205 Live
Date: April 23, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Tom Phillips

It’s time for more interchangeable cruiserweight action as the same people get to have mostly the same matches as they always do around here. Hopefully the action is good, because that is about all that happens to make things interesting on this show. I wouldn’t bet on it though, as I learned not to do a long time ago. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Bollywood Boyz vs. Ariya Daivari/Tony Nese

The Boyz manage to get Phillips, now with a beard, to dance a bit. Commentary points out that we’ve seen this match before, which isn’t giving me much hope. Daivari hammers away on Samir to start and sends him arm first into the buckle. A cobra clutch puts Samir down and it’s off to Nese for the quickly broken chinlock. Instead, Daivari comes back in to drop some elbows but Samir manages a tornado DDT.

Nese is smart enough to break up the hot tag though and comes back in for two off a snap suplex. A chinlock with a bodyscissors keeps Samir in trouble but he fights up again. This time Nese’s suplex is countered into a neckbreaker and the hot tag brings in Sunil to pick up the pace. A middle rope clothesline gets two on Daivari and the middle rope Hart Attack (elbow instead of clothesline) gets the same. The Bollywood Blast gets another near fall with Daivari having to make a save. Nese hits a pair of Running Neses for the pin on Sunil at 8:16.

Rating: C-. Quick match here without breaking their mold. There is only so much that you can do with a match like this as Nese and Daivari are going to be the major heels around here for years and the Boyz can’t go higher on the card. The action was decent, but it’s another match with no impact or stakes at all, other than recharging Nese and Daivari for the 167^th time.

We look at Kushida issuing an open challenge for a Cruiserweight Title shot and retaining over Oney Lorcan on NXT. Post match, MSK had to save Kushida from a Legado del Fantasma beatdown, setting up a six man next week.

August Grey vs. Ashante Adonis

Grey spins out of a wristlock to start but can’t get an O’Connor roll. Adonis sweeps the leg and elbows him in the jaw to send Grey into the corner. Grey is right back with an armdrag into an armbar but Adonis makes the rope. Not to waste a chance, Adonis pulls him throat first into the rope to take over. Some elbows set up a missed knee drop but Adonis pulls him right back down into the chinlock.

What looks like a Captain’s Hook is countered so Adonis snaps off a belly to back suplex for two. Cue Ariya Daivari to watch from ringside as Grey hits a running elbow to the face. A bulldog drops Adonis again and the spinning high crossbody connects for no cover. Instead they both crash to the floor, with Daivari telling Grey to take the countout win. That isn’t happening but the distraction lets Adonis hit the Long Kiss Goodnight for the pin at 9:14.

Rating: C. Not too bad here and the Daivari stuff should set up something going forward. Adonis needed a win so maybe he can get a minor push around here. I’m not if it is going to amount to anything, but at least they gave him a quick win here, even if it was more about Daivari vs. Grey than anything else.

Post match Daivari yells at him for not using his head. Grey says he’s doing it his way.

Overall Rating: C-. Yet another dull, dry and repetitive offering from 205 Live, which is kind of hard to fathom. You would think at some point that they could come up with something fresh, even in the short term, but that has not been the case in years now. If nothing else, just having someone other than Nese and Daivari as the main villains would be a nice upgrade.

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205 Live
Date: April 16, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Tampa, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness

This is the most up and down show you are going to find in WWE as there are weeks where you get good stuff but then there are weeks that have absolutely nothing going on whatsoever. You might as well flip a coin to figure out which you’re going to see here and that is kind of scary situation. Let’s get to it.

Opening sequence.

Jake Atlas vs. Ashante Adonis

Feeling out process to start, including some light kicks to the leg. Atlas cranks on the arm and grabs the armbar to keep Adonis in a bit of trouble. Adonis is right back with a knee to the ribs to take over for all of about three seconds, as Atlas sends him shoulder first into the buckle. It’s way too early for the cartwheel DDT though as Adonis shoves him out to the floor.

