205 Live
Date: January 7, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness

We’re back to the NXT version of Main Event, which seems to have dropped any indication of a new name. That is something that seemed imminent but now nothing seems to actually be taking place. Hopefully they get to the switch already, because there isn’t much of a point to this show otherwise. Let’s get to it.

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

Malik Blade vs. Draco Anthony

They fight over some basic grappling to start until Anthony shoulders him down. A headlock takeover keeps Blade in early trouble until he is right back with a dropkick. Anthony slams him out of the corner though and an overhead belly to belly gets two on Blade. The Boston crab stays on Blade’s back for a fairly long while but he finally manages to fight out. Some shots to the face put Anthony in trouble for a change and there’s a running clothesline in the corner. Blade hits his own suplex and a missile dropkick finally gives him a win at 6:04.

Rating: C. Blade is turning into the feel good story around here and that is kind of nice to see. NXT is designed to build up new stars and letting him win something to move forward, even a tiny step, is the right way to go. Anthony is not exactly off to a great start but NXT has shown that it doesn’t care about wins and losses, so it doesn’t make much of a difference.

Erica Yan vs. Nikkita Lyons

Yan takes her down with an armbar to start and then switches to a wristlock to keep up the theme. With that not working, it’s time to work on the leg for a change, only to have Lyons reverse into a headlock. A catapult sets up a half crab, which Lyons lets go in rather quickly. The double arm crank goes on but Yan fights up and strikes away. There’s a jackknife rollup to give Yan two but Lyons kicks her down without much trouble. A DDT finishes for Lyons at 5:25.

Rating: C-. I wasn’t feeling this one as much as neither exactly felt like a polished star. They didn’t exactly get past second gear, but there is only so much that you can do in a match that doesn’t even make it five and a half minutes. Both of these two need more ring time though, and that is what they were getting here.

Ikemen Jiro vs. Ru Feng

Jiro cartwheels to start and avoids a kick from Feng. After coming out of the ropes, Jiro misses a kick of his own but pulls Feng down by the arm instead. An armbar has Feng in trouble and Jiro flips over to make it worse. Feng can’t flip his way to freedom and we get a JACKET TIME chant.

Back up and Feng kicks him down, setting up the chinlock. That actually needs a rope break for the escape so Feng knocks him down and grabs the chinlock again. Jiro fights up again and hits a spinwheel kick, followed by the jacket punches. A springboard moonsault sets up the Ikemen Slash to finish Feng at 6:43.

Rating: C. This is your latest proof that WWE has already stopped caring even remotely about 205 Live, as we aren’t even getting midcard names in the main event anymore. The main event featured half of a comedy tag team against one of the regular jobbers. If that’s all they can do with this show, why am I supposed to want to watch it?

Overall Rating: C-. I can’t believe I actually thought they might do something with this show. All you’re getting here is a set of dark matches that happened to have a camera turned on. Why bother changing the name at this point? It’s beyond obvious that this show exists because of some kind of distribution deal (which is fine, as WWE not wanting to make money would be ridiculous) but any mild hope of it getting better has gone out the window in nearly record time. Another nothing week here, with some ok at best wrestling to fill in 29 minutes.

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205 Live
Date: December 31, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Vic Joseph

It’s the very final WWE show of the year and since I’m not sure there really is a Best Of for the new 205 Live, we’re getting a regular show. Normally I would say there won’t be much of an audience for this given the time and date, but would it be that much different than the regular show? Let’s get to it.

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

Edris Enofe vs. Guru Raaj

Enofe flips out of a wristlock to start as we hear about Raaj missing a long time due to an injury. Raaj takes hm down by the arm but Enofe is back up with a standing hurricanrana. A nice fisherman’s suplex gets two on Raaj but he is right back with a monkey flip for the save. Enofe hits a middle rope elbow to the face for two more before planting Raaj with a spinebuster. A shooting star press, with Enofe taking his time in completing the rotation, finishes Raaj at 4:54.

Rating: C. It’s good to get Enofe a win and the shooting star, while scary, did look rather athletic. They were definitely looking like people fresh out of the Performance Center with the very basic offense, but now 205 Live is the next step in a WWE wrestler’s development. That should tell you a lot about some of WWE’s problems these days.

Amari Miller vs. Nikkita Lyons

Miller’s parents are in the crowd and this is Lyons’ debut. We hear about Lyons surviving as she grew up and her striking experience as she fights out of a wristlock to start. Lyons takes her down and we hit an early chinlock. A kick to the chest drops Miller and we hit the chinlock again. Miller is back up again with a gator roll into a spinning kick to the face. Something like a snapmare sends Lyons face first into Miller’s knee to give Miller the pin at 3:58.

Rating: C-. I’m not sure what it says that I was relieved Miller didn’t lose in front of her parents, but that’s how WWE has conditioned me to think. Miller is someone with potential to become something one day, but that might not have been enough to overcome the powers of crushing someone’s spirit. Lyons looked decent as well, though you can only get so much out of a three minute match with two chinlocks.

Dante Chen vs. Draco Anthony

You might remember Chen as the guy whose one profile detail is being from Singapore. They go with the grappling to start and exchange some wristlocks. Chen takes over with some armdrags into an armbar but Anthony is back up with a dropkick. Anthony counters a dive with a t-bone suplex for two and it’s time to crank on Chen’s arms. That’s broken up as well and Chen hits some forearms to the face, followed by a pump kick. A vertical suplex version of Angel’s Wing Clipper (Dante’s Inferno according to Nigel) finishes Anthony at 5:29.

Rating: C. Another short and to the point match here, but egads they need SOMETHING else for Chen if they want him to become a player. His entire deal is “I’m from Singapore”. That might appeal to people from Singapore, but outside oft that, he isn’t the most thrilling participant. Anthony is someone who should feel like a bigger deal and just doesn’t, though losing to Chen isn’t helping things.

Overall Rating: C-. This show has already lost the little structure that it had when things changed over and now it is even worse. It’s rather sad seeing these people get their three minutes a week, because that is hardly going to do anything for developing their skills, but since WWE has changed everything all over again, this is about as good as it can be at the moment, no matter what.

Results
Edris Enofe b. Guru Raaj – Shooting star press
Amari Miller b. Nikkita Lyons – Faceplant onto the knee
Dante Chen b. Draco Anthony – Dante’s Inferno

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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AND

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