Look, it’s no secret that the cruiserweight division on Raw just hasn’t been working out at all. The matches have not been overly spectacular and the wrestlers themselves have been portrayed as sideshows ever since the launch of the division last fall. The division was eventually given its own show, 205 Live. It is aired on the WWE Network after Smackdown, and was made with the intent of showcasing the wrestler talents and storylines with more depth.
Unfotunately, the bad news continues. Dave Meltzer has reported in his Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the 205 Live show consistently ranks as one of the lowest-rated ongoing shows on the network. Frequently dubbed “the most exciting hour on television,” the matches can go on for mere seconds, receive “boring” chants, and most of the crowd leaves the arena after Smackdown airs. Meltzer even noted that NXT, a taped show, pulls in significantly higher ratings than the cruiserweight-oriented show.
Meltzer recommends that in order for the show to survive, WWE instead tapes the show before Smackdown airs rather than after the fact. WWE has simply not been able to capture the “real” feeling that the WWE Network’s Cruiserweight Classic tournament show from last summer provided. If the cruiserweight division is to survive, it may be time for a change.
