE Universe by defeating Neville winning the Cruiserweight Championship. He would lose it mere days later at SummerSlam, a decision that is still a head-scratcher. I’m going to mention this once because I’m convinced this ridiculous decision led to Neville’s departure from WWE. Enzo Amore happened and was the one to dethrone Neville. Shortly after, Amore was released by WWE and we needed a new WWE Cruiserweight Champion.

 

We Need A New Champion

In January 2018, 205 Live moved back under the guidance of the creator of the Cruiserweight Classic and the first order of business was to add a general manager Drake Maverick. One of the main downfalls of 205 Live and the Cruiserweight division as a whole is no character development. Wrestling can only go so far there must be a great story told between the ropes and to do that you need to build strong characters for the WWE Universe to invest in.

Maverick quickly announced that there would be a HUGE Cruiserweight Championship Tournament where the finals would take place on the WrestleMania 34 kick-off show. For the next few months, the WWE Universe was dazzled with what brought the amazing Cruiserweights to WWE in the first place, fantastic high-octane action and a plethora of flips and high spots. At WrestleMania 34 Mustafa Ali went one-on-one with Cedric Alexander in the Cruiserweight Championship Tournament Finals in a five-star classic for the coveted prize. Both amazing performers gave everything they had to become the Cruiserweight Champion but a missed O54 Splash from Ali allowed Alexander to capitalize and hit the Lumbar Check to claim the title.

The Age of Alexander Is Upon Us

 

During the tournament a new face arrived on 205 Live, WWE’S Best Kept Secret Buddy Murphy who made to the second round but was eliminated by Ali. On the March 27, 2018, episode of 205 Live, Murphy defeated Tozawa, Kalisto, and Perkins to become the number-one contender for whoever won the Cruiserweight Championship at WrestleMania 34.

On the Post-Mania episode of 205 Live, Murphy interrupted Alexander’s championship celebration and dropped him with Murphy’s Law and made his intentions crystal clear. At the Greatest Royal Rumble, Alexander successfully defended his title against Kalisto in a great back-and-forth match. On the May 29, 2018, episode of 205 Live, Murphy finally got his one-on-one match for the Cruiserweight Championship.

Alexander was proudly defending his title in his hometown of North Carolina in front of his family and friends, while Murphy was ready to bulldoze through him and walk away with the biggest win of his career to date. Both competitors delivered an A+ terrific thriller of a match with dozens of near-falls that left the WWE Universe holding their breath. Murphy gave the Cruiserweight champion the fight of his life but not enough to secure the championship.

On the July 24, 2018, episode of 205 Live, Drew Gulak won a stellar fatal-four-way to become the number-one contender to challenge Alexander at SummerSlam. Gulak has been portraying a more aggressive character thanks to the GM Maverick’s criticism over his loudmouth megaphone antics about the “No Fly Zone.” A week later, Alexander would battle one of Gulak’s allies Kendrick in the main event. Due to outside interference, Alexander got the quick win, afterwards, Gulak, Jack Gallagher, and Kendrick delivered a three-on-one assault leaving the champion unconscious.

At the SummerSlam pay-per-view, Gulak gave the Cruiserweight champion a hell of a fight methodically dissecting his body limb by limb furthering his more serious demeanor. Alexander mounted a comeback with his repertoire of dropkicks and high-octane offense and stacked his challenger up for his Lumbar Check for the victory.

Over the next few weeks, a relentless Gulak brutally attacked the champion including interfering in scheduled matches. On the September 11, 2018, episode of 205 Live, Gulak earned another title shot for next week’s episode after a tag team match with Gallagher on his side. The two competitors faced off in an outstanding SummerSlam Rematch where Gulak came so close several times to become the champion by locking in his dangerous Gu-Lock submission but, Alexander was willing to put his body through unimaginable anguish to keep his title in his grips.

