As seen in the new vignette above, WWE NXT Superstar Raul Mendoza is returning to WWE 205 Live on this week’s show, which airs on the WWE Network after SmackDown goes off the air on FOX.
This will be Raul’s second 205 Live match as he teamed with new RAW Superstar Humberto Carrillo for a win over Kalisto and Gran Metalik back on July 23.
NXT Cruiserweight Champion Lio Rush will also make his return to 205 Live this week. There’s no word yet on Rush’s first feud as champion, but Rush vs. Tony Nese has been teased for this week.
WWE recently revealed that several new faces will be joining the 205 Live roster now that the show has been placed under the NXT umbrella. There will also be a lot more cross-promotion between the NXT and the 205 Live rosters, which goes along with the WWE Cruiserweight Title being re-branded as the NXT Cruiserweight Title.
Coming out of the 2019 WWE Draft, WWE noted that new faces will be competing in the cruiserweight division to make up for others leaving. The Draft saw Carrillo and Akira Tozawa get drafted from 205 Live to RAW, while The Lucha House Party and Drew Gulak went to SmackDown.
The 2019 WWE Draft even saw 205 Live General Manager Drake Maverick get sent to the blue brand as an in-ring competitor. Last week’s post-Draft edition of 205 Live opened with Drake congratulating the cruiserweights who were drafted to RAW and SmackDown. Drake also revealed that he and NXT General Manager William Regal had reached a deal that would see the 205 Live roster members compete on NXT and vice-versa. These talent exchanges will be revealed over the next few weeks. Despite Drake going to the SmackDown roster, he is still working as the boss of the cruiserweight division.
There’s no word yet on exactly which NXT and 205 Live Superstars will be involved in the exchanges, but PWInsider reported that “an influx” of NXT cruiserweights are expected to start working 205 Live. There’s also talk that former NXT Cruiserweight Champions will be involved, but it should be noted that Nese and The Brian Kendrick are the only former Cruiserweight Champions who are currently signed to WWE but not on the RAW or SmackDown rosters
It was also revealed on last week’s post-Draft edition of 205 Live that NXT Superstar Angel Garza will be competing on 205 Live moving forward. Garza made his 205 Live debut back on August 20, teaming with other NXT and 205 Live Superstars for a loss in a 10-man Tag Team Elimination Match. Garza’s second 205 Live match came on September 24, a loss to Carrillo. There’s no word yet on who he is set to face when he returns to 205 Live, but his fight in the cruiserweight division continued on this week’s NXT episode as he defeated 205 Live Superstar Jack Gallagher. Rush was on commentary for that match.
Above is the Mendoza teaser for this week’s 205 Live, and below is the Garza teaser from last week, along with the promo from Drake and video from Garza vs. Gallagher on this week’s NXT:
As the dust settles from the #WWEDraft, you'll be seeing some new faces on #205Live!#WWENXT @WWEMaverick pic.twitter.com/6qJjeTPc5m
— WWE (@WWE) October 19, 2019
https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/1185378997997170689
