By Anish Vishwakoti, ProWrestling.net Staffer, (@AVX_9001)
WWE 205 Live (Episode 254)
Taped in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed October 22, 2021 on WWE Network
The show opened cold with Amari Miller coming out to the ring with Valentina Feroz. Vic Joseph and Nigel McGuinness were on commentary. There seemed to be some sound mixing issues, with Joseph and McGuinness being rather hard to hear at the start.
1. Amari Miller and Valentina Feroz vs. Katrina Cortez and Yulisa Leon. Feroz and Cortez started in the ring with each trying for a single leg, resulting in a ground based exchange which saw Cortez use a headlock. Feroz got to her feet and shot Cortez off and used a hip toss to break the hold for a second. Cortez got right up and tried to take Feroz’s back before tagging in Leon.
Feroz caught Leon coming in with a Judo toss but Leon got right back up and hit a very cagey rope run arm drag to turn the tides. Cortez tagged in again and hit a middle rope dropkick on Feroz before going to a Sleeper hold. Feroz fought to her feet and rolled Cortez up before getting hit by a double leg takedown. Cortez once more used a headlock, but Feroz was able to fight her off with a series of forearms and a shoddy looking double shoulder block spot to tag in Miller.
Leon tagged in as well and got the better of Miller initially with a few strikes and a Scoop Slam before going for a roll up. Feroz broke it up and prompted a brawl that distracted Leon enough for Miller to hit the Snapmare to knee-jawbreaker to get the pinfall victory…
Amari Miller and Valentina Feroz defeated Katrina Cortez and Yulisa Leon
Anish’s Thoughts: This was a really nothing match. The best part about it was Miller’s entrance music. Nothing really clicked and a fair few of the spots looked rather rough. It also didn’t do much to advance any story so I was pretty disappointed by it’s inclusion.
After the match we saw a promo about Duke Hudson, pitching him as the host of a shady backstage gambling game called “Duke Hudson’s Poker Room”…
Anish’s Thoughts: I’m interested to see what they do with this and whether we will see a lot of Duke Hudson on 205 live. I don’t think he’s a cruiserweight, but that hasn’t seemed to matter much anyway.
2. Malik Blade vs. Duke Hudson. The match started with a strong lockup that saw Hudson shove Blade into the corner while laughing. They locked up again with Blade managing to secure a headlock, if only for a second as Hudson shot him off and hit a shoulder block to knock him to the mat prompting ‘You still suck’ chants. Hudson then goaded Blade to run at him and tossed him over the ropes to the outside. Blade got back into the ring and tried for a drop toe hold, he didn’t get it the first time but persisted and was able to use it to get a headlock.
Blade then prompted a running exchange to trip Hudson again before going back to the headlock. Hudson was a little more worn down this time and Blade was able to hit a dropkick before trying for a Springboard cross body. Hudson caught Blade and hit a Belly to Belly for a two count. Hudson then hit a pair of Scoop slams for another two count before kicking at Blade. Hudson took too long showing off before following up, giving Blade a chance to get back into the match with some strikes and a few clotheslines followed by a jumping dropkick.
Blade then followed up with a corner clothesline and a top rope cross body for a two count. Blade tried for another dropkick but Hudson threw him off and hit a big right hand to set him up for a straight up faceplant into the ground for the pinfall victory…
Duke Hudson defeated Malik Blade.
Anish’s Thoughts: The crowd is very supportive of Blade, and this is for good reason as he is likable and plays of all his opponents well, always managing to look impressive in offense and while selling, giving himself a chance at all times, even if Hudson took the win. Hudson seems like a stereotypical lower tier Bond henchman right now so I don’t know exactly where he goes from here, but he does seem hatable in one way or another so I applaud him for that. Fun finisher as well, I hope he makes good use of that as I can’t think of anyone that really does a face plant like that.
3. Jeet Rama vs. Xyon Quinn. The two shook hands to start before each trying to gain wrist control and take each other’s backs. Quinn managed to gain use of a headlock first to control Rama, before Rama tripped him and used an armbar to control Quinn. The two went back and forth with head and arm locks before eventually, Rama hit a front facelock Suplex for a one count.
Rama then went to an arm trap submission but Quinn very quickly got to his feet but Rama pulled him back down. Quinn got up again and used a Fireman’s carry reversal, but Rama got off his shoulders and went back to an arm trap. Rama then hammer tossed Quinn into the turnbuckle and picked him up to do it again. Quinn reversed the whip this time but was hurt enough that Rama got to his feet first and went back to the arm trap.
This time, Quinn was able to muscle out and hit a big slam to break it, however he only got a one count. Quinn then picked Rama up and hit a running elbow followed by a series of punches and an Atomic Drop, clothesline. Quinn then choke tossed Rama across the ring hit a corner shoulder strikes before hip tossing Rama and hitting a Samoan Drop. Quinn finally set Rama up for a big running forearm to get the pinfall victory.
Xyon Quinn defeated Jeet Rama.
Anish’s Thoughts: Quinn looked fantastic here and rightfully took most of the match, especially at the end, completely stifling any chance of a comeback that Rama had. Rama’s still pretty green clearly so this was the right decision, but if nothing, the crowd does seem to respect him, while being in appreciative awe of Quinn, which was the exact outcome they wanted.
Overall, I think the latter half of this show was very good, I wish they just cut that first match as it didn’t really click and if anything the middle and the main event could have both been even better with some more time so I give them props for finishing strong and putting together a fun half hour of wrestling, even if that first 10 minutes or so was a little bit of a slog.
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