The Best Kept Secret Is Here

 

On August 29, 2018, WWE announced via Twitter that The Best Kept Secret would receive another chance at the Cruiserweight Championship in his hometown of Melbourne, Australia at WWE Super Show-Down. I’m sorry folks words can’t describe how fantastic this match was I’ve watched it at least two times. Both Alexander and Murphy finally gave the Cruiserweight division the spotlight they were seeking at WrestleMania 34.

The WWE Universe was fully invested in watching their hometown hero battle for the Cruiserweight Title. He received the loudest pop of the night, As soon as the bell rang Murphy nailed Alexander with a stiff shot and got a long near-fall, in-ring chemistry doesn’t even do these two justice as both champion and challenger created magic in front of 70,000 fans. It didn’t matter how much of a comeback Alexander mounted the end result was academic with Murphy hitting Murphy’s Law for the HUGE victory for the hometown boy giving Alexander his first loss in 2018.

Over the next month, a resilient Ali ascended his way to the top of the Cruiserweight division and earned himself a title shot at the Survivor Series pay-per-view by defeating Murphy’s right-hand man Nese. Ali and Murphy are no strangers to each other having fought in a chaotic no disqualification match that’s been dubbed as one of the best matches in 205 Live history.

The gutsy challenger gave the champion a decent fight with several aerial attacks and high-octane offense but, the champion fought back valiantly brutalizing Ali all over the ringside area. Murphy had evil intentions in mind as he took apart the announce table, Ali countered and executed a stunning Spanish Fly sending both competitors crashing to the floor! Murphy blocked an O54 attempt and landed a nasty-looking Powerbomb for a near-fall. Ali bounced back with a Springboard into the knees, Murphy hit his finisher to secure his Cruiserweight Championship.

After weeks of Alexander mentally handling his first few losses on 205 Live, he decisively battled back to the top of the division. Handing Lio Rush his first loss since his arrival, followed by pinning the Cruiserweight Champion Murphy in a tag team match to finally gain his rematch for SSD at the TLC pay-per-view. At TLC the amazing Alexander and Murphy tore the house down and stole the whole show even before the event officially began. There are only a certain amount of competitors that are incapable of having a bad match.

Alexander flew into a stiff knee strike reminiscent to their previous encounter in Melbourne. Alexander valiantly fought back mounting a comeback and hitting a Michinoku Driver for a long near-fall. Murphy answered back with a thunderous sit-down powerbomb for a two-count, Alexander went back on offense and hit the Lumbar Check but Murphy got his foot under the rope. Alexander went up top one too many times and got dropped from the turnbuckles, Murphy immediately pounced and hit Murphy’s Law for the three-count.

Murphy’s next title defense was not of one man but three where Hideo Itami, Tozawa, and Kalisto all attempted to strip The Australian of his Cruiserweight Title at the 2019 Royal Rumble pay-per-view. This match was not up to the level of Murphy’s previous one-on-one encounters with Ali and Alexander but, it was still a fun opener. Each competitor got their opportunity to shine in this fast-paced high-octane match that 205 Live is terrific at delivering. Murphy prevailed convincingly by dropping Itami with Murphy’s Law to retain his championship.

On the February 5th episode of 205 Live, Tozawa earned himself a big win to challenge Murphy for the Cruiserweight Championship at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view. Tozawa opened the contest with the hopes of being the first-ever two-time Cruiserweight Champion in history.

He came out of the gate firing on all cylinders until a suicide dive was countered by Murphy into a nasty-looking Suplex on the outside. From there the confident champion took the fight utilizing his strength to maul his opponent. Tozawa hit his Senton Splash landing on the champion’s back for a near-fall. Tozawa went back to the playbook and pulled out his Octopus submission but, Murphy retaliated back with his finisher to retain his championship.

