IMG Credit: WWE

205 Live
Date: October 10, 2018
Location: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson

Things have changed for the first time in about six months here with Buddy Murphy defeating Cedric Alexander for the Cruiserweight Title at Super Show-Down. That was Alexander’s first pinfall loss (on TV at least) in a year and that should make for a big change of pace. It should be interesting to see where things go from here so let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of the title change. Well what else was it going to be?

Opening sequence.

Here’s Lio Rush, in a Bobby Lashley shirt, to say that he’s here for an open challenge. Indianapolis is used to those fast cars but no one is faster than Rush. They just better bring it.

Lio Rush vs. Lince Dorado

Rush asks Lince if he’s ready and that earns him a LUCHA chant. Dorado doesn’t get very far with a wristlock so they both try dropkicks for a standoff. A hurricanrana into a dropkick works a bit better for Dorado and a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker gets one. Rush dropkicks him off the top rope, setting up the suicide dive through the bottom ropes.

Back in and Rush gets two, causing him to ask if the referee is for real. A belly to back suplex gets two with Rush keeping Dorado rocked and not letting him to get much of a breather. The rapid fire strikes have Dorado in even more trouble and of course it’s time to go after the mask. You know, because that’s required anymore. Dorado chops him down and gets two off a high crossbody.

Rating: C. This was all about the ending and post match, which are perfectly fine. Kanellis was doing absolutely nothing while being stuck over on Main Event and he hasn’t had a match on one of the two important shows in over a year. Let him come here and at least get something out of him. It’s not like there’s anything else for the two of them to do.

Post match Mike hits something like Cross Rhodes on Dorado. The Kanellises pose together and we have a power couple.

Buddy Murphy says you can’t stop the unstoppable, which he proved by winning the Cruiserweight Title. He’s sticking around Melbourne for a bit though and won’t be back on 205 Live until he’s ready to show up.

Mustafa Ali comes in to check on Cedric Alexander, who says he’s fine. As for Ali, he gets to face Hideo Itami in two weeks and falls count anywhere. Ali leaves but comes back in to ask if Alexander is getting back in the ring too soon. Cedric again insists he’s good.

We look back at Drew Gulak and Jack Gallagher beating down Brian Kendrick and kicking him off the team.

Gallagher and Gulak say what they did last week was unpleasant but necessary because Kendrick had lost his killer instinct. Together, they will create a better 205 Live.

Cedric Alexander vs. Tony Nese

Feeling out process to start with Cedric taking over off a headlock. Cedric flips around a lot but can’t get a headscissor takeover, which seems to mess with him a little bit. Tony armdrags him into an armbar before stopping for some jumping jacks. More of a pushup guy, Alexander dropkicks him down to take over again. Tony plants him on his back though and pulls Alexander to the floor, banging the back up even worse.

The waistlock goes on for a bit until Alexander pops up for the headscissors back to the floor. That’s not enough for the big flip dive to hit though as Nese runs him over again. Nese snaps Cedric’s throat over the top but a springboard moonsault hits raised knees. The springboard Downward Spiral sets up the big no hands flip dive and now it’s Nese in trouble for a change.

There’s the springboard clothesline for two and a Michinoku Driver gets the same, with the latter kickout sending Cedric almost over the edge. Another springboard is countered into a gutbuster as Nese is smart enough to go back to the ribs. Nese talks some trash about the title reign and strikes away but Cedric is right back with the Neuralizer.

There’s a Spanish Fly for two more and that means it’s time for an argument with the referee. The Lumbar Check is countered and Nese blasts him in the jaw with a left hand. A German suplex into the corner sets up the running knee and the 450 for the pin on Alexander at 15:13.

Rating: B. In addition to the really entertaining action, this was heavily focused on storytelling and that’s a good sign. Alexander used what worked to get him the title in the first place and then to keep it but it wasn’t enough this time around. There’s an interesting story in Alexander not being good enough anymore and needing to change things up, which could go somewhere if you tell the story properly. It also helps that Nese can ride off of this win for a very long time going forward. Good stuff all around.

Overall Rating: B-. Despite only having two matches on here, there was a lot of interesting stuff taking place. The debut of the Kanellises is a good sign as the show can use some fresh blood, especially some like Maria. Throw in a rather solid main event and you have a good show up and down. Seeing whoever goes after Murphy next could be rather entertaining so there’s even a future here. Nice show and a nicer future.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Smackdown Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/09/07/new-book-kbs-complete-smackdown-2003-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

IMG Credit: WWE

205 Live
Date: September 4, 2018
Location: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson

We’re coming up on another Cruiserweight Title match, but oddly enough it’s going to be taking place in Australia and it’s going to be Buddy Murphy getting a title shot instead of Drew Gulak, who has been built up for another title match in recent weeks. Other than that we could have some more from the better than expected midcard around here. Let’s get to it.

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

Drake Maverick gives us the opening recap with no mention of the Authors of Pain last night.

Opening sequence.

Tony Nese is on his way to the ring for a match and gets annoyed when an interviewer tries to talk to him. Buddy Murphy takes the interview instead, saying he’s looking forward to facing Cedric Alexander in his hometown. Last time it was in Cedric’s backyard but this time, Murphy will have 70,000 people in his corner.

Gran Metalik vs. Tony Nese

Everyone else is barred from ringside (and the wide shot suggests that they’re barred from sitting in the stands as well). Nese shoulders him down to start and they trade some armdrags. A dropkick exchange gives us a standoff so Nese kicks him down. Nese has to bail out of a Lionsault so Metalik hits a springboard armdrag and Nese is sent out to the floor for a breather. You can’t do that to a luchador so the dive is loaded up but Nese trips him instead.

A swing into the barricade has Metalik in trouble as the amount of empty seats in the bottom half of the arena is as bad as I’ve ever seen them for this show. There are full empty rows visible and there might be more empty seats than full ones. Back in and Metalik elbows him in the face, followed by a tornado DDT to plant Nese. Metalik’s rope walk dropkick gets two but he slightly botches a spinning sunset flip. Nese gets sent to the apron so Metalik can try a running hurricanrana, land on the top rope for a second, and then hit it a second later.

A moonsault to the floor hits Nese’s raised boots and they’re both down. Nese is up first for the running flip dive, followed by a 450 for two back inside. The running knee is cut off by a superkick and the Metalik Driver gets two. Metalik goes up and manages to crotch Nese, setting up a springboard hurricanrana. The rope walk elbow is good for the pin at 11:09.

Rating: C-. This got some time but it was more long than good, which is rarely a good thing. There were some notable bad spots in there too, but the bigger problem is the empty arena. You can’t avoid something like that and it looked horrible no matter what they did. With this as the way to start the show, I can’t say I’m surprised by the fans not being thrilled. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t exactly thrilling stuff.

Percy gets a noisemaker and Nigel looks like he wants to kill him.

