Mitchell’s WWE 205 Live Report! (9/5/17)
A Fatal 5 Way Elimination Match will determine a new #1 Contender!
All images courtesy of the WWE Network streaming service
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- TJP VS Ariya Daivari; TJP wins.
- Drew Gulak VS Akira Tozawa; Tozawa wins.
- WWE Cruiserweight Championship #1 Contender’s Fatal 5 Elimination match: Enzo Amore VS Gran Metalik VS Cedric Alexander VS Tony Nese VS THE Brian Kendrick; Enzo wins and will face Neville for the Cruiserweight Championship at No Mercy.
PLAY BY PLAY
With Corey Graves on SmackDown, Nigel McGuinness comes to 205 Live!
Nigel is honored to call the action of the “epitome of finesse, technique and speed” that is the Cruiserweight Division.
TJP VS Ariya Daivari!
Turns out TJP’s bad leg is back to 100%! Everyone found that out when TJP got into a fight with the Privileged Persian Lion last week and TJP came out on top. Now they have a full on match to see if Daivari can’t bring that leg back down under 100%. However, Rich Swann comes out, wanting to show support for his “friend” in TJP for this match. He even has a bag of popcorn. Wait, he takes a seat right on the announce table?
That aside, the bell rings and Daivari powers TJP to a corner, they start throwing hands! Daivari stomps a mudhole into TJP, then lets him out to chop him against ropes. Daivari whips TJP, TJP goes Spider-Man to get to the apron, TJP then slips under Daivari to crossbody himself and Daivari out. Daivari tumbles to the floor while TJP pulls himself back in, then triangle jump dropkicks Daivari back down.
TJP fetches Daivari to put him in the ring, cover, TWO. TJP gives Daivari a European Uppercut before a corner to corner whip, Daivari dodges, TJP hops up, Daivari kicks out his legs. Daivari grabs TJP in a dragon sleeper for the draping reverse DDT!
TWO, Swann looks “worried” for TJP. Daivari gives TJP a backbreaker, TWO, so Daivari pulls back on TJP’s arms for the half surfboard. Swann “cheers” TJP, TJP gets up and dropkicks Daivari back. TJP throws hands on Daivari but Daivari kicks low, Daivari whips TJP but TJP uses that to springboard forearm Daivari down. TJP kip-up, his leg seems just fine. TJP gives a strike fest then suplexes, float over, back suplex, cover, TWO. TJP drags Daivari over, Daivari resists the chicken wing, but TJP gets him up in the fireman’s carry. Daivari slips down and shoves TJP away, high knee strike, TWO. Daivari stomps TJP to the ropes and out of the ring, Daivari comes out and Swann says he means no harm. Daivari puts TJP in the ring, Daivari climbs up, glances back at Swann, frog splash flops! TJP gets Daivari up, Detonation Kick!
TJP wins! And dabs on ’em.
Swann is “impressed”, TJP points to him with a grin. If TJP is feeling so good, is he up to that rematch with Swann? That’s what Swann asks him face-to-face in the ring. Swann then “shifts gears” and dabs on TJ.
The rubber match is coming, who comes out the winner? And will they both come out friends afterward?
Drew Gulak VS Akira Tozawa!
The Philly Fury has been politicking against flyers and showmen for months now, now he wishes to prove to a former Cruiserweight Champion that his way is the way for a #Better205Live. Not that he got a spot in tonight’s contenders match for it. “Drew, why does the WWE continue to stifle” those big ideas? People fear what they don’t understand. He has a 277 slide Powerpoint presentation to help explain! According to Drew Gulak’s plan, there would be: no more jumps off the top rope; no jumping off the middle rope; no jumping- Tozawa finally appears, the Stamina Monster has had enough of this. Now that the match finally begins, the fans let out “HAH! HAH! HAH!” and “Tozawa!” chants. Gulak gets a headlock, and the takeover, Tozawa gets up and powers out, but Gulak shoulders Tozawa down. Gulak speeds things up, arm-drag and dropkick from Tozawa. Gulak scrambles to a corner for safety, then returns to kick but is blocked, Tozawa gets another dropkick. Gulak grabs Tozawa’s ear, Tozawa breaks free and then back drops Gulak. Tozawa whips, Gulak sunset flips but Tozawa rolls through, Penalty Kick! Tozawa wants to jump but Gulak rolls away, knowing the back senton was coming. Tozawa stays on his feet, Gulak gets to the apron, Tozawa runs and baseball slide dropkicks Gulak off the apron to the floor. Tozawa goes out to the apron, grabs Gulak but Gulak grabs Tozawa to throw him at barriers!
