By Colin McGuire, ProWrestling.net Contributor
WWE 205 Live
Live from Orlando, Florida at Amway Center
Streamed September 11, 2020 on WWE Network
Ashante “Thee” Adonis made his entrance while Vic Joseph checked in on commentary along with Drew Gulak, who revealed his own “205 Live” T-shirt…
1. Ashante “Thee” Adonis vs. The Brian Kendrick. Joseph noted how these two faced each other two weeks ago, suggesting that perhaps Adonis is actually Tehuti Miles, and, well, yeah, he is.
The two locked up and worked the arms on each other. Kendrick backed Adonis into a corner and a couple pushes took place before Kendrick fell to the mat. Adonis hit a forearm before landing a cross-body block for a two count.
Adonis hit an impressive dropkick for a two count. Kendrick hit a right boot to knock Adonis to the mat. Kendrick put Adonis into a stretch palm submission hold. He then landed some elbows into Adonis’s jaw and got a two count.
Kendrick hit some kicks and Adonis countered with his own kicks. Adonis went for a cross-body and missed. Kendrick pushed Adonis into the ropes, complete with a couple boots to land a choke. He then went back to his arm lock as the two worked on the canvass.
Adonis hit a clothesline out of the corner. Both wrestlers struggled to their feet as Adonis went on the offensive. He hit a spine-buster on Kendrick for a really good two count. Adonis missed a kick and Kendrick hit a schoolboy for two count. Adonis came back and landed a kick for a very close near-fall.
Kendrick hit a single-leg lariat for a two count. Adonis landed a DDT and jawed at Kendrick. He got a two count before Kendrick maneuvered Adonis into a submission hold as Adonis acted cocky. Kendrick got the win after Adonis tapped out.
The Brian Kendrick defeated Ashante “Thee” Adonis in 7:38.
After the match, Kendrick told Adonis he was a star in the making while the two engaged in a handshake. “Remember to take advantage of your resources,” Kendrick told Adonis.
McGuire’s Musings: I was actually expecting Ashante to win because of the repackaging. It makes little to no sense to run a match back from two weeks ago with a very similar finish, no matter whose name was changed. Either way, I’m still holding out hope that Kendrick becomes a mentor-type figure for Miles … er … Ashante. And the post-match exchange would suggest that’s still on the table. Meanwhile, the story of Adonis’s arrogance is getting old quick when you combine it with the notion that it’s the same story they told with Miles.
2. “Ever Rise” Matt Martel and Chase Parker vs. Andrew and Erik Lockhart. Ever-Rise had their entrance televised while the Lockharts were already in the ring. Parker hit a quick dropkick before a backbreaker/kick combo took down one of the Lockharts. Parker hit an elbow into the lower back off a springboard from Martel, who yelled for Legado Del Fantasma. “You picked the wrong day,” Parker yelled at the Lockharts. They hit “tag-team tandem offense,” as Joseph said, and got the 1, 2, 3.
“Ever Rise” Matt Martel and Chase Parker defeated Andrew and Erik Lockhart in 2:16.
McGuire’s Musings: A quick squash for Ever-Rise, which, frankly, they needed. Where this puts them going forward, we’ll have to see. Perhaps Lorcan and Burch lose to Wilde and Mendoza to set up the third time in four weeks the two teams work together? Let’s see.
3. Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch vs. “Legado Del Fantasma” Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza (w/Santos Escobar). Escobar led his guys out in a tuxedo. The heels looked confident coming into the ring. Lorcan and Wilde began the match with Lorcan going on the offensive.
Lorcan sunk in a head-scissors before Wilde popped up and hit a dropkick into Lorcan’s “injured” arm. Mendoza tagged in and Fantasma hit some tag moves. Lorcan got back in control and landed a tag to Burch, who hit an uppercut with his elbow. Burch worked the arm and then got Mendoza into a headlock.
Burch tagged Lorcan in for a double suplex. Escobar acted confident outside while Burch and Lorcan hit more tandem moves. At one point, Mendoza hit Lorcan with a cross-body block from the top rope. Mendoza tagged in Wilde and the two isolated Burch.
Mendoza and Wilde landed a double basement dropkick for a two-count. Mendoza then controlled Burch with an arm lock. Wilde tagged in and Burch got some offense in before Wilde went for a dropkick that missed. Burch landed the hot tag and cleaned house.
Lorcan hit a blockbuster and tagged Burch in. Burch hit a DDT and Mendoza broke up a very close pin. Burch hit a German suplex on Wilde before Escobar hopped up on the apron to break it up. Ever-Rise came out to confront Escobar and roughed him up. Wilde then rolled up Burch with a handful of tights while the outside commotion went down and he got the pin.
“Legado Del Fantasma” Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza defeated Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan in 7:17.
Legado Del Fantasma celebrated up the ramp to end the show.
McGuire’s Musings: A whole lot of work for very little. If we are going in the direction of Ever-Rise, Lorcan/Burch, Wilde/Mendoza working together, that’s fine, but the last time I checked, there are no “205 Live” tag-team titles. I like Escobar showing up on the show (because he is the Cruiserweight Champ, after all), but right now, it feels like there is no forward movement for a lot of what the main event picture is.
Overall, this was a missable episode. I’m happy to see Tehuti Miles get a reboot … but what did it lead to? Nothing. The answer is nothing. Either way, my hope is he aligns with The Brian Kendrick and those two somehow get into the top level of the 205 card. Hey. Let me dream. My audio reviews of 205 Live are available for Dot Net Members every Saturday.
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