WWE 205 Live Review 05/16/17 by Mark McAllen

Welcome to the twenty-fifth episode of 205 Live! This week’s episode comes from the SNHU Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Just a side note, I missed reviewing last week’s episode because I’m a student and it was finals week for me, so I was pretty occupied to say the least.

205 Live kicks off with a video recapping TJP and Neville’s victory over Austin Aries and Jack Gallagher. Afterwards, in the locker room, TJP asked Neville that he still needs to get what he was promised, his Cruiserweight Title match. Neville says that TJP will get that opportunity soon enough, but that there’s still an Austin Aries problem. Neville said Aries’ knee is hanging on by a thread and that on 205 Live (tonight) they will end him once and for all.

Dasha Fuentes interviewed Austin Aries backstage. Before Dasha got to ask Aries anything, Aries cut her off. Aries said he already knows what Dasha is going to say since he’s a former broadcast journalist expert himself. Aries calls TJP Neville’s lapdog and says that Neville’s a liar and will never give TJP a title opportunity. Aries said TJP will never be at the A-Double level, and when they go one-on-one tonight, TJP will find that out.

The 205 Live music now starts up and we get a nice pyro display as the commentary team of Tom Phillips and Corey Graves welcome us to the show. They remind us that tonight’s main event will be Austin Aries and TJP.

Noam Dar makes his way to the ring with his girlfriend Alicia Fox. We’re reminded that Fox defeated Sasha Banks on this week’s Raw, which is a big win for her. Woooowwwww, look who it is! It’s Gran Metalik! For those not aware, Metalik was the runner-up in last year’s Cruiserweight Classic. In 205 Live’s now twenty-five episodes, this is the second time we’re seeing Gran Metalik. The last time he was featured on 205 Live was in February in a match he won against Drew Gulak. We saw weeks of video packages hyping him up, he showed up once and that was it. Granted, I think the fact that Metalik botched a few moves and didn’t look as smooth in the ring had something to do with it. Anyway, I’m happy he’s back now, but I’m not really a fan of how the announcers aren’t hyping up Metalik as anything too special or are surprised that we’re seeing him.

Noam Dar w/Alicia Fox vs. Gran Metalik

Dar and Metalik do some chain hold wrestling for a bit. Metalik gets the upper hand which forces Dar to retreat to ringside. Metalik leaves the ring to continue the attack, but Dar hides behind Fox. The action is taken back inside the ring for a bit as Metalik hits some cool looking spring board attacks fluently, once again forcing Dar outside the ring. Metalik hits Dar with a huge springboard moonsault. He got a lot of air on that one.

Metalik throws Dar back in the ring, but before Metalik got back in the ring, he was distracted by Fox yelling at him. Dar capitalizes on this by hitting Metalik with a dropkick and bringing Metalik back in the ring. Dar slows the pace down a bit as he repeatedly looks for covers. Dar tries to suplex Metalik, but Metalik counters it and suplexes Dar instead. Both men make it to their feet at the same time. Dar runs at Metalik, but Metalik dodges him, sending Dar face first into the turnbuckle. Metalik hits Dar with an impressive looking springboard back elbow. Metalik goes for the pin, but Dar kicks out at two.

Metalik puts Dar up on his shoulders, looking for the Metalik Driver, but Dar counters and takes down Metalik with kicks to the leg. Dar then uses the bottom rope to hyper extend Metalik’s left arm. Metalik retaliates with an enzguri kick and follows it up by heading to the top turnbuckle, walking across the rope and using it to springboard into the air and drop down on Dar with a big elbow drop. Metalik goes for the cover, but Dar just kicks out. Metalik maneuvers through the ropes nicely, but Dar catches him with a kick to the legs, knocking Metalik off the ropes. Dar finishes off the match with a running kick to the head for the win after about nine minutes.

