205 Live – January 31, 2020: Handsome Off
IMG Credit: WWE
205 Live
Date: January 31, 2020
Location: BOK Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Commentators: Joe Quasto, Aiden English
Things have changed a bit since last week as Jordan Devlin won the NXT Cruiserweight Title at last weekend’s Worlds Collide special. That doesn’t exactly bode well for 205 Live, as the champion is already splitting time with NXT and now they’re going to have to split time with another show. But at least we have Ariya Daivari and Brian Kendrick. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
We open with a look at Devlin winning the title.
Opening sequence.
The announcers talk about the title change as the ring is cleaned up after the dog food incident that ended Smackdown.
We look back at Brian Kendrick and Ariya Daivari joining forces to become the new League of Super Villains.
Joaquin Wilde vs. Raul Mendoza
They go to the mat to start with Wilde tying up the legs before flipping over to crank on both arms. That’s reversed into a headlock from Mendoza but Wilde headscissors his way out. A few very fast covers get one or less each and Wilde nips up to a standoff. Wilde elbows him to the floor but Mendoza is right back in with a dropkick to cut him down. Mendoza’s shoulder gets two and we’re off to the cobra clutch.
Back up and Wilde hiptosses him to the floor, setting up the big running flip dive. Unfortunately you can hear him shout because the fans are so quiet at the moment, which is as bad as you can get. A backbreaker gives Mendoza two but Wilde is right back with a reverse hurricanrana. Mendoza gets caught with a rolling Codebreaker and the Wilde Thing is good for the pin at 6:26.
Rating: C. Wilde is someone who could go somewhere around here, which is almost impossible to imagine after his pretty lame run as DJZ in Impact. Mendoza is someone who can have a fine match against anyone and that is the kind of wrestler that is going to have a job forever around here because they’re incredibly valuable.
Respect is shown post match.
Brian Kendrick vs. Danny Burch
When did this show get so rematch happy? Daivari is here with Kendrick so we can fill our quota this week. Burch chases Daivari off the apron before the bell and Kendrick bails to follow him right after the bell rings. At least they’re a matched set again. The stalling continues and Daivari’s distraction fails, allowing Burch to hit Kendrick in the face. Burch sends Kendrick into the steps and it’s time to stall some more. This time it’s a fake out though as Kendrick sends Burch over the announcers’ table.
Burch comes up but is favoring his knee, meaning it’s time for Kendrick to hammer away. What looked to be a Figure Four attempt is broken up so Kendrick kicks at the leg again. Daivari’s interference fails again (come on man) and Burch uses the good leg to kick him in the head. The missile dropkick connects but bangs up the knee some more. With the leg not an option, Burch headbutts him into a Crossface, drawing in Daivari for the DQ at 7:07.
Rating: C-. This was the Two Bumbling Heels Show and that’s not what I really need to see. As usual, the problem stems from how apathetic you almost have to be towards the heels. They’re not interesting and don’t impose any kind of a serious threat, so what is there to dislike about them? I’m sure Burch will find a friend to help him but my goodness, give us better villains.
Post match the beatdown is on, including a chair to the knee, but Oney Lorcan runs in for the save with a chair of his own. Of all the people around here, Daivari and Kendrick are getting a story???
Devlin is here next week.
Tyler Breeze vs. Angel Garza
English isn’t sure which one is more handsome. Garza, with his shoulder bandaged, holds Breeze in place off a headlock until Breeze shoulders him down and lays on the top rope. Garza doesn’t think much of that so he….runs around a bit and tries to TAKE OFF HIS PANTS, only to get kicked in the face. This time it’s Breeze chilling on the floor so they switch places, followed by Garza pulling him back outside for a hard crash.
Back in and we hit the bow and arrow hold but Breeze is back up in a hurry, only to get sent into the corner. That’s enough for Garza to TAKE OFF HIS PANTS (to almost no reaction), followed by a kick to the ribs for two. Something like a seated abdominal stretch has Breeze in more trouble until he comes back up with some forearms to the head.
Breeze superkicks him out of the air for two but a knee to the face gives Garza the same. A slingshot reverse suplex gets two more but Breeze rolls away before the moonsault can launch. Garza tries a Lionsault instead and hits raised boots. That doesn’t seem to matter very much though as it’s the Wing Clipper to finish Breeze at 11:44.
Rating: C. The wrestling was better here and it was a match between two people who are a little higher up on the ladder than the rest of the show. That being said, you can feel the lack of enthusiasm from the fans here and while it is a main event event match for around here, it isn’t anything great, as tends to be the case on this show.
Overall Rating: D+. This was slightly better than some of the previous weeks but they have so far to go up the ladder that it doesn’t really matter at this point. The show has become a zombie over the last few months and just having Jordan Devlin around next week isn’t going to make it that much better. They would be much better off having an hour long version of Main Event (bring back Superstars or something) because this isn’t worth the time anymore.
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