205 Live – January 16, 2018: The Best Thing To Happen To This Show
205 Live
Date: January 16, 2018
Location: Laredo Energy Arena, Laredo, Texas
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Vic Joseph
Welcome to the shortened version of the show as we’re now down to just half an hour thanks to Mixed Match Challenge (I need to send that show a Christmas card.). We’re coming up on the Royal Rumble with Enzo Amore defending the Cruiserweight Title against Cedric Alexander (again) so let’s get to it.
Opening sequence.
TJP vs. Gran Metalik
Rematch from last week where Metalik won and sent TJP into a tailspin. Thankfully Metalik is back to his normal look and out of the Black Panther style mask. TJP runs him over for a very fast one and it’s off to a front facelock. You know, wrestling. Back up and Metalik hits a very high angle springboard armdrag as we see Kalisto watching backstage.
TJP is sent outside for a top rope Asai moonsault as things are starting to speed up a bit. They head inside again with Metalik trying….something off the ropes, allowing TJP to dropkick him in the back and out of the air. That’s a very simple counter but it works exactly as it needs to. The slingshot hilo gives TJP two and we hit the chinlock (because of course we do).
With that not working, TJP ties him in the Tree of Woe, only to miss a baseball slide and hit the post. A superkick and a rope walk dropkick set up the rope walk elbow for a VERY close two. The Metalik Driver is countered but Metalik reverses the Detonation Kick into a rollup for the pin at 5:17.
Rating: C. I like both of these guys and I like the fact that they didn’t go with the 50/50 booking even more. There’s a chance this is leading to some kind of a turn for TJP but I’m wondering what they have in mind for Metalik. Of course on this show, it’s likely joining the Zo Train or nothing. At least they’re going somewhere though.
Post break, TJP is livid again in the back and might be crying.
We look back at Hideo Itami attacking Jack Gallagher with Jack’s own umbrella last week. As long as they don’t have Itami talk, he’ll be fine.
Gallagher has been hearing Brian Kendrick’s face being broken over and over but now he wants to hear Itami scream. He’ll find Itami’s weakness and exploit it because he is now the man with a plan. So his plan is to just hurt Itami somehow? That’s quite the broad plan.
Here are Cedric Alexander and Goldust for a chat. Goldust talks about how our lives are determined by opportunities. Some might say their friendship is curious but Cedric is a star on the cusp of a golden opportunity. Cedric digs that and Goldust calls him the DiCaprio to Goldust’s Scorsese. So neither of them are going to win for a really long time?
Cue Enzo Amore and the Zo Train to say they deserve an Academy Award for acting all buddy buddy. Goldust doesn’t appreciate being called funny because the only clown he sees is right in front of him looking like a swamp duck. Threats are issued but Enzo says Goldust has to beat the entire Zo Train first. Goldust says bring it on.
Goldust vs. Zo Train
Drew Gulak (along with Ariya Daivari and Tony Nese) starts for the team and slaps Goldust in the face. An early hip attack puts Gulak down and it’s off to Daivari, who is atomic dropped for his efforts. The numbers game offers a distraction though and Daivari hammers Goldust from behind.
Nese comes in for the choking in the corner, followed by a hard running forearm. We hit the neck crank for a bit, only to have Nese miss a charge into the corner. It’s back to Gulak who eats a quick bulldog, followed by the snap powerslam for two. Nese knocks Goldust to the floor but dives onto Daivari by mistake. Cedric dives onto Enzo and the Final Cut ends Gulak at 4:00.
Rating: D. So not only does the old heavyweight come onto the cruiserweight show and get treated like a big star straight out of the gate but he beats the heel goons clean in short order. I don’t want to hear about the Zo Train being anything more than lackeys ever again as this was even more destruction after they already lost almost all of their value in the first place. There is zero reason for Enzo to keep the title another day, which is why you can pencil him in for a title defense at Wrestlemania.
Overall Rating: C-. Words cannot describe how glad I am that Mixed Match Challenge is a thing for the next three months as it means this show is now half the length. This was WAY easier to sit through as they didn’t have time to waste on matches that didn’t need to go on as long as they did and offered nothing but filler. 205 Live would seem to be in some trouble now and I really, really hope the change is permanent even after the Mixed Match Challenge is over.
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https://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/11/22/new-book-kbs-monday-nitro-and-thunder-reviews-volume-vi/
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