MUSTAFA ALI VS. ARIYA DAIVARI
Daivari cuts a backstage promo saying that Mustafa Ali deserves to be at the back of the line to be number one contender for the Cruiserweight Championship. These two put on a high-paced match with both men showing off their styles. Daivari hits a nasty-looking superkick. I always wonder how they make those kicks look so brutal. I won’t ask Goldberg or Bret Hart. He also hits Ali with a terrific spinebuster outside the ring. He nails a frog splash for a two count. More powerful offense from Daivari as he misses hit hammerlock lariat but turns Ali inside out with a running clothesline. A bitchin looking counter from Ali as he backflips out of a reverse superplex and Daivari falls backwards from the top to the mat. Ali hits the 054 for the win. An awesome 10-minute match with a ton of sweet-looking moves from Daivari and Ali showing off his incredible high-flying abilities.
Drake Maverick announces that Cedric Alexander was supposed to defend his title against Buddy Murphy at the Greatest Royal Rumble, but Murphy did not make weight, and there will be a gauntlet match next week to determine the number one contender.
GENTLEMAN JACK GALLAGHER & THE BRIAN KENDRICK VS. VINNIE SCALISE AND KEVIN LATIBRIS
Welcome back Brian Kendrick, as he and Gallagher take on two jobbers. Gallagher shows off his innovative body-manipulating offense, Kendrick comes in and hits some stiff kicks and elbows. Scalise makes a tag to a reluctant Latibris and Kendrick continues his savage attacks. Gallagher comes back in, Kendrick gets a blind tag, and after a head butt from Gallagher, Kendrick puts Latibris in the Captain’s Hook for the tag. Longer and better match than I thought it would be. Kendrick and Gallagher are such a good team, it must be ridiculously painful to be in the ring with them. Kendrick hits stiff strikes and Gallagher twists and bends bodies in ways they shouldn’t be twisted and bent.
Drew Gulak runs down Tony Nese and says he will win the gauntlet match next week. I’m a big fan of Gulak’s work.
LINCE DORADO & GRAN METALIK VS. HIDEO ITAMI & AKIRA TOZAWA IN A TORNADO TAG TEAM MATCH
Haven’t seen a straight up tornado tag team match in a long time. I like how they’ve built this rivalry and it’s cool to see the Japanese style vs. the lucha style. Lucha House Party starts attacks Itami and Tozawa on their way down the ramp and hit double suicide dives before everyone gets in the ring and the match starts. LHP keeps Itami down on the outside and goes to work on Tozawa until he hits a reversal and the Japanese team gets the upper hand. A lot of action outside the ring, and a lot of double teaming with one guy constantly down on the outside. Not a big fan of that, I want to see all four guys going at it, right Adrian? There’s no point in having the tornado tag match, might as well say this team gets a two-on-one for two minutes, then a bell rings and it switches. Finally we get all four guys in the ring with Tozawa and Itami each putting submissions on the luchadors. Then of course Metalik gets thrown to the outside again, as Dorado gets a two-on-one again, with Itami nearly ripping his mask off. There must be some kind of new rule in WWE that says no more than three guys going at it in the ring at once except in battle royals. Itami goes outside and bounces Metalik’s head off the announce table to ensure we still won’t get the action we want. Itami and Tozawa continue to just kick at Dorado, and Itami continues to try to take his mask off. Out of nowhere, Metalik hits a double dropkick from the top rope halfway across the ring. He and Dorado hit double Asai moonsaults and all four men are down outside. Itami whips Dorado over the ring steps, Metalik hits Itami with a superkick, and Tozawa hits a suicide dive that knocks Metalik over the announce table. All four men end up on the top turnbuckle. Metalick hits a double sunset flip on Itami and Tozawa while they hit a double superplex on Dorado. Looks cool but still lazy if that’s all we get of all four guys in the ring. A series of two counts and pin breakups and Itami yelling RESPECT ME! Dorado hits a double springboard stunners for a two count on both guys. Crowd gives them the “THIS IS AWESOME” chant. Tozawa goes for a kick to Metalik, who ducks, and he gets Itami. Double top rope jumps from the luchadors lead to a double pin and a win for Lucha House Party. Kalisto comes out to celebrte with them. As I said, that match could have had more action that wasn’t just one team double-teaming the other, but it got really good towards the end.
As always some terrific matches on 205 Live, and if you don’t watch it, START.
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