Back in and Adonis goes after the arm for a change, with Atlas not being able to roll his way to freedom. Atlas finally kicks his way out and goes up, only to be slammed back down. That lets Adonis go up for a high crossbody for two but Atlas hits him in the face. A release gordbuster sets up the cartwheel DDT to finish Adonis at 8:43.

Rating: C-. These are two guys who went out there and had one of the most generic matches you could ask for. They worked on a limb each and then one guy won in the end. Maybe it’s that I have seen these two around here for months now but there was nothing to get excited about whatsoever. Technically fine, but good luck making me care about these two having a cold match like this one.

We look at Kushida winning the Cruiserweight Title on NXT.

August Grey vs. Tony Nese

Ariya Daivari joins commentary. Nese slams him down to start and strikes a quick pose so Grey grabs a headlock to take it to the mat. Back up and Grey busts out some jumping jacks, which really don’t sit well with Daivari. Nese drops him with a belly to back suplex but gets sent throat first into the middle rope. That means the running crotch attack to the back of the head but Nese is right back with a gutbuster

Another belly to back connects so Nese goes to the corner to….I think adjust the turnbuckle pad. Whatever it was it takes too long, allowing Grey to catapult him into the corner. Grey picks up the pace with a running hurricanrana and an elbow to the face. Nese isn’t having that as he hits a spinning kick to the face and puts on the chinlock. That lasts as long as the common chinlock with Grey coming up and winning a strike off.

A jawbreaker into a neckbreaker sets up Grey’s rope walk spinning high crossbody for two. Back up and Nese fires off some kicks, including an enziguri but Grey kicks him to the floor. The suicide dive sends Nese over the announcers’ table, with Grey breaking up the count for reasons of dumb honor. Back in and Grey grabs a rollup for the pin at 11:30.

Rating: C. It was a better match than the opener but that isn’t exactly saying much. The wrestling is fine, but I never need to see Nese and or Daivari again after how many times they have been on this show over the last few….well years now. It doesn’t help that the rather talented Grey is stuck on the treadmill that is 205 Live and there is nothing to indicate that is going to change anytime soon.

Overall Rating: C-. The words ho-hum come to mind here as this was every dull 205 Live that you can ever hope to see. The wrestling continues to be fine but there is nothing in the way of an interesting story, or even any kind of a story for the most part. The shows come and go without developing and that is not going to keep my attention. Even thirty minutes is feeling long around here and that’s hard to fathom.

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205 Live
Date: April 2, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness

I’m starting to get curious about where things might be heading around here again, as Mansoor is becoming a bit of a star around this place. That might not be the best thing for 205 Live’s future as stars don’t stay here for very long, but at least it could wind up giving the show a bit more exposure. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

August Grey vs. Mansoor

Mansoor’s Main Event wins are now being mentioned. Grey takes him to the mat with a headlock to start and even holds on as they get back up. A cradle gives Mansoor two and an escape, followed by a standing moonsault for the same. Grey is right back with a belly to back faceplant and the chinlock has Mansoor in trouble again. This one is broken up for a kick to the face, followed by a suplex to give Mansoor two.

Mansoor gets his own armbar into another suplex into another armbar. Back up and Mansoor is sent to the floor for a suicide dive from Grey, followed by a running neckbreaker back inside. An Oklahoma roll gives Grey two and Mansoor’s crucifix gets the same as we hit the pinfall reversal sequence. Mansoor kicks him in the face to set up a German suplex to put Grey down again.

Grey’s tornado DDT is blocked but he manages to counter a springboard into a middle rope Russian legsweep for two. Mansoor is right back with a pop up Downward Spiral for his own two. Grey manages to grab So Much Prettier to send Mansoor outside for nine….but Grey doesn’t want to win that way, because he is a schnook. Back in and Mansoor grabs a rollup for the pin at 10:58.

Rating: B-. These guys were working and we have to be getting to the point where the Mansoor winning streak is going somewhere. You can only talk about it so long before it loses whatever importance it has, though I’m not sure where it can go. Mansoor getting a Cruiserweight Title shot seems almost hard to fathom, so maybe just putting him on NXT would be a good idea.

