By Anish Vishwakoti, ProWrestling.net Staffer, (@AVX_9001)
WWE 205 Live (Episode 258)
Taped in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed November 19, 2021 on WWE Network
The broadcast team of Vic Joseph and Nigel McGuinness welcomed everyone to the show and we went straight into the entrances for the opening match…
1. Edris Enofe vs. Malik Blade. The match started with a tentative lockup that saw the two try and take each other down, with Blade getting a quick Snapmare before Enofe retaliated, hitting arm drag. The two then went back and forth with roll up attempts but no dice just yet. A few more lockups until Blade shot off the ropes and into Enofe for a roll up. The two each exchanged roll ups again and went back to a lockup, Blade hit a takeover and got some control for a second.
Eventually, Enofe shot Blade off for a big hip toss and hit a takeover of his own. Enofe had a second of control in a headlock but Blade managed to get to his feet an prompted a running exchange. Blade got the better of it, hitting Enofe with a jumping dropkick before using an arm and chin lock. Enofe tried to counter with an arm drag but Blade countered right back and kept control.
Enofe got to his feet again and this time, arm whipped Blade off him and hit a backslide but only got a two count. Enofe and Blade exchanged arm drags again with Blade then hitting a corner clothesline and a big dropkick from the top rope. Blade went to the top again and missed a Frog Splash, allowing Enofe to hit a clothesline and a back elbow. Enofe then followed up with a Spinebuster. Only getting a two count, Enofe hit a running dropkick and then a standing Moonsault to get the pinfall victory…
Edris Enofe defeated Malik Blade.
Anish’s Thoughts: Despite being the newcomer to 205 Live, Enofe was the one who came away with the victory. While it does make Enofe look strong, it is strange that Blade wasn’t given a win here considering that it would have one of few, and I don’t think it would have hurt a newcomer to take a loss like that. The match itself wasn’t spectacular and considering that Blade has had better and given the finish, I would have thought both men could have done more with the time. It was a back and forth headlock takeover and clothesline kind of affair, and while I don’t mind that it was just a timid move given the kinds of matches we’ve seen Blade have.
Tiffany Stratton came out and hit the old Del Rio “But you already knew that” line and talked about how attractive and rich she is, much better than all the audience. She added that despite the criticism she gets for being on daddy’s money, she’s all beauty and too much to handle…
2. Tiffany Stratton vs. Amari Miller. A quick lockup and headlock takeover saw Miller take control of the match very quickly, keeping hold of the headlock despite attempts by Stratton to buck her off. Stratton kicked out childishly with little technique, which didn’t help her chances. Miller toyed with her with a couple of arm locks, but got a little lax, allowing Stratton to hit an arm drag and then duck a clothesline with an impressive handspring. Stratton didn’t take advantage however as Miller hit her with a spin kick and got a two count.
Stratton pleaded for mercy and suckered Miller in, whipping her to the mat when she came in to pick Stratton up. Stratton then whipped Miller into the corner but now she was too lax, allowing Miller to hit a pair of clotheslines and try for a roll up. Stratton kicked out and trapped Miller with an arm held pin, managing to get a surprise pinfall victory…
Tiffany Stratton defeated Amari Miller.
Anish’s Thoughts: A surprising amount of buildup for this match with Stratton getting more of an introduction than a lot of WWE wrestlers get these days when making their debuts on any brand. I actually think it was quite effective, as I don’t know that the spoiled princess angle has been done too much too well in WWE before. And the way that Stratton delivered her material was believable and detestable and in a similar vein to Lacey Evans, I could see her being very successful.
Before the main event, a video package hyped up Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter…
3. Yulisa Leon and Valentina Feroz vs. Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter. Carter and and Leon had a headlock exchange that saw Carter get the better of Leon to start. They exchanged rollups and dropkicks leading to a stalemate and the two then engaged in a little bit a dance break before getting back to the action. Carter captured Leon in a front facelock and tagged in Catanzaro who hit a Sunset Flip and a one count.
Carter tagged in again and tripped Leon before walking across her back and hitting a hip toss. Leon tried to escape to the top rope but Carter tripped her and draped her across it. Catanzaro then tagged in and hit a crucifix pin getting a two count before arm dragging Leon to her corner, allowing Feroz to tag in. Feroz was able to put up a little more of a fight against Catanzaro however when she was able to get a head scissors whip, Catanzaro handsprung out of it.
The two then exchanged running attacks and counters, with Catanzaro catching Feroz with a cartwheel dropkick. Carter then tagged in and with Catanzaro hit a tandem kick before continuing to attack on Feroz in the ring. Feroz escaped to the top rope and this time when Carter tried to follow in, Feroz caught Carter with an armbar and was able to tag in Leon. Carter tried to fight back but Leon and Feroz isolated her in their corner with quick tags and a series of arm whips and strikes to target Carter’s arm.
At one point, Leon hit a big Gutwrench Suplex and got a two count and tagged in Feroz for some gut strikes and a Snapmare. Feroz used a modified Americana and tried to continue to target Carter’s arm, but Carter countered with and arm drag that forced Leon to tag in. Leon was also met with and arm drag, allowing Catanzaro to make the hot tag and hit Feroz with a series of kicks who also tagged in .
Catanzaro hit Feroz with a big corner clothesline and a rolling Savate kick for a two count. Catanzaro whipped Feroz to the ropes, allowing Leon to make the blind tag and hit Catanzaro with a Fireman’s carry Neckbreaker for a close two count. Leon then made the same mistake of letting Catanzaro near her corner, allowing Carter to tag in and the two hit a tandem Neckbreaker and 450 Splash maneuver to get the pinfall victory…
Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter defeated Yulisa Leon and Valentina Feroz.
Anish’s Thoughts: This was a really fun match, and it was different than a lot of tag team matches we’ve seen on 205. I really liked the playful energy that it started with that quickly became a very competitive affair. It highlighted the entertaining nature of all four Superstars as well as their propensity to do athletic and technically sound moves. A great way to make all four wrestlers look good and deliver an entertaining match.
This was a show that got better as it went on, with an alright but slightly forgettable opener and a pair of really good stories told in the second match and the main event. Overall, I would certainly recommend checking out the last two thirds of the show as it was different from the normal 205 fare and I could see these faces showing up more on main roster shows in the future. It is a constant revolving door with 205 Live and I don’t understand a lot of the releases of talent that have come through 205, but if nothing ele, at least we’re always getting new faces on the show.
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