Gulak may not be about flying, but he’s still about hangtime with that one. Gulak drags Tozawa up to ram him into barriers then to LED apron, things return to the ring and Gulak takes his frustrations out on Tozawa as he stomps. He then stretches Tozawa back with a knee in the spine and hands under the chin, this turns into a half surfboard. Tozawa turns and gets a ropebreak, Gulak lets go. Gulak keeps on Tozawa by standing him up for a stiff chop. Gulak grinds his foot into Tozawa’s face in the corner, then backs off to come back and stomp into Tozawa’s chest. Fans jeer as Gulak comes back, Tozawa fights back with back elbows to Gulak’s stomach. Gulak knocks Tozawa down, springboard stomp and then a seated armbar and heel hook. Gulak’s leg even wrenches Tozawa’s neck in this position.
Fans rally, Gulak keeps torturing Tozawa with a hammerlock, “HAH! HAH! HAH!” begins and Tozawa gets up and fights back. Gulak gives Tozawa a knee to the ribs, back suplex escaped, Tozawa gives Gulak a stiff right hand. Gulak swings, misses, Tozawa hits the huricanrana. Gulak gets to the apron, a bicycle boot knocks him to the floor. “HAH! HAH! HAH!” before Tozawa gets running, Tozawa Torpedo!
Direct hit! Tozawa puts Gulak in the ring, cover, TWO! Tozawa isn’t frustrated, he just gets the “HAH! HAH! HAH!” going again. Tozawa kicks, swings, slips under, blocks, Saido Suplex! TWO! Tozawa still isn’t frustrated, he stomps Gulak, then goes up top. The fans sense what’s coming, so does Gulak, Gulak forces Tozawa to jump up and over. Tozawa rolls, runs back in, Gulak manages to roll him up, TWO! Rolling roundhouse! Gulak is down again, Tozawa goes up! Dropzone Senton!
Tozawa wins! Gulak’s 277 changes to 205 Live will have to wait.
Backstage interview with Enzo Amore.
The Certified G is the Realest Guy on 205 Live, is he really “working smarter”? He knows how he looks, but it doesn’t take a genius to know that in since joining the Cruiserweight Division, Enzo is 3–0. But in actual athletics, does Enzo think he measures up to Neville? Or even just his opponents tonight? These are some of the most gifted athletes in the world, but Enzo’s “ten toes down”, and his Gift of Gab and Gift of Jab have carried him through. Sure he hasn’t been around the world, hasn’t put decades of work on the indies, but they’re all here now, right? Work harder, work smarter, Enzo knows which one he’d choose. His Certified GPS is gonna put 205 Live on the map, he’s locked in on that Cruiserweight Championship. Tonight is a major obstacle, from Alexander to Kendrick, to “Nacho Libre” to Chippendale- the rambling is interrupted by Neville himself. How amusing, Enzo. Enzo already looks ridiculous, but clearly he isn’t serious enough of a competitor for this Division. Neville will nip this in the bud: Enzo has no business even entertaining the idea of being Cruiserweight Champion. Whatever, Frodo, this ain’t Game of Thrones. At No Mercy, Enzo will get that title, How You Doin?! Will Enzo come through on his words?
September is official Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month.
To support the fight to end cancer once and for all, go to ConnorsCure.com, or get your Connor’s Cure merchandise at the WWE’s official shop website.
WWE Cruiserweight Championship #1 Contender’s Fatal 5 Elimination match: Enzo Amore VS Gran Metalik VS Cedric Alexander VS Tony Nese VS THE Brian Kendrick!