We look at Santos Escobar’s NXT open challenge and subsequent win over Tyler Breeze.

Ariya Daivari/Tony Nese vs. Chase Parker/Sunil Singh

If Parker and Singh lose, Bolly Rise (the rest of which is at ringside) can never team again. Singh and Daivari lock up to start but it’s quickly off to Nese to hammer away. The forearms to the back don’t do much though as Singh snaps off an armdrag into an armbar. Parker comes in to stay on the arm as commentary discusses Bolly Rise merchandise. Singh gets sent into the corner but fights out in a hurry, only to be knocked outside.

Back in and Daivari whips Singh chest first into the buckle and Nese grabs the chinlock. Singh fights up and manages a spinwheel kick, allowing the hot tag to Parker. Everything breaks down and it’s a Gory Bomb to set up Singh’s top rope elbow (McGuinness: “OH YEAH!”) for two. Nese makes the save and Daivari hits the Persian Lion splash for two, with Singh making the save this time. Samir Singh throws in a foreign object to distract Daivari and Sunil grabs a rollup for the pin at 7:55.

Rating: C. This was a fun match for the sake of saving a group, though I’m not sure how interesting the team is in the first place. Who in the world needs a four person team on a show with no titles and top villains who can be distracted by throwing in something shiny? I’m not sure how appealing Bolly Rise is, but what else is there to get excited about around here?

Overall Rating: C+. Pretty nice show here, though the lack of anything feeling important continues to plague the whole thing. There is just nothing important going on here with a bunch of things happening, mainly involving Daivari and Nese losing. The show was fun because of the opener, but don’t waste your time if you want anything with any kind of weight involved.

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205 Live
Date: March 26, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness

It’s Wrestlemania season and that is not going to mean the slightest thing around here. That is not the best thing in the world to say but it isn’t like 205 Live is going to mean much of anything when it comes to the important shows. The best thing you can hope for around here is something entertaining week to week so maybe that can be the case this time. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Bollywood Boyz vs. Ariya Daivari/Tony Nese

Daivari stomps Samir down to start and hands it off to Nese, who gets rolled up for two. Sunil comes in for an armbar on Nese and it’s time for the Boyz to change places and stay on the arm. Daivari gets in a cheap shot though and it’s time to stomp away in the corner. Then it’s time to tie Samir in the ropes and hammer away before it’s back to Nese for a bodyscissors.

A spinning kick to the face gets two but Samir fights up and grabs a neckbreaker, allowing the hot tag off to Sunil. The Bollywood Blast is broken up and a powerslam into the Persian Lion splash gets two on Sunil. Samir gets to clean house as well and it’s a big dive to the floor to take the villains down. Back in and Daivari hits a Rock Bottom for two on Samir but Sunil grabs a rollup for the same. The hammerlock lariat finishes Sunil at 8:41.

Rating: C-. It’s nice to see the resident villains win here because they are going to put over every single person around here so switching them up for a change is not a bad idea. Now just find something else for them to do or maybe bring in some new villains and we might be in for a slightly better show.

We look at Jordan Devlin beating Kushida on NXT and having a staredown with Santos Escobar. Then Shawn Michaels came out to send in a ladder, turning the Cruiserweight Championship unification match into a ladder match. Makes sense in this case.

August Grey vs. Ashante Adonis

Adonis grabs the arm to start and cranks away but Grey walks through the ropes to counter into one of his own (a Nigel spot, much to his appreciation). Grey cradles him for two but gets powerslammed down for two more. A neckbreaker gives Adonis another two and he hammers away in the corner for a bit. Some elbow drops have the crowd trying to get Grey back to his feet, where Adonis spinebusters him back down.

We hit the chinlock on Grey but he forearms his way to freedom in a hurry. Adonis dropkicks him out to the floor but Grey walks the rope for a high crossbody to start the real comeback. A Michinoku Driver gets two on Adonis, who is right back with a knockdown of his own. Adonis’ dancing right hand to the mat sets up a spinning kick to the head for two. Grey sends him into the corner though and So Much Prettier finishes Adonis at 8:36.

