WWE 205 Live – January 24th, 2017

Howdy!

Tonight, Adrian Neville faces Cedric Alexander in our main event!

Let’s watch some wrestling, shall we?

WWE 205 Live – 1/24/17

Video from last night on Raw, with Swann calling out Neville. This Sunday, they’ll face off at the Royal Rumble for the Cruiserweight title!

We’re in the back with Tom Phillips, who welcomes Neville into the interview area. Is Neville concerned that Rich Swann is gaining momentum heading into Sunday’s title match at the Royal Rumble? “Is that what you think, Tom? Huh?” Rich Swann may be resilient, but he certainly lacks common sense! Last night on Raw, that was Neville’s fault, because he made the mistake of thinking that Rich Swann had learned his place. Perhaps, perhaps Neville showed Rich too much mercy, but at the Rumble, he’ll show Swann no mercy! As for Cedric Alexander and their match tonight? Well, Neville is looking forward to that, because he’s going to leave no doubt about who is the King of 205 Live tonight when he makes Cedric kneel before the King……tonight!

We are LIVE from the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio! Your hosts are Mauro Ranallo, Austin Aries, & Corey Graves.

And let’s get this party started with an EVOLVE reunion, as we hear the music of TJ Perkins! The former Cruiserweight Champ makes his way to the ring as Mauro tells us that a lot of people are ‘down with TJP!’ Yeah, Mauro. And there’s the music of his opponent, Tony Nese! We’re reminded that last week, Nese picked up a victory over Mustafa Ali on 205; will he be victorious this week? Let’s find out!

Tony Nese vs TJ Perkins

Handshake is accepted. Lockup and Nese shoves TJ down, then gives us some posin’. Back at it, and Tony takes Perkins to the mat with a waistlock takedown, then another when TJP gets back to his feet. Perkins works back up to a standing side headlock, Tony goes for a suplex, TJ floats over, they run the ropes, Perkins tries a rollup, Nese grabs the top rope to block it, Perkins with a ‘rana into a rollup for one. Armdrag by TJ, Nese backs TJ into the corner, cross-corner whip, Perkins goes over a charging Nese and comes off the ropes, Tony tries to toss TJ, but Perkins is in the ropes and now he avoids a charging Nese and Tony goes to the floor. Nese back in as TJ comes off the ropes, Octopus by TJ! TJ drops the hold and crucifixes him on the mat for one. Nese back up with a double thrust to send TJ to the corner, TJ avoids Tony and tries for a jumping neckbreaker, but Nese holds onto the top rope and TJ crashes to the mat.

Tony tosses TJ to the ropes, then knocks him down with a back elbow for one, then we hit the chinlock. Perkins gets back up, so Tony hits him with a kneelift and whips him to the corner buckles. Nese takes a few moments to pose, then charges TJ in the corner, but there’s nothin’ but boot there for Tony. Perkins goes up and loads up Tony, tornado DDT attempt is blocked by Nese, who hits a running suplex onto TJ! 1, 2, no! Nese fires rights on the mat, legdrop by Nese, second legdrop gets two. Chinlock again by Tony, TJ back to his feet, jawbreaker by TJP! Perkins off the ropes, Nese sweeps through him to take out the legs of Perkins. Nese back to the apron, double-jump moonsault by Tony! 1, 2, NO! Tony back in control now with a surfboard. TJ fights back up and escapes with a wheelbarrow kick, TJ gets alley-ooped to the apron off a charge in the corner, TJ with a shot and he goes up, Tony takes him out on the top rope. Tony kicks Perkins in the chest into a fireman’s carry, gutbuster by Tony gets two. Bodyscissors by Nese on the mat now. Tony slaps at Perkins’ chest while in the hold. TJ unhooks the legs of Tony, so Nese goes to a full-nelson. TJ back to his feet and he armdrags out of the full nelson, then hits Tony with a jumping spinning back kick. Tony goes for a suplex, but Perkins escapes with a knee and nails Nese with strikes, Perkins off the ropes, seated dropkick by TJ! Jumping elbow in the corner by TJP, and he goes up, ‘rana by TJ! He hoists Tony up and hits a Benadryller, sending Tony to the floor. Perkins wants to fly, but Nese comes back in and clobbers him with a clothesline. Tony looks to finish, but Perkins grabs his arm and rolls him up into a crucifix for the 1, 2, 3. (TJ Perkins over Tony Nese, pinfall, 8:41)

