By John Moore
WWE 205 Live on WWE Network
Aired live from Manchester, New Hampshire at SNHU Arena
Before the show, a replay from the ending of last night’s Raw Cruiserweight tag team match replayed which also included TJ Perkins and Neville’s backstage skit where Neville talked about getting rid of “their” Austin Aries problem…
Austin Aries was interviewed by Dasha Fuentes. Austin Aries stopped Dasha by saying that he has broadcast journalism experience. Aries called TJP the lapdog of Neville, like a Pomeranian. Aries also called Neville a liar for the title opportunity that Neville is promising. Aries talked about his bad knee and said that TJP will never be at the A Double Level. The 205 Live intro video played…
Tom Phillips and Corey Graves were the commentary team of the “Most exciting hour of television” as Phillips would put it. Graves said the story was all about Extreme Rules and TJP was trying to keep him from getting there. Phillips brought up the medical team clearing Aries to wrestle. Noam Dar made his entrance accompanied by Alicia Fox…
1. Noam Dar (w/ Alicia Fox) vs. Gran Metalik. Oh, look, a Gran Metalik sighting! Metalik was the artist known as Mascara Dorada by the way and a runner up in the Cruiserweight Classic. Dar did a bit of his cowardly defense at the beginning of the match. Metalik logged in an armdrag. Metalik followed up with a quick armdrag and dropkick as Alicia Fox pulled Dar to ringside to recover. Metalik was distracted which allowed Dar to gain the advantage in the ring with the boots.
Metalik managed to escape with his lucha quickness. Metalik took Dar outside with a springboard armdrag and Metalik maintained his advantage with a very high top rope Asai Moonsault. Alicia Fox distracted Metalik on the apron which allowed Dar to dropkick him off of it. Metalik sold knee pain. Phillips noted that Fox and Dar were united tonight. Dar also worked on the wrist and arm of Metalik.
Metalik kicked out of a pin attempt after a European Uppercut. Dar locked in a triangle armbar on Metalik with knuckle enforcement. Metalik tried to escape to no avail. Metalik managed to turn the tide by countering a suplex. Metalik did a drop toehold to Dar in the turnbuckle. Metalik maintained momentum with a springboard back elbow. Metalik hit a reverse slingblade dog to lead to a pin attempt. Metalik went for the Metalik Driver but Dar escaped and tripped Metalik on the worked leg.
Dar also went back to working on Metalik’s arm by dragging it on the bottom rope. Dar went for a chickenwing but Metalik kicked his way out. Dar went to the top rope for a tightrope elbow rope. This led to a solid nearfall in Metalik’s favor. Dar tried to lock in the chickenwing again but Metalik maintained the advantage. Dar gained the advantage by tripping Metalik off the second rope on the worked leg. Noam Dar picked up the clean win after a running enziguri (even though it looks like Metalik might have kicked out right at three).
Noam Dar defeated Gran Metalik via pinfall in 8:58.
Corey Graves talked about the match and the possible post match celebration of Darn and Alicia… [C]
John’s Thoughts: That ending was odd, and an odd way to bring back Gran Metalik after not being featured on non “WWE Main Event” shows, especially given that he does have a big international reputation. This show is odd, but let’s see where they go here at least involving Metalik, and they’re probably just giving Dar the win since he’s the one with all the storyline. By the way, this is John Moore and my “descent into madness” via 205 Live begins tonight.
Phillips hyped WWE Talking Smack for after this show with a lot of guests and Shane McMahon filling in for Daniel Bryan this week. Phillips talked about a lot of “exciting” stuff happening on 205 live, like the Brian Kendrick vs. Akira Tozawa feud…
John’s Thoughts: More like the, “spinning of the wheels” feud. There it is! It begins!
Corey Graves hyped a “Street Fight” for next week where “The” Brian Kendrick will be facing Akira Tozawa. Dasha Fuentes interviewed Kendrick. Kendrick said this match suits his plans. He said there’s no countouts so you don’t have to confine the match to the win and everything was legal with no disqualifications. Kendrick said things don’t always go according to plan because Tozawa was stubborn after he offered to train him. Kendrick mocked his plan to follow the WWE Universe and his “ah” chant. Kendrick said the street fight might be the end of Tozawa’s 205 live dreams… [C]
During the commercial, a Cedric Alexander return video package aired with highlights of his 205 Live matches. Cedric Alexander was returning next week. Tony Nese and his abs made their way to the ring (I stole that joke from Aries). He was facing Mustafa Ali again. Drew Gulak ran through Ali pre-match and commenced a beatdown. Gulak threw Ali into the LED ringpost and talked about knowing better and making an example out of Ali. Gulak held Ali in place for a running knee by Tony Nese. Nese had a sadistic smile. Gulak brought his “No Fly Zone” in the ring to taunt Ali. He talked about how everyone will see this… [C]
John’s Thoughts: To be honest, I preferred that to yet ANOTHER Ali vs. Tony Nese match. This storyline is still low budget, but it’s a bit intriguing, I guess? At least these wheels are spinning a bit better than the Kendrick and Tozawa ones in that Drew Gulak has held back from having matches so there’s still a payoff for that at least. The attack on Ali was well done, but I’m assuming it just leads to the match happening next week, or the week after.
