By Anish Vishwakoti, ProWrestling.net Staffer, (@AVX_9001)
WWE 205 Live (Episode 230)
Orlando, Florida at Capitol Wrestling Center (WWE PC)
Streamed May 7, 2021 on WWE Network
Tom Phillips and Nigel McGuinness were on commentary and welcomed us to 205 Live…
1. Ari Sterling vs. Samir Singh. The newly debuting Ari Sterling took on Samir to open the show, with Samir immediately taking Sterling’s back and dropping him to the ground for a headlock. Sterling countered to a headlock of his own, with Samir shooting him off the ropes, only to be met by a shoulder block and an arm drag. Sterling then hit Samir with a dropkick and forced him to the outside. With Samir out, Sterling hit a top rope seated moonsault to the outside and rolled Samir back into the ring.
Sterling then kicked Samir and hit a Sunset Flip roll up but only got a two count. Sterling tried to follow up with a cravat, but Samir countered and threw him off before hitting a gut kick and causing Sterling to miss a dropkick before tossing him over the rope to the outside. Samir then started pounding on Sterling before trying for a Boston Crab which he locked in near the ropes. Sterling tried to turn to get to the ropes and after some struggle was able to make it to break the hold.
Samir then tried for another Boston Crab but Sterling countered and jumped to his feet, hitting Samir with a wheel kick, he tried for another and once again found himself being turned into a Boston Crab. Sterling struggled again and kicked Samir off. Sterling rocked Samir with a pair of clotheslines and hit a rolling wheel kick before trying for a scoop slam. Samir countered into a roll up but couldn’t get the three count. Samir tried to follow up with a Tornado DDT but Sterling tossed him off and followed up with a rolling Sidewalk Slam for the victory.
Ari Sterling defeated Samir Singh.
Anish’s Thoughts: This was a strange choice of debut match for Sterling just because he is clearly positioned as a face, and while The Bollywood Boyz are heels, Samir and Sunil have been portrayed very likably over the past months. A good match no doubt, but I would have thought that keeping The BollyRise story isolated would have made more sense, and since I don’t see Sterling continuing a program with them, I thought they could have given him a different first opponent to start building a story.
After the match we saw a recap of NXT and Legado Del Fantasma’s callout of Kushida and MSK for the NXT Cruiserweight Title and NXT Tag Titles respectively…
Before the next match, August Grey cut a promo to introduce Ikemen Jiro, who came out wearing a bright yellow blazer with his face emblazoned on it. Speaking of attire, interestingly Nese and Daivari came out wearing matching gear (I believe it was the first time)…
2. August Grey and Ikemen Jiro vs. Ariya Daivari and Tony Nese. The match started with Ikemen doing a cartwheel and locking up with Nese only to be pushed into the corner, with his jacket on. They locked up again with Nese shoulder blocking Jiro to the mat only for Jiro to kip up a pair of times. When Nese tried to rush in for a strike, Jiro met him with a fist and tossed him into the corner, tagging in Grey. Nese immediately got a hold of Grey and muscled him to Daivari however where the two doubled up on Grey and beat him down in the corner.
Daivari then tied Grey up in the ropes and struck at him some more before chopping grey and whipping him to the ropes, only for Grey to come back and counter with a head scissors whip. Daivari however responded with a running cross body and tried for a scoop slam, but Grey tagged in Jiro who rushed Daivari and when whipped into the corner, did a handstand and taunted Daivari into a kick before hitting the interfering Nese with a bulldog.
Daivari caught Jiro with a strike to the back from the distraction and tagged Nese in who stomped Jiro and now kicked him in the corner. Daivari and Nese tagged in and out, beating Jiro down before chopping him elbowing him. Daivari tried for a cover but only got a two count, he then whipped Jiro into a Sleeper hold trying to put him out, but Jiro was able to struggle and hit Daivari with a jawbreaker.
Nese tagged in and hit Jiro with a Throwback and a kick to the face for another two count. Nese then picked Jiro up and whipped him into another sleeper, but this time Jiro hit a Back Suplex to counter. Jiro and Nese both tagged their partners, with Grey smacking Daivari with some strikes and a clothesline, neckbreaker combo before hitting Daivari with a backdrop. Grey then hit Nese with a Hotshot Senton and a flying cross body for a two count.
Grey tried to tag in Jiro but Jiro was still down, allowing Daivari to counter with a twisting Suplex for a two count. Grey tried to set Daivari up for the Unprettier, but Daivari pushed him off, and Nese held him from the outside, allowing Daivari to hit a superkick and Nese to hit a Springboard moonsault. Grey kicked out of the cover, prompting Daivari and Nese to try a double suplex but Jiro pulled him out and prompted a four man brawl, ending with Jiro getting hit by a Kitchen Sink and kick to the face from Nese.
Daivari and Nese then hit Grey with a Dominator and Clothesline combo to try end it but Jiro broke up the pinfall and tagged in the fatigued Grey. Jiro then rushed Nese with palm strikes and hit Nese with a jumping kick and a scissors whip to the outside before goading Daivari there too and hitting a middle rope moonsault on both his opponents.
Jiro then went to the top rope and hit Nese with a rolling Senton, only getting a two count as Daivari pulled him out of the ring. Grey followed up on Daivari with a Suicide Dive, allowing Jiro to pull Nese back in and hit a running kick to the face to get the pinfall victory.
August Grey and Ikeman Jiro defeated Tony Nese and Aria Daivari.
Anish’s Thoughts: A really fun tag team match. I liked how they debuted Jiro here as pairing him with Grey, who has been battling Daivari and Nese’s gatekeeper mentality of 205 Live, made sense. Jiro also plays off Grey’s character well with both seemingly being fun focused characters who can bring it in the ring. Once again, Daivari and Nese have been up and down results wise, but never look out of it or weak. Rather, the came off as very much being caught off guard by the novelty and unorthodox style of Jiro, which plays into the story of the old guard despising change.
Overall a mixed 205 Live show with a very good debut in the main event, and a strangely booked one to open up the show, not that it was a bad match or anything.
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