SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE 205 LIVE
JULY 11, 2017
SAN ANTONIO, TEX. AT AT&T CENTER
REPORT BY JOEY GALIZIA (@RamJan89), PWTORCH SPECIALIST
Announcers: Vic Joseph, Corey Graves
JG here. And I’m just… too… sweet.
Show opens with Akira Tozawa on the phone with Titus O’Neil. Titus hypes his client up and says that because he pinned the champ Neville last night on Raw, he has all the ammunition he needs to argue for a rematch for the cruiserweight championship.
Enter Daivari, who hands up on Titus and says that Akira doesn’t deserve any title opportunity since he had to use cheap tactics to even beat the champ. Daivari says that in Iran wrestling is about honor and respect. He ends the segment by saying that the two of them have a match tonight, and that match is next.
“Hail the Crown.” (This song is actually better than Big Cass’s song, but at the end of the day they’re both terrible.)
Vic Joseph and Corey Graves welcome us to the show. Graves is overexcited for the 205 roster to put on the most exciting hour of television for the good fans of San Antonio. They talk up the evening’s main event, Cedric Alexander and Noam Dar in an I Quit match.
Akira Tozawa comes out first for his match with Daivari. Highlights of Great Balls of Fire showcasing the matchup between Neville and Tozawa. If you missed it, Neville won with a low blow by kicking the ropes. Another highlight is shown, this time of last night’s Raw where Tozawa picked up the W with the same low blow. Graves reminds us that Akira is the first man to pin Neville since he returned back at Roadblock. (The end of the line edition.)
Ariya Daivari comes out next sporting one of his fancy $1500 dollar shirts.
(1) Ariya Daivari vs. Akira Tozawa
Daivari immediately opens up with kicks but Akira counters with a hip-toss. He amps the crowd up with his battle-cry AHHH chants and locks in an armbar. Daivari breaks the hold by forcing him to the corner and unloads a series of kicks Stone Cold style.
Daivari brings Akira to the center of the ring and hits Akira with several knees to the back. He attempts a cover but gets a weak two count. Irish-Whip attempt and Akira catches Daivari with a frankensteiner and then a penalty kick. Akira goes for his top rope senton but NEVILLE COMES OUT AND PULLS AKIRA OFF THE APRON!
Winner: Akira Tozawa by Disqualification at 2:11.
Neville hands Tozawa a vicious beating, throwing him off the ring posts and then the barricade. He throws Akira back in the ring, kicks him in the arm, and then locks on the Rings of Neville. The ref tries to break the hold but Neville refuses. Graves says that Neville should be fined for misconduct. (Please, this company allowed Roman Reigns to get away with attempted murder.) Graves then says that he hopes Titus World-Wide has a medical team on standby. Eventually Neville breaks the hold and stands over a hurt Tozawa with about as much aggression as a human being could have.
Highlight of Drew Gulak vs. Mustafa Ali from two weeks ago, when Gulak went for a high risk move (even though it’s against his code) but missed terribly. Ali would win the match by rolling Gulak up.
Cut to Drew Gulak at a press conference. Drew sincerely apologizes to his family and his fans for taking such unnecessary risks, and admits that he had a lapse in judgement in the moment. He then challenges Mustafa Ali to a match up next week, and that match will be 2-out of-3 falls to finally determine whose style of wrestling is better: The ground based attack that Gulak enforces, or the high-risk offense of Mustafa Ali.
Ad break for Battleground. (Punjabi Prison baby.)
Back from break and Vic Joseph asks Corey Graves exactly what is going on with Kurt Angle. Corey brushes the question off stating that they’re not here to focus on that. He then says that there has been something brewing between the friendship of T.J. Perkins and Rich Swann though.
Cut to a video package that showcases T.J. Perkins track record since the Cruiserweight Classic with Swann’s voice from their most recent locker room conversation looming over as audio. We are then shown the highlight of last week’s main event between Swann and Perkins (which was really good) that Swann emerged victorious from. Post match, Perkins shook Swann’s hand and left disappointed yet again.
Back to the show and Rich Swann comes out for our second match of the evening. His opponent is already in the ring: Mario Conners.
Before the bell rings T.J. Perkin’s music hits and he comes to ringside to watch the match. (He also got a haircut and is looking fly AF.)