On the February 19th episode of 205 Live, GM Drake Maverick announced the return of the Cruiserweight Championship Tournament to determine Murphy’s next challenger for WrestleMania 35. On the March 19th episode of 205 Live, Alexander and Nese clashed in the finals to meet The Best Kept Secret at the Grandest Stage of Them All. After a hard-fought battle, The Premier Athlete punched his ticket to WrestleMania. Moments later Alexander celebrated Nese’s victory followed by his long-time friend and training partner Murphy. Murphy held his friend’s hand before cleaning his clock with a vicious boot to the face. The Cruiserweight Champion hoisted his title up to close the show.

 

Five days before their WrestleMania match, Nese and Murphy came to blows in a backstage brawl that ensued and carried on to the stage. WWE officials came out to break things up but to no avail. Nese slammed his former friend’s skull into the Tron and hit a THUNDEROUS Running Nese! At WrestleMania, Nese and Murphy both brought their athleticism and strength to the squared circle in a battle over the coveted Cruiserweight Championship. The action started fast-paced with Nese prevailing through the storm and hitting a stunning moonsault for a two-count. The champion fought back and drilled his challenger with a massive superkick and facebuster for a two-count of his own. Nese countered Murphy’s Law with an inverted spike rana.

The Premier Athlete quickened the pace again as the action spilled outside executing his twisted senton splash to Murphy. The champion mounted a comeback and successfully executed his finisher but his former friend got his foot on the rope. The overconfident champ mocked Nese’s Running Nese in the corner and got blasted with a Superkick. Nese finished him off with a Running Nese and the biggest victory of his career to date winning his first Cruiserweight Championship.

205 Live Is Now Premier 

On the Post-Mania episode of 205 Live, the new Cruiserweight Champion Nese and the former champ engaged in a wild and crazy WrestleMania rematch that gave these amazing Cruiserweights the allotted time warranted to finish telling their story inside the ring. This was an A+ battle that not only solidified why the WWE Universe needs to tune in to watch 205 Live but, it also was the perfect manner for Nese one of the first Cruiserweights since the inception to prove that his win at WrestleMania was not a fluke.

On the April 23rd episode of 205 Live, Nese found his next challenger The Persian Lion Ariya Daivari defeated Oney Lorcan to become the new number-one contender, moments the champion and the challenger had an intense staredown ahead of their clash at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view. After weeks of mind games between Nese and Daivari, on the May 14th episode The Persian Lion viciously attacked the Cruiserweight Champion just days ahead of their championship match.

At Money in the Bank Daiviri arrived in style driving an extravagant car. The Persian Lion came right out of the gate as vicious and aggressive as ever pummeling The Premier Athlete. Daivari continued the methodical dissection as the action carried back into the ring. The Cruiserweight Champion bounced back and mounted a comeback and executed a jaw-dropping 450 splash to earn a long two-count. The challenger came back and blasted the champ with a nasty-looking lariat. Nese fought back and drilled him with the Running Nese and the victory.

On the June 4th episode, the state of 205 Live would never be the same again as Drew Gulak made his return by viciously attacking Noam Dar ahead of a match with Akira Tozawa. The GM Maverick sanctioned the new match as two long-time rivals went to war. Tozawa stood no chance against a relentless and vindictive Gulak.

One week later both Tozawa and Gulak pinned each other in a chaotic fatal-four-way match to determine the number-one contender. On June 18th WWE announced that both Tozawa and Gulak would face Nese for the Cruiserweight Championship at the Stomping Grounds pay-per-view.

At Stomping Grounds, all three competitors came out of the gate firing on all cylinders that was until the sadistic and vindictive Gulak began to pick apart his opponents. While most of the action was methodical dissection, the champion still fought valiantly to keep his title. Tozawa inadvertently blasted Nese with a dropkick and Gulak took advantage hitting his Cyclone Neckbreaker for the pin and new Cruiserweight Champion.

