4/11 WWE 205 LIVE REPORT: Perkins vs. Gallagher, Rich Swann vs. Ocean, Kendrick vs. Ali, Alicia Fox

WWE 205 LIVE
APRIL 11, 2017
BOSTON, MASS. AT TD GARDEN
REPORT BY JOEY GALIZIA (@RamJam89), PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Tom Philips, Corey Graves

J.G. here. Got an unusual taste left in my mouth after the Superstar Shake-up. Hopefully 205 fills that void.

Show opens with a video package highlighting last weeks Fatal Four-way match-up between Austin Aries, Jack Gallagher, T.J. Perkins, and Mustafa Ali. Aries would win the bout pinning Perkins after a discus forearm, earning him another shot at Neville’s Cruiserweight Championship.

“Hail the Crown.” (Okay maybe… just maybe… I’m humming along.)

Tom Philips and Corey Graves welcome us to “the most exciting hour on television.” (Even more than Shooter, guys?) They remind us that last night on Raw, T.J. Perkins found his vicious side and is possibly Neville’s new protégé.

First cruiserweight out tonight is the man with a plan, Brian Kendrick. We see clips of last week’s matchup between Kendrick and Akira Tozawa where Akira was finally able to defeat his “nemesis.” (If they have another match, I quit.)

Oh thank God. His opponent is Mustafa Ali. (Just kidding, Wade, I’m still here!)

They open with a handshake. LOVE THE SPORTSMANSHIP BOYS.

(1) MUSTAFA ALI vs. THE BRIAN KENDRICK

Headlock takedown by Kendrick. Ali escapes and the two tie-up in a test of strength. A series of arm-drags by Ali and Kendrick gets frustrated and leaves the ring to regain his composure.

Back inside Kendrick forces Ali into a corner and stores laying in shots. Ali escapes again, hits a frankensteiner sending Kendrick to the outside. Ali with a springboard-crossbody!

Backstage we see that “The Human Torture Device” Drew Gulak is suited up and watching the current matchup between Ali and Kendrick. During that time Kendrick dupes Ali by sliding under the ring and shoving the ring-steps into the Chicago boys lower body.

Huge back bodydrop in the ring and Kendrick is in full control. He goes for the Bully Choke but Ali blocks it, so Kendrick transitions into a variation of the Camel-Clutch. Brian goes for the Bully Choke again but Ali rolls through and cradles Kendrick! Only for two! Big kick by Ali and both guys are down.

Ali on the comeback attacks with two clotheslines, an enziguri from the apron, and his signature roll-through neckbreaker. Cover but only a two count. He goes for another springboard but Kendrick moves and lands a flush running crescent kick. Another pin and another two. Kendrick charges Mustafa in the corner but eats a boot. Ali goes up for his finishing 450! Kendrick pushes him off and locks on the Bully Choke. Ali reaches for the rope… the bell rings?

Referee is yelling at the timekeeper. He reveals himself to be Akira Tozawa!!! Kendrick looks upset. The match is still going on. Ali takes down Kendrick and then hits the inverted 450 for the victory.

WINNER: Mustafa Ali in 8:07

Graves calls the match highway robbery. (He even says that the Boston Police should be called.) Tozawa grabs a mic and says that this was lesson #2. “Appearance…can be…deceiving.” (Great, only eight more lessons to go!) Philips is having a blast. Corey is not.

Video package of last night’s matchup between T.J. Perkins and Austin Aries. (If you missed, T.J. would actually surprise A.A. with a small-package and snag the W.) Afterwards, Neville and A.A. looked as if they were about to go at it, but Perkins Pearl Harbored Aries and laid him out with a Detonation Kick.

Backstage Dasha is interviewing T.J.P. Perkins says that Aries has embarrassed him since 205 started. He reminds us, yet again, that he won the Cruiserweight Classic, and won the respect of the WWE Universe. He intends to get it back. Jack Gallagher appears and says that he asked to face Perkins tonight, and that T.J. better be gentlemanly.

Commercial for Payback. Main promo is that stupid idiot Kevin Owens versus the gift that is Jericho. (No bias here. Smiley face.)

Back from break and Rich Swann dances his way to the ring. Video shows Swann’s promo from last week where he admitted that he was the one who was sending AliciaaaaAa FoxxxXxxx all those gifts. (Not that me, or anyone else in the WWE asked.) His opponent is already in the ring. Johnny Ocean?

(2) RICH SWANN vs. JOHNNY OCEAN

Ocean nails Swann right out the gate with some vicious blows. Hard Irish whip into the turnbuckle. Philips and Graves think Ocean is really loud. Philips says he sounds like Joe Pesci in any Home Alone movie. (SWEATED.) Crowd chants, “We don’t know you.”