WORTH WATCHING? – This was fine. TJ has been woefully forgotten since Swann took the title and Neville returned, which almost makes me kind of sad. They’ve got it all wrong with Perkins, who looks and sounds like a complete douchebag heel, in trying to make him a babyface, but I accept that they don’t understand mannerisms or how to book faces anymore in this company. As to the match itself, they were clearly comfortable in the ring together and YES, this one clears the worth watching threshold for me. There were a few too many restholds in there for an 8 minute match, but that’s a minor quibble. The pacing was otherwise good, there was snap and a good flow to the work, and the match went by quickly. Building up Nese a bit in the loss by having him fall prey to a pin after running evenly with TJ the whole match is fine, and I think that if Nese gets a personality, he’s got a shot at being something here.

Post-match, Tony is a little upset about his loss and hits a German suplex on TJP into the buckles, then follows that with a running knee to the head of TJ in the corner. “I won that match! I’m the premier athlete!” I’m pretty sure that’s not how wins or losses actually work, but hey, 205 Live is a world all its own. Nese leaves under his own power as TJ convulses in the ring.

You know who wasn’t in this segment? Alicia Fox!

Back to the desk, as Mauro and Corey tell us that next week, we’ll FINALLY see the debut of Akira Tozawa on 205 Live! Man, I sure hope this isn’t another Emmalina situation. Video package this time is narrated by Sami Zayn (sporting a big ol’ shiner), who calls Akira one of the finest wrestlers to come out of Japan in many years! He transcends what we’ve known about Japanese wrestlers of the past!

I’m just saying, if Neville wins the strap on Sunday and his first feud is with the debuting Akira, I’ll take back 73% of all the bad things I’ve ever said about this show. I swear.

Back to live action now, as we see TJ being helped to the back by two refs. The announcers wish him well as we get some tension (?) between Graves and Aries over whether or not the post-match attack by Nese was okay. That was actually kind of interesting.

Ad for the Royal Rumble. Hey, remember when Sheamus won it? Let’s remind you!

We’re back to the music of Brian Kendrick! He’s out with a mic. “Listen up, kid! Kid, I’m talking to you!” The ‘kid’ in question is Kendrick’s opponent tonight, and he’s already in the ring, hailing from Toledo, Ohio! Hey, we’re IN Toledo, Ohio! Oh man, you’re fucked, kid! Anyway, kid’s name is actually Tripp Bradshaw, and Kendrick wants him to know that there are only so many places here on 205 Live, and this kid isn’t taking Kendrick’s! He understands that Tripp is living his dream right now, in his hometown, in front of friends and family; but the world doesn’t care! This world is a cold, harsh place, and just like Kendrick snuffed out the dreams of Sean Maluta and Tajiri, Brian is going to snuff out Tripp’s dreams, too!

“The” Brian Kendrick vs Tripp Bradshaw

Handshake is accepted. Kendrick with a quick armdrag, then a trip. Kendrick tosses Tripp down to the mat facefirst, Tripp tries a go-behind but gets clocked with a forearm by Kendrick, then more shots in the corner. Brian puts on the badmouth, and ladies and gentlemen, TRIPP BRADSHAW HAS HAD ENOUGH OF THIS SHIT. Tripp with rights of his own, then comes off the ropes and…..runs right into a leg lariat by Kendrick. Perhaps Tripp Bradshaw has NOT had enough of this shit. Kendrick with shots to the back of the head of Bradshaw, he makes Tripp bite the middle rope then kicks it. Kendrick snaps the neck of Tripp in the ropes, then drops him with a big boot before applying the Captain’s Hook to get the tapout. Total squash. (“The” Brian Kendrick over Tripp Bradshaw, submission, 2:12)

WORTH WATCHING? – NOPE.

Match sucked, but here’s something that didn’t suck: there was no Alicia Fox anywhere in this segment!

Man, I sure hope all this gloating doesn’t come back to bite my ass in very obvious and tangible way in the main event tonight!

Speaking of that match, Cedric Alexander is in the back and he’s approached by non other than the champ himself, Rich Swann! Cedric asks Rich if he has any advice, but Swann just tells him to believe in himself; Neville thinks he’s a king, but if Cedric can hang with him, Neville’s going to make a mistake, and that’s when Cedric should take his chance! But hey, do Rich a favor – be sure to save him some for Sunday!

Ad for NXT Takeover. “Asuka asked for all these women at the same time!” Yeah, she did! WHAT? Graves was the one who said it! I’m just typing it completely out of context and grinning like a 12 year old.