A New And Improved 205 Live

 

At the Extreme Rules pay-per-view, Nese received his one-on-one rematch with his former friend and ally Gulak. Nese brought a good fight to the champion but he was no match for this new and improved Gulak. After picking apart The Premier Athlete, Gulak hit his finisher for a convincing win to retain his Cruiserweight Championship. At the SummerSlam pay-per-view, Gulak’s newest challenger would come in the form of The Fury of 205 Live Oney Lorcan. Gulak immediately blasted Lorcan with a dropkick which left the field right open for Gulak to capitalize.

The challenger picked up the pace after hitting a nasty-looking neckbreaker and a series of hard knife edge chops to Gulak. The clever champion locked in the Gu-Lock and almost secured the victory. Gulak attempted the submission again but it was countered into a near-fall. Lorcan came back with his blockbuster and slaps to Gulak but, the champion used a throat punch to stop his comeback and hit the Cyclone Crash for the pin to retain his championship.

On September 10th Triple H spoke with Newsweek clarifying what his vision for 205 Live might look like:

“You’ll start to see 205 begin to,” Triple H revealed. “I think it always existed as an island onto itself, a little bit, and it’s become lost in this limbo. You’ll begin to see it move more towards the NXT banner and the talent there. We have a lot of talent. For them to begin to compete either open against anyone or in the Cruiserweight division, but have that title sit under the NXT brand is more meaningful. It creates more opportunities for more people. As for RAW and SmackDown, it’s an open division for them. When you’re on both shows, everybody is competing against everybody.”

At the Clash of Champions pay-per-view, Gulak put his Cruiserweight Championship on the line against both Humberto Carrillo and Lince Dorado in an outstanding triple-threat-match. Both high-flyers showcased their talents while the champion was more concerned about dishing out pain and punishment to his opponents to keep his title in his grips. The methodical and clever Gulak picked his moment to strike after a failed Shooting Star Press and Aztec Press. Gulak tossed the Lucha Libre outside the ring and used a modified roll-up to continue his dominant title reign.

On September 18th on the debut episode of NXT Live, a HUGE number-one contender match took place where the returning Man of the Hour Lio Rush defeated Oney Lorcan to become the number-one contender for the Cruiserweight Championship. This Wednesday on the first-ever two-hour episode of NXT, an overconfident Gulak puts his title on the line against Rush. This will mark the first-time-ever the Cruiserweight Title will be defended on NXT let alone in front of millions of the WWE Universe watching on the USA Network.

I think it’s pretty fair to say that the Cruiserweight division has reached new leaps and bounds since arriving back in 2016. We’ve all witnessed a plethora of fantastic moments that will stand the test of time. While these amazingly gifted athletes have relegated to the pre-show for several years, there’s a great chance they will be competing on TakeOvers and will finally be given the recognition they truly deserve. 205 Live is staying alive and well under the leadership and guidance of The King of Kings HHH!!

Chairshot Radio Network

Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!

 MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)

TUESDAY - 4 Corners Podcast (sports)

WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling) 

THURSDAY - Nefarious Means

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CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast: The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history) Unidentified History (Ufology) & Game Gone Wrong (Game of Thrones Universe)

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Chris King: Defend The Intercontinental Championship At Backlash!

With WWE Backlash upon us, Chris King wants to see Penta defend the Intercontinental Championship in Tampa!

Published

6 days ago

on

May 8, 2026

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Penta WWE Intercontinental Championship WrestleMania 42

With WWE Backlash upon us, Chris King wants to see Penta defend the Intercontinental Championship in Tampa!

This year’s annual Backlash showcase is only a few days away, and while there are many big matches announced, one that definitely should be isn’t on the card. In my opinion, outside of Roman Reigns/Jacob Fatu and Seth Rollins/Bron Breakker, the Intercontinental Championship scene has been stellar over the last month. 

Penta has been an excellent champion, especially after his triumphant title defense in a ladder match against JeVon Evans, Rusev, Dragon Lee, and the Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania 42. Their ladder match at Mania was one of the best that WWE has produced in a while. 