Rating: C. It is a good idea to have these guys get the featured match this time around because you don’t see some fresh faces around here very often. This is one of the better things that they could do, even if the match was not quite a classic. It was perfectly fine, but it had some fresh faces and that is a good idea.

Post match Ariya Daivari comes out to raise Grey’s hand but Grey walks off to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. This felt like the kind of show that we have seen more than once now and that is not the greatest news. The show doesn’t do much in the way of fresh ideas or new material and that has been the case for a long time now. Again though, it is a completely watchable show and seeing them get in and out in thirty minutes makes it that much easier. Not a great show or anything, but what else can you expect?

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205 Live
Date: March 19, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

Things have been looking up around here but unfortunately Curt Stallion has broken his wrist and is going to be out of action for a pretty long time. I’m not sure what that is going to mean around here but there is going to need to be someone fresh brought in. I’m not sure how likely that is, but stranger things have happened. Let’s get to it.

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

Ashante Adonis vs. Ariya Daivari

Barrett is here as a guest commentator and talks about what it’s like as a newcomer who wound up going all the way to the main event of Summerslam 2010. I love it when you get actual analysis with the commentator using their own career as an example. Adonis shoulders him down to start but gets taken into the corner for some chops. That’s broken up and Adonis starts in on the shoulder. A neckbreaker gets Daivari out of trouble and he hammers away but Adonis nails a dropkick.

Some right hands stagger Daivari until he sends Adonis hard into the corner. Adonis is fine enough to go up top for a high crossbody so Daivari has to duck the Long Kiss Goodnight. The spinebuster gives Daivari two and the hammerlock lariat is good for the same, with Daivari pulling him up. The Persian Lion splash connects but Daivari covers in a way to allow Adonis to cradle him for a pin. Adonis cradles him for a pin at 7:13.

Rating: C. I liked the match but egads they telegraphed the heck out of that finish in a rather bad way. They had an idea and Daivari looks like he screwed up by acting cocky, but at least come up with something a little better than what they did here. Totally watchable match, but the ending brought it down a good bit.

We look back at Jordan Devlin returning to NXT and jumping Santos Escobar. The unification match is on for Takeover.

Jake Atlas vs. Tony Nese

Nese cranks on the arm to start and takes him to the mat for a leg crank. That’s reversed into an armbar, followed by an armdrag into another armbar. Back up and Nese snaps the arm over the top, allowing him to shout at commentary. A kick to the ribs gives Nese two and we hit the bodyscissors (see how easy it is to use a hold that makes sense). Atlas manages to fight up but gets blasted with a clothesline for two more.

A belly to back suplex drops Atlas and a spinning kick to the face rocks him again. Nese grabs a bit of a messy torture rack but Atlas slips out in a hurry and grabs a brainbuster. There’s a standing moonsault for two but Nese nails him in the head again. The Lionsault gives Nese two but he makes the mistake of slapping Atlas in the face and talking trash. That earns him a discus lariat into the cartwheel DDT to finish Nese at 11:25.

Rating: C+. Atlas isn’t the most interesting character in the world but he can do a nice match like this one here. Commentary treated this like a big win but how many people can beat Nese before it stops meaning anything? The match was pretty good though, as 205 Live’s fairly hot streak in the ring continues.

Overall Rating: C. The wrestling was perfectly acceptable at worst here but the problem continues to be the villains. Nese and Daivari have been the main heels on this show for at least a year and we have heard the exact same story out of them more times than I can count. Beating them over and over is not going to have any kind of an impact and that was on display here. Why should I care that Atlas and Adonis got the wins? That just puts their names on a long list and that’s not helping anyone.

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205 Live
Date: March 12, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Vic Joseph

For once we’re coming off of a pretty strong show as last week saw good stuff in both of the show’s matches. The talent is there, but it is all about finding an interesting way to present it. This show has had a serious problem figuring it out along the way but hopefully they can start going in the right direction again. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Bollywood Boyz vs. Curt Stallion/Mansoor

Ever-Rise joins commentary for a bonus. Commentary mentions Mansoor being undefeated during his entrance as it seems to be a thing. Mansoor wristlocks Sunil to start but gets reversed into a headlock for his efforts. Samir comes in and it’s a pair of leapfrogs into a double back elbow for two on Mansoor. Some double dropkicks take the Boyz down but it’s too early for the hot tag.

