The biggest buzz to come out of one of the WWE’s newest creations, 205 Live , since its inception, was the decision to air it immediately following the SmackDown Live tapings on Tuesday nights on the WWE Network. Eyebrows were raised because a good portion of the weekly live crowd invariably left at the conclusion of SmackDown before 205 Live started.
It’s been argued that the WWE would benefit by producing the 205 Live show before SmackDown aired, so that those in attendance weren’t burnt out after a two-hour show, presumably with the evening reaching its climax as WWE signed off from the USA Network. In addition, it pushed SmackDown’s popular wrap-up show, Talking Smack , back an hour, which ruffled some feathers as well.
WWE superstar Neville has also drawn rave reviews since his return and subsequent heel-turn. He’s proclaimed himself to be the “King of the Cruiserweights” and should be a main-event fixture on 205 Live and a focal point of the division’s segments on Monday nights. However, a new interesting development arose within the rankings of 205 Live , dating back to the brand’s final broadcast of 2016.
During the December 27 episode of 205 Live , Mustafa Ali faced off against John Yurnet in Chicago. Ali signed a full-time contract with the WWE to perform in the Cruiserweight Division, while Yurnet was brought in as an enhancement talent. All in all, the match was nothing more than a squash in Ali’s favor that lasted less than three minutes. But it was clear that something was wrong with Yurnet’s leg throughout, resulting in some awkward moments.
According to the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter , it’s unclear whether Yurnet was injured right at the beginning of the match or if he was actually hurt before he even stepped in the ring. At the start of the contest, Yurnet appeared to be walking somewhat normally, albeit slow and deliberate. He hit a kick to Mustafa’s midsection, and that’s when it appears his leg gives out. Ali’s first win on 205 Live wasn’t designed to be anything to write home about, but it’s the fallout for Yurnet and the WWE that is the most interesting.
A couple days after the 205 Live taping, Yurnet set up a GoFundMe campaign, trying to raise $10,000, claiming he needed help funding an MRI and surgery. This is the first recorded incident of an enhancement-level talent getting seriously injured while on a WWE program and the first fundraiser in the aftermath.
The WWE always covers the cost of injuries and rehabilitation for their talent, and the company would cover costs even for a non-full-time performer if something happened under their watch. He wrestled in their ring, but because there is speculation that he had the injury before that night’s 205 Live , the WWE may feel that they’re not responsible. People close to both Yurnet and Ali insist that he was fine backstage before the match, and even if he wasn’t, Ali wasn’t aware of an existing injury.
Ali and Yurnet are both from Chicago (the site of that night’s 205 Live ) and are familiar with each other from their days wrestling on the Chicago independent scene. The goal, of course, was to begin Ali’s push and for fans to become more familiar with him. His inverted 450 is a unique finishing move, and Yurnet knew how to work with him, so it made sense to get Ali and the move over in that fashion.
The WWE has refused to answer any questions about the incident, which is understandable considering the fine line they’re walking, both legally and morally. If the injury occurred before the match, they would not have to be responsible for the costs. However, the company did request the results from the MRI, so Yurnet’s camp is hopeful that they might help.
Besides honing his craft in Chicago, Yurnet had prior wrestling experience in Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Japan, including a stint with AAA. It was also mentioned during the 205 Live in question that he wrestled a few matches in NXT as well. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Yurnet in the WWE after all this is sorted out.
[Featured Image by WWE]
