Last week on 205 Live: Oney Lorcan picked up an upset victory over Humberto Carrillo in a banger of a match. Mike Kanellis dismantled Colby Corino. Cedric Alexander beat Akira Tozawa in an amazing bout. Both Alexander and Lorcan advance in the Buddy Murphy Classic.
Cold Open
Drew Gulak opens the show instead of Drake Maverick. Drew says this is the final four in the cruiserweight tournament. Drew says that Tony Nese will collapse at the pressure of expectations. Drew says that he and Nese are wrestling tonight. Tony has never defeated Gulak.
Tony Nese then cuts a promo about how dangerous Gulak is. Nese says he can not make a mistake tonight. Nese says his focus is his greatest asset. Nese says Drew doesn’t know anything about Tony. Which is true because no one watching 205 Live knows anything about Nese, well besides him having eight abs.
Oney Lorcan cuts a promo about how nothing is personal and he has no ill will towards any competitor. He is here to win and to break people.
Cedric Alexander cuts a promo in a hallway on a fire escape surrounded by purple smoke. Alexander says Oney will be one of the greatest, but not while Alexander is still on 205 Live.
Buddy Murphy cuts an Instagram video promo, putting over everyone in the tournament but still thinking they aren’t much competition when facing him.
Cedric Alexander vs. Oney Lorcan
- Commentary brought up the fact that Lorcan is from NXT and has to adjust his style to 205 Live. I didn’t realize that NXT and 205 wrestle different styles. I guess I’m not smart enough to spot the difference.
- The match starts with some chain wrestling and a long feeling out process. Oney brought the match up a gear after laying some vicious chops to Cedric Alexander.
- Alexander answered by being faster than Lorcan and landing a great dropkick. This match is building very well.
- There are more replays than normal in this match. It’s because these guys are laying in stiff shots and WWE loves replaying legit strikes.
- Oney starts slowing the match down again by putting a waist lock on Cedric, trying to make it harder for Alexander to breathe. If Alexander has trouble breathing, that hurts his stamina, which voids his speed. Lorcan is a scientific wrestler and knows how to outsmart his opponents as well as fight toe-to-toe with them.
- Alexander has the ability to adapt to any style and persevere, so he waits for an opening to land a flurry of strikes.
- The match has entered it’s third act with Cedric nursing his mid-section while mounting his comeback. The story of the match is playing out, tying in all the beats that were told earlier.
- There is the obligatory battle on the top rope spot as well. That is on every 205 Live episode.
- I just realized the ropes aren’t purple. I don’t know if that’s been a thing for a while or it just now stuck out to me. It seems odd though. Remember when they would change the ropes during Raw commercial breaks?!
- A strike battle ensues between the two, but Oney hits the half-and-half suplex. Everyone thought that the match was over but Cedric kicked out.
- There was a sprint where neither man sold some of the high impact moves. It ended with Alexander hitting the Michinoku driver for two.
- Lorcan hits a half-and-half suplex off the top rope! Alexander kicked out at two. These men are leaving it all out in the ring and the crowd is no where near as appreciative as they should be. This match is so well wrestled, great story told, just a wonderful bout.
- After another bit of some back and forth striking, Cedric Alexander hit the Lumbar Check for the win.
And I’m Like… It’s crazy the caliber of matches that 205 Live puts out regularly. If the live crowd were more aware of who these wrestlers are, and invested in their struggles, this would be the most exciting wrestling show around. Some of the magic of a great wrestling show is the crowd. These two men put on a fantastic match, bravo!
A replay of Mike Kanellis destroying Colby Corino. Drake has the Kanellis’ backstage and Mike talks about how he has been in the business for 16 years, he has paid his dues. He doesn’t want to pitied. Mike spits hot fire and Maria stares at him glowingly. Kanellis got Drake to make a match for next week. Drake says that if Mike keeps losing, he might be kicked out of 205 Live.
Daivari cuts a Twitter promo. He is upset that he has been handcuffed to lesser men.
Tony Nese vs. Drew Gulak
- So Tony doesn’t count his abs anymore. It’s funny how he stopped doing that right when Ricochet was brought to the main roster.
- Vic Joseph brings up that Nese and Gulak started in the business together, driving in cars together and that they know each other very well. Aiden points out that this is the most confident Tony Nese has ever been.
- Gulak out wrestled Nese for a bit and Tony powdered to the outside to rethink his game plan.
- Tony is really wrestling like a babyface and commentary puts over how Wrestlemania is in New York, which is Nese’s hometown. They will not shut up about what will happen to Tony if he wins. That Nese and Buddy Murphy are good friends. They basically are saying that Tony will win the finals.
- Gulak has finally gained complete control of the match and is beginning to stretch Tony Nese. Gulak is focusing mainly on the legs of Nese, but really is picking apart every body part.
- Gulak is relentless in his attacks. He grabs Nese by the beard and then uses his other hand to grab Tony’s nose. Very uncomfortable looking attacks. Nese is really getting the crap kicked out of him.
- Nese hits a flurry of strikes that surprises Gulak, Tony gets a two count. Drew looks shocked at how much power Tony still has.
- Both men are trading near falls now, expanding so much energy trying to put their opponent away. The match is getting near it’s end because they are both fighting on the top rope.
- Nese won the battle but then Tony missed a 450 splash. Nigel made me laugh by calling “450 crash”.
- Both men are countering each others finishers and pulling out flash pins. This is really anyone’s match.
- Gulak is able to put the Gu-Lock on, Nese looked like he was finished but then Tony pushed off the bottom rope with his foot and rolled on top of Drew for the pin and win.
And I’m Like… It’s weird how much 205 Live is putting over Tony Nese. Commentary was pushing really hard for him and talking about him a lot. Already mapping out his future match at Wrestlemania, even though Tony still needs to beat Cedric. Usually 205 Live ends with the match of the night, but I think the opening match was better than this one. This match was still great though. Good night of the pro wrestling.
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