Winner by pinfall: Noam Dar

Evaluation: I really enjoyed that match. Part of it may have been the fact that I was excited to see Metalik in action again, but I do think both men did a great job. Although, Metalik lost, he looked very impressive and I think his style will catch on and become popular with fans to the point where he’ll eventually get a push. I feel like this was kind of a test for Metalik after he botched some moves during his 205 Live debut and came across a bit sloppy. I can see why WWE may have wanted to keep him off TV for a while and give him a chance to get everything together properly, because you don’t want another case like Sin Cara. Again though, I’m confident that if we see more from Metalik like we saw tonight, he’ll be a big star in the cruiserweight division.

The Brian Kendrick vs. Akira Tozawa in a Street Fight on next week’s 205 Live

A video is shown recapping last week’s 205 Live match between The Brian Kendrick and Akira Tozawa. Tozawa won OUTTA NOWHERE with a quick rollup pin and afterwards Kendrick assaulted Tozawa, pinning Tozawa’s head in between the parts of the steel stairs, and then stomping down on the stairs. Kendrick said “this is the last lesson I’m going to give you. Nobody messes with The Brian Kendrick!” Corey Graves then announces that on next week’s 205 Live it’ll be The Brian Kendrick vs. Akira Tozawa in a Street Fight!

Evaluation: Yes! This is what I’ve been waiting for – a) a (hopeful) end to this feud that has gone on way too long and has felt ridiculously repetitive/boring for the last month and a half AND b) it gives us the big blow off match I’ve been dying to see between these two, with the special stipulation of a Street Fight! Although I have not been a fan of this rivalry and think it’s gone on way too long, after every criticism I’d always say that I can’t wait for these two to have their blow off match because you know it’ll be the main event of 205 Live, that it’ll get plenty of time and that they’ll tear the house down because they’re both great talents and are capable of putting on something special for us. I compare it to the “I Forfeit” Match last year between Jack Gallagher and Ariya Daivari. It was a side feud (one that wasn’t for the cruiserweight title) that got to main event 205 Live with their big blow off stipulation match and it was one of my favorite matches since 205 Live began. I believe that Tozawa and Kendrick’s Street Fight next week has all the potential to be even better.

Dasha Fuentes is backstage with her guest at this time, The Brian Kendrick. Fuentes asks Kendrick how this type of match factors into his plans. Kendrick said a Street Fight suits his plans to a tee. Kendrick reminded us that him and Tozawa won’t be confined to the ring and that there’s no disqualification, “and with a mind as crafty as mine that spells disaster for Tozawa.” Kendrick said that he hopes Tozawa picked up on a few of the lessons he’s taught him, because if not, next week could be the end of Tozawa’s 205 Live dreams.

A video package is shown hyping up the return of Cedric Alexander. He’s a great talent and could definitely be challenging for the Cruiserweight Title in the second half of the year.

Drew Gulak Attacks Mustafa Ali

Tony Nese makes his way to the ring as he’ll be taking on Mustafa Ali. As Ali makes his entrance and is coming down the ramp, he’s attacked by Drew Gulak. Gulak yells at Ali to listen to him because he knows better. Gulak throws Ali head first into the ring post. Gulak: “You’re going to learn one way or another that your risks don’t pay off!” Gulak rolls Ali into the ring, sitting him up against the turnbuckle and tells Nese to hit him with his signature running knee. Nese does so and man, that running knee always looks so vicious. Gulak enters the ring with his “No Fly Zone!” sign and taunts Ali.

Evaluation: That was a great attack/segment. I really like Gulak’s anti-high flyer character when it’s treated seriously and not for laughs. Tonight, it was treated seriously and it was awesome. An attack like this makes me more excited about this rivalry and want to see these two go at it.

