Better late than never.
NOAM DAR VS. LIO RUSH
These guys are fast as hell. They also both have a ton of charisma and it certainly shows in the match. It makes it even more entertaining. Their athletic ability is off the charts, and I really hope this isn’t just a one-off match.
Rush seems overconfident, assuming that his quick strikes are indefensible, but Dar has been one step quick and countered most of Rush’s strikes. It’s an incredible flow and amazing to watch Dar work. As I compliment him, he gets lazy and walks into a kick to the knee then a kick to the face. Lio Rush’s Final Hour frog splash gets him the win. Great match.
Match Rating: Eight Gold Medals
Drake Maverick sits with Murphy as they argue about who’s going to win in Australia.
THE BRIAN KENDRICK W/GENTLEMAN JACK GALLAGHER & DREW GULAK VS. SOME JOBBER
That was about four seconds. Gulak steps in and beats the shit out of the kid. Even Brian Kendrick tells Gulak that’s enough.
Beatdown Rating: Six Randy Ortons
BACKSTAGE PROMO: MUSTAFA ALI
Really good stuff from Ali about wondering if he’s insane for continuing to wrestle Hideo Itami and expecting a different result.
Promo rating: Six Jake Roberts
BACKSTAGE PROMO: TJP
TJP wears his old Puma mask and says he didn’t care about the tradition of the mask then, and doesn’t care about it now.
Promo Rating: Four Roddy Pipers
MUSTAFA ALI VS. HIDEO ITAMI
Itami is certainly not afraid of Ali, but he is fucking with his head by constantly rolling out of the ring, trying to make him get overly aggressive and make a mistake. Ali yells “I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS!” before smashing Itami’s face with a spinning wheel kick. Itami comes back with “RESPECT ME!” before smashing Ali’s head off the ring post and then off the floor. He is brutal and ruthless, an excellent heel. I think it was a terrific move to take him from NXT, an established brand that didn’t have a feud for him at the time, and put him on the still-developing 205 Live, because he is flourishing there and, more importantly, I’m sure he’s bringing more eyes to the show.
Itami kicks your ass and talks shit while doing it. He embarrasses and demolishes his opponents. He won’t be able to put Ali away as easily as the enhancement talent he’s been wrestling in recent months, but he’s certainly taken firm control and has been able to taunt Ali and the crowd without consequence thus far. He locks in a disgusting single leg crab on Ali where he stands on his head at the same time. It’s pretty uncomfortable how much Itami is hitting Ali in the head, and that’s obviously the point. As long as they’re doing it in a non-Brie Bella way, I’m sure Itami is taking care of Ali.
I feel so much emotion watching this match, and I think that may be even more important than entertainment factor when it comes to what makes a great match. But then I have to laugh every time Nigel says “Mustafer” Ali. Ali’s suicide dives are always a sight to see, and tonight’s was no different. Ali ate a nasty kick to the face in mid air after jumping off the steel steps, but recovers quickly enough to dodge a corner dropkick and hit his tornado DDT. Itami wasn’t weakened enough for the 054 when Ali climbed the ropes, and Itami hit an amazing Falcon Arrow from the middle turnbuckle for a two count. The next corner spot with the midair push and the last-second adjustment into a frog splash…. fucking WOW! Ali follows this up with with a 450 onto the APRON! This is incredible. It results in a double count out, which is probably the way this match should have ended. The crowd doesn’t like it, but this is one time where it makes sense.
It seems every week 205 Live has a match that’s PPV main event quality. If you’re reading this and you don’t watch 205 Live, you are really missing out on incredible entertainment, athleticism, ring psychology, drama, everything that makes a wrestling match great. There’s no way this is the last time these two wrestle.
Match Rating: Ten Gold Medals
Good promos, great matches, storylines furthered, terrific show.
Overall Show Rating: Ten Gold Medals
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