(2) Rich Swann vs. Mario Connors
Tie-up. Swann takes control with a wristlock, but Connors reverses the pressure. Takedown by Connors but Swann locks his leg around his neck and they break apart.
Tie-up two. Headlock but Connors bounces him off the ropes. Swann lands a kick to the chest, followed by a dropkick. Irish-whip to the corner and Swann summersaults but Connors moves. Connors then hits a running crescent kick. Cover but only two.
Connors immediately mounts Swann and starts unloading punches. Swann gets to his feet and pushes him off then rocks Connors with a couple of straight rights. Off the ropes Connors hits a vicious tornado DDT. Another cover but another kickout.
Back on their feet and Swann lands a clothesline, spin kick, fameasser, and a buzzsaw kick in rapid succession. Connor kicks out of the initial pin but then Swann sets him up and lands the Phoenix Splash for the win.
WINNER: Rich Swann at 3:49
Graves says that Swann’s Phoenix Splash should be frozen and framed because it’s a work of art. T.J. applauds the victory but then gets on the microphone and asks if Rich is happy with his performance. T.J.’s starts critiquing Swann saying that he expected more from him since he beat him last week, and claims that if it were him facing Connors that he could beat him in half the time. T.J. then challenges Connors, and he accepts. (That gets him a nice pop.) T.J. asks that the time it took Swann to win his match be put up on the titantron and says that if he can beat the clock then Swann will have to step up his game.
Match is sanctioned and here we go.
(3) T.J. Perkins vs. Mario Connors
Perkins explodes out of the corner with a running dropkick to the leg. He goes for the knee-bar but gloats and gets caught in a cradle! Two count! On their feet and T.J. immediately catches Connors with the detonation kick. It’s over.
WINNER: T.J. Perkins in 0:28.
T.J. celebrates and dabs after the match as if he’s the greatest thing since sliced bread. Swann looks on as if what T.J. just did was the pettiest thing he’s ever seen. (It was.)
Commercial for tomorrow’s NXT. Johnny Wrestling returns!
Jack Gallagher’s music plays but it’s actually Brian Kendrick in disguise. He mocks Gallagher and then calls the audience fools for laughing and enjoying his performance. He calls Gallagher a clown, a rip-off of William Regal. He then says that there is one man who is not laughing and that’s him. He says he’s sacrificed family, friends, invested everything that he’s ever had in himself because he works hard and he wouldn’t be on 205 if he didn’t. “What has Jack Gallagher done?” he asks.
This eventually brings out the real Jack Gallagher. As always he has his trusty umbrella. Jack claims that he’s been fighting since the age of 16, and that being on 205 live is a privilege. He then calls Brian out for squandering his first chance in WWE back in the day for being a geek. (OOOoooOOOO.) Jack says he likes to fight. “You can call me a third rate William Regal, but I’m a 1st rate Jack Gallagher.” (Great line.) Jack says that if Brian ever questions his dedication to the WWE Universe he’ll knock Kendrick’s head off.
Brian starts mouthing off and Jack nails him with a punch. They start trading blows but Jack lands his signature headbutt sending Kendrick to the outside. Kendrick immediately renters the ring but with the umbrella that he brought out. Jack rushes for his but Brian is a little too quick and nails Jack breaking the umbrella. He lands several shots before the refs come to separate the men. Kendrick leaves mouthing off. Jack in the ring slowly gets up looking very angry for a gentlemen. Our main event is next.
Commercial ad for Kurt Angle’s 24 special. Yes Dixie Carter is in it, and yes it will probably make you cry.
Back from break and Vic Joseph tells us that Mustafa Ali has accepted Drew Gulak’s challenge, and that the 2-out-of-3 falls match will happen next week! Graves then hypes the complicated love triangle storyline that has gone on since 205 began back in November.
Promo package showcasing all of these events. (I refuse to go into it. Trust me when I say that everyone will be happy that this feud is over after tonight.)
Ugghhh, these video packages always make every rivalry look like the greatest thing in the world, but this one really isn’t. Long story short, Alicia refuses to let go and wants Cedric to quit 205. Noam loves Alicia so he’ll do anything for her, and Cedric just wants to be left the #$%^ alone. (We all do Cedric, we all do.)