Rich Swann is seen walking backstage with some futuristic looking sunglasses when he’s stopped by Dasha Fuentes (who has been very busy this episode). Fuentes doesn’t ask Swann a question, but just tells Swann that last week Noam Dar and Alicia Fox said that he can never break them up and that he’s going to get what he deserves. Swann said that what he really deserves is to get as far away from those lunatics as he possibly can. A delivery man shows up with a package for a Mr. Richard T. Swann. Swann tells the delivery man that he’s not Richard T. Swann, and points to Daivari saying that he’s who you’re looking for. Daivari said that those must be his $2,500 sunglasses, but he notices from the packaging that it’s not his, so he puts it down and walks away. Gallagher comes by and picks up the package, and when he does so Daivari tells him to beat it and get away from his package. Daivari opens it up and powder shoots all over Daivari. Daivari freaks out.

TJP and Austin Aries make their entrances and we’re ready for our main event! Small side note, but the intro Aries’ entrance music is shortened. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not a big deal but I really like Aries’ theme. The long intro was cool. I hope they bring it back.

TJP vs. Austin Aries

Aries throws his vest at TJP, which looks like it ticks off TJP and forces him to retreat to ringside. Aries pulls Aries by his legs out of the ring and rives him back first into the side of the ring. TJP rolls Aries back in the ring and looks for a senton, but Aries gets his knees up. Aries stays in control with brief attacks and almost locks in the Last Chancery, but TJP counters and retreats to ringside. Aries dives over the top rope and onto TJP. Aries sends TJP into the barricade before rolling him back in the ring.

Aries runs at TJP in the corner, but TJP counters, lifting up Aries and placing him crotch first onto the top rope. TJP now focuses on the bad leg (specifically knee) of Aries, which Neville described as “hanging by a thread.” TJP drapes Aries over the top rope and pulls down on Aries’ bad leg. TJP drops Aries to ringside and continues the attack. TJP rolls Aries back in the ring and stays in control with attacks to Aries’ bad leg. TJP locks Aries in a modified ankle lock submission, but Aries counters by hopping on one leg and nailing TJP with a big back elbow. Aries keeps up the attack with a gutbuster followed by his signature pendulum elbow. Aries goes to the top turnbuckle and hits TJP with a diving elbow to TJP’s back.

TJP counters Aries’ attacks and hits him with his signature Wrecking Ball dropkick which always looks impressive. TJP goes for the cover and pulls on Aries’ tights for leverage, but Aries kicks out. TJP runs at Aries, but Aries dodge him and hits TJP with a neck breaker. This forces TJP to ringside, and Aries uses all his strength to suicide dive through the ropes and onto TJP. Although Aries connected, it looks like his bad knee is bothering him. Aries rolls TJP back into the ring and heads to the top rope, he looks for a missile dropkick, but TJP dodges him and locks in his knee bar submission. TJP holds onto the ropes for leverage until the referee sees this and forces TJP to break the hold. TJP puts Aries on his shoulders for the Detonation Kick, but Aries counters and locks in the Last Chancery, forcing TJP to tap out after about 13 minutes.

Winner by submission: Austin Aries

Post-match, Aries doesn’t have too much time to celebrate his victory as Neville attacks Aries from behind. Neville stomps down on Aries’ bad knee and slams it into the ring post. Neville locks in a submission, which torques Aries knee, until Gentleman Jack Gallagher makes the save. Gallagher attacks Neville with his umbrella and nails him with his signature headbutt. 205 Live goes off the air with an angry Aries staring down Neville and TJP.

Evaluation: Great main event match as usual. 205 Live’s main event always deliver and this was no exception. Good post-match attack from Neville and save from Gallagher. This Aries/Neville rivalry with TJP on the outskirts has been great so far and I’m really liking the direction they’re heading.

Final Thoughts

Overall, this was a good episode of 205 Live from top to bottom. I really enjoyed the opening match between Gran Metalik and Noam Dar. The announcement of Kendrick vs. Tozawa is a Street Fight next week was exciting, good promo from Kendrick, Cedric Alexander’s return was hyped, great attack from Gulak on Ali, and an excellent main event. You can’t ask for much more.

As always, since I included a lot of my thoughts on tonight’s episode in my evaluations throughout this review, I’ll leave my final thoughts at that.

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Picture used above is courtesy of WWE.com.