Swann escapes Ocean’s clutches and lands a series of clotheslines. Spin-kick and standing frog-splash gets him a two count. Ocean charges Swann, but eats a roundhouse kick, followed by a Pheonix Splash. One, two, three.

WINNER: Rich Swann in 4:34

Quick match. Graves commends Swann’s high-flying ability, even if he is a home-wrecker.

Rich gets on the microphone and says that the truth he got Alicia those gifts is….

Noam Dar comes out before Swann can answer. Dar says that Rich Swann is nothing but a no good liar. He says that it was HE who has been sending the gifts. (JEEZUS, THIS ANGLE IS NEVERENDING.)

Alicia Fox then comes out to some very ODD music. (She’s crazy, though, so don’t tell her I said that.) Fox says that she believes that Noam did get her those gifts, but that she’s noticed how Swann has been eye-balling her. ANOTHER COURIER comes out. Dar grabs it and says it’s from him. He then tells Swann to “jog-on.” Noam hands the gift to Alicia and says that it’s a surprise. She opens it and it’s exploding powder. Swann is on the runway hysterically laughing. Noam looks embarrassed and Alicia looks like she’s about to start CRACKING HEADS. (Actually someone tell her I said her music sucks. That way she’ll kill me so I never have to watch these segments anymore.) Overlong celebration before we finally cut away.

Dasha is now backstage interviewing the “greatest man alive” Austin Aries. A.A. says that T.J. Perkins still dabs in 2017 so how serious can he be? If T.J. thinks he can stop him from getting to Neville he’s dead wrong. This is what Austin Aries does.

Commercial break for tomorrow’s NXT. (GLORIOUS IT IS.)

Jack Gallagher comes out which means it’s time for our main event! He has William the 3rd with him! (That’s his umbrella, for any newbies.)

T.J. comes out second. Very happy that he’s going the bad guy route, but he needs more intimidating music.

(3) T.J. PERKINS vs. JACK GALLAGHER

Tie-up. Jack takes down T.J. with a headlock but Perkins shifts his weight and takes control. Jack handstands out of the predicament. (As a gentleman does.)

Hammerlock by Jack. It is very stylized, and even gives him enough momentum to garner a pinfall but only for two. Perkins catches Jack with a corkscrew takedown. He dabs. (SILENCE from the crowd.)

We see Neville is watching T.J. from a tele’ backstage.

Back and forth exchange ends with Jack landing a dropkick which sends Perkins to the outside. Jack grabs his umbrella and attempts to go for his Mary-Poppins attack but T.J. gets out of the way. Jack mocks Perkins by dabbing. Perkins rushes the ring and walks right into a roll-up! Only a two-count.

Perkins retakes control with a knee-DDT and begins to work Jack’s leg. (Setting up for his finishing knee-bar submission.) Jack attempts a comeback but T.J. locks on a single-leg crab that does serious damage to Jack’s leg. Jack gets to the ropes, lands a few shots, but Perkins sweeps the leg and works Gallagher down.

Perkins lands a suplex. Goes for the three-amigos but transitions into a vicious back-drop. Butterfly-lock.

Jack counters another suplex attempt, and catches Perkins in a series of gut-wrench suplex’s. He goes for the cover but barely gets a two. Super backdrop from the top rope by Jack! Another cover, and another two! As Gallagher picks up T.J. he gets caught in the knee-bar. It’s held for a while! But Jack gets to the ropes! Perkins with a headlock. Backbreaker by Jack but it hurts his knee.

Gallagher slides to the outside. Perkins goes for the triangle dropkick. Jack catches him WITH the apron and then MDK’s him with a headbutt.

Back in the ring both guys are killing each other with stiff uppercuts because the crowd is unfairly bored with the matchup. Jack comes out on top and goes for his running dropkick. His leg gives out on him and T.J. lands the detonation kick for the win.

WINNER: T.J. Perkins in 15 minutes

Philips calls it a tremendous main event. Graves says that Perkins should be thanking Neville for reminding him of his potential. Speaking of the king, Neville comes out to raise the hand of his new protégé to close the show.

JG FINAL ANALYSIS: Some good wrestling on this show which will be overshadowed by poor storytelling. T.J. Perkins and Jack Gallagher worked a fine main event, but the Boston crowd was either tired from the SD finale, or just frustrated because of the VERY weak Alicia Fox courier segment. A segment which has been going on since before Royal Rumble and for some reason it is still being pushed as a legitimate angle. As for Perkins, he is a much better asset as a heel, especially to Neville, but he still needs to find a voice. Where he excels in the ring he really lacks on the microphone, and if he wants to connect with the crowd he’ll really need to bring the latter of those two. Another 205 where the amazing chemistry from the commentary team was better than the actual show. 5 out of 10.

---

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 4/4 WWE 205 LIVE REPORT: Aries vs. Gallagher vs. Perkins vs. Ali, Tozawa vs. Kendrick, Swann vs. Lorcan