Noam Dar is out first and Alicccciiiiaaaaa Fooxxxxxxxxxx joins him. Graves and Joseph wonder how hard it would be for Dar to say I Quit in front of the woman he loves. Graves compares saying I Quit to Roberto Duran saying No Mas, and says it ruined the man’s career.
Cedric comes out next. (Please let him move into the title picture after this.)
(4) Cedric Alexander vs. Noam Dar (I Quit match)
As soon as the bell rings both men tear into each other with blows. Cedric gets the early advantage with a dropkick that sends Dar to the outside. Cedric follows him out and goes right after him, landing uppercuts and throwing Dar into the barricade a couple of times. Cedric screams at the Dar to quit. (Seriously Cedric looks so hyped because he knows that this shi%$ ends tonight.) Cedric tries to suplex Dar off the stair steps but Dar blocks it and kicks out Cedric’s leg and he lands hard on the floor.
Now in control Dar wretches Cedric’s arm over his shoulder. He throws him back in the ring and stands on Cedric’s arm pulling back his fingers. Ref asks Cedric if he wants to quit. Cedric says no. Focusing on the arm Dar slams the arm off the side of the apron.
Interesting spot where Cedric traps Dar’s fingers in the metal post of the turnbuckle and pulls them back. (Looks painful.) Dar rakes the eyes to break the hold.
Both guys on the apron and Cedric goes for a backdrop but Dar falls in the ring. Dar charges but Cedric catches him with a kick and then goes for a springboard moonsault but misses! Dar charges and penalty kicks Cedric into the knee!
Dar immediately targets the knee and puts Cedric in a single-leg crab variation. Cedric escapes and hits a stiff discuss elbow, and then a flatliner onto the steel stage! Graves says that Dar doesn’t even look like he knows what country he’s in, let alone be conscious enough to say I Quit.
Dar gets back in the ring but quickly escapes out the other side. Cedric runs full speed through and lands a tope con hilo! Dar responds by throwing Cedric over the announce table right at Vic and Corey! Alicia tries to start a Noam Dar chant but the fans chants for Cedric!!!! (This is crazy awesome.) Noam grabs a chair and throws it in the ring but Cedric jumps from the table and lands a clothesline!
Back in the ring Cedric hits his signature springboard clothesline from across the ring. He stands Noam up but again gets his legs kicked out. Irish-Whip and Cedric hits his other signature spot, the handspring enziguri! Cedric puts Dar’s arm inside the chair and stomps it begging Dar to quit. Dar doesn’t, so Cedric keeps stomping. He gives Noam one last chance to quit but Noam slaps him in the face. “Have it your way.” He stomps repeatedly until Dar finally says the words…”I QUIT.”
WINNER: Cedric Alexander in 12:00.
Afterwards Noam Dar gets on the microphone and says not only does he quit the match, but he quits Alicia Fox. He tells Fox that he’s a world class athlete, that he’s the youngest athlete on the 205 roster, and one of the youngest touring with the Raw roster. He tells Alicia that he used her to get all of the attention from the WWE Universe, and that if he wanted, he could get any women he wanted, even in San Antonio. He ends it by saying that Alicia means nothing to him. Fox cries in the ring as the show goes off the air.
JG FINAL ANALYSIS: WOW. I’m going through so many emotions right now it’s sort of hard for me to truly describe how I’m feeling. Overall the show was just fine, but the main event was something truly remarkable. Was it the best I Quit match in history? Not even close, but it was 1000x better than it had any right to be considering the story they were telling. Massive kudos to Cedric Alexander and Noam Dar for putting on such a damn good finale to one of the most frustrating storylines I’ve ever witnessed. However, in true 205 form, the post-match angle took a sour direction. Fans were ecstatic when Noam said that he was done with Alicia, and that could have been a great momentum swing for him as a babyface. The direction they decided to go with was to showcase Noam as a sexist pig. It’s not necessarily a bad direction to take him in, but he’s charming enough on the microphone that a run as a good guy might have done wonders for him. No matter what, I’m jumping for joy that this feud is over especially since the fight that ended it was truly original. As for the rest of the roster, storylines were advanced and the crowd was reactive, so job well done.
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 7/4 WWE 205 LIVE REPORT: Titus Worldwide visits 205, Neville vs. Dorado, Swann vs. TJP, Gallagher vs. Nese
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