By Anish Vishwakoti, ProWrestling.net Staffer, (@AVX_9001)
WWE 205 Live on WWE Network
Streamed live on January 3, 2020 from Memphis, Tennessee at FedEx Forum
The show started with a promo recapping Angel Garza’s win against Lio Rush where he captured the Cruiserweight Championship and the show was framed as a new beginning and a new era beginning with Garza’s reign… The broadcast team was Tom Phillips and Aiden English…
1. Danny Burch vs. Ariya Daivari. The match started with Daivari and Burch locking up and Burch getting shot to the ropes and shoulder blocked before Daivari taunted him laid across the turnbuckle. Burch then grabbed a hold of Daivari’s arms and wrenched him to the ground before locking in a headlock to slow Daivari down. Daivari tried to struggle out, but Burch stopped him and worked another wristlock to continue the offense to Daivari’s arm.
Daivari got to the ropes but Burch didn’t break the hold, and in a funny move Burch held Daivari in hangman’s position and when the referee counted four, dropped him straight down to the mat. Burch then taunted Daivari on the ropes and whipped him across the ring landing kicks and elbows. Daivari took control at a point however, interrupting Burch’s flow with a running knee, allowing him to wrench Burch with a chin lock and ground Burch. Daivari then worked an arm triangle, manipulating Burch into a reverse DDT of which he went for the cover, but only got a two count.
Daivari then dragged Burch to the corner and pretended to head to the middle rope and take off his singlet straps in the vein of Jerry Lawler, but when he went for the fist drop, he was met by Burch’s foot. The Englishman used this kick to regain control of the match, hitting a back Suplex and rushing him with strikes before eventually hitting a headbutt that earned him a two count. Burch tried to wail on Daivari in the corner, but Daivari propped him to the top rope and hit a Goriconoclasm to get a two count.
Daivari tried for another top rope move across the ring, however Burch reversed it into a crossface. Daivari tapped, but the ref was distracted by a masked man who jumped the barricade. This allowed Daivari to hit the devil lock lariat and get the pinfall victory.
Ariya Daivari defeated Danny Burch.
Anish’s Thoughts: A pretty good back and forth match. Burch looked great and Daivari sold for him really well while making himself look as devious as ever in his attempts. Pretty standard though and these guys definitely did not take out all the stops. After the match, the masked man revealed himself to be The Brian Kendrick, who hit Burch with Sliced Bread No. 2 to lay him out.
2. Samir Singh and Sunil Singh vs. Corey Storm and Anthony Wayne. The match started with Samir Singh in the ring with Wayne. He laid Wayne out with an elbow and tagged in Sunil instantly. Sunil then threw Wayne to the ropes and urged Storm to tag in. The Singh Bros tried to beat on Storm in the corner, but he escaped and tagged in Wayne who made a feeble attempt at attacking Sunil Singh. The Singh Bros recovered and hit the top rope elbow backbreaker combo on Wayne to get the pinfall victory.
Samir Singh and Sunil Singh defeated Corey Storm and Anthony Wayne by pinfall.
Anish’s Thoughts: Quick and meaningless match to showcase the vaguely annoying antics of the Singh Brothers. I don’t think I heard the crowd during this match at all. Onwards to the main event.
3. NXT Cruiserweight Champion Angel Garza vs. Tony Nese in a non-title match. The match started with Garza rolling to the outside twice to revel in his championship win with the crowd. When he finally decided to engage Nese, he rolled to the floor and extended his hand to shake, but Nese poked him in the eyes. The two then grappled, with Nese taking Garza’s back and thrusting him to the floor.
The two continued to taunt each other, all the while engaging in this battle of holds. They locked hands in a test of strength, which went back and forth until Garza used the ropes to execute an armdrag. This prompted a running exchange between the two that resulted in Garza sweeping Nese to his back and dragging him to the outside before tossing him into the steel steps.
Garza then rolled Nese inside the ring and hung him on the top rope in Tree of Woe position. Garza hit a running knee to the hung up Nese before going for the cover, which Nese broke using the ropes. Garza followed up the offense with a rope hung DDT and a knee strike to Nese trapped in the middle rope.
Garza tried to head to the top rope to continue his assault on Nese, but got pushed off by Nese, turning the tides for a little bit. Nese then pulled Garza off the top rope, hitting him with a leg drop and grabbing a body scissors.
Garza struggled out of the body scissors, but couldn’t mount much offense as Nese countered with strikes and kicked him on the floor. Nese couldn’t get the pin so he opted to pick Garza up, this allowed the Mexican Superstar to enter a running exchange with Nese which he won out using his speed and a combination of kicks. Garza eventually ‘powered up’ by ripping off his pants to reveal trunks. Just when he looked to finish Nese from the top rope, Nese jumped up and hit a Frankensteiner.
Nese couldn’t get the pin after this and instead he and Garza continued slugging it out on the feet. Eventually, Garza forced Nese to the outside, where he hit a Triangle Moonsault on Nese. Garza rolled Nese back into the ring, but got caught hesitating and into a Boston Crab. Garza crawled to the ropes and broke the submission however.
Nese then hit a German Suplex, followed by a Tope to the outside. He then tried to roll Garza into the ring and hit a Springboard Moonsault, but Garza got the knees up and hit the Wing Clipper DDT to get the pinfall victory.
Angel Garza defeated Tony Nese in a non-title match.
Anish’s Thoughts: This was a fun match, it wasn’t mind blowing or anything like that, and I think we saw both guys go through not even half their arsenal to get to the finish line, but it was a safe enough non-title match. Nese didn’t get completely blown out and Garza didn’t have to resort to any real sneaky tactics to get the win, leaving both guys looking pretty good.
Overall, this was a pretty safe episode of 205 Live. They returned with new content after two whole weeks and while I may have expected more, it certainly wasn’t bad by any means. Garza’s first episode as champion was a good showing for him at least keeping the championship looking strong. Here’s to hoping they ramp up the action in the coming weeks.
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