SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE 205 LIVE REPORT
DECEMBER 13, 2016
TAPED DEC. 12 IN PHILADELPHIA, PA.
REPORT BY JOEY GALIZIA (@RamJam89), PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Mauro Ranallo, Corey Graves, Austin Aries
Joey G here. Let’s do this.
Show opens with a recap of last Tuesday’s main event: The title rematch between Rich Swann and Brian Kendrick with TJ Perkins on commentary. The highlight package really endorses how TJ was rooting for Rich (because they’re besties) and the slugfest that happened post match.
Cue “Hail the Crown” by CFO$ and the show begins.
Aries is in for another round of commentating. He, Graves and Ranallo put over the main event of the evening: T.J. Perkins and Rich Swann as well as hyping the Triple-Threat match at Roadblock between Swann, Perkins, and The Brian Kendrick.
The “extraordinary gentleman” Jack Gallagher’s music hits for our first match up. His opponent: THE GULAK.
Drew comes out to a big pop since he is a Philly boy. They shake hands and were under way.
(1) Jack Gallagher vs. Drew Gulak
Drew starts with a waistlock takedown and transitions into a side-headlock. Graves and AA get into a back and forth and Aries says he’s happy to bring some talent to the announce team. Jack escapes the headlock and takes Gulak down with an ankle pick and locks in a reverse chin-lock. Mauro puts over the incredible technique of both competitors. Gallaher goes for a crucifx pin but continues the momentum and rolls Drew all around the ring. He then ties Drew up in the Windsor knot and Gulak cannot move. Jack then field goal kicks Drew’s bottom. As Gallagher plays to the crowd Drew stands up and nails a standing big boot and then takes control with a back elbow.
As Gulak throws Jack in the corner Gallaher does his signature headstand spot and pops right over, but Drew had it scouted, regains position, and remains in control. Jack eventually builds some momentum and nails Drew with three uppercuts. Jack goes for a sunset flip pin but Gulak catches him for a close two count.
The two exchange blows (including Jack’s Gallaghers vicious headbutt) until Jack eventually hits his running dropkick in the corner and the 3-count.
WINNER: Jack Gallagher wins by pinfall at 5:56.
Graves calls Gulak the human torture device (SWEET), and says he appreciates him classying up the place with his presence. Mauro says that Jack is looking to get into the title scene.
Cut to TJP taping his hands up backstage. Swann comes in and says that he’s still feeling lucky. Perkins says that they are friends, but tonight, and at Roadblock they’re not friends. TJ reminds Swann that he’s the guy who made Rich tap out in the CWC.
Promo Package for the Japanese Buzzsaw Tajiri!!! Man he looks great. Clips show off his CWC matches as well as his former SD days.
Commercial for Roadblock.
We’re back and Philips is backstage with Jack for an interview, but Davari comes in. Jack apologizes for the “unpleasantness” he caused him on Raw, and wishes to bury the hatchet. Ariya says Jack made him look like a fool, and claims that it’s not over yet.
Back to the ring and Lince Dorado is on his way down to the ring! (About time) In a sidebar during his entrance The Golden Links promises to show the WWE universe things they’ve never seen.
His opponent…Mustafa Ali. Graves is excited, the fans are not. In his sidebar he mentions that people will dislike him because of his name and his heritage, but he doesn’t care about them. He’ll make them change their mind.
(3) Lince Dorado vs. Mustafa Ali
Things start quick with takedowns and flips. Mustafa with a nice springboard arm-drag but Lince responds with a springboard leg-lariet. Ali nails Lince with a round-house kick then a neckbreaker for a two-count.
Ali goes for a back-drop but Lince lands on his feet and hits a dropkick. Dorado gets Mustafa to the top rope and hits a Frankensteiner that sends Ali across the ring. Two-count. The two trade blows before Lince hits a hand-spring stunner.
Both competitors on the apron and Dorado hits an enziguiri kick and a headscissors to take Ali to the outside. The Golden Links man then hits a moonsault off the ropes (with ease) to a standing Mustafa. Both guys remain down for a double-countout.
