The concept behind WWE’s 205 Live brand was right in the name: a spotlight show to showcase wrestlers who weigh 205 pounds or less, as an attempt to make cruiserweights their own special thing, in addition to technically being part of the Raw brand.
The division was born after the success of the Cruiserweight Classic tournament in the summer of 2016, which eventually led to 205 Live launching on WWE Network a little over a year ago. Two weeks ago, WWE announced plans for the first ever 205 Live mini-tour with live events on the following dates:
- Friday, Jan. 19, 2018 – Kingston, RI – The Ryan Center
- Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018 – Lowell, MA – Lowell Auditorium
- Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018 – Poughkeepsie, NY – Mid Hudson Civic Center
Tickets went on sale for the events on December 8, and it’s possible ticket sales weren’t quite what WWE hoped. Less than ten days after the tickets went on sale, WWE announced that Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt will be part of those 205 Live shows. The news comes from WWE.com, which also notes that wrestlers like Cruiserweight Champion Enzo Amore, Kalisto, Gentleman Jack Gallagher, Hideo Itami and more will be on the card.
Matt Hardy’s “Woken” gimmick is very popular with the fans right now, so advertising him for the shows may very well help ticket sales. It’s worth noting Matt was actually a WWE Cruiserweight Champion in 2003, but that was when the weight limit was 225 pounds. Matt’s current billed weight on WWE.com is 236 pounds. As for Wyatt, he weighs … more than that.
It’s not as if WWE is billing them as cruiserweights or even as part of 205 Live, of course. They’re just a “special attraction” for the 205 Live tour, and it may not be a surprise if WWE adds more special attractions before all is said and done. And it’s likely — perhaps even a certainty — that WWE never expected the 205 Live crew to be a draw all on its own without any heavy hitters.
But it’s good news for everyone who already picked up a ticket to one of these shows, because this added match is sure to be DELIGHTFUL.