We look back at Hideo Itami destroying the jobber last week until Mustafa Ali came in to chase him off.

Ali comes in to see Maverick and mentions the Authors of Pain, but Drake tells him to stay out of it. Maverick wasn’t pleased with what happened last week and Ali isn’t wrestling again until Maverick says so.

Noam Dar vs. Bryan Kelly

Lio Rush comes out for commentary. Kelly is the name of Notre Dame’s, a University of Michigan rival, football coach. After Rush only shakes Nigel’s hand, he complains about not getting booked while Dar is in the ring. Dar fires off some knees to the ribs and hiptosses Kelly into the ropes. Kelly armbars him to no effect and Dar kicks him off the middle rope. The Nova Roller finishes Kelly at 2:30.

Dar stares at Rush. That could be a fun one.

Maverick runs into Cedric Alexander in the back and allows him to call out Drew Gulak. Just keep it professional.

Here’s Cedric who gets straight to the point by calling Gulak out. There’s no Gulak but here’s TJP instead. TJP isn’t good at waiting in line and he’s not waiting in line for his shot at the Cruiserweight Title. He wants to fight right now and Cedric is more than ready. Cue Maverick to say let’s have the match right now, non-title though.

Cedric Alexander vs. TJP

Non-title. Cedric takes him down by the wrist to start but a shoulder just makes TJP nip up. That earns him a shove right back down, which is a smarter move than it should be. The Neuralizer puts TJP on the floor and there’s the suicide dive. TJP is right back up with a DDT onto the apron (that’s turned into a free space on the wrestling Bingo card) and Cedric is in trouble. A slingshot headscissors into an Octopus Hold is reversed into a Brock Lock of all things but TJP reverses that into a rollup.

Cedric dropkicks him to the floor but gets caught in a modified Octopus Hold in the ropes. That’s enough to bang up Alexander’s arm so TJP sends it into the buckle. Cedric almost drops him on a Michinoku Driver attempt but TJP is smart enough to switch it into a rollup to keep things looking fine. The Pentagon Jr. arm snap makes Alexander scream and the rolling suplexes get two. An armbar goes on for a bit until the springboard spinning forearm drops Cedric again.

He’s fine enough for the springboard clothesline, which is a pretty bad idea when you have an injured arm. A suplex into a gutbuster (that’s a new one) gives Cedric two but the Lumbar Check is countered into a Kimura with a bodyscissors. That’s broken up as well so TJP puts on a Fujiwara armbar but switches it over to the kneebar instead. As usual, the first attempt doesn’t work very well and Cedric is in the ropes in a hurry. TJP tries the Detonation Kick but gets reversed into a one armed Lumbar Check to give Cedric the pin at 11:01.

Rating: B. They were telling a nice story here with the arm work and everything that TJP did to hurt Cedric. Throw in the good idea of having Cedric use one arm for his finisher instead of doing the full version and this was a very solid main event. I could have gone with more hype for such a big time match but it’s not like it’s going to change the audience or anything.

Post match here’s Gulak to say he accepts the challenge but Jack Gallagher runs in from behind to take Cedric out. The Gulak puts Cedric to sleep, drawing Maverick out for the save to end the show. They’re getting somewhere with this Cedric as a fighting champion deal and whoever finally takes the title from him is going to look like a giant killer.

Overall Rating: C. The main event bailed the show out but there’s no way around those crowd shots. It’s depressing, to the point where it had to get in the wrestlers’ heads. There was just almost no one there and there’s not much you can do to make up for that. Hopefully it’s better next week, but this show isn’t going to last with that kind of a visual. WWE won’t stand for it.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/07/23/new-book-kbs-complete-2003-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

IMG Credit: WWE

205 Live
Date: August 21, 2018
Location: Barclays Center, New York City, New York
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson, Mauro Ranallo

I’m not sure what to expect from this show. Sure there was a big time Cruiserweight Title match on Sunday, but it’s not like that meant much for the post-Wrestlemania show. Cedric Alexander is still Cruiserweight Champion and now he needs a new challenger. That might not be established tonight, but we will have a tornado tag team match between Lucha House Party and Buddy Murphy/Tony Nese. Let’s get to it.

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

Drake Maverick recaps the title match and hypes up tonight’s matches. That’s a rather nice way to open the show, even if it’s just a way to kill time while the shows change over.

Opening sequence.

TJP vs. Noam Dar

Rapper Wale is on commentary for celebrity reasons. TJP has a slightly different version of his theme. Before the match, TJP says he can’t wait to get back to Los Angeles. He brings up Dar’s knee issues and his kneebar finisher so tonight is close your eyes time. Or you could just leave, as one more empty seat in a sea of them won’t matter that much. Wale brings up Dar’s relationship with Alicia Fox, which ended last April. This guy is going to be on commentary all night isn’t he?

Dar drives TJP into the corner as Wale can’t get the initials in the right order. Hang on a second though as TJP bails to the floor and grabs a mic so he can introduce Wale. TJP dabs at him (Wale: “Nobody dabs anymore!”) and gets dropkicked by Dar, leaving Wale to call him PJ. Dude, it’s THREE LETTERS. TJP gets sent into a variety of things and a snapmare sends him into the ropes. Dar slugs away as Wale talks about hosting the New Day vs. Usos rap battle from last July. A running dropkick sends TJP outside as Nigel can’t pronounce Wale’s name (it’s Wah-Lay).

Back in and a quick DDT gives TJP two as Wale talks to his rap friends. We hit a Tequila Sunrise on Dar to work on the knee for all of two seconds. Another leglock allows TJP to point at Wale and then a curb stomp keeps Dar down. Dar stops a slingshot hilo with a raised knee, which is a bad idea when your knee has been worked over for a few minutes. Wale has moved to intentionally misspelling TJP’s name. It doesn’t make it any funnier, but at least it’s a change of pace.

A right hand to the face gets Dar out of trouble and a release northern lights suplex gets two. TJP pulls him down into the kneebar though but Dar is too close to the ropes, as is almost always the case with the first kneebar attempt. Back up and Dar kicks him in the leg, followed by the Nova Roller for the pin at 9:03.

Rating: C+. I like TJP far more than Dar but it seems that WWE wants to push Dar a bit harder at the moment. The running kick is better than another frog splash or 450 so at least it’s a little change of pace. TJP is still one of the best guys on the roster with the leg stuff, but I get why they would rather have him making people look good instead of pushing him.

That’s it for Wale, thank goodness.

Clip of Sunday’s title match.

Earlier today, Drew Gulak was in the empty arena and said Cedric got lucky on Sunday. If Cedric cares about his legacy, he’ll give Gulak a rematch.

Drake Maverick isn’t so sure because Gulak needs to earn a rematch. Request denied at the moment.

