Slowly but surely, 205 Live has become appointment viewing for hardcore WWE fans, and it seems like the “most exciting hour of television” is headed back to Tuesday nights after being part of a triple-header with NXT and the Mae Young Classic 2 in the fall.
When WWE 205 Live became a weekly show, it aired on Tuesday nights at 10 p.m. ET immediately after SmackDown Live as a one-hour live special taped in front of a usually burned-out crowd.
That changed this past September, as 205 was moved from Tuesday nights after SmackDown to Wednesday evenings at 7p.m. ET, one hour before NXT, which has long aired at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesdays.This means that 205 was taped in advance before SmackDown, with theoretically fresher crowds ready for a show that is based around high-flying, fast-paced wrestling of a different flavor from the main roster – or even the NXT – product. The move to Wednesdays also prevented 205 from conflicting with Season 2 of the Mixed Match Challenge.
However, it appears 205 Live is moving back to Tuesday nights at 10 p.m. ET, as Fightful.com’s Andrew Thompson notes that the show is listed on this date and time on the WWE Network schedule this week. It’s an indication that the show will be taped “live” again, but it leaves some questions as to why WWE decided to make this change.
Is this because less fans were watching 205 Live on Wednesdays than they were post-SmackDown on Tuesdays? Will 205 change dates again once SmackDown moves to Friday nights, even though Impact Wrestling airs for free on Twitch TV at 10 p.m. ET on Fridays? All Elite Wrestling may air on Tuesday nights, so could 205 Live eventually occur immediately after a rival promotion’s show?
Regardless, 205 Live is in a better spot now than it was a year ago. Mustafa Ali graduated from the show to the main roster, where he’s immediately become one of the most popular superstars on the SmackDown Live roster, earning a pinfall over WWE Champion Daniel Bryan in tag team competition. Cruiserweight Champion Buddy Murphy will have yet another presumable main card title defense at a Big 4 Pay Per View, as he’ll take on Hideo Itami, Kalisto, and Akira Tozawa in a Fatal Four-Way match at the Royal Rumble on Jan. 27.