205 Live – October 10, 2018: Fresh Blood Can Be A Good Thing
IMG Credit: WWE
205 Live
Date: October 10, 2018
Location: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson
Things have changed for the first time in about six months here with Buddy Murphy defeating Cedric Alexander for the Cruiserweight Title at Super Show-Down. That was Alexander’s first pinfall loss (on TV at least) in a year and that should make for a big change of pace. It should be interesting to see where things go from here so let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
We open with a recap of the title change. Well what else was it going to be?
Opening sequence.
Here’s Lio Rush, in a Bobby Lashley shirt, to say that he’s here for an open challenge. Indianapolis is used to those fast cars but no one is faster than Rush. They just better bring it.
Lio Rush vs. Lince Dorado
Rush asks Lince if he’s ready and that earns him a LUCHA chant. Dorado doesn’t get very far with a wristlock so they both try dropkicks for a standoff. A hurricanrana into a dropkick works a bit better for Dorado and a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker gets one. Rush dropkicks him off the top rope, setting up the suicide dive through the bottom ropes.
Back in and Rush gets two, causing him to ask if the referee is for real. A belly to back suplex gets two with Rush keeping Dorado rocked and not letting him to get much of a breather. The rapid fire strikes have Dorado in even more trouble and of course it’s time to go after the mask. You know, because that’s required anymore. Dorado chops him down and gets two off a high crossbody.
A spinning Unprettier gives Rush the same but Dorado rolls away before the Final Hour can launch. One heck of a superkick puts Rush in the corner and the Golden Rewind sends him outside for the big dive. Back in and Dorado loads up the shooting star press…but here’s Maria Kanellis of all people. The distraction lets Mike Kanellis come in through the crowd and shove Dorado off the top for the DQ at 9:34.
Rating: C. This was all about the ending and post match, which are perfectly fine. Kanellis was doing absolutely nothing while being stuck over on Main Event and he hasn’t had a match on one of the two important shows in over a year. Let him come here and at least get something out of him. It’s not like there’s anything else for the two of them to do.
Post match Mike hits something like Cross Rhodes on Dorado. The Kanellises pose together and we have a power couple.
Buddy Murphy says you can’t stop the unstoppable, which he proved by winning the Cruiserweight Title. He’s sticking around Melbourne for a bit though and won’t be back on 205 Live until he’s ready to show up.
Mustafa Ali comes in to check on Cedric Alexander, who says he’s fine. As for Ali, he gets to face Hideo Itami in two weeks and falls count anywhere. Ali leaves but comes back in to ask if Alexander is getting back in the ring too soon. Cedric again insists he’s good.
We look back at Drew Gulak and Jack Gallagher beating down Brian Kendrick and kicking him off the team.
Gallagher and Gulak say what they did last week was unpleasant but necessary because Kendrick had lost his killer instinct. Together, they will create a better 205 Live.
Cedric Alexander vs. Tony Nese
Feeling out process to start with Cedric taking over off a headlock. Cedric flips around a lot but can’t get a headscissor takeover, which seems to mess with him a little bit. Tony armdrags him into an armbar before stopping for some jumping jacks. More of a pushup guy, Alexander dropkicks him down to take over again. Tony plants him on his back though and pulls Alexander to the floor, banging the back up even worse.
The waistlock goes on for a bit until Alexander pops up for the headscissors back to the floor. That’s not enough for the big flip dive to hit though as Nese runs him over again. Nese snaps Cedric’s throat over the top but a springboard moonsault hits raised knees. The springboard Downward Spiral sets up the big no hands flip dive and now it’s Nese in trouble for a change.
There’s the springboard clothesline for two and a Michinoku Driver gets the same, with the latter kickout sending Cedric almost over the edge. Another springboard is countered into a gutbuster as Nese is smart enough to go back to the ribs. Nese talks some trash about the title reign and strikes away but Cedric is right back with the Neuralizer.
There’s a Spanish Fly for two more and that means it’s time for an argument with the referee. The Lumbar Check is countered and Nese blasts him in the jaw with a left hand. A German suplex into the corner sets up the running knee and the 450 for the pin on Alexander at 15:13.
Rating: B. In addition to the really entertaining action, this was heavily focused on storytelling and that’s a good sign. Alexander used what worked to get him the title in the first place and then to keep it but it wasn’t enough this time around. There’s an interesting story in Alexander not being good enough anymore and needing to change things up, which could go somewhere if you tell the story properly. It also helps that Nese can ride off of this win for a very long time going forward. Good stuff all around.
Overall Rating: B-. Despite only having two matches on here, there was a lot of interesting stuff taking place. The debut of the Kanellises is a good sign as the show can use some fresh blood, especially some like Maria. Throw in a rather solid main event and you have a good show up and down. Seeing whoever goes after Murphy next could be rather entertaining so there’s even a future here. Nice show and a nicer future.
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