By Anish Vishwakoti, ProWrestling.net Staffer, (@AVX_9001)
WWE 205 Live
Taped last week in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed July 10, 2020 on WWE Network
Byron Saxton and Corey Graves were on commentary, with the match kicking off cold with the opening match…
1. Mansoor vs. Tehuti Miles. I am extremely glad that we get to see the undefeated (in Saudi Arabia) Mansoor on 205 Live. Miles took his time sauntering to the ring and did not rush into action when the bell rang. Miles started the match with a weak leg kick on Mansoor before Mansoor went for a double leg takedown. Miles kicked Mansoor off and hit a reverse snapmare followed by a shoulder block.
Miles took too long taunting Mansoor, allowing the Saudi native to trip him and use a headlock. Miles however shot Mansoor off the ropes and hit him with a trip of his own followed by a headlock. Mansoor tried to shoot Miles off, but Miles kept hold and went to mat. Mansoor used a back trip to escape and hit a pair of arm drags on Miles. When Mansoor went for the third arm drag, Miles backed off and forced Mansoor to the ground.
Mansoor however did not waste any time and jumped on Miles with a clothesline and then one again to the outside. Before Mansoor could take advantage, Miles tripped him from the outside and slingshot his neck into the bottom rope back in the ring. Miles then laid into Mansoor with strikes and used the middle rope to choke Mansoor. Miles hit Mansoor with a knee to the back of the neck and went for the cover and got a two count.
Miles continue to hit Mansoor with strikes and used a pair of neckbreakers, each only registering a two count. Miles followed up with a chin lock, Mansoor sold this hold really well but eventually rallied and tossed Miles to the outside. When Miles tried to get back in with a trip, Mansoor reversed into a small package but only got a two count.
Mansoor shot Miles off the ropes and tripped him, before using an Atomic Drop into a spinebuster to stun Miles. Mansoor hit a slingshot neckbreaker on Miles, but Miles was just able to kick out. Mansoor then stomped on Miles before heading to the top rope, but Miles rolled out of the way of his moonsault attempt and hit Mansoor with a Flapjack.
Mansoor attempted a Gutwrench Powerbomb, but Mansoor rolled out and got him in electric chair position and hit a modified One-Winged Angel to get the pinfall victory…
Mansoor defeated Tehuti Miles.
Anish’s Thoughts: Before I get into the match, I just pray that WWE call that finisher the ‘Two-Winged Angel’ and never let anyone kick out of it. This match really overdelivered for me, Miles’ slow pace paid off here as Mansoor really sold the offense he did hit very well. Great job by Mansoor as well to build sympathy and although he didn’t take much of the match, the moves he did hit were memorable and made him look great. I also loved the story of the match revolving around the two continually trying to trip each other, that took this match from being monotonous to pretty unique. On a side note, I continually hate WWE’s tendency to only give people a single name, (Otis, Murphy, Mansoor etc.) It seems especially counter-productive in the case of Mansoor, who is clearly targeted at the MENA market. Imagine trying to get someone over as a star in the Hispanic market but only ever calling him ‘Jose.’ I understand that it sounds unique from an American perspective, but from a Middle Eastern perspective, ‘Mansoor’ as a ring name is just as memorable as just ‘Michael.’ Regardless, I’m glad to see Mansoor stay undefeated even outside of his homeland.
2. NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar (w/Joaquin Wilde, Raul Mendoza) vs. Oney Lorcan in a non-title match. Escobar and Lorcan felt each other off to start with, Escobar doing so in an extremely relaxed and cocky manner. Lorcan had his right arm taped up, seemingly injured, which showed when he chopped Escobar and felt more pain than the smiling Escobar.
Escobar continued to target Lorcan’s arm, using a hammerlock and driving his chin into it before the two broke up and re-engaged. Escobar used a standing Bow-and-Arrow stretch on Lorcan before transitioning to an Omoplata to the injured arm. Escobar kept Lorcan down, until eventually Lorcan got to the ropes. Escobar picked Lorcan up and got hit with a chop but shrugged it off and hit an arm-trap Suplex.
Escobar whipped Lorcan to the ropes and then went to the apron and rammed Lorcan’s arm into the post. Escobar and Lorcan brawled near the turnbuckle, with Escobar wrenching Lorcan’s injured arm onto the turnbuckle and then onto the post before getting into the ring and continuing to pile the pressure onto Lorcan’s arm.
Escobar hit a trip followed by a sweeping kick to Lorcan and then stomped on his arm even more, even running his knee into it. While the crowd chanted for Oney, Escobar used his leg to put Lorcan’s arm into a Hammerlock and used a modified Tequila Sunrise on Lorcan. Escobar relaxed and wrenched on Lorcan’s arm without haste before transitioning to another Omoplata.
Escobar taunted Lorcan and went in for a finishing enziguiri but Lorcan ducked and used his good hand to chop him to the floor. Lorcan screamed a guttural scream and rammed Escobar with a Blockbuster. Lorcan couldn’t cover however as he landed on his arm and staggered to his feet. Escobar recovered in time to hit an armbreaker and followed up with the Phantom Driver to get the pinfall victory…
NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar defeated Oney Lorcan in a non-title match.
Anish’s Thoughts: It’s good to see the NXT Cruiserweight Champion on 205 Live. Escobar being flanked by Wilde and Mendoza was a great visual. This was a really interesting match. I love matches like this where there is a totally unsubtle story, in this case Lorcan’s arm being injured due to his recent match against Timothy Thatcher. Escobar looked cool and composed and has a really great aura about him that makes him dislikable but appreciable at the same time. If I had to pick a singular MVP over the course of 205 Live, it would have to be Lorcan. This match just made me realize that he has probably put over everybody on the roster, meanwhile he still seems like a credible and beloved contender on the show.
Overall, this was a really great show and if I had any complaints it would simply be that I wish the show were longer and these guys were really given a better platform. Also I wish Mansoor’s name was longer, i.e. he had a last name.
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