The King of the Cruiserweights has many contenders coming for him. But in order to find out which is the number one, tonight will have a major main event where the last man in the ring challenges for the “crown” at No Mercy. The bell rings, everyone stands off in a circle, the Realest Guy in the Room sees all four of his opponents — Man with a Plan, Premier Athlete, Carolina Kid and King of the Ropes — staring him down. Enzo gets out of the ring right away, so Kendrick storms over but Metalik rolls him up. TWO, and while Nese has Alexander in a corner, Metalik puts Kendrick in the other. Alexander turns things around and chops Nese, Enzo chats with the front row of fans, Metalik and Alexander coordinate to whip Kendrick into Nese. Alexander gives Metalik an alley-oop, double missile dropkick to Nese and Kendrick!
Kendrick and Nese spill out, Metalik and Alexander shake hands to be respectful before tying up. Alexander gets arm control, Metalik rolls and wrenches, Alexander rolls and handsprings, takedown, then things speed up, Alexander gets under Metalik’s handspring, but things keep moving and Metalik hits the headscissors, but Alexander handsprings through it to stay standing. Fans applaud that, they also applaud Metalik walking the ropes to hit a springboard missile dropkick! However, Nese drags Metalik out to the floor hard, the Premier Athlete wants at Alexander to see who is the superior. That’s when Kendrick comes slipping in, but Enzo trips Kendrick up to let the action stay 1v1. Alexander gives strikes to Nese, Nese rocks Alexander with a left forearm. Alexander kicks but is blocked, Nese slips down and around, waistlock but Alexander gives Nese a stiff back elbow. Alexander runs, Nese ducks Matrix style to mule kick knee lift roundhouse, but then Alexander rolls under the left hand to backflip and hit the headscissors. Dropkick on top, Alexander covers, TWO. Enzo stays on the outside, chatting up the fans, Alexander gives Nese a stiff chop. Nese ends up in a corner as Enzo tells Nigel he’s “smarter than the average bear, ‘ey, Booboo?” Alexander gives Nese another sharp chop, Nese gets to another corner, Alexander gives him a European Uppercut. The fans rally for Alexander, Neville watches as Nese puts Alexander on the apron and then Alexander swing kicks back.
Nese flounders, Alexander slingshots in but Nese catches him in a fireman’s carry, gutbuster! Nese pushes Alexander out of the ring, he’s near Kendrick, Nese gets an idea. Nese rarely flies, and for good reason, his hesitation gives Enzo time to roll him up! TWO, and Kendrick hits Enzo as Enzo goes through ropes.
Kendrick drags Enzo out more, draping suplex! Enzo hits the mat, Kendrick feeds him to Nese, TWO. Enzo is dazed but he’s up, Nese goes after him with a neck wrench. Nese then gives a leg drop, and Kendrick puts Alexander into steel steps. Nese whips Enzo to a corner hard, backbreaker on the rebound, TWO. Enzo is tough but now it’s 2v1 against Kendrick and Nese, two men who are mean and hard-hitting. Kendrick gives Enzo another suplex that’s almost as solid as the other one. Cover, TWO, so Nese stomps Enzo down. Nese gives Enzo a knee, Kendrick gives a stomp, the fans cheer Enzo on even as he’s getting mugged. Double whip corner to corner, Enzo actually tilt-o-whirl headscissors on the rebound!
Enzo rocks Kendrick with a haymaker, one for Nese, another for Kendrick, back elbow for Nese and Complete Shot for Kendrick, Enzo’s on a Bonafide Rally. Enzo lines up a shot on Nese, kick to the ribs! It’s good!
Enzo takes aim again, Kendrick comes up on him, full nelson but Enzo gets out, so Kendrick and Nese double SUPERKICK!
Enzo rolls out of the ring, Metalik and Alexander double springboard attack to know Nese and Kendrick down!
Nese gets out, Alexander goes after Metalik, SUPERKICK from Metalik! Metalik runs, into Alexander’s Spanish Fly!
