Awards Moderator HarmonicGenerator Posted January 17, 2019 Awards Moderator Share Posted January 17, 2019 205 Live's recently shifted to Tuesday nights on the Network, the second timeslot shift it's had in the past few months. This is by no means an indication that it's on its way out, but imagine if it was. Imagine they've given up on the division and the show completely. What would you do with the Cruiserweight division roster? Who would you put on Raw, SmackDown or any of the other brands, and who would you bin off? Discounting Mustafa Ali, who's now just a Smackers guy, and LHP, Lio Rush and Drake Maverick who all show up on Raw, this is the roster: Akira Tozawa Ariya Daivari Brian Kendrick Buddy Murphy Cedric Alexander Drew Gulak Hideo Itami Humberto Carrillo Jack Gallagher Maria and Mike Kanellis Noam Dar TJP Tony Nese  I've watched every episode of 205 Live, but looking at that list, there's not many I'd keep. Buddy Murphy should already be on SmackDown with the US Title, I'd keep Gulak around somewhere, and I'd shift Gallagher and Dar to NXT UK, but I wouldn't miss anyone else there. Maybe hang onto Kendrick just long enough to do an angle with Daniel Bryan. Who would you keep? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrasslin Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 Akira Tozawa - (it'll sounds racist but it's wwe) Stick him in a team with Hideo Itami and help Raw's tag division out. Ariya Daivari - Release Brian Kendrick - Smackdown - Grizzled vet angle against Daniel Bryan for a bit. Buddy Murphy - Smackdown US title level Cedric Alexander - Raw enhancement Drew Gulak - Raw - Just doing powerpoints Hideo Itami - See Tozawa Humberto Carrillo - I don't know who this is. - Release Jack Gallagher - NXT UK Maria and Mike Kanellis - Release Mike - If they're going to go with the risque content again put Maria on Raw as an interviewer Noam Dar - WWE UK TJP - Pains me a bit as I like him but release. He'd probably benefit from this as well. Tony Nese - Release. Bland as fuck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killjoy_Gee Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 Akira Tozawa and Hideo Itami: Tag Team on Smackdown to build them up in the public eye. I would eventually have them split and feud. Controversial perhaps, but I don't see Itami going above US title - if that! I'm not too familiar with his work in Japan, so he came in with lots of hype and he's always just been meh. Ariya Daivari: Sack him off. I don't see anything in him Brian Kendrick: I really like Kendrick; but I don't know if I see a role for him. Perhaps it's time to call it a day and work at the PC? Buddy Murphy: Should be US Champion as HG suggests. Fantastic look and his 2018 was amazing. I would love to see him vs the majority of Smackdowns roster Cedric Alexander: Screams a romance angle with Alicia Fox... No? Drew Gulak and Tony Nese: I'd try a tag team; I think Drew Gulak's powerpoints were awesome and I'd have Tony be the "muscle". Think a cruiserweight version of Reverend D'Von and Deacon Batista Humberto Carrillo: Keep him on NXT to season. Jack Gallagher: NXT UK; or have him as William Regal's assistant/protege on NXT Maria and Mike Kanellis: Doubt they're long for the WWE world with recent reports. I don't see much use for either. Noam Dar: NXT UK could use him TJP: Feud with R-Truth. Culminate in a dance off at Wrestlemania.  Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyattSheepMask Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 With regards to the time slot, it’s only moved back to its old one and now has a Wednesday repeat. It only moved to wednesdays in the first place to go along with Mixed Match Challenge and the two NXTs as a block while MMC was on As for who goes where: RAW- Cedric Alexander, Drew Gulak Smackdown- Tozawa & Itami as a team, Buddy Murphy NXT/NXT UK- Humberto Carrillo has only just debuted on 205 this week so would be harsh to release him, Gallagher and Dar both go to NXT UK, but Dar has to pack in that daft hands behind the back pose otherwise he’s out Everyone else is gone, let AEW have them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snitsky's back acne Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 Akira Tozawa - stick him back with Titus on Raw. Ariya Daivari - release. Brian Kendrick - trainer Buddy Murphy - see how he does on Raw. Cedric Alexander - release. Good talent, dependable, just don't see anything special in him. Drew Gulak - manager of Lars Sullivan or some other monster. Hideo Itami - release. Such a shame as he could have been awesome as the silent killer type but has done absolutely nothing in WWE and looks like he is so unmotivated.  All he has to show for his time living in America is a gnarly scar on his left shoulder. Humberto Carrillo - excellent talent. Keep him in NXT for now. His team with Raul Mendoza is/was pretty good. Jack Gallagher - NXT UK Maria and Mike Kanellis - release. Maria is being absolutely wasted. AEW would probably do something with them. Noam Dar - NXT UK TJP - I actually don't mind TJP. Stick him in NXT for a bit while you figure out what to do with him. Tony Nese - release. Sorry, decent talent but just 'M'eh'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Supremo Posted January 17, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted January 17, 2019 It's funny, isn't it? All smart fans used to ask for was a Cruiserweight-exclusive show. Then we got one and no-one cares enough to watch. I'd do a 205 Live invasion angle on Smackdown when it goes quiet during the Summer. Position Buddy Murphy as being on the same level as the WWE champion. Eventually incorporate the majority of the guys into the tag or US division. Bin off the dead weight like Daivari and Kanellis. Buddy Murphy vs. Daniel Bryan unification match though? That'd RULE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members JLM Posted January 17, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted January 17, 2019 25 minutes ago, Supremo said: It's funny, isn't it? All smart fans used to ask for was a Cruiserweight-exclusive show. Then we got one and no-one cares enough to watch.  