Akira Tozawa vs. Colin Delaney

Or not as Gulak, Brian Kendrick and Jack Gallagher run in and beat up both guys.

Gulak accuses Cedric of running scared and wants an answer to the challenge right now. Cue Cedric to say that if he’s the scared one, why does Gulak have Thing #1 and Thing #2 out there? Maverick comes out to hold Cedric back as Gulak goes full Green Eggs and Ham. Gulak wants to know what the Age of Alexander is. Whatever it is, is absolutely sucks. The fans want a fight and Cedric finally gets through the referees to chase Gulak off.

Lucha House Party vs. Tony Nese/Buddy Murphy

Tornado rules with Lince Dorado/Gran Metalik for the House Party. Lince starts fast with a high crossbody to take them both down, followed by a launch into a double dropkick. The running flip dives are broken up so the House Party settles for the hard chops on the floor instead. Stereo backdrops over the top set up stereo top rope Asai moonsaults as Dorado and Metalik are moving as one so far. Things settle down with the fights splitting off, including Murphy slamming Dorado’s head into the ramp.

Dorado dropkicks both of them off the apron but the big running flip drive is caught in midair, setting up a powerbomb against the barricade. Back in and Nese starts in on Dorado’s injured thumb but Murphy can’t get the case off. Metalik gets up and walks the rope for a dropkick on Nese, only to have Murphy powerbomb him down. A pumphandle slam/running neckbreaker (more like a running shove to the back of the head) keeps Metalik in trouble and Dorado gets sent into the post.

It’s not much of a posting as he’s back in with a double missile dropkick just a few seconds later as the back and forth continues. Murphy hits Nese by mistake and a hurricanrana gives Dorado two as everyone is down. Dorado tries a double springboard moonsault press but only Nese goes down, which drags Murphy down with him in what might have been a botch. A running tornado DDT has some more luck on Murphy with a near fall but Nese crotches Dorado on the top.

Metalik breaks up the double superplex and actually doesn’t set up a Tower of Doom. I’m as shocked as you are. Nese gets knocked down and the shooting star gets two, leaving everyone down. Murphy and Dorado head up top but Nese is right there with a German superplex, though he ties himself in the Tree of Woe, allowing Metalik to walk the ropes for a dropkick.

Murphy is still up top though and hits a top rope Meteora to put Metalik down, meaning another four way knockdown. The House Party is up first with the superkicks and some alternating moonsaults get two on Nese with Murphy diving in for a save. Even Nigel is impressed by the House Party here so you know this is good. Nese German suplexes Metalik into the corner but the running knee is blocked.

Dorado misses a dive off the apron so Metalik walks the ropes for a hurricanrana to pull Nese off the top and into Murphy for a crazy looking crash, causing Metalik to lose his mask (Kalisto is right there to cover his face like a good buddy). Murphy shoves Kalisto against the announcers’ table so Kalisto trips him down (the first time he’s gotten involved), setting up a Code Red to give Metalik the pin at 17:20.

Rating: A-. I had heard some high praise for this match coming in and they more than lived up to the hype. The House Party has lost a lot over the last few months so giving them a big win is a good idea, while also showing how much better they are as a team. This was a wild and fun brawl and that’s the kind of match that these guys needed. Just a lot of fun with the match getting the time to reach that other level that this show doesn’t reach often enough.

Overall Rating: B+. Sometimes you need to have things just go nuts and put on an entertaining show. The Cruiserweight Title stuff was good too, though I need a little better reason to see a rematch than “I want a rematch and you’re a coward”. Still though, if it means Gulak gets the title one day, everything will be fine. Throw in Wale leaving after about fifteen minutes and the show became a combination of a lot of fun and a relief at the same time. Check out that main event.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/07/23/new-book-kbs-complete-2003-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

IMG Credit: WWE

205 Live
Date: August 7, 2018
Location: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson

It’s kind of a weird feeling to have a big time title match coming up around here. Cruiserweight Champion Cedric Alexander will be defending against Drew Gulak at Summerslam and that makes for some interesting times. The rest of the show might not be as impressive, but Alexander vs. Gulak should be more than fine. Let’s get to it.

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

Drake Maverick narrates the preview for tonight’s show, even running down the card in order. You mean half of it isn’t going to be made as we go?

Opening sequence.

Lucha House Party vs. Tony Nese/Buddy Murphy

Kalisto and Lince Dorado (with a bad thumb) for the House Party here, allowing Nigel to take even more shots at the team. Murphy knees Lince in the face to start but it’s off to Kalisto in a hurry. This goes a bit better with a kick to the head and the hurricanrana driver getting two on Murphy. Nese comes in and pulls Kalisto to the floor for a ram into the apron though and the bad guys take over again.

Murphy throws Kalisto off his shoulder and face first onto the mat with Nese adding a moonsault for two. We hit the chinlock for a few moments until Kalisto rolls over to the apron and gets in a kick to the head. Nese is fast enough to get over and break up the tag though, allowing Murphy to grab a bridging German suplex for two more.

The hot tag connects a few seconds later (that’s quite the WWE trope as well) and it’s a dropsault for two on Nese. Kalisto comes back in for a Falcon Arrow with Murphy diving over for the save. Dorado is fine enough for a double Golden Rewind and the stereo flip dives to the floor have Nese and Murphy in trouble. Nese escapes the Salida Del Sol and Murphy trips Kalisto, allowing a rollup with tights to give Nese the pin at 10:39.

Rating: C. Nese continues to be not great while the House Party is a perfectly fine midcard act around here. They’re more or less the gatekeepers for the upper half of the card and that’s a good place to be in. Murphy is someone who should be moving back towards the main event scene, or on the main roster in a Mojo Rawley kind of character. But why do that when you can let him languish around here?

Mustafa Ali is fine after a quick trip to the hospital. He slowed down a bit and now he’s good for tonight’s main event. Drake Maverick says he has nothing to prove but Ali tells him to worry about Hideo Itami.

Hideo Itami thinks Ali should have showed him more respect.

Video on Noam Dar, who is back from his injury, which he considered a wake up call. TJP has messed with him and that’s not cool with Dar.

Noam Dar vs. Sean Maluta

Maluta was in the Cruiserweight Classic and has been on NXT since. Dar tries a waistlock to start and gives Maluta a clean break when he grabs the rope. A kick to the knee takes Dar down though and you can see the grimacing on his face. That just earns Maluta some strikes to the face as TJP is watching from the back. The running kick to the head (the Nova Roller) gives Dar the pin at 2:24.

Video on Jack Gallagher, Drew Gulak and Brian Kendrick beating down Cedric Alexander last week.

Alexander doesn’t think much of Gulak needing the help and would be glad to beat up Gallagher next week.

Gulak accepts the challenge for Gallagher because it’s time to teach people like Alexander that wrestling is what matters around here. He does NOT need help beating Alexander because Gulak can make Cedric tap out.

