Last Week on 205 Live: Lucha House Party and Singh Brothers wrestled a rather basic match. The Brian Kendrick won a squash match. Oney Lorcan and Ariya Daivari had a match that ended in a brawl where Ariya took Lorcan to the woodshed. This feud is getting more intense as the weeks go by.
Also at Stomping Grounds, Akira Tozawa said goodbye to WWE, his contract is up after this episode and Drew Gulak won the Cruiserweight championship.
Cold Open
Drew Gulak opened the show with a backstage promo. Telling us he gave up on making 205 Live better and now making him better. He says that 205 Live will feel his wrath. Akira Tozawa and Tony Nese will wrestle tonight for the right to face Drew Gulak at Extreme Rules.
Jack Gallagher vs. Mike Kanellis
- Jack Gallagher is rocking his typical baby blue trunks.
- It’s crazy that Chad Gable showed up two weeks ago, blew the roof off the place, then hasn’t been used since.
- This came about because Jack wrestled Chad Gable and Mike wanted to wrestle Chad Gable. Mike wanted the best wrestlers and toughest competition. So Jack is hear to be that challenge.
- Jack and Mike start off with some wrestling and we are getting some classic Jack wrestling right now. Flashy and flamboyant basic wrestling. Gallagher is the best at it.
- The crowd is very entertained by the way Jack wrestles and the way Mike is reacting to Gallagher’s shine.
- All of that changes when Maria stops Jack from throwing Mike into the turnbuckle post.
- Aiden English, Nigel McGuinness and Vic Joseph are the best commentary team out there. Nigel is heel and focuses on why the heel is right whilst explaining what is happening in the ring. Aiden is all about every babyface and how why they are doing the moves they are doing whilst explaining the story of the characters in the ring. Joseph brings it back whenever either man goes too far, and advances the beats to the overall 205 Live story. They are soooo good.
- While Kanellis works over Jack, and we get the obligatory battle on the top rope. Commentary talks about Kanellis’ feud with Drake Maverick because Mike thinks Drake is too focused on the 24/7 championship and not 205 Live.
- There is a strike battle going on in the ring, which is usually 205 Live speak for the third act of the match.
- Mike had the match won with a roll up but the referee says Mike pulled Jack’s tights, but the front of the tights. I don’t see how that would be an advantage to Mike.
- Jack catches Mike arguing with the referee and hits Kanellis with a headbutt for the win.
And I’m Like… Mike’s feud with everyone but the wrestlers continues. I wonder where this is going? Kanellis and his wife have been on 205 Live every week, constantly continuing stories. Kanellis just signed a 5 year contract and told Maria that she needs to tell management that he is done. Signing was a mistake and he is done. What a crazy turn that took.
Tony Nese cuts a promo about how he respects Akira Tozawa and he will beat Akira and come for Drew. Classic Tony Nese promo, he is a wrestler and he wrestles.
Akira Tozawa’s last promo on 205 Live, in a Ricochet shirt, gets audible “what” chants from the crowd. Because Portland is apparently full of assholes.
Drake Maverick looks professional now. He is leaving a voicemail for Mike Kanellis saying Mike is unprofessional. This better end in a Maverick vs. Kanellis match.
Humberto Carrillo vs. Rob Rollenbeck
- This match is happening to remind us that Carrillo exists and that he not too long ago feuded with champion Drew Gulak.
- Carrillo has an absolutely beautiful springboard arm drag. I could watch that shit all day.
- Rollenbeck hasn’t had much in the way of offense, but Carrillo isn’t putting Rollenbeck away as quickly as I thought he would.
- AS I typed that, Carrillo won the match.
And I’m Like… This is normal for 205 Live, a showcase match in the middle of the show to give us a breather in between the marquee matches. Not much to write about here.
Recap of Lorcan and Ariya last week. Where Daivari got disqualified for hitting Lorcan with a chair and then a hammerlock lariat on the top of the ramp.
Ariya gets some interview time. Daivari says he wants to prove that he is tougher and smarter than Lorcan. Oney hits Daivari with a chair from behind and does some backstage assault. He is super intense in a cartoonish way.
Lucha House Party cut a promo about how they can not forget that Singh Brothers hurt their pinata. Next week it’s a tornado tag match. Metalik and Lince Dorado vs. Singhs. LHP cut the all time cheesiest promos.
Akira Tozawa vs. Tony Nese
- I’m really going to miss Tozawa. He was able to play any role. The bit where he was cosplaying as Vince McMahon was tremendous. His matches are always so good and the crowd usually supports him. Probably the best English from a Japanese talent as well. Tozawa was one of the OG’s of 205 Live and he will be missed.
- How shitty is it for 205, that every time they get someone that can help the brand (Gable), they lose someone that is integral to the brand (Tozawa).
- This pace started off quickly and within minutes Tozawa is already going to the top rope. The crowd is “Ahh!”-ing at Tozawa, that’s nice. This is more emotional than Kurt Angle’s farewell match.
- Nese is hitting Tozawa HARD but Akira keeps fighting back. There was a spot where Tozawa tries to lift Nese in a fireman’s carry and the struggle to squat the weight was sold so well, that the crowd clapped when Tozawa was able to stand straight.
- Tony Nese fights out of the iron octopus by dropping Tozawa on his head. You can tell it was kind of an ugly bump because both Nigel and Aiden, former wrestlers, both reacted different than normal. Aiden let out just a “oooh” noise while Nigel said “ow ow ow”.
- The strike battle is happening. That means we are in act three and have a couple minutes of match left.
- Tozawa is able to win the strike battle but not the match.
- Tozawa is able to get the top rope battle in his last match as well. Akira hits a Canadian destroyer but misses his top rope senton finish. The destroyer actually hit, the slow mo replay shows Nese’s head bend like Goldberg’s in a tombstone.
- Tony then powerbombs Tozawa into the turnbuckle with one arm. Akira’s head is all that hits the lowest turnbuckle. There have been three vicious head drops in this match now. It’s bonkers. This is the closest WWE is going to get to Ibushi vs. Naito
- Tony is able to hit his finishing move, that still doesn’t have a name. I mean he has the Running Nese, but this is the one where Tony drops dudes on their heads. I forget what the original name of the move is.
- Tony Nese gets the win, which is obvious since this is Tozawa’s last night in WWE.
And I’m Like… Tozawa sure went out with a bang. Nese and Tozawa hug each other. Drew vs. Tony will be a good match. The crowd gives Tozawa an ovation. Godspeed Akira. “Ahhhhh, Ahhh Ahhh”