The momentum never stopped, as on the post-Mania episode of Monday Night Raw, ‘All Ego’ Ethan Page made his debut and was quickly inserted into the Intercontinental title scene. Page had a fantastic showing against his longtime NXT rival Evans and picked up a big win in his debut match thanks to an assist from Rusev. 

All Ego immediately joined forces with ‘The Bulgarian Brute’ Rusev, who was also vying for the Intercontinental Title in his own right. On this week’s episode of Raw, Page and Rusev defeated Evans and Penta. All Ego pinned the champion, making a huge statement and putting him one step closer to getting a title shot. For the past few weeks I’ve been anxiously waiting to see if WWE was going to add this incredible fatal four-way match for the Intercontinental Championship, but it hasn’t happened yet. 

As much as the WWE Universe enjoys witnessing great matches on free television, I truly believe all four superstars deserve the chance to showcase their talents on the PLE. While Penta has done a terrific job as the intercontinental champion, it’s time for a fresh face to hold the prestigious title. Page would make a great braggadocious heel that would help elevate the Intercontinental Championship to new heights!

Chairshot Radio Network

Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!

 MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)

TUESDAY - 4 Corners Podcast (sports)

WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling) 

THURSDAY - Nefarious Means

FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY - 30 Mindless Minutes

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast: The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history) Unidentified History (Ufology) & Game Gone Wrong (Game of Thrones Universe)

Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!

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Opinion

Our Chairshot Take – Releases, Forbidden Door, Women’s Wrestling, LFG, and The Bloodline

Welcome to Our Chairshot Take! This week, 5 of your favorite contributors answer questions about the WWE releases, the Forbidden Door alliance, women main eventing WrestleMania, wrestling competition shows, and The Bloodline!

Published

2 weeks ago

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May 2, 2026

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Welcome to Our Chairshot Take! This week, 5 of your favorite contributors answer questions about the WWE releases, the Forbidden Door alliance, women main eventing WrestleMania, wrestling competition shows, and The Bloodline!

 

Welcome to a new weekly wrestling column featuring some of your favorite Chairshot contributors (and some outside of Chairshot as well) – Our Chairshot Take! Every week, we’ll have 5 contributors answer 5 of the most interesting, intriguing, and relevant questions that you want answers too. Please, feel free to tell us why we’re right or wrong, and most importantly, let us know YOUR take!  And don’t forget, #AlwaysUseYourHead!

 

How do you think professional wrestling companies should handle releases?

 

Greg: It’s hard, because personally I don’t know how they could do it any better. It’s the wrestling media who jumps on the news–and they’re just doing their job. As Booker T says, don’t hate the playa, hate the game. For wrestling news, that’s the game. Plus, some talents are going to tell the media, and that’s their prerogative.

 

So instead, I offer you some other solutions:

 

Come up with a longevity threshold where a talent can keep their name. Call it 6 years. We released Apollo Crews? He can go and be Apollo Crews elsewhere. WWE still retains ownership over the name, but they provide him permission to use it. Because, yes, they owned it and developed it, but he made it real. Let him keep it alive, if he chooses to.

 

Guarantee main roster deals for two years. In the case of Aleister Black, it’s easily plausible that 3-6 months from now, we’ll all see a glaring hole that he could have filled. Some things take time to get right. 

 

Finally, leverage that TNA partnership. Keeping with the same example, imagine sending Aleister Black & Zelina Vega to TNA as a shocking surprise. It helps everyone. Work out something where TNA covers a portion of the contract. Elevate the partnership, and rise that tide that raises all ships.

 

Andrew: The way they’re done now is fine. There’s no pomp and circumstance for normal people when they get fired, and some traditional sports stars find out they’re traded or cut because of ESPN. Wrestling ain’t special or fancy. News nowadays is about first out, not moral high ground. Deal with it.

