205 Live – November 26, 2021: Training Ground

205 Live
Date: November 26, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Vic Joseph

NXT is on its way to WarGames and that means we are on our way to a non-cruiserweight challenging for the Cruiserweight Title. I’m not sure why that should be a surprise, as Roderick Strong hasn’t defended the title in about two months, so the future isn’t exactly bright. At the same time, that has very little to do with this show so let’s get to it.

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

Valentina Feroz vs. Elektra Lopez

Legado del Fantasma is here with Lopez. Feroz tries to take her down to start and is blocked with straight power. A hard slap to the face sets up a slam spun into a Rock Bottom (which isn’t innovative Vic) and we hit the nerve hold. That’s broken up and Feroz kicks away at the leg, setting up a running hurricanrana. Lopez isn’t having that though and muscles her up into a sitout powerbomb for the pin at 3:50.

Rating: C-. It was little more than a squash, but this is the kind of a match that Lopez needs. There is no pressure on either of them and a grand total of almost no one, certainly no one that high up, is going to see it. Let her get in the ring and get some experience, which is what she needs more than anything else.

Erica Yan vs. Amari Miller

They fight over hammerlock control to start and that doesn’t get either of them anywhere. A hiptoss into an armdrag works a bit better for Yan and a cartwheel lets her pose at Miller a bit. Miller takes her down into a cradle for two and we hit the cobra clutch. That’s broken up and Yan grabs a suplex for two, meaning frustration is setting in. Miller is done with this and hits a knee, setting up a faceplant onto the knee for the pin at 4:35.

Rating: C-. Miller is still clearly a big prospect for the company but she also feels like someone who isn’t exactly comfortable in the ring. It feels like she is trying to figure out what to do next, which is something all young wrestlers go through. Much like Lopez, giving her time in the ring is the best thing for her at the moment and that’s what she was getting here.

We look back at Joe Gacy calling out the Cruiserweight Title for weight shaming. The match is set for WarGames.

Solo Sikoa vs. Andre Chase

Chase calls this a teachable moment because he is going to show that you win fights with your mind instead of your fists. Sikoa is fired up but Chase grabs an armbar to slow him down for at least a good six seconds. They fight over a wristlock until Sikoa hits him in the face to take over. A belly to belly sends Chase outside and it’s time for Sikoa to shout some more.

The Samoan drop is countered though and Chase hits a swinging neckbreaker. Chase slams him down and stomps away, while shouting GIVE ME AN INSERT LETTER HERE to spell out CHASE U. We hit the long form chinlock on Sikoa but he’s right back up with a legsweep into a backsplash. A spinwheel kick gets two on Chase but he sends Sikoa throat first into the ropes. That and a tornado DDT are enough for two on Sikoa, who plants Chase with a Samoan drop instead. The Superfly Splash finishes Chase at 8:29.

Rating: C. You could tell that Chase was carrying a good bit of this as Sikoa is another person lacking the experience. The Chase U stuff is a very minor league gimmick but it’s doing its job and seems to have found at least a bit of an audience. Keep stuff like that going and Chase should be able to stick around here for a pretty good while. Sikoa should be a star in the future, and, for the third match in a row, he is someone who needs the kind of ring time he can get around here.

Overall Rating: C. This was what 205 Live should be: a training show where the wrestlers can go out and have short matches to get them in the ring a bit. They can work up to some bigger things later on, but for now this is where they should be. It’s more or less the same concept of the old Florida house show circuit, which is something that could do them a lot of good but probably got cut due to budget issues.

 

 

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