I mostly just wanted to type that headline to remind myself it’s actually happening.
And, yes, I know… odds are decent this will be on the Kickoff. And, yes, 205 Live is in the early stages of a reclamation project that is far from over and might not even work.
But Cedric Alexander is a guy I’ve been following since he was in Ring of Honor (ROH), where I never understood why they didn’t elevate him to their World title scene. Then he cut weight and joined the Cruiserweight Classic (CWC), where I didn’t understand why WWE wasn’t signing him… and then cried along with him when Full Sail chanted for Triple H to sign him, and Hunter indicated he would.
I’m not convinced he’s the guy who will take 205 Live to the promised land. Drew Gulak is a better promo. Mustafa Ali might be the hottest hand with the most mass appeal. But Alexander’s a guy who – in kayfabe and behind-the-scenes – seemed to be hurt the most by the (allegedly) Vince McMahon-led efforts to make WWE’s cruiserweight show an Enzo Amore-centered Raw-lite. He didn’t want us to use the word “deserve”, but… as much I as love Roderick Strong, I love that Cedric is going to New Orleans for a title shot even more.
And, as he and Roddy proved last night, Alexander is a guy who can convince a tired crowd of fans who aren’t sure they care about cruisers to stand up and cheer. That’ll be crucial on April 8, even (or maybe especially) on the pre-show.
And those are all reasons why it’s freaking awesome that…
Cedric Alexander is going to WrestleMania.