 

Kyle: Unless someone asked for their release, there really isn’t a good way to handle it. Inevitably, there will always be a section of fans who are unhappy with one of their favorite stars being released. That being said, I do think it’s generally good business to grant releases to people who ask for them, and I’m definitely not a fan of adding time onto someone’s contract who no longer wants there just because they may have been injured at some point.

 

Karl: I’ve never been a big fan of the announced releases. I think it brings too much unwanted attention to the employees during an already difficult time. I’m not one to defend a corporate entity either, and it’s no secret that companies fire and hire employees all the time on a daily basis whether for good reasons or bad. That said, I would find it better, or perhaps more palatable that releases are done quietly with little drawn attention. Allow that privacy for the employee being released. If they want to announce that they’ve been let go, that should fall to them, not on wrestling journalists looking for a scoop.

 

Rob: There should be no leaks before the wrestlers themselves are told by the companies. And I’d give people a chance to ask for theirs if they want to leave before we make any roster decisions.

 

Has the Forbidden Door alliance – AEW, CMLL, and New Japan – worked?

 

Greg: For who??? That’s rhetorical, and it’s also the point. AEW’s “strategic partnerships” haven’t benefited anyone other than AEW. Look at New Japan today: struggling. Bouncing the title around to see who sticks. Konosuke Takeshita was a perfect option for IWGP Heavyweight Champion. Didn’t have it long enough to gain traction. Send people out on longer tours, let them truly impact someone else’s business. THAT is how you build a strategic partnership. 

 

Yes, no one from TNA has held a WWE NXT Championship outside of the Hardys. And yes, someone should. Jordynne Grace and Joe Hendry signed with WWE? It was always going to happen. At least TNA got some bump out of it. Guess what? Mike Santana and Leon Slater are gonna sign at some point, too. But their presence in WWE NXT helps TNA.

 

AEW’s partnerships — TNA, New Japan, and CMLL  — have only benefited AEW. And that’s now how this is supposed to work.

 

Andrew: Hahahahahaha, oh, you’re serious? NJPW has become a farm system. Their main event scene has been in tatters and I’ve seen rats leave a sinking ship slower. NJPW went from arguably the second biggest company in the world to a footnote in where a new person comes from to the general audience. Also, AAA has been more relevant in the conversation of wrestling media in the last 6 months, as compared to CMLL in the last 5 years. This Alliance is the Go Bots of pro wrestling. Discount, K-Mart, wannabe super group, that is about as significant as Damnocracy.

 

Kyle: It’s worked out for AEW, but I don’t think it’s really worked for CMLL and especially not for New Japan. I can’t remember the last time that NJPW has been down as bad as they are right now. The “alliance” such as it is essentially functions as a way for AEW to test the reactions that foreign talent receive and decide whether or not to poach them from CMLL or New Japan by throwing money at them.

 

Karl: I don’t particularly follow these companies, but I think the answer is probably somewhere between yes and no. Defining what would make the alliance successful would be the best way to break it down. What were the goals? If the goal was to get a million dream matches on the docket, I think it’s a success. It’s a great way to get wrestling matches you couldn’t always get otherwise. If the goal was some monetary gain or bringing eyes to compete with the big dog on the block, then it’s probably less of a success. So with that, I’d probably say it’s both successful and unsuccessful depending on what your expectations were/are of the idea.

 

Rob: For AEW, absolutely.  They’ve gotten to use people from New Japan for various things.  I don’t know if it’s worked great for New Japan given how many people AEW has signed that were theirs first.  CMLL has gotten to use some AEW talent on their shows so I’d call that a win for them.

 

What will it take for there to be another women’s main event at WrestleMania?

 

Greg: Intent. That’s it. It’s a quick answer. “We put the most deserving match in that spot” is a bullshit cop out. You have the ability to book and showcase the product based on your plans. If you come out of every WrestleMania with the non-negotiable that women will be in the main event of one night of WrestleMania, then you will make it happen. 

