By Anish Vishwakoti, ProWrestling.net Staffer, (@AVX_9001)
WWE 205 Live (Episode 234)
Orlando, Florida at Capitol Wrestling Center (WWE PC)
Streamed June 4, 2021 on WWE Network
The show opened with Vic Joseph back on commentary with Nigel McGuinness. They welcomed us to the show and got straight into the main event…
1. Ari Sterling vs. Sunil Singh (w/Samir Singh). The match started with Sterling quickly trying for a roll up which Sunil kicked out of before grabbing a headlock. Sterling elbowed Sunil in the back and shot him to the ropes prompting a running exchange in which Sterling hit a knee to the face, knocking Sunil to the outside where Samir tried to pull some twin magic despite not being twins. The ref was onto him and while Samir couldn’t get a hit in, Sunil used the distraction to hit Sterling with a chop block and knock him to the mat for a leg lock.
Sterling eventually cranked Sunil’s chin to break the hold, although Sunil just transitioned to a different leg lock and forced Sterling to crawl to the bottom rope to force the break. Sunil continued to target Sterling’s knee, stomping on it and keeping Sterling without a base. Sunil tried for another stomp but Sterling tossed him over the top rope as he went up. Sunil just tripped Sterling from the outside and rammed his leg again on the apron and ring post.
Sterling on one leg was able to turn the tables with some strikes back in the ring, hitting Sunil with a series of uppercuts and elbows before hitting a trip and a wheel kick even through a damaged knee. Samir tried to distract him from the apron, allowing Sunil to get a roll up for two, but Sterling hit another knee to the face and followed up with the rolling sidewalk slam to get the pinfall victory…
Ari Sterling defeated Sunil Singh.
Anish’s Thoughts: Well this match was always going to end up like that. The Bollywood Boyz did their best to emphasize their cowardly tactics and make Sterling seem resilient and I praise Sunil and the commentary team for working in tandem to highlight Sterling’s hurt knee, making his victory as impressive as it could have been for such a short match. Quick opener and it did the job, although I do feel that given more time, Sunil and Sterling could have had a much better match. It was good for what it was worth though.
2. Ariya Daivari vs. August Grey. The two went right for each other with Grey getting a wrist lock to trip Daivari and try for a roll up, however Daivari kicked out easily. Grey continued to work an arm lock to keep Daivari down however Daivari was able to get to the ropes and whip Grey onto it to break the hold. After some strikes, Daivari locked in an over the shoulder cravat and cranked on Grey, but Grey reversed, trying for a backslide and then settled for a Neckbreaker. Grey continued to get the better of Daivari, hitting a pair of clotheslines before vaulting Daivari to the outside and hitting a Suicide Dive to leave Daivari on the outside.
Grey then went to roll Daivari back into the ring, with Daivari recovering enough to ram Grey into the apron and the announce table in quick succession. Back in the ring, Daivari hit a trio of knees to the gut before locking in a body scissors, targeting the mid-section of Grey. Daivari couldn’t keep the hold as Grey was able to get to these feet and build enough space to attempt a sleeper, Daivari shucked him off however and hit another knee to down Grey, following up with a running dropkick to the jaw for a two count.
Daivari tried for a backdrop but Grey kicked him in the face before turning to Daivari and slotting him with a pair of clotheslines and trying for a suplex. Grey’s mid-section gave out however, prompting Grey to ditch the suplex attempt to try for a cross body, however Daivari dodged and hit a Splash to the back of Grey before locking in a Camel Clutch. Grey then whipped Daivari to the ropes and tried for a clothesline but both men hit it, leaving them both down.
Daivari got to his feet first but Grey beat him to a punch, stomping him in the corner and chopping him before hitting a clothesline and a Back suplex to force Daivari out of the ring. Grey rolled out with him and rammed him into the barricade before rolling Daivari back into the ring and hitting the rope walk cross body. He didn’t go for a pin however, picking Daivari up for a spinning fisherman’s suplex for a two count. Grey lumbered to his feet again and tried for the Unprettier, but Daivari blocked it, forcing Grey to chop him and try for a Fireman’s Carry Driver, only for Daivari to counter it into a reverse DDT for a two count.
Daivari tried for the Lariat however Grey blocked it, forcing Daivari to settler for a superkick and a running clothesline. Daivari then followed up with the Devil Lock DDT for a close two count. Daivari tried for a back suplex, but grey elbowed his way out, trying again for the Unprettier. Grey and Daivari exchanged pin attempts, leading to Grey using a Half Crab submission. Daivari almost got to the ropes, but Grey pulled him away, forcing Daivari to turn over and kick his way out.
Daivari tried for a quick small package but Grey kicked out and quickly hit a very raggedy Tornado Unprettier for the pinfall victory.
August Grey defeated Ariya Daivari.
Anish’s Thoughts: This was another match, much like the opener, where I think we could see where it was going, but since they had a fair amount of time, Daivari and Grey added couple of nice twists and turns that it was surprising how we got there. Side not, the trend of all Middle Eastern & South Asian wrestlers using a Camel Clutch will never not be funny to me, I vow to keep that streak going if I ever end up in a Wrestling ring for some reason.
I also liked the idea of Grey having his midsection worked and then turning it on Daivari, essentially doing the same and then right at the end, while I said that Unprettier was raggedy, it did end up looking pretty cool. And as long as Daivari and Grey were both alright, it almost added to the skin of his teeth way in which Grey got the win. All in all, a fun match that exceeded expectations, and a fun half an hour or so of cruiserweight action.
Be the first to comment