By Anish Vishwakoti, ProWrestling.net Staffer, (@AVX_9001)
WWE 205 Live (Episode 212)
Orlando, Florida at Capitol Wrestling Center (WWE PC)
Streamed January 1, 2021 on WWE Network
The show opened with a quick introduction from the broadcast team of Vic Joseph and Nigel McGuinness while Mansoor Al Shehail was entering. Before the opening match, we saw a promo about Mansoor filmed in Riyadh in Saudi looking at where Mansoor grew up. He talked about it being a dream come true that WWE had a show in Saudi Arabia.
1. Mansoor vs. Jake Atlas. The wrestlers started with a sound lockup before Atlas tripped Mansoor and applied pressure on his wrist. Mansoor came back and shot Atlas off the ropes before using the turnbuckle to execute a pair of headlock takeovers and gain control. Mansoor tried to wear Atlas down, but he was able to get back to his feet and force a running exchange in which he backflipped to dodge a clothesline and turn Mansoor right into another wrist lock.
Mansoor used the ropes to arm drag his way out, but Atlas met him with an arm drag of his own to which Mansoor responded with another. Mansoor then used a leg lock to down Atlas and apply pressure to his left leg. Mansoor followed up by heading to the ropes and rolling into the ring to trap Atlas with a Single Leg Crab.
Atlas struggled and was able to kick Mansoor off into the turnbuckle and followed up with chops and a Neckbreaker for a two count. Atlas used a cravat to follow up and try and take the air out of Mansoor, but Mansoor was able to escape to the corner. Atlas pushed Mansoor into the ropes and hit a rope hung neckbreaker for another two count before once again locking in the cravat.
Mansoor escaped again and this time kicked Atlas out from the corner and followed up after Atlas backflipped out of another clothesline to hit Atlas with a Dragon screw to focus on the knee of Atlas. Mansoor used a Single leg Crab for a second again before hitting a Spinebuster in between and locking it one more time. Atlas crawled to the ropes and broke the hold and forcing the two to engage again.
Mansoor and Atlas each went back and forth with backslides until eventually Atlas was able to goad Mansoor into another Neckbreaker for a two count. Atlas tried for a Suplex but Mansoor rolled him up forcing the two to exchange pinning combinations. Eventually Atlas got Mansoor into Suplex position again and hit a Brainbuster to down him.
Atlas went to the top rope but Mansoor got up and hit a Dragon Screw before rolling him up and sitting on the knee of Atlas to get a roll up pin victory.
Mansoor defeated Jake Atlas.
Anish’s Thoughts: This was a fast-paced opening match between the two who both did a great job of making each other’s moves look good. They each used a simple moveset, with lots of neckbreakers and submission moves in repeating pattern telling a clear story about Mansoor chopping away at Atlas’s legs while Atlas kept coming at Mansoor with neckbreakers. Mansoor’s undefeated streak continues and he continues to get wins in different ways which keeps his matches interesting, it certainly helps that he get matched up with great partners.
We saw a backstage promo by Curt Stallion talking about how he found some tag team partners for himself in Ever Rise to set up the six-man tag team match tonight. They had a pretty funny exchange about Ever Rise thinking Stallion is a cowboy and setting up an interesting dynamic where Stallion is a face while Ever Rise continue to seem like annoying heels.
2. Curt Stallion and “Ever Rise” Matt Martel and Chase Parker vs. Ariya Daivari and “The Bollywood Boyz” Sunil Singh and Samir Singh. Before the match even started, Daivari started berating the Bollywood Boyz, demonstrating that they were not on the same page. Stallion and Daivari started in the ring, with Daivari shooting Stallion off the ropes and hitting him with a Kitchen Sink knee. Daivari then placed Stallion in the corner and chopped him, Stallion chopped back once but Daivari hit a back suplex.
Daivari refused to tag in either of the Singh brothers and instead kicked Stallion down to the ground for a two count. Stallion then hit Daivari with a dropkick of his own. This allowed Samir to make a blind tag but was met with a dropkick of his own. Stallion then tagged in Martel. Sunil tried to help his brother out and tagged in, but Martel downed them both with a clothesline and tagged in Parker and hit a backbreaker and running kick combo.
Stallion and Ever Rise tagged in and out smoothly, hitting Sunil with a triple fist drop and tagging in and out. Eventually Martel pushed Sunil into the corner, allowing Samir to tag in sneakily and jump Martel from behind. The Singhs then hit Martel with a double suplex. The Singhs now tagged in and out, ignoring Daivari in retaliation for him ignoring them earlier.
At one-point, Samir hit Martel with a Bulldog and used a headlock but Martel fought out and hammer threw Samir into the turnbuckle leaving both men down. Samir was able to trap Martel and get the tag to Sunil who grounded Martel again and then tagged in Daivari. Martel and Daivari both tried for a backslide before rocking each other with a running clothesline. Stallion and Samir tagged in with Stallion knocking Samir into the corner and hitting a basement dropkick followed by a whip up DDT.
Stallion got a two count and pushed Samir into the corner, allowing all three men to work on Samir. Daivari tried to block a cross body from Stallion giving Samir the chance to tag in his brother. Sunil hit Stallion with a wheel kick for a two count before tagging in a newly energized Daivari. Stallion goaded Samir into a top rope maneuver which hit Daivari and once again prompted dissent.
While the Singhs and Daivari argued on the outside, Stallion hit a diving moonsault to wipe them all out. Ever Rise now hit Samir with a double Stun Gun before allowing Stallion to hit a running uppercut, giving Parker the chance to get the pinfall victory.
Ever Rise and Curt Stallion defeated The Bollywood Boyz and Ariya Daivari.
Anish’s Thoughts:It’s as if whoever is booking 205 Live is reading my reviews, because this chaotic heel filled matchup was exactly how I was hoping this rivalry between Ever Rise and the Bollywood Boyz would continue. I like that Stallion was the lone face in this entire match, making for an interesting dynamic in which he almost endeared Ever Rise to the audience, meanwhile Daivari and his prodding of The Bollywood Boyz brought their side of the operation down.
Really fun stuff all around, the pre-match promo really set up how both teams would do paired together, and I really liked how Daivari instigated and brought upon dissent, giving the Bollywood Boyz a reason for coming up short again. I am beginning to think that Stallion is being given the short end of the stick in the Cruiserweight title picture, given that he doesn’t seem to be getting a title shot anytime soon.
I hope that does happen, but in the meanwhile I continue to enjoy the Bollywood Boyz continued hunt for a victory against Ever Rise. Canada runs 205 Live right now.
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