A double suplex gets two on Mansoor and we hit the chinlock. Sunil holds Mansoor’s legs so Samir can drop a top rope elbow for two more. Mansoor manages to shove them into each other but doesn’t tag, instead fighting them both off on his own. A clothesline into a bulldog out of the corner drops Sunil and the slingshot neckbreaker hits Samir. Stallion tags himself in, glares at Mansoor, headbutts Sunil and pins Samir at 6:25.

Rating: C-. This could work as they do need to do something with Mansoor so feuding with Stallion could be as interesting as anything else. Above all else it is something and that is more than Mansoor has had this side of Saudi Arabia. I’m curious to see where it goes and that is something I haven’t been able to say about 205 Live in a good while.

Tensions seem ready to flare post match.

We see Jordan Devlin saying that he’s coming back to NXT from this week’s NXT.

Ariya Daivari vs. August Grey

They fight into the corner to start and Grey isn’t having this trash talk. Daivari takes him down into an early chinlock but Grey reverses that into a headlock. Grey throws in a takeover to frustrate Daivari even more but he’s back up with some hard chops. A running hurricanrana and some chops set up another headlock on Daivari but he’s back up with a knee to the ribs.

The threat of So Much Prettier sends Daivari bailing to the floor so Grey misses a dive and tweaks his knee. Daivari hits a hanging neckbreaker off the apron for two but Grey grabs a small package back inside. That annoys Daivari so much that he blasts Grey with a running clothesline and the chinlock goes on again. With that not working, Daivari misses the Persian Lion splash and Grey makes the comeback.

That means a double clothesline though and they’re both down again. It’s Grey up first and unloading in the corner, followed by some shots to the face. Grey snaps off a neckbreaker into a scoop brainbuster for two more. A swinging suplex gets two more so Grey heads up top, only to get pulled down in an Iconoclasm. Now the Persian Lion splash gets two so they head to the apron with Grey hitting something like an STO.

Back in and Grey misses his rope walk spinning crossbody for a big crash. Daivari gets caught grabbing the rope while trying to counter a sunset flip and stops to yell at the referee. Grey nails a superkick but So Much Prettier is broken up. Instead Grey avoids a charge in the corner and grabs a rollup with feet on the ropes for the pin at 13:16.

Rating: B. Where in the world did that come from? These two had a heck of a match and I was wanting to see how it was going to end. Grey is becoming a breakout star more and more every single week and it’s kind of awesome to see. The ending wasn’t a heel turn but rather Grey cheating because Daivari had tried to and balancing things out. It made sense and was a clever way to wrap up a good match.

Overall Rating: B-. I’m not sure what has gotten into 205 Live as of late but they are on a rather nice roll. This is their second good show in a row and the main event is worth seeing, even if you’re not overly familiar with either of them. I’ve been asking for the show to pick things up a bit and that is what they have been doing so well done on all accounts.

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205 Live
Date: March 5, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, St. Petersburg, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness

We’re back to the cruiserweight show that doesn’t seem to exist as far as the Cruiserweight Champions are concerned. Now one might think that is a bad sign for the show, but it has been chugging along for so many years now that I’m not sure it makes the biggest difference in the world. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

August Grey/Jake Atlas vs. Ariya Daivari/Tony Nese

Grey scares Daivari into the corner to start so it’s off to Nese instead. A hammerlock takes Nese down in a hurry as Nigel says wins and losses matter around here. I’m not entirely sure how but you don’t argue with a British wrestler. Nese fights up and brings Daivari back in for a double suplex but Grey sticks the landing and makes the tag. Everything breaks down and Nese fakes a knee injury, allowing Daivari to crotch Atlas on top.

