TLC Review

KICKOFF SHOW

 

WWE CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: CEDRIC ALEXANDER VS. BUDDY MURPHY (c)

Fun action early with both guys showing the crowd what they’re in for with dueling displays of athleticism. An appreciative “205” chant breaks out. Tremendously quick pace and great chain wrestling by both guys. If you’re not watching this show, START! You can watch ANY TIME on demand! And it’s only an hour! Much less demanding than Raw or SmackDown, and lately it’s been much better TV.

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205 Live Review, 11/7

TJP & MIKE KANELLIS w/MARIA KANELLIS VS. KALISTO & LINCE DORADO

TJP goes right for Kalisto’s mask but instead gets his ass beat by the luchadors. He and Mike Kanellis eventually gain control, with Maria screaming like a banshee at ringside. Kalisto gets the hot tag and smacks TJP across the face with his foot. Mike Kanellis makes a blind tag, pulls Kalisto to the outside, and gives him a Russian Leg Sweep into the barricade. I don’t ever remember seeing that move before.


 

Now it’s Lince Dorado getting the hot tag, and he cleans house. TJP’s face has to be sore from all the kicks. Dorado hits three moonsaults in a row on TJP, one from each of the three turnbuckles. That was really cool, never seen that before. Kalisto and Dorado hit tandem moonsaults to the outside on their opponents, but they didn’t look great. TJP gets the knee bar on Dorado but Kalisto breaks it up.

TJP got Dorado’s mask AGAIN. But Dorado had on a second mask! Hurracanrana by Dorado on TJP for the win! They outsmarted TJP, great finish.

Match Rating: Eight Gold Medals

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Lio Rush rips on Cedric Alexander for training with the rookies in the WWE Performance Center. They’ll have a match next week.

 

LIO RUSH VS. JOSH MORRELL

Morrell gets some big kicks in early, but after Rush knocked Morrell off the top turnbuckle, Rush gets MEAN. He throws Morrell into barricade with a ton of force then is all over him back in the ring. He hits the Final Hour frog splash for the win. Impressive. He cuts a promo and dedicates this win to the man who inspires him, Cedric Alexander.

He changes his tone, and says nobody works harder than Lio Rush. This is Rush’s best promo.

Match Rating: Six Gold Medals

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Lio Rush Promo Rating: Eight Roddy Pipers

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Mustafa Ali cuts a promo on the street. He’s a really good talker. Murphy responds and says there’s no happy ending in this fairytale, and you can’t stop the unstoppable.

Mustafa Ali Promo Rating: Seven Stone Colds

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Buddy Murphy Promo Rating: Seven Roddy Pipers

Pipers Pit vs SnukaPipers Pit vs SnukaPipers Pit vs SnukaPipers Pit vs SnukaPipers Pit vs SnukaPipers Pit vs SnukaPipers Pit vs Snuka

 

MARK ANDREWS VS. BUDDY MURPHY

Mark Andrews did a standing Shooting Star Press and landed on his feet. There’s a reason I call him Rubber Man. After some awesome stuff in the early going from Andrews, Murphy drops him face first on the turnbuckle, and now things slow down. Murphy controls him for a while but Andrews absolutely spikes Murphy head first with a reverse hurracanrana. Then Andrews nails a suicide dive that sends Murphy flying over the announce table.

Andrews does some more awesome flippy shit, including a STANDING PHOENIX SPLASH. HOW THE HELL DOES HE DO THAT?!? Andrews gets caught and Murphy hits a power bomb for a two count. Andrews counters Murphy into a Stundog Millionaire and tries for a Shooting Star Press, but Murphy gets the knees up, then hits a huge kick to the face and Murphy’s Law on Andrews’ limp body for the win. Both of these guys are great, Andrews is unbelievable.

Match Rating: Seven Gold Medals

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Overall Show Rating: Seven Gold Medals

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205 Live Review, 10/31

GENTLEMAN JACK GALLAGHER w/DREW GULAK VS. THE BRIAN KENDRICK

Grudge match! I’d be surprised to see Kendrick come out on top. Gallagher is dominating the match. He’s extra vicious tonight, determined to destroy his former friend. Kendrick himself is especially motivated to get revenge. Drew Gulak is on commentary, and Percy Watson chides him for not being the one to get in the ring with Kendrick himself. Gulak avoids the question and mocks Watson instead. Typical mean heel!

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205 Live Review, 10/24

It’s the 100th episode of 205 Live!

They do a great job of recapping how Mustafa Ali and Hideo Itami have reached this point in their feud, why they are feuding in the first place, and each man’s mindset throughout. It’s excellent storytelling, and is so much better than “we’re going to have these two guys wrestle because they’re both here.” You hear both men’s reasons and motives, get emotionally involved, and pick a side. Textbook stuff.
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205 Live Review, 10/17

DREW GULAK w/JACK GALLAGHER VS. AKIRA TOZAWA

I can’t see Tozawa winning unless The Brian Kendrick comes out and distracts Gulak. Tozawa is obviously incredibly talented, but there’s so much push behind Gulak right now that it’s highly unlikely he’d take a clean loss. Tozawa has a nice position on the card but he’s not in the main event picture like Gulak is at the moment. Gulak has also been on an absolute tear, totally locked in.

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205 Live Review, 10/3

AKIRA TOZAWA VS. GENTLEMAN JACK GALLAGHER w/DREW GULAK & THE BRIAN KENDRICK

Two guys with excellent technical skills. Not a lot of guys can frustrate an opponent the way Gallagher can, but Tozawa almost equals him in that department. Unfortunately for Tozawa, Gallagher has backup in Gulak and Kendrick that run interference and provide distractions. Following a Kendrick distraction, Gallagher begins picking Tozawa apart with the body manipulation that he’s known for.

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