10 Bold Predictions For WWE In 2018

7. The Cruiserweight Division Goes Down

Triple H Universal Champion
CC BY-SA 2.0 Wikimedia Commons

Only reasons beyond rationality could argue a case for keeping this time-waster alive in 2018. A quick review of 2017's 'best' bits highlights how the allegedly all-knowing modern era WWE has somehow managed to craft a wrestling succubus on a par with the revamped ECW or original NXT:

- Diluting a B-show to try and preserve a BS-show. Live on the WWE Network immediately after SmackDown Live! concludes on the USA Network, audiences were so disinterested in the purple-roped p*ss-about that they'd leave early. This resulted in weeks of television minus such stars as AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, Randy Orton and even The Fashion Police, required as they were to work dark matches after 205 Live had finished just to keep folk in the building.

- Openly acknowledging permanent residence amongst the Cruiserweights is a punishment by forcing Enzo Amore into the scene just to put a thumb on his main roster career. When he's an instant hit, about-face the whole thing on the talent instead in a senseless act of self-preservation, directing the 'Smacktalker Skywalker' to verbally eviscerate the non-responsive roster as if he was a napkin doodle version of Stone Cold Steve Austin leading The Alliance.

- Remove the Cruiserweight Title match (and subsequently all forthcoming residuals) from the WrestleMania DVD, despite the contest being the best thing from the first three hours of the bloated event. Chase out arguably the two best talents in the division via this and similarly stupid decisions.

Time to go, 205 Live. You've had enough. We all have.

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Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. Within the podcasting space, he also co-hosts Benno & Hamflett, In Your House! and Podcast Horseman: The BoJack Horseman Podcast. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, Fightful, POST Wrestling, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett