By Anish Vishwakoti, ProWrestling.net Staffer, (@AVX_9001)
WWE 205 Live on WWE Network
Streamed live on April 23, 2019 from Lincoln, Nebraska at Pinnacle Arena
The show started with Drew Gulak addressing the audience at a podium and talking about all the recent changes in 205 Live such as Tony Nese winning the title and all the departures to the main roster. Gulak said that he would eventually become cruiserweight champion, but for now he has a score to settle with Humberto Carrillo, exclaiming that he would make Carrillo tap out… The broadcast team was Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness, and Aiden English…
1. Humberto Carrillo vs. Drew Gulak. Before the match started we saw an Instagram video from Jack Gallagher where he said that he would explain why he headbutted Drew Gulak in the face. He said that he realized that Gulak was using him. Gulak and Carrillo started the match with a lockup and Gulak taking Carrillo down. Gulak taunted Carrillo and urged him to take him on in the center of the ring. Gulak danced around Carrillo in a flashy manner, acting as if he had Carrillo’s number. Carrillo tried for a crucifix pin but Gulak kicked out, Carrillo followed up with a series of pin attempts, each time stopping at two, forcing Gulak to get to the ropes, acknowledge Carrillo’s skill and try a different strategy.
Carrillo and Gulak then exchanged running reversals, with Carrillo eventually landing a head scissors whip and a rope rebound arm drag to whip Gulak out of the ring. Gulak tried to catch Carrillo by surprise on the outside, but Carrillo grabbed his hand and taunted Gulak by using his arm as a counterbalance to stand on the turnbuckle and wave to the crowd. Gulak tried to chase him up there but Carrillo kicked him and knocked him down in the ring and grabbed a headlock. Gulak struggled out and smacked Carrillo in the gut ot try and reverse into a headlock of his own. However, Carrillo flipped out and hit a suprkick to knock Gulak into the corner. Carrillo tried for a top rope move to hit Gulak, but he reversed and smacked Carrillo to the ground.
Gulak stomped Carrillo on the ground and hit him with some ground and pound before applying an armbar to the luchador. Carrillo got to the ropes and forced a break, and tried to hit a tilt a whirl DDT, but Gulak reversed and caught Carrillo with a victory roll and then a Celtic knee knot submission. Gulak transitioned to a standing Celtic knot and then into a cover, but only got a two count. Gulak then grabbed a sleeper, picked Carrillo up, rammed him down with a sleeper slam and hit an elbow for another cover, but only got a two. Gulak then locked in a Cattle Mutilation on Carrillo and wrenched his face back, eventually letting go and trying for a cover when Carrillo wouldn’t tap. Carrillo kicked out yet again and forced Gulak to use a headlock. Carrillo scrambled to try and get to the ropes, but Gulak held him back and forced Carrillo to get up and strike with Gulak.
Carrillo managed to reverse a back suplex attempt and whipped Gulak into the corner and followed up with a running dropkick. With some momentum, Carrillo hit a rolling moonsault and a cover, but only got the two count. Gulak tried to counter by tossing Carrillo into the ropes, but Carrillo reversed into a handspring elbow and went to the top rope for a cross body. He hit it and covered Gulak but only got a two count. Gulak and Carrillo grappled for a bit, with Gulak trying for a Gu-lock and Carrillo reversing and forcing Gulak to try for a crucifix pin. Carrillo kicked out and picked Gulak up to try and force the action. Carrillo caught Gulak with a kick in the corner and built enough space to catch Gulak with a missile dropkick. Gulak kicked out of the subsequent pin.
Carrillo and Gulak both struggled to their feet and slugged each other back and forth. Gulak and Carrillo tried to exchange kicks, but only Carrillo was successful, sweeping Gulak off his feet and rolling Gulak up, but Gulak kicked out and immediately locked in an ankle lock. Carrillo kicked him off and made some space for himself in the corner. Gulak followed him and tried to strike him. Gulak gave up and propped Carrillo on the top rope, trying for a superplex. Carrillo managed to reverse and knock Gulak off however, he then hit Gulak with a sunset flip powerbomb and then a rope rebound Moonsault (now called the Aztec Press) to get the pinfall victory…
Humberto Carrillo won by pinfall.
Anish’s Thoughts: A fun match with a really intriguing through-line going for it. I liked the idea that Gulak approached this match like a lesson he was teaching Carrillo. I also thought it was appropriate that Gulak lost when he strayed from his lesson plan and tried to hit a high risk maneuver which allowed Carrillo to take advantage.
After the match we saw two quick promos from Ariya Daivari and Oney Lorcan. They both hyped themselves up and promised they would beat the other… Next we saw a backstage segment between Mike Kanellis and Maria Kanellis, Drake Maverick, and The Brian Kendrick. Kendrick distracted the Kanellis’s so Tozawa could jump Mike Kanellis and prompt a brawl.
2. Ariya Daivari vs. Oney Lorcan. Daivari and Lorcan made their ways to the ring, but before the match started, Tony Nese made his way to ringside to hop on commentary to scout his potential challengers. Daviari and Lorcan locked up with Lorcan looking more eager to strike than Daivari. Lorcan was almost victim to a quick devil-lock clothesline, but managed to duck under Daivari’s swinging arm with an inch to spare, twice. Lorcan took Daivari down and grabbed a headlock to try and gain some control. Daivari muscled out, but Lorcan hit him with a running crossbody and went for a cover, but only got the two. Lorcan then picked Daivari up and hit two quick atomic drops to force Daivari out of the ring.
Lorcan tried to chase with a suicide dive, but got caught with an uppercut, allowing Daivari to take control himself. He rolled Lorcan into the ring to chop him, but Lorcan liked it and got fired up and chopped back. Daivari gave up on that strategy and hit Lorcan with a slam to keep him down. He picked Lorcan up and whipped him to the ropes but Lorcan hit a clothesline, Daivari countered a third clothesline attempt by tossing him over the top rope and ramming him into the announce table.
Lorcan just couldn’t get going and keep a consistent flow, so Daivari wailed on him in the corner and then tried for a million dollar dream submission, which WWE curiously and pleasantly did not rename. Lorcan almost went out, but just managed to roll to the turnbuckle and kick off into a cover, but Daivari didn’t get caught. Daivari tried to pick him up and lock it in again, but Lorcan hit Daivari with a standing suplex. Lorcan then whacked Daivari with uppercuts and chops and finally a dropkick out of the ring. Lorcan then went for a cross body to the outside and got it, threw Daivari back into the ring and when Daivari ran to the top ropes, Lorcan hit him with an uppercut and a running blockbuster.
Daivari kicked out and Lorcan positioned him for a half-and-half suplex. Daivari didn’t let him get it however, and locked in the million dollar dream. Lorcan almost went out again, but stayed awake and wagged his finger to announce his consciousness. Lorcan then muscled out and propped Daivari onto the top rope. Daivari knocked him off and tried for a splash but missed. Lorcan then attacked him in the corner, but Daivari hit a superkick and followed up with a ‘Persian Splash’ (just a normal splash,) and then the devil-lock lariat to get the pinfall victory.
Ariya Daivari defeated Oney Lorcan by pinfall.
Anish’s Thoughts: That was an interesting match. I am surprised to see Lorcan lose clean just a week after knocking off Cedric Alexander, but I guess it does make Daivari look very strong. It’s not like Lorcan lost easily either, resisting the submission multiple times. This sets up a match between Nese and Daivari for the title in the near future, which on paper doesn’t jump out but I think it could be very interesting. Overall this was a simple, quick, and fun show. Nothing unbelievable, but it had two very cleverly worked matches that made for entertaining viewing and consistent storytelling, so props to the wrestlers on 205.
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