Mustafa Ali vs. Hideo Itami

Feeling out process to start with Itami barely avoiding a kick to the face but getting taken down instead. A spinning kick to the face puts Itami on the floor instead and Ali follows with a big flip dive. Ali comes up holding his back and a high crossbody seems to bang it up even worse. The delay lets Itami take over and, of course, shout RESPECT ME. They head outside again with Ali’s chops being no match for Itami’s kicks to the chest.

Itami dropkicks him HARD into the post and Ali’s back is hurt even worse. Ali is almost dead so Itami throws him back in for two. Itami demands respect (GOOD GRIEF SAY SOMETHING ELSE ALREADY!) and knees him in the ribs. A comeback consisting of a chop and a crucifix is cut off when Ali tries the rolling X Factor and takes a crazy hard kick to the head. Great selling there too as Ali looked like he got hit by a bus. Ali is fine enough for some more kicks to the head and now the rolling X Factor is good for two.

An exchange of strikes to the head puts both guys down for a well earned breather. Back up and Ali’s spinning tornado DDT is countered into a Falcon Arrow and Itami can’t believe the kickout. Ali somehow gets up and comes off the middle rope with a sunset flip but keeps rolling into a sitout powerbomb for his own big near fall. Itami’s weird spin into the kick to the head is blocked twice so he belly to bellies Ali back first into the corner for two, despite Ali looking rather un-alive.

A crazed Itami misses a dropkick to drive Ali head first into the steps and Ali gets up for a tornado DDT from the middle rope to the floor. Back in and Ali loads up the 054 but can’t stand up, allowing Itami to kick him down into the Tree of Woe. Itami hits some running dropkicks on the defenseless Ali for the academic pin at 16:33.

Rating: B. This was a great mixture of storytelling and action with Ali’s body giving out on him after spending months leaving it all in the ring every single night. It worked for Shawn Michaels in 1995 and it can work here too. What we got here was more great stuff from Ali, who knows how to play the underdog and hang in there against anyone no matter what is thrown at him. I had a lot more fun with this match than I was expecting, especially considering the amount of RESPECT ME’s from Itami.

Ali collapses as he tries to leave the ring. The referee is asking him questions like what year it is, which Ali has trouble answering. Drake Maverick wants medics out here and holds Ali’s

Overall Rating: B. The story at the end was good stuff and capped off a solid show with a very entertaining main event. The show has needed the other big story to go with the title picture and that’s what they have now. I can’t believe it but 205 Live is becoming a rather fun show that I want to watch week to week. Given where they were just a few months ago, that’s rather impressive.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/07/23/new-book-kbs-complete-2003-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

IMG Credit: WWE

205 Live
Date: July 31, 2018
Location: Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson

For the first time in the better part of a year, we actually have a pay per view match to build towards. Last week Drew Gulak became #1 contender by winning a four way match, earning himself a shot against Cruiserweight Champion Cedric Alexander. Other than that we have Lio Rush vs. Akira Tozawa in a pretty nice feud. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a long recap of the four way, which was quite good.

Opening sequence.

Kalisto vs. Tony Nese

Feeling out process to start with Nese shoving him around but not stopping to count the abs. You can tell he’s serious here. A hard running elbow drops Kalisto again and Nese sends him hard into the corner. After mocking the lucha dance (as everyone does), Nese whips him again even harder, this time tying Kalisto in the Tree of Woe for some kicks to the ribs.

We hit the waistlock for a long time until Kalisto rolls out and kicks him in the face, followed by a good looking springboard crossbody. Nese trips him up but tweaks his knee coming off the top. He’s still strong enough for a buckle bomb but the kickout frustrates him even more. The delay lets Kalisto grab a very quick Salida Del Sol for the pin at 7:28.

Rating: C-. Nese is a good character but his offense doesn’t exactly inspire me. There’s only so much you can get out of having Nese work on the waist the entire time and that’s about as far as we got here. Buddy Murphy being there will definitely help in the eventual tag match so there’s hope for the feud. If nothing else though, Nigel going full heel on commentary here was a nice change of pace as something like that can enhance a show in a hurry.

Post match Murphy comes out to block Kalisto from leaving and gorilla presses him until Lince Dorado comes out for a save. A double superkick drops Murphy.

Earlier today we had the contract signing for the Cruiserweight Title shot. Drew is ready to sign first but has something to say. Cedric knows this is going to take some time and signs first to save some time. Gulak talks about how Cedric is undefeated this year but that doesn’t mean anything yet. Where was Cedric when the title wasn’t on the line? It was people like Gulak who built the show up while Cedric wrestles whenever he wants to. Cedric will be known as the Brock Lesnar of 205 Live and his reign ends at Summerslam. Gulak signs and leaves.

Lio Rush vs. Ricky Martinez

Before the match, Rush says fans aren’t happy with him for not giving Akira Tozawa a rematch. The problem is that he’s a hot commodity and everyone wants a piece of his time. That’s why he’s found a new opponent who is much more worthy of his time. Rush thinks this guy could put up a better fight than Tozawa so let’s see what he has. Martinez gets in a kick to the head in the corner but Rush flips up and hits two kicks of his own. There’s the suicide dive (ala Tozawa) and a rolling kick to the head. The frog splash (the Final Hour) puts Martinez away at 1:11.

Post match Tozawa chases Rush off. This will continue and that’s not the worst thing in the world.

Brian Kendrick vs. Cedric Alexander

Non-title and Cedric has a taped up thumb. Feeling out process to start with Alexander nipping out of a headscissors, sending Kendrick backing into the corner. Kendrick’s headlock works a bit better until Cedric snaps off a good looking armdrag. A chop brings Kendrick to his knees as they’re still in pretty slow motion early on. Cue Gulak for a distraction, allowing Kendrick to roll underneath the ring.

The sneaking around lets Kendrick send him into the steps and it’s time to choke on the ropes as Gulak joins in on commentary. An armbar keeps Cedric down but he pops back up for some forearms. The springboard clothesline is broken up though and Alexander takes a nasty fall onto the ropes. Those always worry me a bit but he’s fine enough to send Kendrick outside. The big flip dive to the floor drops Kendrick and Alexander is down next to him. Gulak: “What a bonehead.”

Alexander gets two off the springboard clothesline but he can’t hit the Lumbar Check. He can however hit the Neuralizer to send Kendrick out to the apron. Back in and Kendrick grabs a quick Captain’s Hook but Cedric makes the rope, much to Gulak’s chagrin. Another Hook is countered into a Michinoku Driver and Alexander can’t follow up. Kendrick superkicks him and tries Sliced Bread, but Cedric pulls him into the Lumbar Check (with a great sell job) to finish Kendrick at 12:20.

