By John Moore
WWE 205 Live
Aired Live September 6, 2017 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota at Denny Sanford Premier Center
This week’s 205 intro teaser focused on the cruiserweights wrestling in the fatal five way to face Neville at No Mercy. Enzo talked about being the realist guy in 205. Cedric talked about hanging back for an opportunity. Gran Metalik talked in Spanish about rising above his opponents. Brian Kendrick bragged about busting Jack Gallagher open last week with the ring bell. Tony Nese bragged about his abs…
Vic Joseph checked in on commentary while also hyping up No Mercy. Joseph welcomed his new broadcast partner, Nigel McGuinness, to the table. Nigel talked about how 205 was the epitome of finesse, technique, and speed. Nigel hyped the five way elimination match in the main event. TJ P[erkins] made his entrance and looked to be healed. Joseph and Nigel talked over last week’s confrontation that Perkins had against Ariya Daivari. Nigel called Perkins looking not-injured TJP gutting out his injury. Ariya Daivari came out next with a picture-in-picture promo. Daivari spoke in Iranian at first and then said he was going to beat TJP over and over again until he needs crutches. Rich Swann walked out before the bell to take a seat on top of the announce table while eating popcorn…
John’s Thoughts: Daivari has never been as strong as his brother on the microphone, but he sounded like a good/vicious heel there as opposed to sounding like a normal guy. He should try that tone more often!
1. TJP vs. Ariya Daivari. Perkins and Daivari traded punches. Daivari kept the pace up and had a striker’s advantage. Perkins blocked a whip with a tiger feint kick and then sent Daivari outside. Perkins hit Daivari with his pendulum dropkick. Nigel compared the style of Perkins to that of Shinsuke Nakamura (and I think Nigel called that Nakamura vs. Perkins match on NXT. The one I called Nakamura’s best TV match in 2017). Perkins was tripped on the second rope which allowed Daivari to hit a reverse hanging DDT on Perkins. Daivari tried to get a few pinfalls even after a backbreaker. Perkins escaped a shoulder stretch with a dropkick.
Perkins hit Daivari with a springboard forearm. Perkins used a combo to set up a suplex and side suplex. Perkins got a nearfall. Daivari escaped a detonation kick and gave Perkins a high knee. Perkins rolled to ringside when Daivari put the boots to him. Daivari went for the Magic Carpet[-less] ride but missed it due to paying attention to Rich Swann. TJP hit the Detonation Kick to pick up the pinfall win.
TJP defeated Ariya Daivari via pinfall in 4:03.
TJP did a dab and his Manik-isms after the match. Rich Swann walked in the ring and told Perkins that Perkins better be ready for a one-on-one next week. Swann did the robot and dab as he left the ring to mock Perkins. Nigel talked about how it’s Angle’s decision whether to book the match. Joseph and Nigel then commented on clips from the Jack Gallagher vs. Brian Kendrick match form last week. Drew Gulak was handing out campaign pamphlets on his way to the ring for his match against Akira Tozawa… [C]
John’s Thoughts: Depending on the week, Perkins could either have a great or dull in ring showing. He was great on this night albeit in limited time. Perkins should maintain this pace in all his matches whether it be on NXT or the main roster. Daivari continues to stand a step above Drew Gulak and Tony Nese so he has that going for him and they protected him a tad bit with Swann’s distraction. It just sucks that they gave both men such limited time here. What also sucks is this Rich Swann vs. TJ Perkins feud due to Swann having no real reason to feud with Perkins and Perkins not working out in this heel character that I compare to a diet version of Swaggy P Nick Young.
