205 Live has been a troubled show almost since its launch back in 2016. The cruiserweight-exclusive show got off to a rock start in the beginning, but fans mostly agree that the program has improved this year after Triple H reportedly took control of the show and decided to have the program focus on in-ring work rather than Vince McMahon’s formula for characters and storylines. Despite the change, fans have noted that the show has one major flaw: the time that it airs. Currently airing after SmackDown ends on Tuesday nights, viewers at home and in arenas usually still choose not to watch 205 Live due to being burned out from the 2-hour preceding SmackDown program. However, it looks like WWE may finally be looking to solve this issue soon.
According to a report from WWE Network News, the next episode of 205 Live this week is not scheduled to air until this Wednesday night at 7pm ET. The belief is that WWE decided to bump 205 Live back one extra day in order not to lose even more viewers for 205 Live with the 30-minute Mixed Match Challenge limited series now set to begin airing after SmackDown on Tuesdays. This decision to move 205 Live to a different time has been requested by fans of the program for years, and while it is unclear if the move is permanent or if the show will be taped going forward, 205 Live will air on Wednesdays over the next few weeks as part of a 3-hour block also including NXT at 8pm and the Mae Young Classic at 9pm.
Matt Hardy is currently at a crossroads when it comes to his in-ring career. Injuries sustained over the course of his career have forced him to take a hiatus from wrestling, but he recently received a shot to work as a backstage producer and even worked one last match in Birmingham on September 7th. Interestingly, Matt Hardy may have already made his decision as far as his future in the ring is concerned. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, a fan supposedly begged Hardy not to retire, to which the former tag team champion replied, “Unfortunately, I don’t have a choice. This was probably my last match ever.” WWE has not confirmed whether or not Hardy is finished wrestling at the moment, but be sure to stay tuned for the latest updates on the future of “The Woken One.”