Rating: B-. This match did something that is almost impossible to pull off: having a match that has no drama turn into something rather entertaining. Cedric isn’t going to lose in a non-title match just before Summerslam but Kendrick helped turn this into a fun match. Piling up wins before Summerslam is going to make the likely title change mean more and Gulak seems primed to take the belt away. Much better than it should have been here.

Post match Gulak gets on the apron for a distraction, allowing Jack Gallagher to come in for a shot to the face. Gulak: “Cedric my boy! What happened to you?” Drake Maverick comes in and threatens to take Gulak’s title match away if anything else happens. Gulak and company back off to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. They’ve figured out the right balance around here and I’m sure none of that has anything to do with the title becoming a more active part of the show. They’ve found a good structure to the show and that’s exactly what they needed to do. If they can keep this going for a few more weeks and months, they might just have a good show on their hands.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/07/23/new-book-kbs-complete-2003-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

IMG Credit: WWE

205 Live
Date: July 10, 2018
Location: SNHU Arena, Manchester, New Hampshire
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson

It’s time for a title match because this is the only place to air such a thing rather than this Sunday at the pay per view. This week champion Cedric Alexander defends against Hideo Itami, who has gone on a rampage through the show and would be a good choice to take the title. That being said, Drew Gulak is also lurking and would make a lot of sense to win the belt from Cedric. It’s nice to have options so let’s get to it.

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

We open with a long recap of Itami’s rise to the top of the division, eventually causing Cedric Alexander to want a title defense against him. That’s a great way to set up a title match and something we don’t get enough of anymore.

Opening sequence.

Kalisto vs. Tony Nese

Nese is flanked by Buddy Murphy to cancel out the Lucha House Party. Kalisto’s early flips just annoy Nese, who drives him into the corner with raw power. A whip into the corner is countered with a walk on the hands, much to Nese’s frustration. With Kalisto being a bit too fast, Nese slows him down a kick to the ribs, setting up a bodyscissors.

Kalisto fights back up and kicks Nese down again. A springboard crossbody gets two and it’s time to dance. Salida Del Sol is countered into a powerbomb into the corner but Nese misses a charge to put both guys down. The rest of the House Party starts playing their noisemakers and Murphy, being a human, gets annoyed and yells at them. Nese and Kalisto go out as well and the fight is on for the DQ at 6:12.

Rating: D+. This set up Lucha House Party’s next feud, which is still completely out of whack with three faces against two heels, but Kalisto is the only member worth anything and none of them are a match for Murphy. In other words it’s similar to what just happened with Drew Gulak and company but even more lopsided in the House Party’s favor.

Post match the brawl stays on and the House Party uses its numbers game to clear the villains out. That felt so wrong to write.

Drake Maverick welcomes Noam Dar back to the roster but TJP interrupts them. TJP thinks things are way worse around here since Dar left so trash talk ensues. Maverick makes the rematch for next week.

Video on Hideo Itami’s rise to being #1 contender.

Lio Rush vs. Colin Delaney

I didn’t recognize Delaney, who has gotten a haircut and grown a beard since his WWE run (which to be fair was about ten years ago). He’s also put on some much needed size. Akira Tozawa comes out to watch just like Rush did last week. After the bell, Rush goes outside and sets up a chair for Tozawa like a nice gentleman. Back in and Colin gets two off a rollup so Rush speeds things way up and kicks Delaney down. With Delaney on the apron, Rush does a Tajiri handspring to knock him outside as the destruction continues. The frog splash ends Delaney at 1:22. Rush is looking awesome so far.

Post match Tozawa congratulates Rush but asks what he’s done around here. Rush isn’t happy and a fight is teased but Maverick comes out to say the match is on next week.

Video on last week’s great Mustafa Ali vs. Buddy Murphy match.

Drew Gulak, Brian Kendrick and Jack Gallagher are going to be watching the main event closely. Gulak is holding the camera and has some advice for the fans: Heed this selfie. Sage words man.

Cruiserweight Title: Hideo Itami vs. Cedric Alexander

Itami is challenging. They fight over a lockup to start and Itami just misses a big kick to the face. Alexander gets all fired up and drives Hideo into the corner for a clean break. Alexander wants Itami to show him something so Itami kicks him in the chest. Well he did ask. The hard kicks give Itami two more as the pace slows down. That means a COME ON and a RESPECT ME, followed by a bodyscissors to keep Alexander in trouble.

Back up and another knee to the ribs gets another two on the champ. More lame shouting and a neckbreaker are good for two so we hit the chinlock to continue Itami’s hard hitting style. Cedric fights up (yes fighting out of a chinlock) and a springboard Downward Spiral puts Itami on the floor. The big flip dive sets up the Neuralizer for two more but Itami is right back up with his top rope clothesline.

Itami kicks him even more and blasts him in the face with a right hand. That’s enough frustration and it’s time to take off a turnbuckle pad. Before Itami can use that though, he has to break up a springboard to send Alexander outside. A running dropkick drives Alexander head first into the steps but only gets two back inside. Not that it matters as Alexander hits a Lumbar Check for the fast pin at 15:42.

Rating: B-. And that’s pretty much it for Itami’s chances of meaning anything in WWE. This would have been about as good of a chance as he was going to have of becoming something that mattered and he just loses. The RESPECT ME deal doesn’t work and he’s not exactly destroying people with his offense. The match was good but there’s no spark or fire to Itami, and certainly no reason to get interested in him. Now the bigger problem: the same thing is true of Alexander.

Overall Rating: B. It’s a good show which set some stuff up for the future, but the biggest thing is Alexander holding the title. There are several good options to go after the title and Alexander isn’t exactly doing much with it. He just shows up every few weeks for a defense and then goes back to doing nothing of note. It’s a weird place to be as he’s talented in the ring but not exactly charismatic. Move on from him and the show could get a nice boost. It’s still good though, which is a far cry from where we were just a few months back.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the NXT The Full Sail Years Volume III (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/05/25/new-book-nxt-the-full-sail-years-from-dallas-to-new-orleans/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

IMG Credit: WWE

205 Live
Date: June 12, 2018
Location: Fed Ex Forum, Memphis, Tennessee
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson

Things took a sharp turn around here last week with Hideo Itami interrupting Mustafa Ali vs. Buddy Murphy. That’s the first time Itami has hinted at going after the Cruiserweight Title, which would be a bit surprising at this point given how uneventful his time in WWE has been so far. At some point he needs to do something with all of his potential and if this is the best they have for him, so be it. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of Itami interfering in last week’s main event. If nothing else it’s an excuse to see that awesome DDT right before the finish.

An angry Drake Maverick says Itami is banned from tonight’s show.

Opening sequence.