Nigel McGuinness said he just received a text from Kurt Angle and Angle booked Perkins vs. Swann for next week. Drew Gulak came out to his entrance theme that sounds like it belongs in the next Sonic The Hedgehog game. Gulak had his megaphone and yelled his campaign quotes into it. Gulak then grabbed a microphone for a promo. Enzo’s “Captain Underpants” chant was chanted by the crowd. Gulak said he believes in freedom of expression. Gulak talked about wanting a better 205 live. Gulak said that people fear what they don’t understand which is why he wasn’t in the main event. Drew said he has something concise that everyone can understand. A PowerPoint presentation! Drew then went through his anti-high-flying PowerPoint. Akira Tozawa’s theme interfered with Gulak’s PowerPoint. Tozawa didn’t have Titus O’Neil with him.
John’s Thoughts: While nothing progressive has come from Enzo’s insertion on 205 live for the TV viewer, I have to say Enzo’s installation did help the live event experience. People now look forward to participate in his “main events” due to his mic work and Enzo managed to get the usually asleep 205 Live crowd to chant “Captain Underpants”. Gulak’s mic work got a chuckle out of me I have to say. Just keep that guy away from Tony Nese who stanks of being a loser muscle dork. Nese can work! He just needs a character reboot like Gulak got.
2. Drew Gulak vs. Akira Tozawa. Gulak dominated early on with a side headlock. Tozawa turned the tide with an armdrag and dropkick. Gulak stopped the onslaught with a rope break but he then ran right into a dropkick. Gulak went for a sunset flip but Tozawa countered and dropkicked Tozawa. Gulak hit a nice looking toss of Tozawa to the outside by dragging his arms. Gulak had Tozawa in a chinlock and converted it into a shoulder stretch. Tozawa rolled enough to get a rope break.
Gulak gave Tozawa a chop and then shoved his boot into Tozawa’s face in the turnbuckle. Tozawa gave Gulak a few shoulder blocks from the ground but Gulak maintained dominance. Gulak locked in a unique pretzel-type hold. Tozawa Ha!’d His way out. Tozawa gave Gulak a strong right fist and huracanrana. Tozawa hit Gulak with his nice missile Tope. Tozawa missed the end of his kick combo but then landed a gutwrench suplex. Gulak escaped the diving senton and tried to roll up Tozawa. Tozawa gave Gulak a spinning roundhouse. This set up Gulak for the high diving senton which gave Tozawa the win.
Akira Tozawa defeated Drew Gulak via pinfall in 6:39.
Joseph talked about how high Tozawa gets in the air off his Senton. They then cut to Dasha Fuentes interviewing Enzo Amore. Dasha asked Enzo about his comments about working smarter instead of harder. Enzo said he looks “schmart”. Enzo then bragged about being 3-0 in cruiserweight matches. Dasha asked Enzo if he measures up to Neville or Cedric Alexander. Enzo gave the Cruiserweights credit for their athleticism and said he saw Cedric jump through a roof. Enzo said he’s ten toes down with the gift of gab and the gift of jab. Enzo said he’s in the league of his own on the mic. Enzo said he didn’t travel the world or work in the independents but he landed in the same place as them. Enzo then talked about being “schmarter”. He said he’s using his certified GPS to put 205 Live on the map and the final destination is the Championship. Enzo was running his mouth but was interrupted by Neville. Neville said 205 is an arena for real competitors and serious athletes. Neville said Enzo isn’t. Enzo called Neville Frodo. He said this isn’t a game and Game of Thrones and the title was Neville’s after No Mercy…
Everyone in the main event got their on televised entrance. Enzo had his boom mic in hand as he did his popular entrance routine. The crowd gave Enzo a huge “How you doin” chant. Enzo then did his “S-a-w-f-t sawwwwwwwft” routine…
3. The Brian Kendrick vs. Cedric Alexander vs. Gran Metalik vs. Tony Nese vs. Enzo Amore in a five way elimination to become number one contender to the Cruiserweight Championship. Everyone agreed to team up on Enzo early on which prompted Enzo to scurry out of the ring. Cedric and Metalik paired off against Nese and Kendrick. Cedric and Metalik disposed of Kendrick and Nese easily. Metalik and Alexander then had a respectful chain wrestling sequence. This was followed by some agility. Metalik hit Alexander with a huracanrana but Alexander managed to kip up from that position.
Nese pulled out Metalik to start a shown with Alexander. Enzo kept Brian Kendrick from interjecting himself. Nese was caught with a back elbow. Nese hit a few nice kicks on Alexander. Alexander hit Nese with a dropkick . Neville was shown watching that match. Alexander went for a slingshot forearm. Nese hit Alexander with a backbreaker. Enzo tried to surprise Nese with a rollup to no avail. Kendrick hit Enzo with a nice suplex from the inside to the outside. Enzo kicked out of the pin on the inside. Nese worked on Enzo with a dropkick and chinlock. Enzo ate a backbreaker form Nese.
Kendrick and Nese flanked Enzo in the middle of the ring. Kendrick held Enzo so Nese could punch Enzo in the gut. Enzo hit Nese with a huracanrana and took down moth men with right arms. Enzo then gave Kendrick a sto. Enzo then hit a field goal on the gut of Nese. Kendrick caught Enzo with a full nelson which allowed them to hit stereo superkicks on Enzo. Alexander and Metalik took out Nese and Kendrick with springboard takedowns. Alexander hit Metalik with a standing spanish fly. The crowd thought this was awesome.
Nese gave Alexander a fist to the face on the top rope. Metalik hit Alexander, Kendrick, and Nese with a Sunset tower of doom spot. Amore tried to tope Nese and Kendrick but was caught and they snake eyed Amore on the announce desk. They then took Amore apart with knees. Neville was shown watching the match from a 90 degree angle. Amore was then tossed like a ragdoll into the barricade over the announce table. Kendrick then backstabbed Nese by punching him in the back. Metalik took down Kendrick. Nese then ran through Metalik. There was actually a “205” chant! A “205” CHANT! Nese went for his finisher knee but Alexander surprised Nese with a Lumbar Check to score the first pinfall.
Cedric Alexander eliminated Tony Nese via pinfall in 11:40.
Alexander tried to pin Metalik several times but there were kickouts. Alexander blocked a Captain’s Hook and gave Kendrick a handspring roundhouse to send him outside. Cedric caught Metalik off Metalik’s handspring to surprise him with a Lumbar Check for the elimination.
Cedric Alexander eliminated Gran Metalik via pinfall in 12:54.
Kendrick hit Alexander with Sliced Bread #2 for a good nearfall. Cedric escaped the Captain’s Hook via rolling Kendrick up. Kendrick reversed a Lumbar Check into a Captain’s Hook. Nigel pointed out that the rope break wouldn’t break the hold since it was no-dq. Cedric used the ropes to pull Kendrick to the outside to break the hold. Cedric hit a backbreaker on Kendrick on the ring apron. Cedric then hit the Lumbar Check to get the pinfall.
Cedric Alexander eliminated Brian Kendrick via pinfall in 14:47.
Enzo Amore quickly rolled into the ring and rolled up Cedric with a hand full of tights to pick up the cheap win.
Enzo Amore defeated Cedric Alexander via pinfall in 14:52 to become the number one contender to the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.
Enzo rolled outside to celebrate with the ringside fans. Cedric was shocked. He shook his face and was distraught. Nigel and Vic went over all of Cedric’s pinfalls in the match. The camera continued to show Cedric’s agony in defeat as Enzo did his dance up the ramp…
John’s Thoughts: That was a pretty good match. It’s good to feel good coming out of 205 Live for once. In an odd comparison, WWE knows how to do multi-man spot-fests better than GFW/TNA while TNA is killing it now with their mastery of the singles Cruiserweight match. This was fun! The heels got to tell a story, Metalik got some cool moves, Enzo is a cheater which is the story they are telling, and Cedric got to show a lot. I give Cedric a lot of credit for not only putting on a good match but overselling the agony of defeat just like a normal man should when having someone cheat to take your dream away. I’ll have more thoughts in my All Access Audio Review later today.
Be the first to comment