Welcome to the review of the January 3, 2019 edition of 205 Live, here for the new year! And as get closer to Royal Rumble, this edition may be building towards WWE’s next big Pay-Per-View and a new contender to Angel Garza’s championship. Garza is slated to face Nese in the main event.
We kick off the show with both Tom Phillips and Aiden English proclaiming New Year’s resolutions heading into the new decade as tonight’s episode begins with Ariya Daivari, who in a promo states he’s ready to protect 205 Live from people like his opponent tonight, Danny Burch.
Ariya Daivari vs. Danny Burch
Ariya, in the aforementioned promo, must have studied Drew Gulak’s path with his claim to protect the purple brand. But it’s not going to help to face the hard-hitting Danny Burch. Burch, for the beginning, looked like he was teaching a master class with simple leg locks, air trips as Ariya tried to leapfrog him, and even dropping him and walking away as he was setting up for London Calling.
https://twitter.com/WWEUniverse/status/1213295558502301696
Daivari, however, continues to show much aggression in his matches. Between impressive Reverse DDT’s too, as I call it, the most solid dropkick on the entire brand, Ariya continues to show why he’s slowly becoming a strong flag holder for 205 Live.
But Ariya’s downfall continues to be his overly playful to the crowd. All it took was one lousy attempt of the corner forearm drop, ala Jerry Lawler, for the tide to suddenly turn. I mean everything from the foot up as a counter to that forearm, a corner clothesline into a step-up enziguri and even an attempt to a pin that turned into a crossface.
I could easily state from this alone, Ariya would be a man on his way to a loss but a random “masked fan” runs up to the ringside to distract the ref which leads to Ariya giving Burch a low blow. But the Persian Prince wasn’t done as he hit the Hammerlock Clothesline for good measure to pick up the win.
Winner: Ariya Daivari (via pin)
After the match, the “fan” donning a bright pink mask turns out to be Brian Kendrick, who like Gallagher, seems to make more turns that a Nascar track as he proclaims on the mic how he made this brand. And for kicks, he hits a Sliced Bread #2 on the prone Burch as we go to commercial.
https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/1213299048150646785
Returning from a small break, Tom Phillips hails the praises of the upcoming “Greatest Tag Team in 205 Live history” as they come back from another Bollywood film to grace us with their presence on this Friday night against a couple of local competitors.
The Singh Brothers vs. Casey Storm & Anthony Wayne
As I stated in my column, For A Better 205 Live, it’s at a point that the Singh Brothers need a better feud or actually go after a tag title to make their situation more interesting.
We get nothing but Phillips over hype for the love of Bollywood arts, some unorthodox offense from Anthony Wayne for an inevitable squash match.
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1213302070259916801
Double superkicks and combination backbreaker / top rope elbow drop known as the Bollywood Blast which leads to the win.
Winner: The Singh Brothers (via squash)
Before our main event match, we get Tony Nese playing up to the crowd with his 8 reasons, and Angel playing up to the crowd trying to steal everyone’s girl. I’m confused. Are we suppose to not like not of these guys?
Angel Garza vs. Tony Nese
This match started off like the old 205 Live, too playful and lackadaisical, and not starting off hot as the past few weeks, but I digress between Garza and Nese. Eventually, the seriousness kicks in and these guys go to work.
One thing I stress is Angel Garza to continue to work as stiff as he has been because that over the top nature, which existed for the first 5 minutes of the match, went out the window after a Penalty Kick from Garza to Nese chest as he was hung up on the tree of woe.
This may have not been the wrestling psychology we expected from a main event, especially after the absolute clinics we’ve had in prior episodes, but it delivered in great story for two men on polar opposite trajectories. For Garza, it was weight room ready delivering some impressive power and flawless athleticism (see that beautiful moonsault below).
https://twitter.com/WWENetwork/status/1213304890275123206
For Nese, however, it was is aggression to back up the above mentioned tweet including less taunting of the crowd after his Fosberry Flop or his sudden offense after a moonsault.
But there is no matching Angel’s momentum as the match ends after Nese attempts is trademark Lionsault and Garza puts his knees up, which leads to Garza hitting The Wing Clipper for the win.
Winner: Angel Garza (via pin)
It’s become academic as we end another edition of 205 Live seeing Angel pose with the NXT Cruiserweight Championship in hand.
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1213305310405939200
As we end this 205 Live Landscape, starting for this episode, I will continue to ask the questions that are left unanswered…
- Has WWE listened to me and possibly giving Daivari a stable with Kendrick?
- Will we get some legitimate contenders to face the Singh Brothers?
- And with Royal Rumble 3 weeks away, who will challenge Angel Garza for the NXT Cruiserweight Championship?
As always, time will tell. Until next Friday, keep it here for another edition of 205 Live Landscape!