Lucha House Party vs. Drew Gulak/Jack Gallagher/Brian Kendrick

Lucha House Party has a pinata with Gulak’s face on it. In the back, the villains say they just don’t like high flying so they’ve teamed up to combat it. Kalisto and Gallagher start things off with Gallagher easily taking him to the mat with a waistlock. With a nice wrestling exhibition going on, the announcers debate Watson’s mispronunciation. Dorado and Kendrick come in with the former walking over his back and sticking his tongue out at Kendrick.

Kalisto is back in and climbs onto Dorado’s shoulders for a splash, followed by Metalik’s rope walk splash. A dropkick keeps Kendrick in trouble and it’s one sided in the first few minute. It’s off to Gulak and a hurricanrana sends him to the floor, allowing Dorado to climb onto the ropes and flip dive onto everyone at once. Back in and Gulak just powers Kalisto into the corner so Kendrick can make a blind and pull Kalisto off the ropes for a nasty crash. How dastardly of him.

A suplex sets up a tag to Gulak and it’s time for a cross arm choke. Kalisto fights up but Kendrick distracts the referee, meaning there’s no referee to see the tag. Kendrick comes in legally this time and kicks Kalisto in the face to keep him in trouble. It’s back to Gulak for a half crab Liontamer with an arm trap to show off the submission skills. Kalisto kicks his way to freedom and scores with a middle rope tornado DDT, allowing the hot tag to Metalik.

The middle rope dropkick puts Kendrick down and Dorado comes in again to hurricanrana Gulak, followed by a stepover spinwheel kick to the face ala Rob Van Dam. Everything breaks down and it’s time for a parade of shots to the face. The double Golden Rewind stagger Gulak and Gallagher, leaving Metalik and Kalisto to hit stereo springboard flip dives onto the two of them. That leaves Dorado on his own and Kendrick slaps on the Captain’s Hook but gets rolled up for the pin (with tights, as Gulak had tried earlier) to pin Kendrick at 15:15.

Rating: B. It’s no classic but it feels like the blowoff of the feud and didn’t have Gulak take the fall, which keeps the important one strong. I’m still not sure if the House Party is going to mean anything long term as it’s not like they have anyone to feud with outside of makeshift teams. Still though, they’re fine enough to throw out there in singles and tag matches for some fun high flying.

Itami promises to get his hands on Murphy and Ali.

Speaking of Murphy, he wants Itami but Maverick says no. Ali has asked as well

Ali is ready to get back up against Tony Nese tonight.

Akira Tozawa vs. Steve Irby

Irby has a good look and trunks that say King of the Moonsault. Tozawa smacks away at him but gets kicked in the face to slow him down. That earns him a Shining Wizard and another kick to the face. Some shouting sets up the top rope backsplash for the pin on Irby at 2:26.

Video on the very cocky Lio Rush, who wants to know how you can have two Cruiserweight Title tournaments with out the greatest cruiserweight in the world.

Nese is warming up and says he’s ready to make a statement.

TJP might become a heavyweight and move up to the main roster. Maybe then Maverick will know that he was the big one that got away.

Mustafa Ali vs. Tony Nese

Buddy Murphy is in Nese’s corner. Therefore, here’s Cedric Alexander to even things out. Nese hammers away with left hands in the corner to start but hang on because we need to pose. I mean it’s really all he’s got so he does kind of have to do it. A kick to the head puts Nese on the floor where Murphy offers a distraction, allowing Nese to forearm Ali down.

Looking to keep things simple, Nese picks him up and throws him back first into the post. Back in and the bodyscissors goes on to keep Ali’s ribs in trouble. He avoids the running knee in the corner though and the rolling X Factor gets two. Nese is right back with strikes of his own though and a double clothesline puts them both down.

Back up and Nese hits another clothesline, followed by a pumphandle driver for another near fall. Ali shoves him off the top though and it’s Cedric and Murphy getting in a fight on the floor. They fight up the ramp, leaving Nese to buckle bomb Ali for two more. The running knee misses though and one heck of a tornado DDT plants Nese again. The 054 gives Ali the pin at 10:09.

Rating: C+. I liked the match, but it felt like some of the middle of the match was missing and was turned into the finish. In other words, it felt like the last part went on long but there wasn’t much of the middle part to build us up there. Either way, Ali continues to be a nearly guaranteed good match and that needs to lead somewhere for him somewhere down the line.

Post match Ali says he wants a triple threat next week with himself vs. Murphy vs. Itami. Backstage, Maverick makes the match.

Overall Rating: B. Another solid show here but it really does amaze me how completely inconsequential this show has become. They followed up on Itami’s angle last week but it still wasn’t the biggest thing in the world. They’re doing a logical move story progression though and that’s a fine way to go about things. Just find a way to make this feel even remotely important and it would be that much better.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the NXT The Full Sail Years Volume III (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/05/25/new-book-nxt-the-full-sail-years-from-dallas-to-new-orleans/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

IMG Credit: WWE

205 Live
Date: May 8, 2018
Location: Royal Farms Arena, Baltimore, Maryland
Commentators: Percy Watson, Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness

You can really feel things getting back into a lull around here and that’s not a good thing to have happen so soon after Wrestlemania. It seems that every week features a tag match that doesn’t change anything about the story they’re telling. There’s nothing for them to do long term but there’s not enough depth to set up an official division. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening video looks at the three matches scheduled for tonight, which works well in setting things up but doesn’t exactly have me wanting to see the show.

Opening sequence.

The announcers talk about the big fight feel in the air. Buddy Murphy vs. Mustafa Ali is not a big fight.

Gran Metalik/Lince Dorado vs. Brian Kendrick/Jack Gallagher

Speaking of tag matches that seem to be on a treadmill. Hang on though as Drew Gulak comes out for commentary. Dorado headscissors Gallagher down as Gulak calls Lince “Lindsay Dorito”. Jack tries to handstand up but gets spanked right back down. A pinfall reversal sequence has Gulak annoyed because he finds it silly. Metalik comes bouncing in for a dropkick to the face, which Gulak refers to as wasting time. Kendrick gets sent outside for a big flip dive but Gallagher offers a distraction so Brian can get in an enziguri.

It’s off to Gallagher for an arm crank as Kalisto plays with the noisemaker at ringside. Some kicks to the face get Metalik out of trouble though and the hot tag brings in Dorado to clean house. Gulak is NOT pleased with the high flying, including the Golden Rewind for two. Gallagher’s dropkick sets up the Sliced Bread #2 for two on Dorado as Metalik makes the save. Stereo suicide dives take out the bad guys and the shooting star gives Lince the pin on Gallagher at 7:49. Gulak: “Let him try that on me.”

Rating: D+. Like I said earlier: you can only do these same matches so many times before they stop meaning anything. There wasn’t anything special about this one but it feels like something I’ve seen over and over again. It’s not a bad match or anything, but it’s just doing the same matches time after time with no one actually getting anywhere. Change that or stop doing the matches.

