10 Live Observations From WWE Raw Live Event Barclays Center
7. The Cruiserweight Division Is Reflective Of The Product As A Whole
The fourth match on the show was an unexpected bonus: Cruiserweight Champion Rich Swann defended the title against Neville. The bout was really strong, with a lot of exciting high-risk offense. Naturally, Swann picked up the win, retaining the belt.
There's been a lot of criticism over the cruiserweight division since it moved to Raw, with the bulk of it reflecting the fact that fans haven't really been given a reason to care about the individual stars. Nevertheless, the in-ring action has been strong, with stars like Swann, Neville, T.J. Perkins, and Cedric Alexander showing their skills regularly.
In a sense, though, the problem with the cruiserweight division is the same as the problem with WWE as a whole. The talent is there, but the creative direction is simply awful. That's why Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins are struggling to get over as babyfaces, that's why AJ Styles lost to James Ellsworth three times, and that's why ratings are falling.