Daivari’s running boot to the face gets two and Nese is back in for a running elbow to the face. Atlas kicks him away though and Grey is smart enough to step around the post to make the hot tag. House is cleaned in a hurry but Daivari shoves Grey into the Sunset Driver for two. Everything breaks down and Atlas hits a suicide dive on Daivari, leaving Grey to hit So Much Prettier for the pin on Nese at 7:56.

Rating: C. Nice stuff here as Grey and Atlas were flying around while Nese and Daivari did their thing well enough. I know the stories aren’t going anywhere and they have been on the same treadmill for years now, but at least they are having some slightly better matches. Just please find something for them to move towards. Like anything, please.

Earlier today, Mansoor and Curt Stallion had a friendly discussion over what their tag team name should be. Then they agreed to a match against each other tonight.

We look at Legado del Fantasma beating up Ever-Rise and Breezango on NXT.

The Bollywood Boyz aren’t happy with Ever-Rise going to NXT without them.

Curt Stallion vs. Mansoor

Feeling out process to start with Mansoor driving him up against the ropes for the clean break. They go to the mat for the grappling exchange with Mansoor slapping on a hammerlock. That’s reversed into a headlock until Mansoor gets away for two off an Oklahoma roll. Back up and Mansoor grabs another headlock, which is reversed into a bridging German suplex for two. Mansoor nails a running clothesline for the same and the chinlock goes on.

Grey is right back up with an Air Raid Crash onto the knee and a running knee in the corner rocks Mansoor. A DDT into the corner (that’s a new one) gets two as Grey is getting frustrated. Mansoor counters a whip into a double underhook spun into a slam for two. Stallion headbutts him out to the floor and there’s a dive to take Mansoor down again. Back in and Stallion’s top rope splash hits knees but he catches Mansoor on top with a super reverse Spanish Fly. Mansoor sends him into the corner though and it’s the slingshot neckbreaker to finish Stallion at 10:32.

Rating: B. I’m still not sure why WWE is waiting for so long to do anything with Mansoor because he is one of the better names they have on the lower level of the card. This was a rather solid match with both guys working hard and looking good in the process. It’s one of the best 205 Live matches in recent memory and it’s very nice to see something like that after so many weeks of meh.

Post match respect is shown and commentary mentions that Mansoor is 41-0. There’s your stat that you probably never would have guessed.

Overall Rating: B-. As tends to be the case in WWE, the shows work so much better when they drop everything else and just focus on the wrestling. That is almost always the case around here, but this week’s main event was more than enough to carry things. I can’t imagine it means anything long term, but for a one off show, this was a lot of fun.

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205 Live
Date: February 19, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness

It’s another week and I still have no idea what to say about this show. Odds are it’s going to be Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari dealing with some other young whippersnappers because that’s all they have done for months. Oh and some Ever Rise/Bollywood Boyz stuff because that’s still going. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Curt Stallion/Jake Atlas/Ashante Adonis/Mansoor vs. Bollywood Boyz/Ever-Rise

Well it’s different enough. Mansoor and Martel get things going but it’s off to Parker in a hurry for a double shoulder. Samir comes in and gets caught in an armbar so Ashante comes in, only to get elbowed down by the Boyz. That doesn’t last long so it’s off to Martel vs. Atlas, the latter of whom helps Stallion shoulder Martel down for two. Parker comes in and gets caught in Stallion’s headlock as the rapid fire tagging continues.

Adonis comes back in and gets distracted by Martel, allowing the Boyz to take him down. We finally slow down a bit with Adonis getting beaten up by the rotating villains. Sunil grabs a chinlock for all of ten seconds before Adonis is sent back into the corner for more stomping. A drop toehold into an elbow to the back gets two and a top rope back elbow is good for the same.

Martel can’t slam Samir onto Adonis though and it’s off to Atlas to clean house. Everything breaks down again and Adonis dropkicks Parker for two. Mansoor’s Death Valley Driver gets the same but he gets taken down into the Power and the Glory (Did I miss Power and Glory becoming the most influential team ever???) for another two. A bit of miscommunication lets Mansoor grab a Falcon Arrow for two as everything breaks down again. Stallion comes in off the blind tag and headbutts Sunil for the pin at 9:59.