Mustafa Ali was standing on some train tracks saying the path leads straight to Buddy Murphy. Buddy is built for show but Ali is built for go. He wants the Cruiserweight Title. These out of arena promos are a really good idea.

Murphy gives Tony Nese a pep talk and Nese wishes him luck. Tony leaves and Murphy says he hopes Cedric Alexander is watching tonight.

Tony Nese vs. Keith Clayball

Nese throws him into the corner to start as Nigel says he’s heard a lot about Clayball. Vic: “OH YOU HAVE???” Clayball is tied in the Tree of Woe for a bunch of kicks, including the crunches kicks. A hard elbow runs Clayball over again and an even harder forearm on the floor rocks him again. Back in and the running knee in the corner grazes Clayball’s forearm (Missing his head by a good six inches with the announcers saying it barely touched him. Terrible camera work there as the camera should have stayed in its regular position but switched to a side shot instead, showing how it was designed to miss.) for the pin at 3:04.

Rating: D. Well that ending was horrible looking (totally on the cameras and not the wrestlers) but this was just a boring squash with Nese getting back on the winning side before he gets to put someone else over. A match like this is a good idea but there’s not much you can do here, which is why keeping it so short is the right move.

Video on Hideo Itami, whose attitude is changing. Thank goodness, but it’s about three years too late.

Cedric is with Drake Maverick, who says the UK stars will be here next week when the show is in London.

Buddy Murphy vs. Mustafa Ali

They circle each other to start and Ali’s chop doesn’t have much effect. Murphy muscles him into the corner and tries a powerbomb, only to get hurricanranaed out to the floor. The baseball slide dropkick sends Murphy into the announcers’ table but a suplex on the floor cuts Ali off in a hurry.

Back in and a high backdrop has Ali in more trouble as Cedric is watching backstage. In a bit of a mind game, Murphy loads up a running kick to the back but stops for a chinlock instead. Back up and they both try a high crossbody for a double knockdown. It’s Ali up first with a dropkick and running forearm but the rolling X Factor is cut off with a sleeper for a smart counter. Ali reverses into a sleeper of his own but Murphy gets smart again, this time cannonballing himself, and Ali, into the corner for the break.

A tornado DDT plans Murphy again for two so he hits a DDT of his own for the save. This trading big spots is starting to work for me. That’s enough for Murphy, who powerbombs Ali three times in a row for a near knockout. Ali says don’t stop it though so Murphy tries another powerbomb, which is reversed into a big X Factor for two more.

With nothing else working, Ali takes him to the top but gets shoved to the floor, backflipping onto his feet because of course he does. Murphy dives into a superkick for two but the 450 onto the arm, which he used to beat Murphy in the tournament, misses. That bangs up Ali’s own arm and Murphy is right on it, only to be elbowed in the face. Ali is sent HARD into the post and Murphy’s Law is good for the pin at 15:46.

Rating: B. They need to get the title on one of these two ASAP as Alexander just doesn’t have the charisma to match either of them. Murphy is getting better and better every time and you can pencil Ali in for a good match almost every time. The match was more entertaining stuff, and if they cut off about two minutes, this would have been even better. Solid main event though.

Overall Rating: C+. We’re right back where we were before the tournament started: one good match a week and almost nothing else on the rest of the show worth mentioning. The tag stuff is nothing they haven’t done before and Nese is a midcarder at best. It’s the lack of stories aside from the title match that keeps holding them down and I’m not sure why WWE doesn’t get that. As a bonus, you can only see the same people rotated in and out for so long before it stops having any meaning. We passed that point about a year ago. I’m not sure how to fix this show, but it’s back to not being worth your time.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the WWE Grab Bag (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/03/23/new-paperback-kbs-grab-bag/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

IMG Credit: WWE

205 Live
Date: April 24, 2018
Location: KFC Yum Center, Louisville, Kentucky
Commentators: Percy Watson, Nigel McGuinness, Vic Joseph

We’re three days away from the Greatest Royal Rumble and we still don’t have a #1 contender for the Cruiserweight Title. That’s why we’re having a gauntlet match tonight with five men facing off for the right to face Cedric Alexander in Saudi Arabia. There’s a good chance this is going to be the entire show so let’s get to it.

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

The opening video explains the gauntlet match and introduces the competitors, all of whom get in a quick statement.

Opening sequence.

Gauntlet Match

Mustafa Ali and TJP start things off. TJP takes him up to the ropes and gets in some dabbing, earning himself a crank on the arm. The armbar goes on and there’s not much TJP can do early on. They hit the pinfall reversal sequence for some not very near falls until Ali dropkicks him in the back of the head. A kick to the head sends TJP outside and we’ll take a little breather.

With the breathing out of the way, TJP gets in a few shots to the head to take over back inside. We go split screen to hear Cedric Alexander say he’ll defend the title in Saudi Arabia and then make his own statement against Buddy Murphy. Back to full screen with Ali fighting out of a double arm crank but getting dropped with a Russian legsweep. TJP grabs Naomi’s reverse Rings of Saturn hold for a few seconds before Ali chops the heck out of him.

Ali gets in a kick to the head and the rolling X Factor (with TJP’s face not hitting the mat) gets two. The double chickenwing gutbuster is reversed into a rollup for two on TJP but he shoves Ali off the top. A missile dropkick to the knee (cool) sets up the kneebar, sending Ali bailing to the ropes. Back up and a tornado DDT on one leg drops TJP, setting up the 054 to send Ali on 9:53.

Drew Gulak is in third and you should be able to see the tap out from here. Ali is limping around and Gulak couldn’t be happier. A quick rollup gets two on Gulak but he slams the knee into the ropes to really take over. Ali does manages a drop toehold on the floor for a break, followed by a high crossbody back inside. Gulak rolls through into a leglock but Ali kicks him away in short order.

After an inset promo for Friday’s show, we come back to Gulak cranking on the knee even more. Ali tries a hurricanrana but gets pulled into a half crab. That’s reversed as well and an enziguri puts Gulak down again. There’s a kick to the head (and a shot of several empty seats in the lower arena) but Gulak is right back with the half crab. He even cranks back on the arm for a bonus but lets go, this time allowing Ali to make the ropes AGAIN. Ali likes the ropes so much that Gulak sets him on top of them, only to have Ali pull Gulak into a half crab in the ropes.

For some reason Ali decides that it’s a good idea to try a high crossbody to the floor, furthering the damage to the knee. Gulak chop blocks him down but Ali is right back with the tornado DDT. The 054 takes too long though, allowing Gulak to shove him off the top and into the steps. Ali is DONE so Gulak throws him back inside for the Gulock and the elimination at 22:41 total.

Tony Nese is in fourth and doesn’t even waste time counting his abs, meaning you know he’s serious. Nese pounds away and drags Gulak away from the ropes to keep up the stomping. Gulak gets knocked outside and sent into the barricade, followed by a toss over the announcers’ table.

