By Anish Vishwakoti, ProWrestling.net Staffer, (@AVX_9001)
WWE 205 Live on WWE Network
Streamed live on July 23, 2019 from Miami, Florida at American Airlines Arena
The broadcast team was Vic Joseph and Aiden English… A video recapped the brawl between Drake Maverick and Mike Kanellis from last week… Maverick spoke backstage, saying that next week Mike Kanellis would be fighting him in an unsanctioned match…
Anish’s Thoughts: Well, straight to a blowoff match, this better be good.
1. Gran Metalik and Kalisto vs. Humberto Carrillo and Raul Mendoza. The match started off with Kalisto and Mendoza in the ring fighting for control of the other, both trying for arm drags and whips to try and get things started. After a fun early stalemate, Kalisto and Mendoza butted heads and tagged in their partners.
Metalik and Carrillo both fought for back control, each of them flipping out of whips and monkey flip attempts as well. Metalik feigned a handshake to kick Carrillo in the gut and tag in Kalisto to gain some control. Kalisto and Metalik tagged in and out, wearing down Carrilo and isolating him from Mendoza.
Kalisto grabbed a headlock on Carrillo who tried to fight out but was met with a wheel kick. Kalisto lost control right after however as Carrillo caught him with a knee and tagged in Mendoza. Carrillo and Mendoza hit Kalisto with a cool wheelbarrow splash tag team maneuver to weaken Kalisto.
Kalisto sat in Carrillo’s clutches for a while but eventually wriggled out and tagged in Metalik. Carrillo then had to sit in a chin lock, followed by a middle rope dropkick that gave Metalik a two count. Carrillo countered an Irish whip quickly however, landing a Moonsault on Metalik and getting the tag to Mendoza.
Mendoza was able to rush Kalisto and Metalik, and take control. In the chaos, Mendoza hit Kalisto with a springboard side kick and went for the pin but only got a two count. Carrillo and Metalik then tagged in and fought themselves to the corner. Metalik hit Carrillo with a fabulous looking rope balanced hurricanrana. Carrillo and Mendoza rebounded however, and Mendoza took Kalisto out on the outside with a suicide dive.
This allowed Carrillo to get the feet up to counter a Moonsault attempt from Metalik and hit a corkscrew splash of his own to get the pinfall victory.
Raul Mendoza and Humberto Carrillo defeated Kalisto and Gran Metalik.
Anish’s Thoughts: This was a really fun opening match. We’ve seen Mendoza on 205 Live in the past, and I think it’s a good decision to bring him back and pair him to Carrillo. I feel like these two could be a fun tag team if nothing else in the long term. A good start to the show, and a showcase of what a no stakes opening match can be.
A video package featured Isaiah ‘Swerve’ Scott promoting his debut on 205 Live as an NXT Superstar. He would take on Drew Gulak in the main event…
2. Oney Lorcan vs. Tony Isner. Lorcan and Isner squared up to each other in respective boxer’s stances. Lorcan got the better of the striking and walloped Isner with punches and then consecutive running corner clotheslines and a quick half and half suplex to get the pinfall victory.
Oney Lorcan defeated Tony Isner by pinfall.
Anish’s Thoughts: A quick squash match to make Lorcan look strong. Job done.
Drew Gulak cut a backstage promo. He said that not many people know that he trained Scott and that just because that is true, Swerve wouldn’t be able to beat him tonight even if he did show Swerve the ropes…
3. WWE UK Champion Drew Gulak vs. Isaiah ‘Swerve’ Scott in a non-title match. The match featured former Shane Strickland of the Evolve and ‘Killshot’ of Lucha Underground taking on another Evolve former mainstay, Drew Gulak. The match started with Gulak flying at Scott and grabbing a headlock.
Scott took Gulak down and managed to grapple with him for a little bit before Gulak slung him out of the ring. They got back to grappling, with Scott managing to stay out of Gulak’s clutches and hitting Gulak with a handstand head kick to knock him out of the ring. Gulak tried to get back in, but Scott hit him with a cartwheel moonsault to gain control.
Scott used some joint manipulation to wear down Gulak and when Gulak got to his feet, Scott smacked him with a straight right, but only got a two count. Scott sold his right hand after that, and as he sold it, Gulak spotted this and pounced on it. The champion knocked Scott out of the ring and chopped him about the ringside area. Gulak then used a crucifix clutch to throw Scott into the ring post.
Gulak then tried for a leg lock, but Scott kicked him off so Gulak went to the middle rope and hit a flying lariat. Scott kicked out of the subsequent pinfall attempt, so Gulak went right back to submissions. After this, Gulak propped Scott up on the top rope and tried for another Razor’s Edge type move. Scott flipped out however and even with a seemingly hurt hand, Scott hit Gulak with his speed, eventually nailing a Frankensteiner and a scissor kick, but Gulak kicked out at two.
Scott tried to pick Gulak up, but Gulak reversed and caught Scott in a Gu-lock. Scott looked on the verge of defeat but his left leg landed on the bottom rope to break the hold. A frustrated Gulak allowed himself to be caught in Scott’s second wind, getting hit by a top rope foot stomp.
When Gulak kicked out of the subsequent pinfall maneuver, Scott locked in an armbar, but Gulak was able to escape and force a striking exchange. Gulak won the exchange and hit Scott with a back suplex followed by a swing Argentine Neckbreaker to get the pinfall victory…
Drew Gulak defeated Isaiah ‘Swerve’ Scott by pinfall.
Anish’s Thoughts: This was a great, technical match and a sound introduction for Scott. It seems like the former Shane Strickland will be getting some time on 205 Live, and with a currently loaded NXT and main roster setup, this may be a great choice. He’s been so ingrained in wrestling fan’s minds doing shorter shows like Lucha Underground and MLW that it almost makes sense.
Gulak and Scott worked together to create a really fun main event, I liked the fact that their backstory was brought up by the commentators and it made it seem like we could see this matchup again, which I would be very interested in. 205 Live sometimes gets in the routine of seeing the same people in recycled feuds so I’m glad to see some new or returning faces on this show, and with Maverick being folded into the mix as well, I’m optimistic that 205 Live is in a building phase that could be some fun.
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