WWE 205 Live: Mike Kanellis deserves the spotlight and gold

Mike Kanellis has overcome personal demons to transform himself into one of the top stars on 205 Live. Is it time to reward that hard work before it’s too late?

If you have been watching the last few episodes of 205 Live, you will have noticed the emergence of Mike Kanellis as a legit contender for Tony Nese’s Cruiserweight Championship. If you haven’t been watching, you need to start. This is one of the best shows WWE is producing right now.

Kanellis, along with wife Maria, debuted in WWE back at 2017’s Money in the Bank and was quickly involved in a program with Sami Zayn. That debut period was cut short by Kanellis needing to address personal demons.

After suffering a knee injury years earlier, Kanellis had developed a dependency on pain killers that began to spiral out of control. Kanellis checked into rehab to get a handle on the addiction.

At the same time, Maria became pregnant with the couple’s first child.

Mike Kanellis successfully completed his stint in rehab and immediately went to work to transform his body to get into the best shape of his professional career.

Kanellis has used social media to get his message out about his struggles with addiction and as a way to encourage those who are facing the same struggles.

With his personal life back in order, Kanellis has risen to the top ranks on 205 Live. His last match, a victory over The Brian Kendrick, is one of the best matches to be featured on WWE programming over the past few months.

Kanellis cut a promo this past week saying the Cruiserweight Championship is the most important thing to him and calling for 205 Live General Manager Drake Maverick to “send [him] your best cruiserweights.”

The timing of this push is odd. It was widely reported that the couple had asked for their release back in January as they were unhappy with their usage.

Maria’s recent tweet in regards to Mike’s push also seemed to address their contract status.

I hope Kanellis’ push isn’t in vain. It appears that his contract may be up in the next few weeks.

Kanellis has deserved better. Kanellis has deserved his recent push for quite some time. He deserves a shot to carry the Cruiserweight Title.

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He has proven that, in-ring, he is a legit performer that can put on a terrific match. Out of the ring, he has rebuilt his life in a way that he can be a symbol of hope for those struggling with similar issues.

If Kanellis is allowed to walk out without being crowned champion, it will be a missed opportunity to reward one of your talents for doing everything right.

On a personal note, Kanellis’ victory over addiction and life transformation has struck a chord with me. I lost my younger brother to addiction close to two years ago. I applaud Mike Kanellis for everything he has done and will continue to do, both professionally and personally.

The estimated 4.3 million people who abuse prescription drugs in the U.S. need stories like Mike’s to show them that recovery is possible.

Mike Kanellis deserves the spotlight to be put on him. He also deserves to have the Cruiserweight belt around his waist before it’s too late.

Do you think Kanellis is championship material? Has his story resonated with you? Let us know in the comments!