Hello, one and all! Grab a chair and settle down while I talk you through this past weeks 205 Live including this week’s main event. The current reigning and defending WWE Cruiserweight Champion, Drew Gulak versus a man making his main roster debut. A man that Gulak actually trained. That man is none other than Isiah Scott fka Shane Strickland! I can’t wait for that! Hopefully, your mouth is watering as much as mine, so without further ado, let’s see how the landscape fairs on 205 Live!….
The show begins with 205 Live General Manager Drake Maverick commenting on his actions from last week (if you missed it you can recap it by reading last week’s Landscape right here!). As the GM of 205 Live, his actions were uncalled for. Which is why he is offering Mike Kanellis a shot at the Cruiserweight championship…..If Mike can beat Drake in an unsanctioned match!
After that bombshell of an announcement, a video package for NXT’s Raul Mendoza is played. And what you know, Raul is featured in the very next match.
Raul Mendoza & Humberto Carrillo vs. Lucha House Party (Kalisto & Metalik)
Kalisto and Mendoza lock up and work each other counter for counter. The pace picks up when Raul hots a sweet looking hurricana on Kalisto, much to the delight of the crowd. Not to be outdone Kalisto fires back with a jumping arm drag. Both men slowly work their way to their feet for a stalemate.
Both men tag in their respective partners, who as before work themselves into another stalemate! LHP soon double team Carrillo, cutting the ring in half. Metalik and Kalisto soon ground the action, keeping Humberto to the canvas. Clever work from the Luchas. Carrillo fights back with some well-placed knee strikes and tags in Raul. They hit a double team move for but only gain a two. Carrillo hits a vicious looking double foot stomp for another two. Pinfalls are coming thick and fast.
Kalisto gets the hot tag and Metalik enters the ring fired up and eventually works Carrillo down with a kimura. Knee strikes and a missile dropkick gives Carrillo a two count. A springboard headbutt from Carrillo gives him enough time to make the tag to Mendoza. A super quick Disaster Kick from Mendoza gives us the closest two count yet. But Kalisto drops Raul with a jawbreaker to tag out.
Both Metalik and Carrillo are on the top turnbuckle but Metalik hits a top rope Super Hurricanrana (!!!!) for another two! I honestly thought that was it! Kalisto gets thrown out the ring and Mendoza follows him with a tope con giro. But it’s all about Carrillo, as he lands a perfect corkscrew splash for the win. Great opener!
Winners – Raul Mendoza & Humberto Carrillo
As always the bookers of 205 Live know how to start a show. Fast-paced with enough action to get the crowd involved. Not a hot start but enough to get the crowd invested in what’s next. It’s simple but it works. And with four good workers in the match, it’s effortless.
It’s announced that The Singh Brothers will face off against The Brian Kendrick and Akira Tozawa next week. It should be a good tag match to start next week’s show.
A neat little Isiah Scott video package is played next, hyping up his feature in the main event of the evening.
Oney Lorcan vs Tony Isner
Here’s your weekly squash match folks! It’s become something of a tradition over the past few weeks.
Tony took the offensive and rushed Oney straight from the bell. Fists of fury time! But it was all for naught, as Lorcan overpowered his opponent and hit his patented half and half suplex (which looked so vicious that I honestly was expecting an “X” to be thrown up by the referee) for the win.
Winner – Oney Lorcan
A quick promo from the champion Drew Gulak before the match. He explains that even though he had a hand in training Scott, he didn’t teach him anything. He’s not the same man as he was then, and Isiah still has a lot more to learn.
Drew Gulak vs Isiah Scott
As soon as the bell rings, Gulak makes a beeline for Scott, attacking straight away. Isiah weathers the storm and throws Drew to the outside. As soon as Gulak makes his way back to the ring, the young upstart Scott begins to work the left arm of the champ. Working him down to the canvas, wrenching back. Drew gets back to his feet but Isiah hits a dropkick and head scissors to emphasize his superiority. Gulak takes a breather outside the ring.
The action picks up with Scott taking the lions share. Gulak sends Scott flying into the barricades, quickly followed by some hard-edged chops. He then picks up Isiah into a Razors Edge onto the ring post! Nasty spot! The champ rolls Scott into the ring for a two count. A deep half Boston Crab is next up from Gulak, but Scott wriggles free, runs the ropes and is met with a back elbow. It’s now Drew’s turn to work the arm now, as he wrenches back on Scott’s left arm. Again the NXT standout fights back and takes the action to the top rope. This time he counters a Razors Edge attempt and hits a few uppercuts that take the champ off his feet. Quick cover for two.
Isiah attempts a Dragon Suplex but Gulak powers out and slaps on the Gu-lock! Scott scrambles to the ropes and breaks the hold. The champ continues to focus on the damaged hand of Scott but eats a superkick from the young lion for his troubles.
A double stomp from the superkick gives us the closest near fall so far. A sweet backbreaker (Roddy Strong would be proud) and armbar combination is next but he can’t put Gulak away. Some vicious strikes, a cravat-plex, and the Argentine cutter gives the champ a hard-earned win.
Winner – Drew Gulak
Another fantastic main event from the 205 Live brand. This was totally different from last week’s wrestling clinic that Gallagher and Gable put on. This was physical and athletic. Once again Gulak looks every inch a champion, holding himself to a higher regard. And Scott/Strickland? What a main roster debut. He needs to do “a Ricochet” in NXT. I mean fly through the next year in NXT and come up to the main roster to show the world how damn good he is!
Another week passes and more people talk to me about how 205 Live is totally different to anything else on WWE TV. I will make more people watch this show. Not because I’m a WWE mark (ugh, hate that word) but because I love and adore wrestling. ALL WRESTLING. When it’s done right (like 205 Live, G1 Climax, Double Or Nothing) it’s the most perfect art form in the world.
As always, you can hit me up on my social media for all kinds of wrestling-related chat. Links are below. So until later peeps…..TA TA!
Mark Blake-Facebook – MarkBlakeSmart
Mark Blake Twitter – @Smart_Mark_B
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Pro Wrestling Post Twitter – @ProWrestlingPST
You can read past editions of the Landscape right here!