Weelllll....  If you had asked me if I'd like to see Bryan Kendrick go to Dragongate and have some matches against Tozawa I'd have said yes. If you asked me if I'd like to see them to feud for 500 years over a stolen passport, my answer may have changed. I cared to watch the Cruiserweight classic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Accident Prone Posted January 17, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted January 17, 2019 1 hour ago, Supremo said: It's funny, isn't it? All smart fans used to ask for was a Cruiserweight-exclusive show. Then we got one and no-one cares enough to watch. It's a vicious circle for me. I really wanted a cruiserweight show and was full of optimism during the CWC. I wanted THAT presentation, in-ring style and aesthetic. Then the first episode arrives and we're treated to below-average fair and a watered-down product that massively paled in compassion to what we had seen during that brilliant tournament. First impressions are MASSIVE, and that episode (and the subsequent okayish matches that were featured on RAW and PPVS) were not enough to reel fans in no matter how much better it got. Which leads to the big reason why I don't watch 205; the crowd don't care. I find it impossible to enjoy any wrestling if the crowd is dead or badly miced. Pro wrestling needs atmosphere, and a lack of reaction, response or (worse) just complete apathy is a deal breaker. So as much as I want a CW division on it's own show with a red hot crowd and away from the usual typical WWE wheel of presentation, I can't watch it as the live audience generally don't give a toss. You could have Matt Riddle vs Kota Ibushi happening in that ring (a dream match of mine that I would pay cold, hard cash for) but if people aren't going to be into the match then neither shall I. Film 205 before Smackdown and include some those wonderful "This is my life" promos, for fuck's sake. Make the people give a shit. 1 hour ago, Supremo said: Buddy Murphy vs. Daniel Bryan unification match though? That'd RULE. YES. Lovely idea, this! Buddy has been a revelation on that show. His feud with Ali actually got me watching again for a while. Anyway, my fantasy booking; NXT-UK: Jack Gallagher, Drew Gulak, Brian Kendrick, Noam Dar - Have Kendrick stationed down in Enfield as a trainer and the resident cheating champion on the show. Gallagher and Dar are self explanatory, and I'd like Gulak there so he can get his mits on Tyler, Dunne and Andrews. I also think he'd love to talk shop with Johnny Saint all day. NXT: Hideo Itami, Akira Tozawa - I don't think these two got a fair shake of things before being called up to the death spots. Let them work here for a bit and really get themselves on the radar. Also, stick Humberto Carrillo in there. 205: Tony Nese, Buddy Murphy, Cedric Alexander. Proven time and time again that they're able to deliver the goods and they have the best track record with engaging the live audience. Call up some the guys from NXT who have been there a while (Gargano, Ciampa, Cole/ORLY/Roddy/Fish, Shane Thorne) and that'll also make more room for the latest signings to debut. In the bin: Ariya Daivari, TJP, Maria and Mike Kanellis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Fatty Facesitter Posted January 17, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted January 17, 2019 The only change I'd like to see implemented to 205 would be to take it out of the arenas bolted onto the TV tapings and put it back into somewhere like Full Sail. The more intimate setting and presentation of the Cruiserweight Classic made it feel much more special and unique. Through that there's no reason you couldn't have greater integration with NXT, with starts regularly jumping between the two. With regards to the OP - Akira Tozawa, Ariya Daivari, Maria and Mike Kanellis, Brian Kendrick - Thanks for coming, all the best for in your future endeavours (Keep Brian around as a trainer). Buddy Murphy - Keep, naturally. Smackers for you, my good man. Cedric Alexander - Definitely worth keeping. His pathway I suspect will be very similar to Ali's. Drew Gulak - Big fan of Drew and his style. I think he might get more mileage out of run NXT run initially rather than going straight to the main roster, but he's a superb worker and cuts decent promos to boot. Hideo Itami/Akira Tozawa - Throw them together as a team. They could work either heel or babyface depending on preference. Jack Gallagher/Noam Dar - Absolutely no reason they wouldn't blossom on NXT or NXT UK before moving up to Raw or Smackers. TJP - Jobber to the stars on NXT. Apart from that not sure what else you can do with him at this point. Tony Nese - I quite like the idea of teaming him with a heel Apollo Crews - two jacked dudes who have amazing agility. Give them Lio Rush or someone else as a mouthpiece perhaps.  Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamTH17 Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 Akira Tozawa - Keep him around for the inevitable announcement of NXT Japan or whatever they end up opening over there. He's also a good bargaining chip / apology for WWE if they fancy making more affiliations with Japanese promotions (like what they did with giving FCP access to Tozawa after taking the BSS boys). Ariya Daivari - Bin. Brian Kendrick - Trainer/producer at the performance centre after a sympathetic "one last crack at the belt" where he puts Murphy or whoever the champion is over cleanly. Buddy Murphy - Send him to Smackdown and have him be a cornerstone of that show. He's more than good enough, if he got a proper spotlight on him he could be so much bigger than he already is. Imagine him in matches with the likes of Bryan, AJ, Joe etc in hot feuds as opposed to pissbreak matches on PPV? Cedric Alexander - RAW babyface. Drew Gulak - I love me a bit of Gulak. I'd send Danny Burch off to NXT UK full time and have Gulak make the drop into NXT to start tagging up with Lorcan. They go way back from their days in CZW/BEYOND, I think they'd mesh together beautifully. Or you could have him be the focal point of a "pure wrestling" faction like Catch Point in EVOLVE. Either way, Gulak stays around because he's fucking awesome. Hideo Itami - Biggest bust in recent memory. Bin. Humberto Carrillo - No clue. Stick him in NXT I suppose and have him work through the ranks there I suppose? Can't bin him off after seeing so little of him. Jack Gallagher - NXT UK. His work with Gibson deserves to be showcased on a bigger stage and he could serve perfectly as either a fun babyface or a serious heel upper-midcarder depending on what the brand needs. Too entertaining to be binned off. Maria and Mike Kanellis - Bin. I'd let them go to NXT for a few months and have them be annoying pricks on TV for a few months before they get sent packing in a squash match against someone they fancy pushing, like Lee or Dijakovic. Noam Dar - Don't particularly rate him but understand his appeal within NXT UK. No more than a midcarder on that brand in my eyes. TJP - I could see him asking for his release if 205 folded, because he's got fuck all chance of shining elsewhere. Suggesting him as a trainer might sound daft at first, but he's been going for ages and has wrestled all over the place, so he'll be familiar with a multitude of styles. Either that or he heads back off to the indies. Tony Nese - RAW lower midcarder. Has a good look, decent matches and he's a good face to have on television. Not somebody you'd build anything around by any means but certainly worthier of a spot on TV than some of the dregs they've got on the main roster at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members mim731 Posted January 17, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted January 17, 2019 Akira Tozawa - Smackdown, probably in a tag with someone. Or head off to NJPW (see Itami) Ariya Daivari - Bin Brian Kendrick - Bin - never saw much in Kendrick. Buddy Murphy - Smackdown. He's on the bigger side of things in cruiser terms so he could slot nicely into the midcard. Cedric Alexander - Bin Drew Gulak - Bin Hideo Itami - Bin - sadly. He's never quite lived up to the hype, and it's a shame, but he could do pretty well back in Japan. NJPW could use some new high-profile juniors. Humberto Carrillo - Back to NXT, could actually be a pretty good act given some more time. Jack Gallagher - Raw - decent midcard act. Maria and Mike Kanellis - Bin Noam Dar - Bin TJP - Raw or Smackdown. With a bit of decent booking TJP could actually be a pretty good midcard act. Fuck it, pair him up with Tyler Breeze. Tony Nese - Bin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love-Wilcox Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 Itami to become Drake Maverick's bodyguard/hitman. They go around after all the old cruiser's because Maverick blames them for losing his GM role now that 205 is defunct, Maverick does all the talking whilst Itami stiffs the shit out of everyone. Hideo is way too good a worker just to bin off (his falls count anywhere match with Mustafa Ali was 2018's non-PPV MotY IMO) and Drake needs something better to do than pissing on things and himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members WeeAl Posted January 17, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted January 17, 2019 Release: Maria and Mike Kanellis Noam Dar TJP Tony Nese Ariya Daivari Keep: Brian Kendrick - A tag team with Dolph Ziggler. Buddy Murphy - Raw if he is a face, doing the Ali introduction on the opposite brand. Smackdown along with the Iconics if he is a heel. Cedric Alexander - Raw. It's got to be as part of a tag team. I don't see him doing anything but get lost in the shuffle otherwise. A little and large couple of some description. Drew Gulak - Alexa Bliss' assistant on Raw or Aiden English tag team partner on Smackers. Humberto Carrillo - NXT. I don't know him but I gather he's very young, has something to him and they are always on the lookout for the next person they could mould into a Latin star. Jack Gallagher - NXT UK. Hideo Itami/Akira Tozawa - Kaientai. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members air_raid Posted January 17, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted January 17, 2019 6 hours ago, HarmonicGenerator said: Â Maria Worth discussing, if not worth watching the show for. 4 hours ago, Snitsky's back acne said: Â Maria and Mike Kanellis - release. Maria is being absolutely wasted. AEW would probably do something with them. Pay them less? Odd choice if you think there's potential mileage there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Supremo Posted January 17, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted January 17, 2019 Yeah, if they insist on adding some sexiness to their main roster shows, as last week's Raw and Smackdown suggested, they could do worse than to use Maria. From what little I've seen of her since she returned she looks fantastic. Everything I've seen suggests Mike is useless though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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