Rating: C+. It might not have been good, but it was absolutely energetic and that’s a lot better than the usual around here. I’m still not interested in the Ever Rise/Bollywood Boyz deal, but some kind of continuing story is better than none. Just find something for all eight of these people to do and this show might be able to get somewhere, because the talent is there.

Earlier today, Ariya Daivari and Tony Nese jumped August Grey for stealing his chains.

We look at Santos Escobar backing out of his match with Karrion Kross on NXT. The match happens next week or Escobar loses the title.

Karrion Kross is ready to end Escobar.

Ariya Daivari vs. August Grey

Tony Nese is on commentary. Grey goes at Daivari to start but gets hit in the ribs. An early attempt to go after Grey’s leg lets him kick Daivari to the floor, setting up a high crossbody back inside. A belly to back suplex gives Grey two but Daivari is right back with a DDT for the same. We hit the neck crank on Grey but he slips out and grabs a sunset flip for two.

There’s a neckbreaker to drop Daivari, who pops right back up with a sleeper. The Rock Bottom plants Grey for two more but Grey ducks the hammerlock lariat. A superkick connects to Daivari and they’re both down again. Grey sends him out to the apron and then clotheslines him to the floor but stops to glare at Nese. Daivari is sent inside but Nese holds up Daivari’s chains to distract Grey (they are rather shiny). The distraction lets Daivari get in a dropkick and the hammerlock lariat is good for the pin at 6:57.

Rating: C-. I’m not sure how many times this match has taken place, but the problem is that it feels like one we have seen a dozen or so times. As usual, that is one of the major problems around here: there is nothing to fight over and it becomes rather tiring in a hurry. The match was fine, but how interesting is Daivari vs. Grey really going to be able to be?

Overall Rating: C. And so ends another rather uninspiring edition of 205 Live. The opener was fun but that’s a pretty rare situation around here. The show has a lot of problems, but the biggest is the lack of anything to fight over. Daivari won the main event this week. Is that going to change anything? Is Daivari ever going to be moved up to another level? Of course not, as the Cruiserweight Champions (yeah remember there are two of them) are never here, so what is the point of this show? Other than giving the wrestlers a short show to say they’re still active, I’m missing the point, but when has that ever stopped them?

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205 Live
Date: February 12, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Vic Joseph

We’re fully back to normal here and that may be rather hit or miss depending on your tastes. I’m not exactly thrilled to see some of the 205 Live people again but that has been the case for a long time now. As usual, they need some kind of a way to pick up the pace around here but I have no reason to believe that is going to take place anytime soon. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Mansoor/Ashante Adonis vs. Samir Singh/Chase Parker

It worked so well last week you see. Singh headlocks Mansoor down to start but gets reversed into a headscissors. The first gear holds continue with an exchange of armbars until Mansoor sends him into the corner for the tag off to Parker. Adonis comes in for an armbar of his own and then grabs a headlock.

It’s back to Singh to stomp away and a double suplex gets two on Adonis. We hit the alternating chinlocks but Adonis is up in a hurry with the tag off to Mansoor to clean house. That’s cut off in a hurry and the Bollyrise Blast gets two as Adonis makes the save. Mansoor’s Falcon Arrow gets two on Singh as everything breaks down. The Long Kiss Goodnight finishes Singh at 7:41.

Rating: C-. This felt like I was watching a Lethal Lottery match and I’m almost worried to see where we go next with the Boyz and Ever Rise. I do appreciate the opponents being different from last week but it’s not the most interesting story. Then again, I’m not sure who else there is to put out there.

Post match, Mansoor and Adonis do the Bollywood dance.

We look back at August Grey beating Jake Atlas last week and then getting jumped by Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari (that’s like a merit badge around here).

Jake Atlas vs. Tony Nese

The bell rings and here’s Ariya Daivari to join commentary. Nese slams Atlas down to start and stomps away in the corner but Atlas snaps off a hurricanrana. A running elbow cuts that off in a hurry but Atlas is right back with a neckbreaker. Nese isn’t having any of that and kicks him in the face and hits a hard whip into the corner.

A suplex gives Nese two and we hit the bodyscissors. Atlas fights up and hits a hard clothesline but gets pulled into a waistlock. Some kicks put Nese down and the standing moonsault connects for no cover. Atlas plants him with a brainbuster for two so Daivari throws in the chain. The referee does his job for once so here’s August Grey for another distraction, allowing Atlas to grab a rollup pin at 9:59.

Rating: C. As I’ve been saying for a long time now, this is what we get around here. We’re setting up yet another old vs. new/us vs. them tag match and I can’t bring myself to care about the idea again. I understand that they are stuck with what they have available but DANG is there no one other idea they can run out there?

Overall Rating: C-. Another show that felt like it could have been from any point in the last three plus years. That is becoming a bigger and bigger problem around here as just seeing some of these names facing each other in very similar stories isn’t the most thrilling stuff. Then again this isn’t the most thrilling show and it isn’t on the wrestlers, but that doesn’t make it much better. The usual completely acceptable but forgettable show here.

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205 Live
Date: February 5, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Vic Joseph

Things should be back to normal around here as we are almost all the way up to Takeover: Vengeance Day, meaning we are not going to have many more Dusty Classic matches to go around here. I’m not sure how much of an improvement that is going to be around here but we should be back to the usual cruiserweight action. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Ariya Daivari/Tony Nese vs. Sunil Singh/Matt Martel

Well it’s certainly different. This is the official burying of the hatches between Ever Rise and the Bollywood Boyz. Singh and Nese go to the mat to start until Singh armdrags him into an armbar. Nese powers up into a fireman’s carry but gets small packaged for two instead. Singh gets taken over to the corner so Daivari can come in. That doesn’t go well either as the tag brings in Martel….who hits Singh by mistake.

It’s already back to Singh, who gets taken into the corner and then suplexed down for two. Nese works on a waistlock but Singh fights up and rolls under Daivari’s clothesline. Martel gets to clean house in a hurry, including throwing some suplexes. Everything breaks down and Sunil drops a top rope elbow on Daivari with Nese making a save. Daivari drops Martel so Singh has to make a save so it’s time to bring in the chain. The referee throws that out but the distraction lets Nese hit the running Nese on Martel to give Daivari the pin at 7:51.

Rating: C-. I’m not sure how much of a difference there was in mixing the teams here but at least they did something different. If there is one major problem around here, it is having everything feeling so repetitive so just mixing it up a little bit like this can help a lot. Not a very good match, but at least it wasn’t something we have seen before.

We look at Legado del Fantasma’s success on NXT….until Karrion Kross took them out.

August Grey vs. Jake Atlas

They go to the mat to start with Grey grabbing a headlock as we hear about Jordan Devlin as the NXT UK Cruiserweight Champion. They trade armbars until Atlas drives him up against the ropes and puts on a cravate. Atlas even holds on as Grey slams him down but they get back up to fight over a backslide. With that not working, things get a little more serious with a slugout until Grey snaps off a hurricanrana.

Another right hand puts Atlas down again but he’s back with a big boot. Some kicks to the chest set up a standing moonsault but Grey is up before a count. It’s way too early for the cartwheel DDT though, meaning Atlas has to settle for a clothesline. Grey sends him outside for a suicide dive and then heads back in, with a spinning high crossbody finishing Atlas at 9:31.

Rating: C. That ending came so out of nowhere that I’m not completely sure it was the planned finish. You could see the referee talking to Atlas after it was over so maybe there was something wrong. Either way, it came at the end of a match that was ok at best, but that’s about what you would expect from the completely passable wrestlers in there.

Post match Daivari and Nese run in to beat down Atlas and Grey.

Overall Rating: C-. Yeah you could feel the lack of interest this time around and I’m thinking that is going to be the case around here going forward again. It was nice to have a few weeks with something different but now it is back to the same stuff that we have been seeing for years. This show keeps cycling through the same people and it has taken them about as far as it can. Get some fresh names in there, or at least try a bit harder.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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