205 Live – December 13, 2016: You Can Feel the Vince
205 Live
Date: December 14, 2016
Location: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Corey Graves, Austin Aries
This is turning into a more traditional WWE show week by week. Tonight’s main event is focusing on setting up Sunday’s triple threat match for the Cruiserweight Title instead of tonight’s match standing on its own. The main event here is Rich Swann vs. TJ Perkins in a non-title match so let’s get to it.
We open with a recap of last week’s main event where Swann defeated Brian Kendrick to retain the title. Perkins was on commentary during the match and got into it with Swann to end the show.
The announcers preview tonight’s main event and Sunday’s title match.
Jack Gallagher vs. Drew Gulak
Gulak accepts the handshake and they hit the mat to start, meaning Gallagher can do his handstand to escape a headlock. After rolling around for some near falls, Gulak gets tied up in the Windsor Knot for the running kick to the back of the trunks. Drew’s answer is to kick Jack in the jaw and then start in on the bad knee. Jack will have none of that though and blasts Gulak with that headbutt. The running dropkick in the corner puts Gulak away at 5:52.
Rating: C. I know Gallagher does the same stuff almost every match but he’s just so darn likeable. How can you not smile when you see someone this into his gimmick? Pushing him towards the title and putting him in a feud with someone whose personality he can bounce off of will be a great springboard for his character. Good enough here though and that’s all it needs to be.
Perkins tells Swann that the luck is about to run out.
Tajiri is coming.
Gallagher is talking about his victory when Ariya Daivari comes up. Jack is willing to call it even but Daivari says no way and starts speaking his native language before leaving.
Mustafa Ali vs. Lince Dorado
Ali says he won’t be defined by our ignorance. A great looking springboard hurricanrana takes Ali down to start but a hard kick to the head puts Dorado down. We’re already in a chinlock before a dropkick sends Ali into the corner. They’re certainly moving out there. A Tajiri handspring into a Stunner…uh, stuns Ali and Dorado sends him outside. An Asai moonsault crushes Ali again and both guys are down long enough for the double countout at 3:35.
Rating: C+. Now that was more like it with a standard cruiserweight style. It’s cool to have Gallagher and Gulak doing their mat work but sometimes you need two guys to fly around and look impressive. I liked this more than I was expecting to and it’s a good idea to establish as much talent as they can.
Ali goes for a post match cheap shot but gets kicked out to the floor.
Noam Dar hits on Alicia Fox but she isn’t interested.
Long video on TJ Perkins.
Rich Swann vs. TJ Perkins
Non-title and as you might expect, Kendrick comes out to join commentary. They trade wristlocks to start with both guys flipping out of the others offense. A double dropkick means a double miss into a double nip up and a standoff. Swann finally kicks him in the jaw to take over but Perkins tosses the champ outside for a slingshot dropkick.
Back in and Swann scores with Rolling Thunder for two but another trip to the floor sees Swann tweak his knee. Perkins is no fool and dropkicks the knee out for a near fall of his own. A kick to the head puts TJ down but the knee is too banged up for Swann to capitalize. Perkins’ Detonation Kick is countered into a tiger bomb for two, only to have the knee give out again. The kneebar makes Swann tap at 10:01.
Rating: B-. It’s a good sign that these guys are showing themselves capable of wrestling a match instead of just doing a few minutes of high spots. Perkins needed a big win heading into the pay per view but I can’t imagine they would actually change the title. Swann was fine here and while I’m rarely a fan of champions losing, the knee injury gives him an out.
Kendrick comes to the ring but eats a superkick.
Overall Rating: C+. This was better and having something to build towards is a really positive step. However, the same problem as last week persists: I don’t know how long they can keep this show going with just one set of talent. It works in NXT with a revolving door but this is a bit more limited and it’s going to start showing in a hurry. Still though, they’re in the very early days and this was an entertaining way to spend about forty minutes.
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The only thing that ich really love about this show is the commentary Trio. Ranallo and Graves really are the dream couple and Aries does a good job as a sort of color commentator that stays in character.
Other than that they NEED to go back to full sail or another small venue. The uninvested Smackdown crowd is really killing this. Also the roster is way too thin and without big names. I mean when Kendrick or Tajiri are the only guys that an average WWE Fan knows than you have a problem. They could give the show easily more star appeal in sending over Kalisto or Kofi or Neville but it seems like they will stick to their CWC guys for a while. It also doesnt help that the new talent isnt the most thrilling. Nearly no one can keep up with other Cruiserweights like Ricochet, Ospreay, Sabre Jr., Fenix or other Luchadores. Just look at Lucha Underground or PWG or even ROH, they do this kind of stuff way better.