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The fact that Triple H has reportedly taken over WWE 205 Live and pushed it towards rehabilitation, is a welcome sign.
With the addition of its own general manager, Drake Maverick (AKA Rockstar Spud) and a tournament to crown a new champion, 205 Live is set to finally be the cruiserweight show, the Cruiserweight Classic had once promised.
There's a whole host of great talent WWE can utilize to make 205 Live a must see brand of alternative WWE entertainment just like they have done with NXT. The wheels are in motion for a change, but there's a lot that can be done going further.
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Here are some suggestions that might just take 205 live to the next level:
#1 Make it Brand Inclusive!
What I mean by the above is that WWE should have the cruiserweights, in general, be part of a certain brand, but if they want to they can compete in the cruiserweight division as long as they make the weight limit.
For example, Sin Cara (where is he really?) and Kalisto can chase tag gold on any of the shows but also make appearances as part of the cruiserweight division. This allows the cruiserweights to also interact with the larger WWE universe of wrestlers beyond their division.
Picture the hilarity in seeing Drew Gulak and his power-point presentations up against the magic of Elias or the hands of Braun Strowman? Making it inclusive of both brands and including it with others of each brand, the cruiserweights will feel they are part of the same universe worth rooting for.
#2 A tier of wrestling
This point might be in conflict with the previous one, but it adds some legitimacy to 205 Live. In NJPW, Juniors are treated as a level/tier of a wrestling division, and the same should be applied to 205 Live in the WWE.
Wrestlers should succeed in 205 Live and impress enough to make the move up to the Heavyweight division. While it's difficult to determine what makes a Superstar qualified to be promoted beyond weight, WWE must find a different reason than weight.
Why do I say this?
Because they already feature Finn Balor as part of the Heavyweights when in reality he is under 205 pounds. WWE could look at a set of goals and accomplishments that must be fulfilled for a said 205 Live Superstar to move up, just like they do with NXT graduates or mid carders going into the main event.
It might make the cruiserweight division seem like just another stepping stone, but it's better than being just an afterthought.
#3 Utilize different wrestling styles
While 205 Live had an amazing episode this week that showcased the cruiserweights as they should have been, one thing stuck out like a sore thumb for me. Kalisto and Lince Dorado were allowed to go out and highlight the high flying style of the division, but in the simple American way as usual.
What I mean by this is that their contest never really felt like a match between two Lucha Superstars. While the Lucha style of wrestling is very much a high-flying style, it features a distinctly different vibe that is hard to explain.
That was missing and it seemed because WWE are only willing to push the envelope till the norm that fans are used to with cruiserweights. To make 205 Live even more distinct and must watch, they need to give the added touch of differing styles of these unique wrestlers. It is then that their characters will truly flourish, something WWE has wanted for the brand.
#3 Add a trio title to the mix
More often than not, and especially at PPVs, 205 Live is featured with one title match and one six-man tag match that has no stakes whatsoever. While adding another title to WWE might make it bloated, it would add spice to the division.
Instead of going the regular tag route why not introduce a trios title to the mix for the 205 Live Superstars. In fact, to make it more interesting, any team competing for the title needs to only have one member from the Cruiserweight division to contest for the titles.
While that rules out the SHIELD from ever dominating, it can allow the growing number of trios factions in WWE to boast of another goal to chase after. The likes of New Day, Balor Club, Undisputed Era, Sanity, Authors of Pain and Roderick Strong can join more such teams created from the division itself.
Just imagine the kind of contests they'd build if WWE brought in the exciting flavor of a trios championship!
#5 Tape it before Smackdown Live!
Whether WWE wants to outright admit it or not, they really messed up with the Cruiserweight division. There's nothing wrong with failing and the fact that they're trying to change course, shows that the WWE does care.
Then why not go all in and do the right thing. 205 Live, especially with the poor ratings it currently generates, isn't going to catch eyeballs that WWE wants it to. Rather than set it up for more failure or incur heavy losses before they succeed, WWE should push 205 Live onto a taping schedule and that too before Smackdown.
Having 205 Live play to a live audience after an exhausting two hours of Smackdown does nothing for the stars or the fans. They stick around only due to the promise of an exciting dark match after the show, between their favorite Smackdown wrestlers. 205 Live isn't generating revenue yet, but a Network exclusive 205 division just might.
