By Anish Vishwakoti, ProWrestling.net Staffer, (@AVX_9001)
WWE 205 Live (Episode 238)
Orlando, Florida at Capitol Wrestling Center (WWE PC)
Streamed July 2, 2021 on WWE Network
205 Live kicked off with an advertisement for the NXT Breakout Tournament, including some qualifying matches that would be taking place during the show… Vic Joseph and Nigel McGuinness were on commentary for…
1. Guru Raaj vs. Andre Chase to qualify for the NXT Breakout Tournament. The two started circling and engaged in a lockup with Raaj trying to take Chase’s arm only for the two to each roll out of the others arm locks. Chase was eventually able to transition to a headlock and was shot off the ropes, hitting Raaj with a shoulder block and trying for a continued running exchange, with Raaj then taking Chase over with a headlock. Raaj continued to maintain the headlock, keeping Chase grounded until Chase was able to shoot him off the ropes and hit another forearm to knock Raaj down.
Chase and Raaj then exchanged chops with Raaj forcing Chase into the corner and using a shoulder thrust followed by a Monkey Flip to try for a roll up. The two then exchanged pin attempts, with both kicking out followed by Chase using some ground and pound to keep Raaj down. Chase then got his back on the chops by using one big chop to knock Raaj to the mat. Chase and Raaj once again entered a running exchange with Chase knocking Raaj down once more and getting a two count. Raaj tried to fight back with some strikes but Chase went for a suplex.
Raaj reversed into a small package, but Chase kicked out and hit another running strike to knock Raaj back down again. Chase then followed up with a straight jacket and some elbows to the traps of Raaj. Chase wrenched on the straight jacket although to little avail and Raaj seemed to stare into the distance and rally before slotting Chase with some strikes, building a little bit of space and hitting a faux Northern Lights Suplex to break Chase’s advantage.
Raaj then hit a trio of clotheslines and shoulder thrusts on Andre followed by a sound Bulldog and dropkick combo to get a two count. Raaj looked shocked that Andre kicked out of a dropkick and followed up with a series of kicks, however Chase was able to reverse and force Raaj into the corner where he hit a running knee from the apron, followed by a Slingshot Stunner and a Fisherman’s Suplex to get the pinfall victory…
Andre Chase defeated Guru Raaj to qualify for the NXT Breakout Tournament.
Anish’s Thoughts: This was kind of a nothing match in my opinion, I don’t mind NXT qualifying matches in the slightest but neither Raaj nor Chase did anything outstanding. If you’re going to put something different and new on 205, then great, but at least give the competitors the free rein to do anything except the most paint by numbers 205 Live match I’ve ever seen. I admire Raaj’s facials because of how expressive they were but I can’t help but feel that he employed them at odd times which threw me off a little. Really not much to comment on how this could lead to more on 205 because it was such a throw away, but I hope Chase and Raaj at least get a better chance at some point…
2. Desmond Troy vs. Joe Gacy in an NXT Breakout Tournament qualifier. Both wrestlers went straight in for a hard lockup with Gacy forcing Troy into the corner for a second before Troy hit a double leg to trip Gacy and force him to the ropes. Troy tried to force another takedown, with Gacy managing to evade for a while before eventually succumbing and being forced into a running exchanged in which Troy hit a jumping cross body.
Troy then hit another takedown and used an arm lock for a second, smiling at the crowd while doing so until eventually Gacy muscled out of it and tried for a wrist lock. Troy was wise to it and ditched the hold for another running attack, but this time Gacy used a strike to daze Troy and transitioned into an arm lock of his own. The crowd rallied behind Troy, willing into hitting a traditional Fireman’s Carry takeover to build some space.
Gacy recovered quickly and chased Troy down with some clotheslines and a Back Suplex for a two count, keeping the pressure on a still dazed Desmond. Desmond sat up, while still in the arm lock, making Gacy to move into a Cravat and to ramp up the pressure. Eventually, Troy was able to get to his feet, but Gacy just chapped him raw in the corner before whipping him between turnbuckles and interlacing some strikes.
Gacy tried his luck one too many times, with Troy ducking a fourth turnbuckle attack attempt, giving him enough space to hit a pair of belly-to-belly suplexes and a corner Cross body, followed by a Northern Lights Suplex for a two count. Troy’s straps were let down and he tried to set Gacy up for a finisher, but Gacy smacked him to the outside. As Troy got back into the ring he used a delayed sunset gutwrench suplex, followed by two more for another two count.
Troy pounded at Gacy’s back to try and wear him down, but this strategy allowed Gacy to get back into it and win out using strikes, and using a uranage, followed by an impressive handspring running clothesline to get the pinfall victory…
Joe Gacy defeated Desmond Troy to qualify for the NXT Breakout Tournament.
Anish’s Thoughts: Now this was a great use of NXT Breakout matches on 205 Live. I don’t know if either of these guys was a Cruiserweight and I don’t care because they provided something different on the show. Troy and Gacy had such unique and opposite styles that it made for a fun watch, with Troy being genuinely likable in his mannerisms and having a fun, athletic, Olympic style Wrestling repertoire. I wish Raaj and Andre had the chance to have a fun match like this, because this was a great use of 205 by Troy and Gacy. It was announced that we will see more NXT Breakout Tournament matches on the show, so I hope they use this little break between standard 205 action to revamp the show now that a giant part of the old guard is no longer with WWE. My weekly audio reviews of 205 Live are available for Dot Net Members on Friday nights or Saturday mornings each week.
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