3/14 WWE 205 LIVE REPORT: Tony Nese vs. T.J. Perkins vs. Brian Kendrick vs. Akira Tozawa vs. Austin Aries headlines

WWE 205 LIVE
AIRED MARCH 14, 2017
PITTSBURGH, PA. AT PPG PAINTS ARENA
Report by Joey Galizia (@RamJam89), PWTorch Contributor

Announcers: Tom Philips, Corey Graves

Joey G here. Bring on the mayhem.

Show opens with a video package hyping 205’s main event: a Fatal 5-Way Elimination match between Austin Aries, T.J. Perkins, Akira Tozawa, Brian Kendrick, and Tony Nese to determine who faces King Neville at Wrestlemania. The promo highlights all of the best traits of each competitor and this matchup should be LIT AF.

“Hail The Crown.” (You know how I feel.)

Tom Philips and Corey Graves (nice to see them together again.) welcome us to the show since Mauro Ranallo had some travel issues. They immediately start talking up the main event until pyro interrupts them and THE KING COMES OUT LOOKING PISSED AS ALWAYS.

Neville says that exactly one year and one day ago he broke his ankle in this very arena, and was unable to compete at his first Wrestlemania. He recalls how no one cared that he was missing, and even goes as far to say that he was forgotten by the WWE Universe. He then says his obliteration of the entire division should serve as a reminder of his absence. He then calls the main event elimination match the biggest in 205 history. (He’s not wrong.) No matter who wins; Neville is going to deconstruct who the unfortunate winner is. Mustafa Ali comes out interrupting Neville’s promo. Corey Graves thinks that was a bad idea. He’s out for the first match against Drew Gulak. (HUMAN TORTURE DEVICE BABY.)

(1) Mustafa Ali vs. Drew Gulak

Tie-up. Gulak immediately takes Ali down with some clubbing forearms and a vicious knife-edge chop. Ali uses a crucifix pin then a frankensteiner which sends Gulak to the outside. Ali with a springboard cross-body. He throw Gulak back in and gets a two-count. In the corner and Ali goes for a tornado ddt but transitions into a guillotine choke. Gulak counters that into a powerslam and takes control with stomps.

After a few more clubs Gulak locks on the gory special submission. (It looks PAINFUL.) Ali fires back with an elbow/clothesline combination. In the corner and Ali hits a enziguri and then his signature roll through the ropes neckbreaker which nets him a two-count. A nice sequence of counters. Gulak with a roll-up. Another two. Ali hits the tornado ddt and eventually hits the inverted 450-splash for the win.

WINNER: Mustafa Ali in 5:36.

Graves says this victory was essential for Mustafa Ali to push himself to the next level of competition. Gulak on the outside is very upset at his loss and demands a microphone. Drew says that week after week he comes out and delivers the best work in the ring and that no one appreciates it. He says he’s not the one who needs to change though; it’s 205 live that needs to change. (WOAH. META.) Grave thinks it’s Tom Philips that needs to change.

Backstage Noam Dar is talking with Ariya Daivari. He says he asked for a tag rematch from last week’s 205 against Jack Gallagher and Rich Swann. Dar says that he’s tired of Rich Swann getting the best of him, and that they NEED to win this match tonight. They fist bump. It hurts Dar’s hand. (Whimp.)

Commercial for WWE merchandise. Find what fits you. Yeah that’s right…I’m talking to you.

Philips thanks Pitbull for the official theme to Wrestlemania. (Pitbull should take Shaq’s place against Big Show BOOK IT VINCE.)

Back to the action and Jack Gallagher and Rich Swann are out for the aforementioned tag rematch. As opposite as these two are they somehow work really well together. I think they should get a sitcom. OMG. JACK AND SWANN DANCE TOGETHER IN THE RING AND NOT ONLY IS IT GLORIOUS BUT IT’S WHAT GETS THE FIRST POP OF THIS EPISODE.

The Scottish Super-Nova comes out with ALIICCCCIAAAA FOXXXXX. They show a highlight of the ending of the match from last week where the faces won and the chocolates and whatever who cares. Ariya Daivari comes out and we’re ready to do this thing.

Both teams shake hands. Very nice gentlemen.

(2) Jack Gallagher & Rich Swann vs. Noam Dar & Ariya Daivari

Alicia tries to start a fight chant. It dies a QUICK death. Noam Dar and Jack Gallagher start in the ring. Tie-up takedown. Jack locks on a headlock. Dar pushes him to the corner and irish whips Jack. Headstand spot. Dar tags out, sneaks to the other side and nails Swann off the apron. In the ring Daivari gets the better of Jack and hits a top rope elbow for a two-count. The heels tag in and out as they work over Jack. He tries to get the hot tag to Swann but Daivari breaks it up.

Dar back in and he wretches Jack’s neck over his knee. Jack gets to his feet and hits a few elbows. He makes it Swann and tags him in.

Swann runs through the heels with a spin-kick, some clotheslines and then hits a rolling frog splash for a two-count on Daivari. Daivari knocks Jack off. Somewhere in there Noam Dar got tagged in and hits Swann with his running knee finish for the victory.

WINNERS: Ariya Daivari & Noam Dar in 4:14.

The entrances were honestly longer than that whole match. (I get it they need time for the main event.) Dar gets on the microphone and dedicates this “much needed victory” to Alicia Fox. Another deliver guy comes out with a giant teddy bear. Like last week, Dar grabs the merchandise and hands it to Alicia claiming credit for the gift he probably didn’t pay for. (The crowd doesn’t care. Neither do I.)

Another commercial break. Corey’s big interview with Kurt Angle, and then a Wrestlemania spot highlighting Roman Reigns versues The Undertaker.

