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WWE 205 LIVE REPORT
NOVEMBER 29, 2016
COLUMBIA, S.C.
AIRED LIVE ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY DOMINIC DeANGELO, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Mauro Ranallo, Corey Graves, Austin Aries
Show starts off with Mauro Ranallo, Corey Graves, and Austin Aires ringside for commentary. Aries says you can’t have a historic event without him. Mauro and Graves plug the main event. The roster is introduced as everyone stood in a single line on the stage. Rich Swann, T.J. Perkins, Jack Gallagher, Ho Ho Lun, The Bollywood Boyz (Gurv & Harv Sihra), Noam Dar, Tony Nese, Drew Gulak, Ariya Daivari, Cedric Alexander (with a crowd pop), Lince Dorado, Akira Tozawa, Mustafa Ali, Gran Metalik, and The Brian Kendrick.
Video package on Gurv & Harv Sihra, The Bollywood Boyz.Gurv describes his style like Bret Hart & Chris Jericho. Harv describes himself as technical based. The brothers mention their 95-year old grandfather, who is now blind, but got to hear them announced during the Cruiserweight Classic. The three things they watched growing up was hockey, wrestling and Bollywood,
(1) The Bollywood Boyz vs. Drew Gulak & Tony Nese
Aries doesn’t understand the handshaking. Bollywood Boyz start off hot with double team maneuvers. Nese begins taking over focusing on the ground game. Gulak tags in and continues the ground work on the lower limbs of Harv. Aries goes the classic heel commentator route with derogatory comments towards not only the babyfaces, but putting himself over at the expense of the heels. Has some pretty good one-liners. Gurv then comes in with the hot tag working on both Gulak and Nese that includes a flashy one on two pinning combination. Nese and Gulak then take over again until the Bollywood Boyz connect with a dual super-kick to Gulak for the pinfall.
WINNERS: The Bollywood Boyz via pinfall at 7:58
Video package on Noam Dar who talks about being different and the youngest competitor on 205 Live. He sees the opportunity to be a superstar – no – a “Supernova.” He’s a cool cat and he’ll do anything to get the job done.
Brian Kendrick is backstage. Tom Phillips asks him about Rich Swann. Kendrick says he should bet everything on him. Rich Swann is very talented, but he’s gonna crash and burn. He’s going to make a mistake and Kendrick will capitalize. Phillips mentions that T.J. Perkins is also in the mix, who then appears and says he’s going to hunt him down for a rematch and may be out of the hunt if Kendrick loses. All he has to say to him is “good luck”.
Small highlight video on Gran Metalik.
(2) Ariya Davairi vs. Jack Gallagher
Match is mainly to showcase the unorthodox style of Gallagher who gets very technical with arm lock-ups and turns it into a wild pinning combo for a near three count. Later on, Gallagher literally ties Davairi into a knot in which he struggles to escape, milking for several seconds until Gallagher kicks him in the behind. Gallagher delivers a high running dropkick in the corner good enough for the win.
WINNER: Jack Gallagher via pinfall at 5:32
Video package on Lince Dorado. He describes his Puerto Rican background and how he’s going to bring his unique style of lucha libre to “205 Live”.
(3) The Brian Kendrick vs. Rich Swann – WWE Cruiserweight Championship match
Kendrick enters first before it gets kicked over to a package on Rich Swann.
In the video package, Swann talks about his father passing away when he was 12 and his mother passing away at 16. He went down a dark road, but wrestling really changed him. He’s here to spread his love and joy. What separates him fro the pack is his smile and his charisma. He’s been to Japan, Mexico and the United Kingdom and he feels he is one, if not the best cruiserweight in the WWE. He’s proven dreams do come true, no matter what is put in your path.
Bell rings and Graves says Swann winning tonight would be a huge upset, Austin talks about being in the ring with him, and Ranallo gives a short synopsis on the history of Kendrick. Starts off back and forth between the two with Swann delivering impressive flips and then hits a harsh tiger bomb. Kendrick goes for Sliced Bread but Swann rolls out and turns it into a roll up. Swann takes it to the outside and hits a running senton off the barricade. The action goes back into the ring and Kendrick locks in the Captain’s Hook. Swann makes it to the ropes. Kendrick goes for a dragon suplex but Swann flips out and turns it into a high angle back suplex. The crowd, although mild, boos Kendrick and cheers for Swann. While on the apron, Kendrick delivers a neckbreaker to Swann over the top turnbuckle, who then barely answers the ten count. Swann then gets hit with a crisp snap suplex but then kicks out at two. Kendrick locks in a straight jacket hold but Swann wiggles free who then attempts to connect with a standing 450 splash. Kendrick blocks it, turns it into a Dragon Sleeper and rolls into yet another Captain’s Hook. Swann powers his way to the ropes for another break. Kendrick hits a top rope Sliced Bread, but Swann kicks out. Crowd starts a “This is Awesome” chant as Swann then connects with three standing spinning savate kicks for the victory.
WINNER & NEW WWE CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPION: Rich Swann via pinfall at 10:55.
Post match interview: Crowd chants “You deserve it” as Rich Swann says “This is us right here, baby!” Swann thanks his mom, who he knows she’s looking down on him right now. She may not be here, but she’s here with him in spirit.
Tom Phillips interviews Kendrick. Kendrick says they created “205 Live” for him. He was robbed and T.J. Perkins was playing mind games by visiting before the match backstage. Don’t get used to seeing him like this.
FINAL NOTES: Overall, a tight premiere for the show. The video packages were helpful in getting to know some of the roster. Most, with the exception of Perkins and Kendrick, seem to be a bit shaky on the mic, and Aries’s “all about me” analysis adds a great dynamic to an already solid duo of Ranallo and Graves.
FOR AN ALTERNATE PERSPECTIVE ON THIS SHOW, CHECK OUT JOEY GALIZIA’S REPORT HERE: 11/29 WWE “205 Live” Review: Premiere episode including Kendrick defending against Rich Swann, Aries on color commentary, Gulak & Nese vs. Bollywood, more
Very good premiere and LOVED Aries on Color with Mauro and Corey, Swann and Kendrick told a HELL`VA story in the ring and really enjoyed Jack Gallagher, this is what if given time the WWE could have built The Vaudevilians like him BUT as usual the WWE don`t give teams time to grow, hopefully we see more of the Bollywood Boys too, really enjoyed them and really enjoyed the backstorys on all the guys too. I read a on the spot review that people were leaving AFTER the Wyatts match on Smackdown, Why not TAPE 205LIVE like they did Superstars so that there`s a full house to see guys and maybe with word of mouth in weeks crowds come early to see them. Very impressed by the show.