By Anish Vishwakoti, ProWrestling.net Staffer, (@AVX_9001)
WWE 205 Live
Taped in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed April 10, 2020 on WWE Network
A little changeup in commentary tonight as Byron Saxton joined Jon Quasto on commentary, as we kicked off the tournament to crown an Interim NXT Cruiserweight Champion…
1. Tony Nese vs. Danny Burch. The match started with the wrestlers locking up and each trying to take each other’s back. Nese and Burch seemed evenly matched until eventually Nese used a headlock takedown to get Burch on the ground where he squeezed the head of Burch. Englishman Burch rolled into a pin and then escaped, prompting the two to reengage.
Nese and Burch engaged in a test of strength for a second, which Burch used to trip Nese and force him towards the ropes. Burch and Nese continued to use their fundamentals, with Nese executing a double leg takedown and getting Burch to the floor, followed by a single leg trip which he transitioned into a half crab.
Burch got to the bottom rope to break it up, before once again locking up with Nese. The two went to ground again, with Nese grabbing a head scissors squeeze until Burch was able to pivot and escape, reversing into a chin lock of his own. Burch and Nese got to their feet with Nese running at Burch, allowing Burch to trip him with a mid-air leg grab.
Burch couldn’t keep control for long as Nese was able to toss him outside the ring and gain control of the match. Nese turned Burch back into the ring and grabbed a body scissors to try and extinguish Burch. Nese at one point changed position into a reverse bear hug as well, although this was less effective and Burch was able to escape.
Burch managed to push Nese into the corner and hit him with a corner clothesline followed by a middle rope dropkick. Nese and Burch each tried for suplexes until eventually Burch almost hit a German, but Nese flipped out of it and hit Burch with a stomp to the chest. Nese then went for a running hotshot and followed up with the Springboard Moonsault. Nese went for the cover immediately, but Burch kicked out at two.
A frustrated Nese pushed Burch around the ring, but in his lethargy, Burch was able lock in a crossface. Nese rolled out and then hit a corner German suplex followed by the Running Nese and getting the pinfall victory…
Tony Nese defeated Danny Burch.
Anish’s Thoughts: This was a hard hitting match that went back and forth in a good way until Nese was able to force the victory using sheer brute force. Although I may be the only one noticing that Burch has taken a couple of losses in a row on 205 Live, I actually don’t think he has looked too bad regardless. Burch has been involved in competitive matches and still looked credible in all of them, though I hope WWE does notice that he’s been on a downturn and gives him an upturn in the near future.
We saw that after the match and all throughout the break, Nese was arguing with the announcers and essentially saying that he’s the best. We also saw a self-filmed video from Jordan Devlin reacting to the announcement of the interim title. He said that whichever fraud wins the title, he will come and beat them as soon as he can…
Nese was still at ringside while Jack Gallagher made his entrance, saying Gallagher had disrespected him. Gallagher slid out of the ring as soon as he entered and told Nese to bugger off, which Nese obliged to after a face off…
2. Jack Gallagher vs. Oney Lorcan. Gallagher and Lorcan went right at each other, with Lorcan locking in a Full Nelson immediately and trying for a suplex. Gallagher blocked it however, making Lorcan settle for a head scissors lock on the ground. Lorcan laid in the squeeze until eventually Gallagher reversed it into an STF, followed by a back take and some ground and pound.
Gallagher and Lorcan grappled and fought each other on the ground, each giving and taking some kicks and sweep attempts. Lorcan at one point went for a double leg and muscled his way through to an ankle scissors. Gallagher came out on top and forced a lengthy striking exchange on the feet. Lorcan looked to be taking the brunt of the strike exchanged but hit a back suplex out of nowhere.
Gallagher and Lorcan got to their knees and laid a number of strikes into each other’s chests and heads. Gallagher yelled for Lorcan to slot him with strikes and Lorcan obliged, landing at least twenty unanswered, until finally he retaliated and chopped Lorcan’s chest. Gallagher eventually found himself on the wrong end of a lariat, allowing Lorcan to try for a super half and half plex.
Gallagher managed to elbow Lorcan off and hit a cross body out of nowhere. Before he could take advantage, we saw that Tony Nese was at ringside with a chair. Gallagher almost got rolled up and kicked out. However, before Gallagher and Lorcan could get back into it, Nese ran in and caused a double disqualification.
Jack Gallagher fought Oney Lorcan to a Double Disqualification.
Anish’s Thoughts: This match was definitely fun while it lasted. Lorcan and Gallagher really went at it, almost like a much faster paced and harder hitting version of the first match for as long as it ran. I don’t understand the point of the no-contest, and Burch running out to save Lorcan and ward off Nese, although I guess they will get into why this happened in the middle of the tournament in the weeks to come.
Overall, a fair to midland thirty minutes of wrestling. I wish we got a clean finish in the last one, but I’m sure they can run it back. I’m interested as to why the NXT Cruiserweight Title of all titles was singled out as one that needed an interim champion, especially when WWE won’t even give ‘the most exciting hour of sports entertainment’ a full hour.
Jack Gallagher is a star and this in ring performance by all talent was exceptional. Much better than Raw and Smackdown, in my opinion.