WWE Royal Rumble 2017 Preview
By Tim Sherry
WWE.com
Cruiserweight Title Match: Rich Swann (c) vs Neville
Let’s be honest here. The new Cruiserweight division has not been what most people had hoped. Call it lack of exposure being highlighted on a show that begins at 10 PM only on the WWE Network right after 2 hours of Smackdown, call it the fans unfamiliarity with the combatants, call it strange booking, call it what you will. But the fact is that the 205 division has lacked any type of spark since the Cruiserweight Classic ended in July.
Enter Neville. The feisty Brit came back on the scene in a major, and violent way at Roadblock last month, assaulting former friend and current champ, Rich Swann. Look, Swann’s good. He’s really good but Neville might be exactly what the Cruiserweight division needs to kick start their fledgling beginnings. Either way, this one has jump-out-of-your-seat potential and could very well steal the show if the given sufficient time.
What a win would mean for Swann: To be honest, I think Swann needs this more than Neville. Since winning the belt in November from Brian Kendrick, Swann has had a solid, if not unimpressive brief run. Beating a proven and former NXT champ adds instant credibility to a guy who could use some at this point.
What a win would mean to Neville: Some may have been skeptical of Neville moving into the 205 division. He was pretty successful in the upper divisions so why move down in weight? Well, the fact of the matter is that Neville is one the best smaller guys in the world and thus deserves to either fight for that belt or wear it. And honestly, Neville may be exactly what the division needs to stabilize it and bring it some star power.