Rich Swann was wearing a visor and was walking backstage. Dasha interviewed him about Noam Dar and Alicia Fox. Swann said he deserves to get as far away from those lunatics as he can (he probably honestly wishes he was as far away from this show as he can). Rich Swann said he already proved a point with Dar and Swann’s tricks don’t backfire on him. A “delivery boy” came with a package for Richard T Swann. Swann said that the guy looking in a mirror was Rich Swann. It was Ariya Daivari. Daivari assumed they were his expensive Persian glasses. He figured out they weren’t. Jack Gallagher walked in and tried to peak at the box. Ariya called Jack street trash and told him to put the box down. Ariya Daivari opened the box and it spit powder at him like it did to Alicia Fox (at least it wasn’t cocaine). Ariya Daivari threw a fit over powder getting on his expensive shirt. This cracked up Tom Phillips…
Graves calmed down Phillips who was still laughing at the powder. Phillips and Graves went into serious mode and told us to go to WWE.com to check out the medical report on Mustafa Ali. TJP made his Capcom entrance for the main event. Phillips and Graves recapped the storyline revolving around TJP ultimately wanting a title shot from Neville…
2. TJP vs. Austin Aries. TJP threw his vest at Aries as Aries made his way to the ring. Aries bundled the shirt up and threw it back which sent Perkins to the outside of the ring. After the match reset, TJP pulled Aries to the outside and rammed him into the LED apron. TJP went for a springboard senton but Aries got the knees up to gain the advantage. Aries managed to successfully hit the Senton that Perkins tried earlier. Perkins fought out of the corner but managed to get the Last Chancery in, but he couldn’t lock it.
Aries hit Perkins with a plancha and worked on Perkins on the outside. Aries hit a knife edge chop in the ring. TJP crotched Aries on the top rope and hit Aries with a dropkick. Aries sold the knee injury by hanging on the top rope. TJP took advantage of this by following up with boots to Aries. Aries escaped a half crab attempt while selling the leg. TJP managed to trip Aries off the top rope and lock in a rope assisted half crab. Aries had the word “shit” muted several times.
Perkins continued the attack. TJP also raked his boot on the eye of Aries. TJP did a dab which allowed Aries to escape the leg trap. TJP ended that bit of momentum with a Dragon Screw. TJP wrenched in a reverse ankle lock on the left knee of Aries. Ares stood up and hit Perkins with the thunder clap. Aries hit his signature offense that ends in the pendulum elbow. Arise hit a knee to the gut of Perkins and followed with a top rope spinning elbow. Phillips and Graves noted that Aries might have got an injury on the off elbow from that high risk move.
Perkins hit a low kick on the injured knee of Aries to gain a bit of breathing room. Perkins hit Aries with the wrecking ball dropkick. Perkins attempted a detonation kick but Aries escaped. Perkins tried to steal a win with the tights but to no success. Aries gained a bit of breathing room with a neckbreaker on the ropes. Aries sold the leg injury but did hit his signature Tope Suicida. Graves talked about how this might not have been smart because it took lift from the injured leg. Aries sold it as such.
Aries went high risk but TJP punched Aries in the gut. Graves blamed the hesitation on Aries’ injured leg. Aries hit the thunderclap on Aries but missed a succeeding dropkick. TJP grapevined and used the rope to assist him in the legbar. TJP held it for his five legal seconds. Aries managed to sneak in a Last Chancery to pick up the victory.
Austin Aries defeated TJP via submission in 12:26.
Neville quickly ran to the ring to work on the injured left knee/ankle of Aries. Neville locked in the triangle leg hook on Aries. Jack Gallagher ran in to help his babyface buddy. Gallagher cleaned house as Graves questioned if Aries would be in any condition to compete at Extreme Rules. The show ended and cut to Talking Smack…
John’s Thoughts: As expected, this was a really good match with a really good story. Even though this feud is spinning its wheels just like everything else on 205 Live, a nice chapter was worked on in this match and that was on the accumulating injuries that Austin Aries is picking up. TJP did a good job focusing offense on injuring Aries rather than winning the match. The commentators did a good job telling this story. They did such a good job telling the story, that I thought they could have gotten away with Perkins picking up the win. It was similar to Graves and Cole from last night in the Roman Reigns match.
This was a solid episode of 205 Live by 205 Live standards. Yes, that’s a thing, 205 Live standards. We also got two odd wins because TJP could have used the credibility and Metalik should be treated like a star rather than a random jobber. Check out my 205 Live All Access audio review on Wednesday.
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