By Anish Vishwakoti, ProWrestling.net Staffer, (@AVX_9001)
WWE 205 Live
Taped earlier in the week in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed May 29, 2020 on WWE Network
The first 205 Live show with a socially distanced Performance Center audience behind the hockey glass was an interesting one, so let’s get right into it. Corey Graves and Byron Saxton were on commentary again…
1. Tyler Breeze vs. Tony Nese. The match was highlighted by the commentators to be important because in Breeze’s debut on 205 Live he beat Tony Nese. Breeze and Nese locked up and each attempted to gain control with Breeze hitting a snapmare and putting Nese in a chin lock to immediately try to wear him down. Nese was eventually able to shoot Breeze off the ropes and flip out of a Sunset Flip attempt to kick Breeze in the face and take control of the match, even getting a two count.
Nese kept Breeze grounded by stomping him the corner and grabbed a body scissors to squeeze the air out of him. The PC crowd rallied behind Prince Pretty and he was able to roll Nese over and strike him to force a release. Nese smacked Breeze in the face when he tried to lunge at him however and followed up with a hotshot and a springboard moonsault, however Breeze got the knees up.
Nese and Breeze then got to their feet with Breeze hitting Nese with a couple of clotheslines and a running kick first. Breeze followed up with a corner forearm and then an upkick before Nese tripped him and attempted another moonsault, this time connecting. Nese went for a cover and only got a two count so he tried to follow up with the Sunset Driver.
Breeze countered and hit Nese with a ‘Big Ending’ which even commentary noted was an odd homage to Big E Langston. This didn’t get him the victory however, so he went to the top turnbuckle which Nese pushed him off. Breeze and Nese each hobbled at each other, with Breeze executing a nice scissors sweep before transitioning to a single leg Boston Crab. Nese was able to crawl to the ropes and force the rope break.
Before Nese could catch a break, Breeze hit him with a cross body and rolled him in to try for a German suplex. Nese flipped out of it and hit Breeze with a kick to the knee before going for the cover and getting a two count. Nese and Breeze then went back and forth with strikes before Breeze hit a spinebuster and got a two count.
Breeze attempted to end the match with an Unprettier, but Nese quickly countered it into a running Nese and got a pinfall victory out of nowhere.
Tony Nese defeated Tyler Breeze.
Anish’s Thoughts: This was the return to action that 205 Live deserved. Breeze and Nese put together a really great match and the back and forth between them had a great flow to it that made both men look good. Breeze looked like he almost had the match won, but Nese took it, without resorting to a roll up with a foot on the ropes or anything like that. The live crowd definitely helped play into Breeze’s character as well, which is a great sign.
Before the main event, we got a recap of Drake Maverick’s victory in the triple threat match on NXT to propel him to the finals of the interim NXT Cruiserweight Title tournament against El Hijo Del Fantasma…
Anish’s Thoughts: Drew Gulak was quickly let go and rehired over the last month, so I could really see Maverick winning the title here. Only time will tell.
2. Tehuti Miles vs. Danny Burch. The commentators made sure to repeat the phrase ‘dripping with swagger’ multiple times about Tehuti Miles, so that seems to be a part of his gimmick. Burch and Miles started the match locking up with Miles muscling Burch away from him and yelling insults.
Burch rushed at Miles, prompting him to duck out of the ring. Burch and Miles re-engaged with Miles taking Burch’s back and tripping him, but instead of following up, he taunted Burch again, this time Burch retaliated with a smack to the face and a strong headlock. Burch also used a number of face strikes to up the offense against him.
Miles shot Burch off the ropes but was met with a shoulder tackle and a leg trip slam, before Burch hit him with a couple of European Uppercuts to ground Miles. Burch then rammed Miles head into the turnbuckle before chopping him and stomping him into the corner. Miles attempted a desperate grab and forced Burch to the apron, where he hit Burch with a high angle dropkick to turn the tides.
Miles rolled Burch back into the ring and hit him with some ground and pound. Miles followed up with some strikes and then a neckbreaker before using a chin lock on Burch. The Englishman did not submit however, so Miles hit another neckbreaker before going back to the chin lock. Burch was eventually able to break out and force a striking exchange. Burch won out with a Missile Dropkick and then hit a German suplex followed by a clothesline to get the crowd hyped up. Burch tried to end it with another clothesline, but Miles got a quick roll up to get the pinfall victory.
Tehuti Miles defeated Danny Burch.
Anish’s Thoughts: This match was a little slower paced and the way in which it unfolded left a little bit to be desired. Even though Miles came up with the victory here, I struggle to see it doing anything aside from setting up the standard rematch feud with Burch. Miles only had an offense consisting of neckbreaker and chin locks here and maybe in some settings that could have made for a great main event, but it did not end up making that much of an impression here.
Overall, this show was definitely better than recent ones for the sole reason of there being a crowd there to play into the action. I definitely think that the main event and the opener could have switched places, that might have made for a show that flowed better, even the crowd full of WWE employees that are being paid to watch a WWE show felt a little more subdued in the main as opposed to the opener. However, everything considered this was a good show overall, and I hope WWE try to use this slot for more.
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