By Anish Vishwakoti, ProWrestling.net Staffer, (@AVX_9001)
WWE 205 Live (Episode 247)
Orlando, Florida at Capitol Wrestling Center (WWE PC)
Streamed September 3, 2021 on WWE Network
Vic Joseph and Nigel McGuinness welcomed us to the show with Cora Jade immediately opening up the show and making her way to the ring on her skateboard…
1. Cora Jade vs. Amari Miller. The two started the match with a quick lockup which saw the two exchange wrist locks and headlocks before Jade hit a takeover and held on. Miller got to her feet and broke the hold, prompting a re-circling and another lockup. Miller tried to take the back of Jade with Jade using another wrist lock to counter and force Miller to enter a test of strength.
Miller won out and hit a kick followed by a Judo throw to take Jade down. Jade got right back up and tried to take Miller’s back, settling for a reverse Baseball slide and an up kick followed by some strikes and a running dropkick to get a two count. Miller was able to turn the tables however, goading Jade into the corner and hitting a top rope hung Backbreaker followed by an awkward crescent kick to get a two count.
Miller then used a strange arm lock before hitting a clothesline and pushing Jade to the ropes before trying for a backdrop. Jade almost got a roll-up pinfall but Miller kicked out and the two started exchanging strikes sluggishly. Jade seemed to win out, hitting a pair of clotheslines and hitting a Gory Clutch Knee to knock Miller to the ropes. Jade then hit a running knee for a two count, looking dismayed that Miller kicked out.
Jade fired up and set Miller up for a Fireman’s Carry, but Miller reversed into a rather sudden Snapmare into a Knee for the pinfall victory…
Amari Miller defeated Cora Jade.
Anish’s Thoughts: I don’t think this match ever really got going. It was pretty strangely paced and sort of felt like it got short, although I don’t think it did. Miller was positioned as a heel but didn’t do much other than smirk to put that across and it was hard to find a real story in the match. Jade and Miller just didn’t connect tonight and that made the finish seem rather strange, almost like a part of the match got cut out as there was no real rhyme or reason as to how Miller just ate Jade’s offense and turned it in on her to get the win. I’m sure both could do better given more time or better positioning, but this was not the bees knees…
2. Josh Briggs vs. Joe Gacy. The two immediately locked up and disengaged with Briggs showing off his superior strength. Gacy bounced off the ropes and hit a headbutt to bring Briggs down to his level for a headlock. Briggs forced Gacy to the ropes, but Gacy took his back and kept control before shoulder blocking Briggs into the corner and hitting a jumping dropkick to stun Briggs for a second. Briggs hit back with a running elbow which immediately turned the tides, flooring Gacy and giving Briggs the time to stomp on him and land some body strikes.
Briggs then went for a Suplex but Gacy resisted, forcing Briggs to hit a release Sidewalk Slam and a jumping splash. Briggs then pulled Gacy’s hair and chopped him to wear him down, interspersing a few pull back strikes to continue knocking Gacy down. Briggs then used a headlock and sat Gacy down and used a chin lock to try and squeeze the air out of him, but Gacy was able to rally after a while and lock Briggs arms and hit a headbutt to stun Briggs again. Gacy then tried for a back Suplex but Briggs was too big and simply shook Gacy off to hit a running elbow, knocking Gacy out of the ring.
Briggs then rolled Gacy back into the ring and tried for an elbow, but Gacy rolled out of the way and hit an up kick. Briggs didn’t relent and tried for another elbow, but Gacy dodged again and used this space to knock Briggs down with a running shoulder. Gacy continued to pick up the pace, slotting Briggs with a series of strikes and a back Suplex. Gacy yelled with fire and hit Briggs with a number of clotheslines against the ropes followed by a spinning Uranage for a two count.
Gacy transitioned to a Crossface and put Briggs in a tight spot, but Briggs was able to get his foot to the ropes. Gacy re-targeted the elbow of Briggs for a second, kicking it away from the ropes and stomping on it. Gacy then ran at the ropes and tried for a running attack but Briggs reversed with a big boot for a two count. Gacy was met with some more elbows from Briggs, however Briggs couldn’t take advantage as Gacy just powered through them to his feet and countered a clothesline with a handspring clothesline to get the pinfall victory…
Joe Gacy defeated Josh Briggs.
Anish’s Thoughts: In complete contrast to the first match, this was a very well told story, and I don’t even think these two had much more time than the opener. Briggs was too focused on trying to exploit the strength advantage that he had and didn’t try anything new after a certain point. His over reliance on the same moves gave Gacy the ability to see the offense coming and catch Briggs with continuously more damaging strikes until he was able to hit that handspring clothesline to get the win. Great quick match…
3. Andre Chase vs. Xyon Quinn. Chase immediately went for a wrist lock, hitting a shoulder breaker before Quinn reversed and did the same. Chase went to ground with a headlock next, with Quinn shooting him off the ropes and hitting a forceful shoulder block to force Chase into the corner. Chase tried for a back take, but Quin muscled out and tossed Chase to the mat. Quinn then lifted Chase onto his shoulders and hit Snake Eyes to stun him.
Chase was able to dodge a shoulder strike attempt by Quinn in the corner before hitting a swinging neckbreaker for a two count. Chase then used an arm lock to try and wear Quinn down, but Quinn muscled out again, forcing Chase to hit a corner clothesline and a seated throwback before going back to a submission, this time a cravat. Quinn again got to his feet, forcing Chase to break the hold. This time, Quinn won the striking exchange and was able to hit Chase with a Samoan Drop to set him up. Quinn whipped him into the corner and followed up with a Swing Argentine Neckbreaker for the pinfall victory.
Xyon Quinn defeated Andre Chase.
Anish’s Thoughts: Quinn has a great presence about him and a very interesting moveset. In the best way possible he moves like a Create-A-Wrestler in one of the old Smackdown vs. Raw games. Something that I’m sure a lot of wrestling fans can get behind. He took a lot of offense from Chase who was able to use his wiles to deal some damage, however Quinn was simply too overwhelming and took him down. A great way to build both guys, especially Quinn who seems to have some sort of push behind him on 205 at least.
An alright show tonight, the last two matches, especially the middle one saved it after a pretty droll opener. I honestly think the show could have benefitted if it was two matches with more time each instead of the three jammed in there. There seems to be a lot more new talent and structure on 205 Live with both female wrestlers as well as wrestlers who are definitely not under 205 pounds getting appearances on the show, which begs the question why they don’t just rebrand this as a new Velocity or something. I’m sure 205 will be affected by all the changes happening to NXT anyway.
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