 

You build guardrails and parameters to follow. It’s not rocket science. I book my local independent and I have had women in the main event multiple times, and had a woman win our annual Rumble and use that to win our Heavyweight Championship. I made it happen because I had an intentional plan: before, during, and after. And that’s on the indies!

 

It can be done, you just have to want to do it.

 

Andrew: A compelling story and the ability to draw the crowd in. Anyone who thinks workrate matters is a fool. If Gina Carano and Ronda Rousey had their match at Mania instead of a Netflix special, THAT would’ve headlined the show. We are a long way away from any personalities being Earth shattering enough to move a main event needle. Maybe when Bianca Belair comes back from pregnancy, but that depends on her dance partner. 

 

Kyle: It would have to be both the right combination of major stars and a strong story that the crowds are invested in. If anyone on the current roster who’s healthy could pull it off, it’s probably Rhea just because she’s massively over still.

 

Karl: Given the ownership group, a miracle probably. I just don’t think that TKO understands the company they own. This isn’t anything new. We see it time and time again when larger corporations purchase companies just to have more assets on their balance sheet. The quality dips because suits have hijacked what made the product great in the past. Wrestling is no different. That’s not to say that having women main event WrestleMania is the exact thing that makes wrestling great, but the idea that anyone can get to the top, or break down a barrier, especially in sport (scripted or otherwise) is part of what makes entertainment in this format so wonderful. I don’t trust the people in charge to have their finger on the pulse of what makes wrestling great, so therefore, I think even if the women’s stories demanded top billing, they wouldn’t get it anytime soon. I’ll be happy to be wrong.

 

Rob: The men’s side will have to clear out a bit. As long as Roman, Cody, and Punk are still there, forget it. Especially now that Oba will be there as soon as next year and Trick is coming up. Throw in Seth and Randy, and those spots are taken for the foreseeable future. To even get in the conversation though, they have to book some kind of compelling story between two or three women that rivals what the men at the top are doing. That requires treating one or two women as equals to Rhea creatively, even if they aren’t as popular, and not just booking for pops and title wins on big 4 PLEs.

 

Why do you think the winners of wrestling competition shows aren’t usually successful?

 

Greg: The most important word in the phrase “wrestling competition show” is the last one: show. It’s a show first, a true competition later. Pumping out true successful talent isn’t actually it’s job. it’s job is to payoff for whoever is paying for the show. That’s driven by results: viewers and advertising dollars. A&E doesn’t care of Shiloh Hill main events WrestleMania unless it means more financial payoff for their investment in WWE LFG. I do think we are too quick to thrust talent into a primary role after winning. Give them time.

 

For my eyeballs? I’d rather see true reality style coverage, think NFL Hard Knocks, or schools like Cody Rhodes’ Nightmare Factory and Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling. With the WWE machine behind it, it can work. But in the current format, it doesn’t exist to put out TV ready talent–that’s what Evolve and NXT are for.

 

Plus, who is making the decisions in the end? If it’s not Triple H, Bruce Prichard, Michael Hayes, and Tony Khan (for AEW, obviously), then it doesn’t matter who wins.

 

Andrew: Because they aren’t wrestlers. Why aren’t most American Idol winners successful? Talent does not equate to understanding the business you want to be in. We all know of music artists we wish were more well known, but they don’t understand the game well enough to play it. It’s easy to fake it for 8 weeks on camera; it’s another thing to have the determination and resolve to live it 24/7.

 

Kyle: I think most of the competition show winners aren’t successful because the writing team for the competition show and the creative team for the wrestling show usually aren’t the same. Add to that the fact that the winners of these shows are usually rushed to television too soon because the company wants to capitalize on the popularity of the show, and you have a recipe for a lot of winners ending up released sooner rather than later. Arguably the most successful wrestling competition show winner was John Morrison, who won Tough Enough III, and he was given a couple of years to develop in OVW and wasn’t put on TV until he was ready and creative had something for him. Most winners don’t get that opportunity to grow, and thus, they end up failing in the long run.

