Last week on 205 Live: Hideo Itami wrestled his final WWE match against Akira Tozawa in a losing effort. Mike Kanellis did what Mike Kanellis does and lost a match, this time to Kalisto. Tony Nese was suspended for jumping Noam Dar. Finally, Humberto Carrillo has begun a feud with Drew Gulak and Jack Gallagher.
Cold Open-
Drake Maverick opens the show telling us that there will be a Fatal-4-Way match to determine the number one contender to Buddy Murphy’s title. Carrillo, Alexander, Tozawa and Rush will be in the match.
Mike Kanellis w/ Maria Kanellis vs. The Brian Kendrick
- I like how Mike took Maria’s last name, I like that Mike has Maria and Freddie on his coat and I LOVE that Maria tells Mike when to enter the ring. There are very little to no dynamics like that in wrestling.
- The Brian Kendrick is a good guy now and I haven’t watched him wrestle that style in a long time. At least one-on-one. Hopefully we get a little Spanky tonight.
- Maria and Aiden English argue on commetary about Mike’s losing streak as The Brian gets the better of Mike.
- Kanellis powders to the outside and Maria walks over to give Mike some words of advice. This is a weirdly wrestled match. The story is that Mike can’t do much in the ring or out of it.
- Maria puts her body in the way of the table, so The Brian can’t throw Mike into the table.
- This match story is The Kanellis’ gimmick. Mike can’t do anything without Maria. She is his strength and his smarts. Maria is so deeply in love with Mike, she will do anything for him, and he her.
- Ever since Mike gained control of the match with Maria’s help, he has been methodical with some controlled anger. He is almost and emotionless machine while he is out there. It’s a lot more intriguing than I give it credit for.
- The match is almost wrestled where Mike can never truly be dominate in the ring. He constantly thinks of Maria, especially when she is out there. He can’t focus on his opponent, he can for a bit, but then his wife creeps back in.
- At the same time, he keeps fighting and will never give up because he can’t let his wife down. He s torn, because when he isn’t completely focused, he loses. When he loses, he let’s his wife down. This character gives me anxiety.
- The Brian Kendrick got the Captain’s Hook on Kanellis. Maria says that Mike will not tap out. Mike makes crazy eyes and sticks his tongue out. He crawls to the ropes, proving his wife right.
- Mike tries a few big moves for near falls. Every time Kendrick kicks out, Mike gets more frustrated. He can not focus because of Maria. Instead of going for wins, Mike now wants to repeatedly beat Kendrick. The anger from the fear of disappointment.
- Aiden English is doing a tremendous job telling us what is happening with Mike in the ring. This is art.
- Mike isn’t going for the win now, he is just merciless. Then Mike finally decides to get to the finish, instead of facing the hard cam, Mike faces Maria.
- Kendrick reverses it and hits the Sliced Bread #2 for the victory.
And I’m Like… This was so f’n good y’all. The wrestling was what it was. That story though? Holy shit. Aiden English giving us a glimpse of why Mike loses focus. Maria defending him. We legit saw an angel and a devil talk to us like we were in Mike’s head. Then we saw Mike, how his focus was stopping him from winning. The Brian Kendrick was just a set piece, but he was needed. The never say die attitude helped show us how Mike can fall a part. I was enthralled in all of it. Fantastic work done here. Can not praise this enough.
We are shown Itami’s loss last week to Tozawa and Daivari’s attack on Hideo. Daivari cuts an instagram promo about why he turned on Itami. It’s a really good promo. Ariya is way too talented for what he is given right now.
Lio Rush has a promo running down everyone in the match tonight.
The Brian Kendrick cuts a backstage promo for Akira.
Humberto cuts a promo in English and Spanish, looking like a model and shit.
Cedric Alexander says he won’t rest until the championship is around his waist.
We see the parking lot fight between Dar and Nese. Great character work by Drew Gulak by pointing and laughing. Buddy Murphy kept trying to stop the fight.
Drake Maverick says no one is allowed at ringside. Drew is trying to keep Humberto from being corrupted by the 205 style. Then Noam shows up demanding a match against Tony Nese. Drake gives in but makes it No Disqualification.
Akira Tozawa vs. Humberto Carrillo vs. Lio Rush vs. Cedric Alexander
- The match starts with Cedric and Lio bickering and Tozawa and Humberto deciding to side with Cedric.
- Wrestling is amazing, we have three different native tongues in this match but they all speak the same body language.
- There has yet to be a moment in this match that hasn’t been all out action. Lio Rush is diving and flipping at amazing speeds while playing to the crowd. Tozawa and Cedric are keeping up with him too.
- The match slows down a bit when Humberto gets beat up on by Lio.
- Rush is being made to look a star in this match. He is doing Pizza DDT’s, beating up Cedric and Akira while focusing on Humberto as well. Lio is legit taking out all the competition.
- This Fatal-4-Way is elimination I guess.
- Akira got Lio’s attention and almost was beat but Rush too. Then Cedric came in and hit a lumbar check on Lio. That was crazy. The way this match was booked made Lio look for and away on another level.
- It’s down to Tozawa, Alexander and Humberto. The match has slowed down a bit, but I feel like that’s because the complexity of the moves. All three men are doing moves that involve everyone. Alexander went for a springboard clothesline. He landed wrong on his knee, because he slipped on the ropes. Selling his right knee so who knows if it’s real, or apart of the match.
- It’s 205 Live so you know people be fighting on the top rope. All three men this time. Carrillo knocked Cedric off but Akira knocked Humberto down. Akira hits the top rope Senton and we now have two dudes left.
- Akira Tozawa and Cedric Alexander have both held the championship before. Both men are already exhausted physically and mentally. They fight to their feet. Tozawa takes out his mouth guard and Cedric removes his elbow bad.
- Tozawa was able to get part of the Octopus submission in but Alexander fought out. We got strikes, submissions, counters, pins and it all ends with a simultaneous boot to the face and applause from the crowd.
- The wrestling is getting ridiculously good. Every move leads into the next move which sets up the counter which leads to the next move. No wasted motion, amazing stuff and almost indescribable.
- These guys even fight on the apron which ends with Cedric hitting a STO on the apron. Cedric hit a michinoku driver for two and both men are shocked that Tozawa kicked out.
- Cedric is no longer selling his knee, so it must not be bothering him anymore.
- Cedric is getting vicious and Akira is basically out on his feet. Akira went to hit an poisoned rana on Alexander but it was sloppy. The sloppiness made it beautiful. Like an actual fight, they were wobbling all over the ring and it looked dangerous as hell.
- After the poisoned rana, Akira hit the top rope senton and won the match.
And I’m Like… That was a great match. There wasn’t much story but that’s okay because Kanellis had that shit covered. This match did tell many stories though. The Lio Rush dominating everyone but blowing his load too early. The ability of Humberto shown brightly, but he is still too green and got outsmarted. The passion and fighting spirit of Tozawa and Alexander. This might be the most complete episode of 205 Live ever. This was absolutely brilliant. I am overjoyed but the work that was put into this episode for us. Really really good.
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