SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE 205 LIVE
JUNE 27, 2017
SAN DIEGO, CALIF. AT VALLEY VIEW CASINO CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY JOEY GALIZIA (@RamJam89), PWTORCH SPECIALIST
Announcers: Vic Joseph, Corey Graves
JG here. And I don’t give a sh*t about your kids. ☺
Show opens with highlights of Titus O’Neil’s multiple attempts to sign Akira Tozawa to the Titus Brand. The bigger picture however, is King Neville’s dominance of the cruiserweight division, and the eventual showdown between him and the Japanese AHHH man. Video ends with their epic stare-down from Monday night Raw, and the announcement from Titus that said showdown will take place at Great Balls of Fire.
“Hail the crown.” ☹
Vic Joseph welcomes us to the most exciting hour on television. (They got you to huh, Vic?) Corey is wearing an EXQUISITE blazer, and announces that Neville will be addressing the WWE Universe regarding his new challenger. They both run down the rest of the evening which includes a Cedric Alexander versus Ariya Daivari.
Dasha is backstage with Jack Gallagher. She asks him how he looks to recover after losing last week to Tony Nese. Jack says that he let his gentlemanly manner distract him, and it won’t happen again as he prepares to square off tonight against The Brian Kendrick.
And it’s happening now!
Jack comes out first with William the 3rd.
Brian Kendrick comes out next, but to Jack’s music! He’s dressed in a suit and sports a fake mustache and a microphone. He calls Jack a caricature, an embarrassment to the English people, and a rip-off of William Regal.
(1) Jack Gallagher vs. The Brian Kendrick
Brian opens up with some stiff shots to the gut and a headlock. He bumps Jack down and twirls his fake mustache. Jack responds by snagging a headlock of his own and then landing his signature headstand spot in the corner. (Which he holds for an uncomfortable amount of time.) The two trade uppercuts before Kendrick lands a standing big boot that takes Jack down. (Brian’s moving amazingly in this suit. He should always wrestle in a suit. I LOVE SUITS.)
Vicious Irish-whips by Brian onto Jack. Jack escapes a suplex and lands a dropkick and a clothesline, but gets surprised by a back-body drop. Stiff elbow by Brian and then he grabs his fake umbrella and starts unloading shots onto Jack.
WINNER: Jack Gallagher by DQ in 6:00.
Brian continues to beat down Jack with the umbrella. IT BREAKS and he throws the broken piece into the crowd. He leaves the ring (with his own music playing now) and jack is hurt.
Backstage we see Dasha again, this time with Drew Gulak. She lets us know that there will be yet ANOTHER match between Mustafa Ali and Drew Gulak, and then shows us highlights from last weeks encounter when Ali won with a roll-up. Drew says that instead of playing his amazing ground game assault she played that petty clip that showed Ali getting lucky. However, he is happy, since he lost the match not because of high-flying moves, but because of pure wrestling.
Ali rolls up, and says he has a question for Dasha. He wonders, does Drew just not like high-flying, or is high-flying something that Drew just can’t do. (OoooOOOOooo sweated and burned my man!) Ali gives thumbs up and leaves.
Commercial break for GRET BALLZ O FIRE. (I said it like Shakespeare would.)
Mustafa Ali comes out first for this rematch that so many people are SUPER STOKED FOR. (Sarcasm.) Graves says that Ali has lucha libre background in his style, and that even though Gulak is trying to create a safer 205, sometimes these things just work.
Gulak comes out screaming whatever poor nonsensical protest chant this week.
They mouth off in the ring for a bit then start going at it.
(2) Mustafa Ali vs. Drew Gulak
They start on the ground with some mat wrestling but Gulak surprises Ali with a straight right hand that takes him straight to the ground. Gulak mouths off a bit more and Ali responds with a slap to the face and some knife-edge chops. He tries a springboard cross-body but Gulak catches him with a stiff kick to the chest.
In control, Gulak wears Ali down with blows, and then a powerslam off the ropes. Cover but Ali kicks out. Gulak then latches on a chin-lock and transitions into a reverse headlock.
Ali tries to mount a comeback but Gulak counters all of Ali’s attempts and suplexes him into the turnbuckle. (Looked great.) He pins him but Ali kicks out.