 

Karl: Much like the winners of American Idol or The Voice don’t typically amount to a hill of beans, I see wrestling competition shows in the same vein. Sure, you’ll have the occasional standout, but it’s just really hard to be consistently great at anything without working at it. On a competition show, you’re all in, all the time, because otherwise you’re going home. But what happens when you win that show? Does the drive stay high? It can be difficult I think, because once you’re in the door, you’re no longer looked at as someone special. You’re now just like everyone else. Or, the flip side, you’re put under the bright lights too quickly and it doesn’t work. Not to mention, there are people in the locker room who have been working their whole life for this thing you achieved in a matter of months. It’s going to naturally devolve into jealousy by your peers. I think competition show winners fall prey to the pressure of sustained success.

 

Rob: Winning the competition isn’t the same as succeeding in the real world. The competition is a closed space and its own entity. Just like how Star Search and American Idol winners are often not the most successful people from their group.

 

Has the Bloodline storyline jumped the shark?

 

Greg: In a word: no.

 

In a few words: absolutely hell the freak not.

 

In more words: do you know what the phrase “jump the shark” actually means? Look it up. It comes from the old TV show Happy Days, where Arthur Fonzarelli, aka “The Fonze” and “Fonzie,” actually jumps over a shark on his motorcycle. After that, the show was never really the same again. Jumping the shark was the moment. That’s what it means.

 

Now circle back to The Bloodline. What’s their “jump the shark” moment? There isn’t one! Are we producing “cinema” like the height of the  Sami Zayn story? No, not at all. But we haven’t jumped the shark. Instead, we’ve evolved. Roman Reigns’ ascension back to the world title saw Jimmy & Jey Uso get slowly infused back into the fold, but what did Roman do after? He said that they now stand together. They are more equal now. There’s no wiseman, there’s no outlier Sami Zayn character, no solo as the right hand man. 

 

It hasn’t jumped the shark, it’s evolved. And I want to see where it goes next.

 

Andrew: Bloodline should’ve been dead when Jacob and Solo split. I don’t think there’s been anything egregious enough to imply it “Jumped the Shark,” as in, a desperation ploy to keep it going. But it’s just outlasted it’s welcome. While Roman will always be my OTC, and I’ve been ride or die with the Werewolf and G.O.D., we can stop dragging it on into perpetuity. Let people go their own ways without a reference every other month, and no more Honorary Usos. That LA Knight shirt was ALMOST a shark jump…but the angle was so insignificant in the grand scheme of things, it didn’t matter enough to even register anywhere near the Island of Relevancy.

 

Kyle: I watched Jacob Fatu put the Tribal Chief in a Tongan Death Grip. You’re not gonna catch me in these streets disrespecting any of the Polynesian wrestlers or their storylines. I don’t want NONE of that smoke.

 

Karl: The Bloodline story is probably running out of juice, for a lot of the same reasons big time storylines run out of juice. There’s not much left to squeeze. There are only so many ways you can take a story. You can try to keep it fresh, and on a smaller scale, you can run into the old nWo problem of too many cooks in the kitchen. The Bloodline ran with a lot of new members, and new introductions. It helped build some of them to important status, but at a certain point, new pathways need to be created for all involved. You can always revisit what made the stories great. I’ve always thought the way the Shield was handled post-break up has been well done. Callbacks here and there to what made them great, to what broke them apart, etc., were always fun ways to remind the fans, but continuing with the angle will always fall flat, especially with how short the attention span of most people can be.

 

Rob: It all depends on whether or not they have some good enemies this year. If they’re just running back all of the bits they did last time then yes. But if they can find some new things to do, then they’ll be fine.

 

Greg – @GregDeMarco44

Andrew – @IWCWarChief

Kyle – @OutsidersEdgeCS

Karl — @OutsidersEdgeCS

Rob – @rbonne1

 

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