The feud between Neville and Austin Aries isn’t going to make any wrestling fan forget Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels anytime soon. But what it does do is create the kind of excitement that feuds of the past have done, and gives the Cruiserweight Division in WWE a signature moment to hang it’s hat on.
[DavidL]
The only thing better than the current Cruiserweight champion Neville turning heel and giving the division a bit of swagger, has been the return of the former TNA Champion to WWE and its 205 division. The stagnation of repeated matches and opponents have caused WWE to backtrack a bit and refocus its attention to better booking and developing heels fans love to hate.
Aries, who is phenomenal on the mic as well as in the ring, provides the perfect foil for Neville’s roughshod approach to the division.
In WWE’s hope to giving smaller performers spotlight, the fact that we were served Brian Kendrick and TJ Perkins on a weekly basis with small mix of Rich Swann and Cedric Alexander didn’t make any sense. The company has had issues with booking on both its red and blue brands. This only added to the torment fans felt after it had been treated to a Cruiserweight Classic and exceeded all expectations. This kind of battle could help eliminate the sour taste in our mouths.
The only thing that I can find fault with this feud is the fact that it is now the kickoff match to Wrestlemania 33. Such a spectacle, was plenty of drama, backstory and maybe one of the better matches the night, should not be the one that kicks everything off. If the company wants to make the 205 Division an important part of programming, then it needs a better showcase. Neville and Aries going for 30 minutes isn’t a problem, what is the problem is that fans tend to forget who starts these type of events. And should there be a title change, which I would be in favor of, it may take away the importance of such momentum.
I hope someone from WWE is reading this as we speak.
Aries being part of the “jam” now that he’s back from injury creates more depth.With the possibility of Tajiri making his presence known as well as Jack Gallagher and Noam Dar moving up the ladder, this is a division that may exceed more expectations in 2017.
While the 205 show on WWE Network is a positive step in promoting smaller more dynamic wrestlers, a match of this magnitude for the title, coupled with Aries and his background and Neville’s rise as one of the company’s top heels shouldn’t be taken lightly.
And personally, I think having such an event that kicks off a show like this has both its positives and negatives. I only hope the fans don’t forget what happens in the opening match, rather they talk about it as a steppingstone to greater things after Wrestlemania is over.