However, Alexander can’t make the cover from how double edged that was, but the fans declare “This is awesome!” Everyone is down but stirring, Alexander gets up on the apron and climbs up. Nese revives to give him an uppercut, Nese climbs up to join Alexander. Alexander fights him off, headbutt but Kendrick keeps Nese up. The two team up on Alexander, Metalik comes in and climbs up, TOWER OF DOOM!!
Everyone is down again from that insanity, the fans are losing their minds! Alexander and Metalik end up outside of the ring, then Kendrick and Nese. Enzo gets back in the ring, fires up, and Enzo DIVES!
Only to be caught and flapjack’d off the announce table! Kendrick gives Enzo a boot for good measure, then Nese and the Premier Knee, Neville sees that and seems slightly entertained. Enzo gets thrown over the table clear into the arm chairs and barriers, Nese mocks the “How You Doin’?” Kendrick and Nese coordinate, but Kendrick just wanted to trick Nese! Kendrick clobbers Nese from behind, but then Metalik flies in!
Nese got clear, he runs back and flips Metalik with a back elbow. Nese roars before dragging Metalik into the ring. The fans cheer for “205! 205!” as Nese sits Metalik in a corner, brings down the knee pad and… Lumbar Check from Alexander!
Nese is eliminated! Finally someone is. Alexander gets Nese clear of the ring, sees Metalik down in that corner, and drags him out for a cover. TWO, TWO, Metalik still has life. Alexander takes off his wristbands and elbow pads, Kendrick comes in, tries the bully choke takedown, Alexander lands on his feet to run and hit the handspring enziguri! Kendrick goes all the way out, Metalik grabs Alexander in the fireman’s carry, Alexander slips out, Metalik back elbows and gets running, handspring, into Lumbar Check!
Metalik is eliminated! Kendrick returns! Sliced Bread!
TWO! Kendrick puts on the Captain’s Hook! Alexander endures, reaches, rolls to a cover, TWO, Alexander goes for but Kendrick escapes the Lumbar Check, takedown and Captain’s Hook! Alexander endures and crawls to turn towards the closest ropes, and reaches them! However, no ropebreaks in a No Disqualification format like this, so Kendrick holds on. Alexander doesn’t care, he drags himself through and ends up throwing Kendrick off of him. Alexander catches his breath, Kendrick gets up and runs in, Alexander slams him onto the apron edge. Then they get in the ring, a third Lumbar Check!
Kendrick is eliminated! Enzo rolls up Alexander right away, pulling on tights! Enzo WINS! Alexander is the most shocked out of everyone, but Enzo is the most excited out of everyone. By hook or by crook, is the Certified G going to become a certified champion!?
My Thoughts:
TJP had a good opening match with Daivari, 205 Live is doing what I suggested months ago in propelling a feud through a third party. Daivari gets airtime even though the story is about TJP and Swann, so that he isn’t just sitting in the back doing nothing. TJP-Swann 3 next week in Las Vegas is going to be fun, I hope they let that be on a Cruiserweight Classic level of quality. As much as I have enjoyed Drew Gulak’s campaigning gimmick, tonight was probably the weakest part. Though I did like the idea that he had such an absurd number of rules he’d instate to change 205 Live/the Cruiserweight Division. His match with Tozawa was solid, Tozawa wins because obviously Gulak is the satirical-gimmick jobber to the stars now. That Enzo Amore interview, is he (in essence, not literally) becoming the Cruiserweight Division’s John Cena? Bringing up not having experience on the indies, not having the best wrestling ability, and yet being the reason people watch 205 Live… Throw in the “opportunistic” side of Edge and you’ve got Enzo’s strategy tonight in the main event as he let the others fight it out. And the best part, everyone was going full out to really give the fans something to enjoy, and it worked, the fans were genuinely into it. And you know they were, because they chanted “205!” which absolutely no one before today chanted. Alexander earned massive points, he basically won the match for Enzo, and this definitely gives potential for story after No Mercy as Alexander will want first crack at Enzo, title or no title.
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My Score: 8.5/10
