By Anish Vishwakoti, ProWrestling.net Staffer, (@AVX_9001)
WWE 205 Live
Taped earlier in the day in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed June 26, 2020 on WWE Network
While a large number of the WWE roster potentially infected with or possibly at risk of contracting COVID-19, 205 Live rolled onward behind the WWE Performance Center plexiglass, with a one match show. Byron Saxton and Drew Gulak were on commentary.
Anish’s Thoughts: It’s an interesting move to put Gulak on commentary, but I like his talking so I welcome it.
1. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott vs. Tony Nese. The wrestlers circled each other and locked up for a second before Nese stopped to flex. Scott and Nese re-engaged, with Nese taking Scott’s back and trying to muscle him to the ground. Nese managed to keep Scott on his back for a second, but Scott managed to escape and push Nese to the ropes.
Nese went for a leg trip and grabbed a hold of Scott’s ankle, trying to take away Scott’s base, but Scott was able to reverse the hold into a wrist lock. Nese pushed Scott into the corner and rushed into him prompting an arm drag exchange between the two, with Nese ending up in a headlock. The two continued to go back and forth, with Nese almost managing to get Scott into a cloverleaf hold, but Scott managed to transition into a chin lock again.
Nese finally pushed Scott off and changed strategy, hitting Scott with some kicks, and while this stunned Scott, he was able to take back control, grabbing another wrist lock and forcing Nese to the ground. Nese at one point made his way to the ropes to force a break, and with Scott frustrated and arguing with the ref, Nese hit him with a hotshot.
Scott followed Nese outside and didn’t relent even after taking the hotshot, ramming Nese’s head into the apron and the post. Before Scott was able to roll Nese back into the ring, Nese caught him on the apron and hit him with a Back suplex on the hardest part of the ring. Nese followed up on Scott with more strikes and hammer threw him into the turnbuckle, although he only got a two count after this.
Nese took his time stomping Scott, allowing Scott to bounce back and strike at him, but Nese hit him with a leg trip when he tried to bounce off the ropes. Nese followed up with a Springboard Moonsault but only got a two count. Nese hit another couple of back Suplexes on Scott and again only got a two count. Nese then tried to hit Scott with a standing suplex, but Scott reversed and hit one of his own. Scott then went to the top rope, but Nese smacked him and followed him up there.
Nese tried for a superplex, but Scott was able to push him off and tried for a sunset flip, but Nese rolled out and hit a soccer ball kick. Nese got another two count and quickly locked in a body scissors. Scott hit Nese with some strikes and escaped, prompting a slapping exchange between the two. Nese put up a fight, but Scott landed more shots and was able to toss Nese down and hit him with a middle rope uppercut to the back of Nese’s head.
Nese rolled to the outside, but Scott followed him there and hit him with an apron kick, and right after hit a rolling flatliner. Scott got a two count from this, and tried to lock in an ankle lock, but Nese escaped and tried for a middle rope dropkick. Scott dodged and put Nese down to try for the House Call but Nese escaped. The two each tried for kicks, with Nese catching Scott as he went for a dropkick and locked in a Boston Crab. Scott took some damage but was able to roll out and hit Nese straight in the face to get him off.
Scott tried to Irish whip Nese, but he reversed into a pump-handle slam which got him two count. Nese then put Scott in place for the running knee wash but Scott was able to toss Nese to the apron. Scott rolled to the outside where Nese cartwheeled over him and rammed him into the stairs. Nese then rolled him into the ring and hit a clean 450 Splash, but Scott just got this hand to the ropes.
Nese then went straight outside and grabbed a steel chair. Nese took too long arguing with the ref about the chair however, allowing Scott to recover and trip him on the apron right into a boot to the face. Scott then hit a slingshot elbow and tossed Nese into the ring and hit a top rope foot stomp to get the pinfall victory.
Isaiah Scott defeated Tony Nese.
Anish’s Thoughts: This was a really great match. In the midst of everything that is going on and just the general chaos of the wrestling world right now, this was a solid singles match between two great competitors. Nese and Scott basically took half the match each, and with Nese being the heel he played it perfectly to make Scott look good as well as give himself a reason to lose without looking completely incompetent. I don’t want to complain, but it really is annoying that these guys are essentially working towards an NXT Cruiserweight Title shot that will undoubtedly occur on NXT television as opposed to 205 Live. Other than that however, for what this match was, it was great.
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