By Anish Vishwakoti, ProWrestling.net Staffer, (@AVX_9001)
WWE 205 Live (Episode 235)
Orlando, Florida at Capitol Wrestling Center (WWE PC)
Streamed June 11, 2021 on WWE Network
The show opened with the opening signature and Vic Joseph introducing the opening match alongside Nigel McGuinness on commentary. Sunil Singh made his way to the ring and while he convinced Nigel to dance, Vic didn’t cave.
1. Grayson Waller vs. Sunil Singh. Sunil was the first opponent for the debuting Australian, Grayson Waller (formerly Matty Wahlberg). A quick running exchange started the match with Waller cartwheeling over Sunil and almost hitting a kick but instead being met by a wheel kick and a pair of arm drags by Sunil. Sunil then tried for a chicken wing but Waller ran into the middle rope, dragging Sunil’s neck on the top rope before hitting an outside crescent kick to down him for a one count.
Sunil was clearly feeling the damage to his neck and desperately tossed Waller out of the ring. Waller however got right back in and hit another crescent kick before hitting a scoop slam and using a neck crank to continue targeting the neck. Waller then tried to ram Sunil in the corner, but Sunil dodged and was able to hit a pair of Flying Axe Handles. Sunil went for a third but this time Waller countered with a gut kick, a trip and a jumping stomp to get the pinfall victory…
Grayson Waller defeated Sunil Singh.
Anish’s Thoughts: It was interesting to see that Sunil was positioned as an out and out face today. That was a very interesting match, with Waller portraying a very brash and cocky persona, even eliciting a fair amount of sympathy for Sunil. I have to say, Sunil carried the match in the ring, with Waller seeming a little out of sorts with a couple of his moves not really connecting, props to Sunil for still making him look good. Waller’s finisher especially seemed a little awkward even if it was conceptually sound. Extremely short match as well, I don’t think it clocked four minutes…
2. Asher Hale and Ari Sterling vs. Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari. The two to start were Nese and Hale who locked up with Nese pushing Hale into the corner and flexing. They re-engaged, Nese getting his back taken and muscled to the ground for a second before struggling to the ropes. Another lockup with Hale trying for a wrist lock and trapping Nese’s arm for a second. Nese reversed into a headlock, but Hale rolled through into a roll up, forcing Nese to kick out. They exchanged some ground holds for a second but Nese rolled out of the ring and re-entered, this time prompting a test of strength which Hale used to trip Nese and tag in Sterling, hesitantly.
Sterling took over, but was a little lax with the arm lock, allowing Nese to roll out and tag in Daivari. Sterling and Daivari now snatched at each other with Daivari initially gaining arm control until Sterling flipped out and hit an arm wringer to grab an arm lock of his own. Daivari quickly kneed his way out and rammed Sterling into the corner before tagging in Nese.
Nese and Daivari beat Sterling down in the corner before Sterling pushed Nese away and elbowed Daivari off the ropes, building enough space to hit Nese with a head scissors whip, tossing Daivari to the outside and performing a tandem dive with Hale to the outside. Sterling tried to fist bump Hale but Hale left him hanging before tagging in and taking over with an arm lock on Nese. Hale transitioned to a headlock, all the while bragging to Sterling, this allowed Nese to prop him up in the ropes and distract the referee for Daivari to kick Hale in the head.
Nese followed up with a moonsault for a two count and tagged in Daivari who started beating Hale down and followed up with a kitchen sink knee. Daivari rattled off some elbows and knees once more before whipping Hale to the ropes, Hale tried to break and tag Sterling, but Daivari tripped him and dragged him to his corner to tag Nese. Hale was met with some stomps from Nese, followed up by a running forearm and a body scissors to exhaust him. Nese shuffled over to Daivari and tagged him in so Daivari could take over with a scoop slam.
Daivari went to the top rope to try for a dive but Hale rolled out of the way and hit a snap powerslam, giving himself the space to tag Sterling. Nese also tagged in and charged Sterling but was clotheslined to the ground and hit by a wheel kick in quick succession. Sterling then tripped Nese with a kick and hit a rolling heel kick for a two count. Nese was able to block a Suplex attempt and was met with a chop from Sterling and a Pele kick for a two count.
As Sterling tried to follow up, Nese hit a throat chop and forced Sterling into his corner where Hale made a blind tag. Hale rushed his opponents and used Daivari as a base to hit Nese with a Tornado DDT. Hale tried for a crossface on Nese, but Daivari broke it up, only for Sterling to hit him with a knee. Nese then did the same to Sterling and when Hale tried to roll him up, Nese kicked him in the head and tossed him to Daivari who hit a Uranage-Backstabber combo with Nese. Sterling broke up the pinfall attempt however, leaving Daivari and Hale in the ring.
Daivari tried for the Lariat, but Hale countered with a head kick into a pin which Nese broke up. Hale clotheslined Nese over the top rope, and hit Daivari with a corner hip attack before propping him on the top rope. Sterling made the blind tag as Daivari pushed Hale off the top rope. Sterling used Hale as a spring to hit a Frankensteiner on Daivari for a cool near fall as Daivari kicked out.
Sterling and Hale then tried to set up for a tandem move but Nese pushed Sterling into Hale, allowing Nese and Daivari to hit a running Argentine Clutch-Cutter combo for the pinfall victory.
Ariya Daivari and Tony Nese defeated Asher Hale and Ari Sterling.
Anish’s Thoughts: I really loved this match, this was the perfect ‘205 Live, Daivari and Nese heel their way around the newbies’ match. Hale and Sterling couldn’t quite get on the same page and their ego contest allowed Daivari and Nese to execute their well oiled heelish tactics and get the victory. That’s not to say that the match itself wasn’t well worked as well as it was fantastically done and everyone put in a great shift. Props to Daivari, who especially shined both on offense and selling, once again showing himself and Nese off as the standouts on 205 Live. This was a really fun match and a great way to showcase everyone, so great use of the main event tonight even if the opener was a little short.
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