WINNER: Double-Countout at 3:34.
AA says that wouldn’t have happened to him. Afterwards Lince offers a handshake but Ali gets in a cheapshot. As he throws Dorado off the ropes Lince responds with a spinning heel-kick and stands tall.
Backstage Alicia Fox stands with Noam Dar, who reminds Alicia that he dedicated his win against Cedric to her. Alicia says she has a boyfriend already. DRAMA.
Commercial ad for NXT and Joe vs. Nakamura 4. Separate ad for the Charlotte vs. Sasha program.
Were back and the announce team put over TJ Perkins and we see a highlight video of TJ’s CWC triumph. He claims that he has proven that he is great, and feels it is his responsibility to lead this next generation of superstars.
8-Bits hits and out comes Perkins in what literally looks like a Jolly Rancher outfit. (Not complaining, he looks awesome)
Swann’s music hits and he dances his way into the ring.
As the friends go to shake hands, Briank Kendrick’s music hits and he goes to the announce table.
(4) T.J. Perkins vs. Rich Swann in a Non-Title Match
Graves welcomes Brian Kendrick and says that he’s awesome. In the ring Perkins takes Swann down with a head-scissor corkscrew but Rich escapes with a cartwheel and an arm-drag and takes control with a rest hold.
The two buddies trade lateral presses and kick-ups to show how evenly matched they both are. Perkins snatches on a headlock to slow things down, but rich bounces him off the ropes, lands a standing 450, then hits a dropkick for a two-count.
Flair chop and Swann takes control with a kick to TJ’s back. As Rich throws him to the ropes TJ catches himself and sends Swann to the outside. Perkins lands a sling-shot triangle dropkick to Rich to the floor, then rolls him back in for a two.
Swann hits a side-Russian leg sweep and then nails a series of clotheslines and round-house body kicks. A rolling thunder splash by Swann for a two-count. They fight to the outside and Swann tries the Lince moonsault spot, but misses and tweaks his knee. TJ throws himself onto Rich and back in the ring starts hitting a series of suplexes and back-drops. He goes for a pin but only gets a two.
Brian at the desk talks about being trained by WWE greats, and believes he has what it takes to take his title back. In the ring TJ lands a running dropkick to Swann’s hurt knee and Perkins starts working the leg. Kendrick says he hopes the match lasts another 30 minutes. Swann rolls to his feet and nails TJP with a standing crescent kick. AA tells Kendrick to make sure he avoids that on Sunday.
The two exchange chops and Swann rolls up TJ for a close two count. Perkins goes for the detonation kick (out of the fire-mans carry) but Swann rolls out and nails his tiger powerbomb for another close two. Swann tries to go for his standing 450 but his knee is obviously bothering him. Perkins picks the ankle and locks in his knee-bar. Rich tries to get to the ropes, but taps out.
WINNER: T.J. Perkins wins by submission at 9:34.
Brian heads down to the ring to congratulate Perkins on his victory. Kendrick goes to help Swann up but then turns into a super-kick by Perkins. TJ then threatens to nail Swann with a super-kick but stops short on purpose. We hear him mouth to Rich that he better watch out, because on Sunday he’s going down. Rich and TJP share a smile as 205 goes off the air.
JG FINAL ANALYSIS: A decent show. Three semi-entertaining bouts even if they were a little short. Crowd was never really enthralled. Happy to see them setting up other feuds than just the Title Scene, and it was fun to see Dorado finally make his debut just to change things up a bit. The division still seems like it’s at a stalemate position, and the matches being slightly dull aren’t helping. The best part of the CWC were the clashing of styles so hopefully down the line the right combination of matches and competitors can spark some life into the purple-rope brand. Also keep Austin Aries at the commentating table please.
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S “205 LIVE” REPORT: 12/6 WWE “205 Live” Review: Kendricks gets rematch against Swann, Aries on color again, Darr vs. Cedric, Daivari vs. Gallagher
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