By Anish Vishwakoti, ProWrestling.net Staffer, (@AVX_9001)
WWE 205 Live (Episode 222)
Orlando, Florida at Capitol Wrestling Center (WWE PC)
Streamed March 12, 2021 on WWE Network
Vic Joseph and Nigel McGuinness were on commentary. For the opening match, they were joined by “Ever-Rise” Matt Martel and Chase Parker, who shook hands and welcomed The Bollywood Boyz at ringside.
Anish’s Thoughts: Obviously, this was the perfect show opening for me.
1. “The Bollywood Boyz” Sunil Singh and Samir Singh vs. Mansoor and Curt Stallion. The two to start the match were Mansoor and Samir Singh who locked up and traded arm locks. Samir tried a quick pair of pinfalls but Mansoor rolled out and reversed a backslide attempt into a headlock and allowed his brother to make a blind tag to hit Mansoor with a double shoulder block.
Sunil used an arm lock as well and after a wringer tagged in Samir, although Mansoor got the jump on them and hit them both with a pair of dropkicks. Stallion signaled for the tag but Mansoor ignored him and in doing so was jumped by Samir who knocked Mansoor down and tagged in his brother. The Singhs tagged in and out, hitting Mansoor with a double suplex and continued to welp on him in the corner.
Sunil used a Snapmare to a chin lock, coming close to putting Mansoor to sleep but Mansoor worked to his feet, Sunil transitioned to a Full Nelson allowed Samir to hit a jumping Ax Handle. Sunil followed up with an elbow drop for a two count. Samir and Sunil tried for the Bollywood Blast but Mansoor tossed Samir into his brother. Mansoor hesitated getting the tag to Stallion, allowing Samir to tag in and drag him to the corner.
Both Bollywood Boyz tried to rush the ring, but Mansoor hit them each with a series of clotheslines, and Atomic Drop and a Spinebuster, followed up by a Bulldog on Samir. He followed up with the Slingshot Neckbreaker on Samir but couldn’t get the pinfall victory as Stallion made the blind tag and headbutted a groggy Samir before pinning the downed Sunil to get the victory for himself.
Mansoor and Curt Stallion defeated The Bollywood Boyz.
Anish’s Thoughts: Maybe it’s the fact that I grew up in the Middle East, but I continue to like this continuing Mansoor Saudi Streak storyline more and more. This was a very big match for him, as it was essentially a handicap against the Bollywood Boyz and a showcase of Mansoor’s resilience. It really made it look like any regular heel shenanigans aren’t enough to beat him. Stallion played his role very well and sold his frustration and desire to beat Mansoor with his facial expressions. Great job by the Bollywood Boyz selling and making Mansoor look strong and by Ever Rise on commentary to sell and really tell this continued BollyRise storyline. On a side note, Mansoor has the most generic plucky babyface music in the world, that definitely needs to change.
After the match we saw a promo from Jordan Devlin, the man who never technically lost the NXT Cruiserweight Championship (and for all intents and purposes has been defending his title on NXT UK). He checked in from an airport and stated that he would be at NXT Takeover Stand & Deliver…
2. August Grey vs. Ariya Daivari. There was a strong lockup to start the match. Daivari forced Grey into the corner where the pair exchanged shoves before locking up again, with Daivari hitting a shoulder block and grabbing a head lock. Grey reversed with Daivari trying to shoot him off the ropes repeatedly, however Grey held strong and used a takeover to ground Daivari for a second.
Daivari tried for a back suplex but Grey blocked and used another takeover to keep Daivari down. Daivari then got up and did what worked earlier just shoving Grey to the ropes. Daivari whipped Grey to the ropes but Grey just bounced back with a Head Scissors whip and a pair of clotheslines before going right back to the headlock.
Grey was shot off the ropes again but hit a shoulder block. Instead of going back to the headlock he tried for another running move but Daivari got the knee up, prompting an exchange of maneuvers ending with Daivari rolling out of an Unprettier attempt to the outside.
Grey followed him out there but Daivari rolled in and dropkicked Grey as he tried to re-enter the ring. Daivari then followed Grey outside once more and hit a neckbreaker at ringside. Daivari rolled into the ring and tried for the cover but only got a two count. Daivari then tried for a backslide but after some struggle from Stallion had to settle for a Lariat and some elbows to the traps of Stallion.
Daivari then tried for a chin lock but Grey quickly bucked him off and prompted a striking exchange. Grey was whipped to the corner but got a boot up and tried for the Unprettier, however Daivari reversed straight into a reverse DDT. Daivari got another two count and tried for the splash but Grey rolled out of the way and laid into Daivari with some chops.
Daivari tried to escape by tossing Grey to the ropes but Grey did not relent and forced a double clothesline, downing both men. They both got to their feet, but Grey got the jump on Daivari and hit a series of chops followed by some clotheslines and a neckbreaker. Grey followed up with a modified Emerald Flowsion but Daivari kicked out. Grey tried for his Unprettier but Daivari blocked and tried for a Suplex. Grey reversed and hit a Curtain Call but again only got a two count.
Grey rushed at Daivari who crawled to the corner but Daivari rolled out the way and hit a head kick before propping Grey to the top rope and hitting the Iconoclasm, which McGuinness surprisingly called by name! Daivari then hit the top rope splash but only got a two count. Daivari then tried for the Figure Four but Grey pushed him off and hit a modified Crucifix pin for another two count. Daivari rolled to the apron and tried to ram Grey’s head on the corner, but Grey blocked and hit him with an Apron STO followed by a Suicide Dive.
Grey tried to follow up with a Springboard Cross body but Daivari rolled out of the way leaving nobody home. Grey however tried for a Sunset Flip but Daivari rolled him up with his hand on the ropes. The official forced the pinfall to be broken up allowed Grey to Superkick a distracted Daivari. Grey then followed up with a roll up with his feet on the ropes to get the pinfall victory.
August Grey defeated Ariya Daivari.
Anish’s Thoughts: This was a very interesting match in that it didn’t contain anything ultra-special, but it unfolded in an interesting enough manner to keep me guessing. I really liked the headlock interplay between the two at the start of the match and that simple story made the match dynamic from the get-go. They continued to ramp things up in a relatively predictable fashion and switched it up right at the end when Daivari got what seemed like too annoyed at the referee calling him on his hand on the ropes, which we subsequently realized was in order for Grey to then roll up Daivari illegally and give him a taste of his own medicine.
Vic Joseph literally saying that and spelling it out for us might have taken away from any subtlety it had, but either way I think it was an interesting move that keeps Daivari angry and gives Grey an extra layer as a babyface who isn’t above showing heels how its done.
Overall, a pretty solid episode of 205 Live. I loved the continuation of both the stories and the most intriguing thing was the announcement by Jordan Devlin that we will be seeing him in the U.S. for WrestleMania weekend.
On a side note, I interviewed Jason Powell for UCLA Radio, my college radio station, for a part of our pro wrestling series entitled “The Red Carpet to WrestleMania.” We had a chat about his career, the state of pro wrestling and pro wrestling media. It will air this Wednesday and can be found at UCLA Radio on iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud, or our Youtube Channel linked here: https://www.youtube.com/
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