We’re back and A.A.’s music hits. MAIN EVENT TIME. He comes out to the loudest ovation of the evening. (At least for 205.) A.A. has a SWEET ASS FUR/SEQUENCE COAT ON.

Next out is Akira Tozawa. He’s hyped, (way more than Mojo) focused, and ready to smash some faces. Next out is Tony Nese. He flexes.

T.J. Perkins is next. He seems to have a little pep in his step. He has sunglasses on and hands them to a young fan. (Adorbs T.J.) Final competitor out is The Brian Kendrick. Akira’s intensity goes up to 1000.

Ref tries to get everyone to shake hands. Akira and T.J. high five. YAYYY FRIENDSHIP.

(3) Tony Nese vs. T.J. Perkins vs. Brian Kendrick vs. Akira Tozawa vs. Austin Aries

Fans chanting loud for A.A. He poses on the top ropes. Kendrick slides out of the ring and Tozawa immediately calls him out on it. Tony Nese takes that advantage to hit Tozawa on the back and throw him to the outside. Perkins nails Nese, mayhem ensues. (This will be hard to follow.)

Everyone is out of the ring except for Perkins and A.A. Perkins takes down Aries with a corkscrew and then a dropkick. He dabs. EVERYONE BOOS. A.A. uses a deep arm-drag to take advantage and then a flush dropkick. To the corner. Uppercut by A.A. He then nails Perkins with a reverse elbow then mocks the dab. Kendrick back in. Tozawa follows and nails Brian with his fake punch slap routine. Nese comes in and hits Akira, mocks him, then eats a slap from Tozawa.

Tozawa goes for a suicide dive but gets pulled out by Kendrick. A.A. nails Nese with his bottom rope suicide dive. Kendrick and A.A. both go for a cover but only get two-counts. Temporary alliance between Kendrick and A.A. Just kidding Kendrick immediately turns on Aries and throws him to the outside. Kendrick nails Perkins with a few blows but T.J. picks up the pace and takes control. Tony Nese comes in and LAYS Perkins out with a flying shoulder block. Powerslam. Nese locks Perkins in the body-scissor. Nese shouts that Perkins doesn’t even belong in this match. Perkins escapes the hold. Tozawa comes in and hits Nese with his German finisher. He tries to pin Nese but Kendrick breaks it up and tries to steal the pin. Nese kicks out. Tozawa is now PISSED and lays into Kendrick with stiff kicks and eventually a suicide dive. Perkins takes out Tozawa with a corkscrew plancha. Followed by Nese who takes them out with a twisting tope conhilo. Aries goes to the top but Kendrick pushes him off and he hits HARD.

TONY NESE CHARGES AT AUSTIN ARIES AND KNOCKS HIM THROUGH THE TIMEKEEPERS WALL WITH A RUNNING KNEE. WOWZA. Both guys are down. Nese starts to move, A.A. does not. Back in the ring Nese goes after Perkins. Perkins catches him in a cross-arm breaker submission and Nese taps!

Tony Nese has been eliminated.

Nese attacks Perkins afterwards. Tozawa comes in for the save. Kendrick sneaks up behind him! SLICED BREAD! He pins Tozawa!

Akira Tozawa has been eliminated.

That sneaky Brian Kendrick. He immediately tries to lock Perkins in the Bully Choke. Blocked. They trade blows. Kendrick goes for Sliced Bread again but Perkins blocks it. On the top turnbuckle and Perkins goes for a reverse suplex. A.A. is back up and they do the tower of doom but reversed and it looked weird but fun. The three remaining guys are down. “This is awesome” chants start. A.A. and Perkins are the first on their feet. They both look at each other, and then Kendrick, and they both lay into Kendrick. They attack each other.

A.A. hits an ear clap. Goes for a suplex. Blocked. BIG KICK BY PERKINS. Goes for the detonation kick. Kendrick sweeps Perkin’s leg and Aries falls on him. Kendrick jumps on top and both A.A. and Kendrick pin T.J.

T.J. Perkins has been eliminated.

Final two is Kendrick and A.A. and Kendrick locks on the Bully Choke! Perkins is pissed and he dropkicks Kendrick and then kicks him in the head. A.A. tries to hit Kendrick from behind but nails Perkins instead. SLICED BREAD BY KENDRICK ONTO ARIES BUT HE ONLY GETS A TWO COUNT.

BULLY CHOKE RIGHT BACK ON. Kendrick screams “I’M GOING TO MANIA.”  A.A. crawls to the ropes but there are no rope breaks! (Damn Rules!) A.A. gets out of hit. Hits an elbow and then the roaring elbow for the win!

WINNER: Austin Aries in 17:17

Dear God that was hard to keep up with. Philips and Graves praise the efforts of all men but they give huge congrats to their former announcer A.A. Aries points at the Mania sign and that…is…the…show.

JG FINAL ANALYSIS: We’ve come to a point where we see two distinctly different 205s on a weekly basis. Sometimes the show has one-dimensional silly characters surrounded by silly storylines that are neither entertaining nor getting over with the live audience. And sometimes there is some fantastic in-ring action molded by intriguing storytellers and a healthy payoff. This episode had both. To save time I’ll say skip the first two matches and just go to the main event which delivered in every possible way a multi-man main event is supposed to: Furthered angles between all competitors involved and gave Austin Aries the momentum necessary to take into WrestleMania as he squares off against the ultimate baddie King Neville. It was nice to have the Philips and Graves duo back also.

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NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 3/7 WWE 205 LIVE REPORT: Aries makes his in-ring debut in main event, A Kendrick vs. Tozawa, Gallagher chants, more