Raw’s launch of a Cruiserweight division, and why it’s not gotten over with the larger WWE Universe the way the Cruiserweight Classic (CWC) series which spawned it on WWE Network appealed to hardcore pro graps fans, has been a big topic of discussion online.
It looks like it’s also been a big topic of discussion behind-the-scenes at WWE, as well.
The company today announced a new series on the Network called 205 Live. The one hour show premieres on Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 10PM, which tells us it will be filmed right after SmackDown, and that it will replace or move Talking Smack on the streaming service’s schedule.
Editor’s note: Though there’s no confirmation from WWE at this time, rumors say Talking Smack is not cancelled and will air Tuesdays at 11PM Eastern.
Action will be called by SmackDown’s Mauro Ranallo and Raw’s Corey Graves, who worked together on the cruiserweight pre-show tag match before Hell in a Cell. Ranallo was the play-by-play voice for the CWC, while Graves was the host in backstage/studio segments.
From the announcement on WWE.com, it doesn’t sound like the cruiserweights will be leaving Raw, but what or how much of a role they’ll play there may be a work in progress. Talent from the CWC has also been featured heavily on Graves’ other show, NXT, and it’ll be worth watching if that continues as we gain another weekly hour of wrestling content from WWE.
There’s also a (pretty obvious, given the show’s title) point made that the 205 pound weight-limit will be enforced, so we’ll keep an eye on guys who have been placed in the division on Monday nights but who toe that line while walking around, like Sin Cara or even Cedric Alexander.
Here’s the company’s announcement, complete with quotes from Triple H’s fan favorite independent wrestling promoter character:
A one-hour, in-ring program called 205 Live, showcasing WWE’s new Cruiserweight division, will premiere Tuesday, Nov. 29, at 10 p.m. ET, exclusively on WWE Network. The live weekly show will be called by Mauro Ranallo, the voice of SmackDown LIVE, and Corey Graves, color commentator for Monday Night Raw.
Coming off the success of WWE Network’s recent Cruiserweight Classic tournament and the formation of the new Cruiserweight division, which airs exclusively on Monday Night Raw, 205 Live will feature Superstars that are 205 pounds and under, including: new WWE Cruiserweight Champion The Brian Kendrick, as well as TJ Perkins, Rich Swann, Noam Dar, HoHo Lun, Cedric Alexander, Lince Dorado, Gran Metallik, Tozawa, Jack Gallagher, Gurv Sihra and Harv Sihra.
“205 Live is a natural progression to showcase the depth of our roster,” said Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events & Creative. “With world-class talent such as Brian Kendrick, TJ Perkins, and Rich Swann, 205 Live will be a must-see program on WWE Network.”
“With the addition of 205 Live to an already robust programming schedule, WWE continues to enhance the value of WWE Network for our subscribers,” said Michelle Wilson, WWE Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer. “We take pride in listening to our fans and delivering even more live, premium content that they are asking for.”