205 Live – October 1, 2021: Featuring Guest Stars

205 Live
Date: October 1, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Vic Joseph

Things have actually changed around here a bit and that is a great thing to see. 205 Live has long since lost any appeal that it had so having some lower level NXT people getting some attention is a good thing. The show still doesn’t mean anything, but now it means something with some slightly more important people. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Dante Chen vs. Malik Blade

Feeling out process to start with Chen snapping off a hiptoss and grabbing an armbar. Some armdrags set up the armbar sequel but Blade is back up with a heck of a dropkick. Blade grabs his own armbar and Chen can’t even suplex his way to freedom. Chen fights up and hits a pump kick to the face, followed by a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. The guillotine drop finishes Blade at 4:38.

Rating: C-. This was a glorified squash for Chen, but it doesn’t help that he is still just the wrestler from Singapore. That is almost all WWE mentions about him and I’m going to need more than that to get interested in him. Both guys are ok in the ring and Blade could be worth having around elsewhere, but Chen is going to need some more to make me care about whatever he’s doing.

Amari Miller vs. Valentina Feroz

Miller seems rather happy to be here. Feroz grabs a headlock to start and takes Miller down out of the corner. That gives us an early standoff until Feroz charges into an armdrag into an armbar. Feroz reverses into an armbar of her own but gets dropped face first out of the corner for the escape. Miller’s reverse chinlock doesn’t last long so they go into a quick pinfall reversal sequence. That’s enough for Miller, who grabs a headlock driver onto the knee to finish Feroz at 3:32.

Rating: C-. Another match that just kind of happened here. You get the feeling that WWE sees something in Miller but she feels like a rather long term prospect. She looks like a pure rookie and it is going to take a lot of time to turn that into something. Given that it’s WWE, she’s probably a champion in a year.

Miller helps her up post match.

Ikemen Jiro/Trey Baxter vs. Imperium

This would be your NXT midcard guest stars match. Barthel and Baxter get things going with Barthel working over the wrist. A flipping hammerlock on the mat keeps Baxter down until he grabs a crucifix. Barthel isn’t having that though and hits a kick to the chest to put Baxter in trouble again. Aichner comes in to stay on the arm but Baxter sweeps the legs and stomps on the back.

It’s off to Jiro for some jacket shots to the face and a Tarantula, with Baxter getting in a shot of his own. That’s too far for Imperium, who come back in for a double clothesline to take over again. Barthel suplexes Baxter into the corner and then slams him legs first into the ropes. There’s another kick to the chest for another two on Baxter and we hit the chinlock.

Back up and a clothesline out of the corner drops Baxter, which has McGuinness rather pleased. Baxter finally jawbreaks his way to freedom though and the hot tag brings in Jiro. The pace picks up and the double springboard moonsault gets two on Barthel. Jiro and Baxter both hit dives to the floor but Aichner is back in with a brainbuster to Baxter. The Imperium Bomb finishes Baxter at 11:16.

Rating: C. This was straight out of the 1980s as you had two guys who might be able to hang with the established team for a few minutes before ultimately getting destroyed. That’s what happened here and it was the best thing on the show. I know these older formulas might not be the most popular, but they still work if you give them the chance.

Overall Rating: C-. Not the most thrilling show, but things have changed enough that this is the new norm. I’ll take that over what we had been getting for years so it is time to start getting used to this. I can go for this formula going forward, though a name change might be in store. Granted that is assuming that anyone in WWE remembers that this show exists, so 205 Live is here to stay.

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