They head inside again with Nese running him over and Nese yells at Gulak for saying they’re on different levels. There’s the running knee in the corner but Nese looks at the corner instead of covering. Nese lowers the knee pad but takes too much time, allowing Gulak to grab the Gulock for the tap at 30:34. That’s about it for Nese meaning anything as he got caught in a clean submission after beating the heck out of Gulak for a good while. Nese is crushed as Kalisto comes in last.

Gulak is chilling on the announcers’ table as Kalisto stands in the ring doing the LUCHA dance. Nigel isn’t exactly thrilled with this strategy and the stalling keeps going for well over another minute. Gulak finally gets in and is promptly dropkicked back to the floor. This time Kalisto follows so he can LUCHA dance right in front of him. Back up and Gulak sidesteps a suicide dive to send Kalisto hard into the barricade.

Rating: B. I can go for this idea of having one match through the entirety of a show. It makes things feel more important and like a big deal, which is what you want for something like this. On top of that, the falls took about ten minutes each, which fits a lot better. Kalisto vs. Alexander should be fun and that’s all the match needs to be as Cedric can get a big win.

Lucha House Party celebrates to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. What else can I really say when the show is literally one match long? They did a good job with making Kalisto into a quick title contender, which makes sense given that he’s the most decorated name on the roster. That being said, the show is starting to lose steam after the tournament. There’s a good chance that the place is going to turn into a show that you can skip most weeks, which isn’t a good sign for the future. Good stuff this week, but I’m worried about where things are going.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the WWE Grab Bag (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/03/23/new-paperback-kbs-grab-bag/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

IMG Credit: WWE

205 Live
Date: April 3, 2018
Location: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness

It’s go home week for Wrestlemania and that means it’s the go home show for 205 Live as well. In this case we have a Cruiserweight Title match set for Sunday’s Kickoff Show, which means they might be able to set up some extra stuff this week. It’s hard to say what else is going on, but Buddy Murphy is being pushed strong as well. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening preview focuses on Hideo Itami/Akira Tozawa vs. Lucha House Party. It’s a smart move to focus on things other than the title match as they need something to go with after Sunday. We’ll also get a preview of the tournament final.

Opening sequence.

Akira Tozawa/Hideo Itami vs. Gran Metalik/Lince Dorado

Itami and Metalik start things off with Hideo wasting no time in taking him to the mat and posing. Instead of following up, Itami shoves Dorado in the face, allowing Metalik to score with a superkick. Dorado comes in for two off a standing moonsault but it’s off to Tozawa to kick Metalik down without much effort.

The backsplash connects but Metalik reverses into a crucifix for two of his own. A hard right hand drops Metalik again and the villainous dominance continues. Metalik gets in a right hand and is promptly kicked down. A kick of his own is enough for the hot tag to Dorado, who strikes away as well. Itami’s demands for respect earn him the Golden Rewind and a big flip dive to the floor drops Itami again. Tozawa adds a dive of his own and a BIG twisting corkscrew dive from Metalik drops everyone at once. Back in and Itami goes for Metalik’s mask and everything breaks down, drawing the double DQ at 7:27.

Rating: C-. I wasn’t feeling this one but you can see the Tag Team Title feud being set up from here. Itami is better in this role as Tozawa has more than enough charisma to make up for Itami’s severe lack thereof. Lucha House Party is a nice team in this role and that’s all they need to be until we get a big threat to beat them down.

Itami and Tozawa leave the masked guys laying.

Drew Gulak isn’t disappointed that his match with Mark Andrews has been canceled due to injury, but he wants Andrews to be healthy. He had a PowerPoint presentation ready about why he would keep the Gulock (dragon sleeper) on for a long time, but one slide summed it up: because he could. If you step to him, you tap out. Serious Gulak is a fun Gulak.

Andrews says he’s coming around the world to make things right against Gulak.

Tony Nese vs. Jonathan Pierce

Pierce brings it to Nese to start but Nese moonsaults over him and nips into a kick to the ribs to take over. That’s enough for Pierce who tries to walk out but gets clotheslined for his efforts. Back in and a springboard into a Lionsault gets two, followed by Pierce getting caught on the top. The running knee in the corner ends Pierce at 2:56.

Kalisto is checking on his buddies when he runs into Buddy Murphy. Buddy says tonight isn’t personal but Kalisto is standing in his way of being Cruiserweight Champion.

Kalisto vs. Buddy Murphy

It’s an early stalemate to start until Murphy uses the size to run him over, meaning it’s time to crank on the arm. Back up and Kalisto tries a headscissors but Murphy cartwheels out in a bit of a surprise. Kalisto goes up top for a spinning armdrag (not much of a move for such a big start) and it’s another stalemate. With nothing else working, Murphy slaps on an abdominal stretch but Kalisto climbs the ropes and spins onto Buddy’s back for a sleeper. Cool counter.

A DDT gives Kalisto two and they head to the apron with Murphy suplexing him onto the apron in a sick crash. Back in and a hard Irish whip into the corner keeps the pressure on Kalisto’s back but a spinning kick to the head drops Murphy. Kalisto springboards into a reverse hurricanrana but Murphy drops him back with an electric chair for a sweet counter. A hurricanrana driver gives Kalisto two and it’s back outside, this time with Murphy hitting a monkey flip onto the announcers’ table.

That’s only good for nine as the fans are WAY into this. Back in and a powerbomb gets two on Kalisto as we get 205 and FIGHT FOREVER chants. Kalisto’s rolling kick to the head sets up a Code Red for two of his own as the fans are losing their minds over these kickouts. Back up and a bad looking Murphy’s Law (Murphy didn’t get underneath him enough) is enough for the pin at 14:49.

Rating: B+. This is the kind of match that the show should have been built around in the first place. These guys were beating the heck out of each other with as many high impact moves as they could think of until one of them couldn’t get up. I have a blast with this and Murphy is clearly the top challenger for whoever comes out of Wrestlemania as champion. Check this out if you have the chance.

Drake Maverick talks about how many great things have come from the Cruiserweight Title tournament. He pleads with us to make sure to see the Kickoff Show because Cedric Alexander and Mustafa Ali are going to tear the house down. That’s the match that everyone is going to be talking about. As usual, Maverick is a heck of a hype man and has some incredible emotion in his promos.

We get a long and very well done video on the Cruiserweight Title match. Both of their paths to the title match is chronicled, including how they’re both ready to win the title on the grandest stage of them all. Ali is making his pay per view debut on Sunday, which is quite the way to start.

Overall Rating: B. The main event and final hype video alone are worth checking out and I want to see the Cruiserweight Title match. This was a solid episode of the show and showcased what these people are capable of doing. It also makes you feel like so much of the first year was such a waste as this style is as entertaining as you can get. Really solid show here and the title match should be a blast.

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