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We all know that the 205 Live roster consists of some of the best athletes in all of WWE. Unfortunately, as a Network special, it does not get the same kind of eyeballs as it should. This week, we saw Mustafa Ali from 205 Live make it to the main roster. He teamed up with AJ Styles to take on Daniel Bryan and Andrade 'Cien' Almas in a tag team match.
It is the finish of the match that had the whole world stunned and gasping for air. Much to their disbelief, Mustafa Ali delivered an 054 to pin Daniel Bryan, the current WWE Champion. Bear in mind that this is a top superstar who just beat AJ Styles at TLC.
While the whole world puzzles over why it happened, let me try and make sense of it all. Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts below.
Here is my analysis of the whole situation that transpired on this week's episode of SmackDown Live.
#5 In line with the new McMahon vision
When Triple H promised us new faces on RAW, we all imagined that it would be NXT call-ups. Nobody expected it to be a 205 Live star. After all, 205 Live stars have been relegated to the role of managers in the main roster, be it Drake Maverick or Lio Rush.
However, to make the show feel fresh and different, WWE allowed Mustafa Ali to pin the current WWE Champion. This will go a long way in changing the perception of the current product. It's in line with the changes the new regime have promised.
I'm curious to see what the current weeks will bring us. I can't wait to find out.
#4 Great showing last week
Mustafa Ali and Daniel Bryan battled each other, right before TLC took place. The two men took each other to the limit. Mustafa Ali proved that he could hang in with the best in the main roster and had an impressive showing. As one would expect, the WWE Champion went over in the match.
One must assume that those backstage were impressed by his performance. Many superstars from 205 Live as well as SmackDown Live expressed their admiration for the Heart of 205 Live on social media. Mustafa Ali himself posted a picture with Bryan, asking the audience to follow their dreams.
Because of his performance against the WWE Champion, one wonders if Bryan himself lobbied for the superstar to wrestle him again. Having someone like Daniel Bryan on your side could go a long way into building a WWE career.
#3 It does not hurt Daniel Bryan
There's a school of thought that believes that pinning the WWE Champion is never a good thing. Even if it is in a non-title match, and not on pay-per-view.
Ric Flair, when he wrestled the territories, would make opponents look strong but find a way to win the eventual match. I suppose in a similar manner to what Daniel Bryan did last week against Mustafa Ali.
But the fact of the matter is that Daniel Bryan is already a big star. I mean he was told he would never wrestle again and he defied the odds to return, establishing himself as a legend in the process.
When he returns next week and cuts a promo, we will forget that he was ever pinned. Unless his promo revolves around the fact that he got pinned, of course!
#2 To bring more eyeballs to 205 Live
Like I've said before, 205 Live probably has the best wrestling in all of WWE today. It suffers from not being on television, but only on the WWE Network, for the limited number of viewers who subscribe. The superstars on the roster suffer from a major lack of familiarity.
By having Mustafa Ali pin the WWE Champion, a lot more people will be intrigued to know where he came from. And this may get a lot more people to tune in to 205 Live and match the superstars in action. I have a feeling that once they start watching, they will be hooked.
The superstars of 205 Live are allowed to be themselves and get a chance to tell better stories in the ring, than the main roster superstars do. It shows in their matches.
#1 Because of the lack of babyfaces on SmackDown Live
Every champion on SmackDown Live right now is a heel. Despite her popularity, Becky Lynch has more heel tendencies than babyface ones. Look at all the top stars who don't hold titles. Randy Orton, The Miz, Samoa Joe are all heels too.
Jeff Hardy, Rey Mysterio, Rusev and R-Truth are the only credible male babyfaces. In R-Truth's case, it may be a stretch to even make this claim. And because of this reason, SmackDown Live needs a top babyface that fans can all potentially buy into.
Enter Mustafa Ali, a babyface who can set the ring on fire with his incredible performances, almost every single week. He is a man that the crowd can get behind and root for.
The future is truly looking bright for the Heart of 205 Live.
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