Ali finally mounts some offense when he uses his momentum off the ropes to hit a tornado DDT. He lands a series of clotheslines, a frankensteiner, and his trademark rolling neckbreaker. He pins Drew but only a two count. Ali sets up Gulak on the top rope for a high-risk move but Drew pushes him off. Now on the top rope Drew attempts a high risk splash but misses! (It was great. You could really see Gulak struggle with the even trying to attempt this, but he really wanted too!) Ali smiling, rolls up Drew for the win!
WINNER: Mustafa Ali in 7:00.
Graves compliments both guys, and speaks as if this feud is over. (PLEASE GOD.) Joseph then show us a very threatening tweet that Neville sent out about Tozawa.
Backstage Ariya Daivari and Noam Dar are talking. Dar apologizes for throwing Ariya’s very expensive bag into the lake, and somehow tries to convince Ariya that it’s Cedric Alexander’s fault. Dar says that he’ll pay Ariya back. Ariya says don’t worry about it, which Dar thanks him for since he says that he is broke because of Alicia Fox. Alicia then calls Noam, but Ariya takes his phone and smashes it.
Commercial for the WWE Supercard Player with the anonymous WWE superstar doing voice-over. Definitely anonymous, and definitely not Kevin Owens the face of America. (One of the best commercials I’ve seen WWE put out in a while.)
Cedric Alexander is out first for what should be the final match of the evening. Graves reminds us that he’s been having issues being bothered by Alicia fox and Noam Dar, even though Cedric has said over 1000 times that he wants nothing to do with them anymore.
Daivari comes out next, sporting a VERY SILKY GORGEOUS button down.
(3) Cedric Alexander vs. Ariya Daivari
Tie-up. Daivari takes control with an arm lock but Cedric maneuvers out. Ariya then opens up with some chops but Cedric responds again this time with a corkscrew takedown and a stiff dropkick.
Vic Joseph tells us that since his return Cedric has been on a roll. (He’s not wrong.) Meanwhile Cedric hits his signature springboard clothesline. He charges Ariya but gets caught with a boot! Ariya then throws him into the turnbuckle and takes control of the match.
On the outside Ariya hits a dropkick from the apron. He throws Cedric in the ring and pins Cedric but only for two. Headlock. Cedric tries to regain momentum with a springboard move but Ariya had it scouted and catches him in a rear naked choke! Cedric is struggling but makes it to the ropes to break the hold.
Back on their feet, Cedric hits a strong elbow, and then a springboard enziguri! Cover but only two! On the apron Cedric prepares for another springboard move but Noam Dar runs out! He distracts Cedric long enough for Ariya to hit his hammerlock lariat for the victory!
WINNER: Ariya Daivari in 4:00.
Graves believes that this could be the beginning of a great run for Daivari. After the match Dar jumps onto Cedric and starts unloading punches on him. Joseph asks how long will this go on. (Probably for ever Vic, probably FOREVER.)
Dar than grabs a microphone and says that he knows that Alicia is at home recovering. He then does the worst Rocky impersonation ever, and says, “ALICIA, WE DID IT!”
Backstage Neville methodically walks to the ring.
Commercial break for NXT’s last woman standing match. (YOU AINT HYPED. YOU AINT HYPED.)
Neville comes out to the ring. He joyfully trolls the crowd for a bit before claiming that in two weeks he will once again defend his cruiserweight championship against the next so-called challenger.
He says that his opponent Akira Tozawa doesn’t understand the gravity of the situation. No one can defeat him. He calls Tozawa cute, and then refers to Titus O’Neil as nothing but white noise.
Tozawa walks out and Neville starts mouthing off. Tozawa, on the mic, says nothing…but AHHH. He AHHH’s so much that Neville loses his patience. He charges him but Akira hits a spin kick and a trouble in paradise! Neville leaves the ring and is visually upset as the show goes off the air.
JG’S FINAL ANALYSIS: A surprisingly enjoyable hour of wrestling. A lot of storylines advanced, even the silly Drew Gulak no high-flying nonsense. Brian Kendrick and Jack Gallagher will be an exciting new feud, and Tozawa seems to be the most exciting pairing with Neville we’ve seen in a while.
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 6/20 WWE 205 LIVE REPORT: Swann vs. Neville, Gallagher vs. Nese, Ali vs. Gulak, more with Titus and Tozawa
This show was the antithesis of enjoyable. I won’t be tuning in again. Up there with Main Event in terms of importance.