Graves tells us that on Talking Smack tonight, Renee and Shane will welcome Mojo Rawley, Mickie James, & AJ Styles.

And that could only be the music of Adrian Neville! He’s out and we’ve got about a 7.4 on the Neville glower scale as he enters the ring. And here comes Cedric Alexander! He’s out solo this week, and this should be awesome.

Adrian Neville vs Cedric Alexander

Handshake is offered by Cedric, declined by Neville. They circle, lockup, circle again, lockup, armwringer by Neville into a wristlock. Alexander breaks and comes off the ropes, hiptoss by Adrian. Lockup again, and same result, as this time Neville takes Cedric to the mat with the wristlock this time. Alexander up, and he flips out into a wristlock of his own, but Neville wastes absolutely ZERO time in breaking into a standing headlock, Cedric shoots him off, and Neville again gets a hiptoss to continue to frustrate Alexander. “Once again, this. is. MY. ring!” Damn right, Neville! Back to it and this time, Cedric with a wristlock now, but Neville again schools him on the mat and reverses it, then cranks into an armbar on the mat. Alexander back up, Irish whip attempt by Cedric is reversed by Neville, Adrian attempts a back drop, Alexander goes over him and then comes off the ropes. Neville goes for another hip toss, but this time Cedric is ready and lands on his feet. Cedric avoids a clothesline from Neville, then takes Adrian over with a headscissors, then a dropkick to send Neville to the floor. Alexander: “This is MY ring, now!” Oh, shit. It’s ON.

Neville slowly gets back in the ring and Alexander doesn’t want to wait, dropkicking him from the apron to the floor. Alexander to the apron, down the line with a running kick to Adrian! Cedric tosses Neville back in, but Adrian rolls back out to sucker him in, then catches Alexander coming after him and tosses him to the barricade. To the other barricade now! Neville tosses Cedric back in and goes up, missile dropkick by Neville! 1, 2, no! Stomps by Neville now, then some boot choking against the bottom rope by Adrian. Chop in the corner by Neville, hen a running kick to the side of Alexander’s head, followed by more choking with the boot. Snap suplex by Neville now, then a VICIOUS running forearm to Alexander in the corner for two. Elbows to the top of the head of Alexander, cover for two, and now Neville puts on a chinlock. Alexander gets back to his feet and catches a kick from Adrian, spinning back elbow by Cedric! Irish whip attempt by Cedric, reversed by Neville, handstand springboard roundhouse kick by Cedric! That knocks Adrian to the floor, and Cedric wants to fly, Tope Con Hilo by Alexander! Cedric tosses Neville back in, springboard clothesline by Cedric! 1, 2, no!

Cedric with a go-behind now, Neville turns that into a side headlock, Neville with knees to the chest of Alexander. Neville gets alley-ooped to the apron, but hits a shoulder to an approaching Cedric, Neville goes in over the top of Alexander and runs the ropes…..right into a Spanish Fly by Cedric! 1, 2, NO! Alexander gets Neville to his feet, and Adrian thanks him with a stiff forearm to the face, and Cedric fires back in kind. Spinning back kick by Adrian is followed by more kicks, Neville tries to come off the ropes, Alexander follows him in and hits him with a kick. Lumbar Check attempt by Cedric, Neville flips out and shoves Neville off the ropes, snap German suplex by Neville! He hoists Cedric up, deadlift German suplex now with a bridge by Neville! 1, 2, NO!

This is a quick interlude to remind you that we could have matches this awesome EVERY WEEK on this show if they wanted.

Adrian sets Cedric up on the top rope for the superplex, Cedric fights out, then goes over the top to attempt to powerbomb Neville, but Neville does a full flip and lands on his feet! Cedric’s facial expression at that is tremendous. Cedric charges but gets sent to the apron by Neville, Neville goes after him on the apron, Alexander with a jumping kick to drop Neville to the mat! Alexander ready to leap in…..FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK IT’S NOAM DAR TO RUIN THIS MATCH. Alexander jumps off to take out Dar on the floor, then goes right back to the apron to try again, but Cedric slips on the top rope and stumbles right into a crossface variant by Neville to get the tap out. Goddamnit, Noam. (Adrian Neville over Cedric Alexander, submission, 14:27)

WORTH WATCHING? – Before that dumbass finish? YES, this was 100% one of the best matches in the history of this two month old show. There were so many things going on in the body of the match. Notice how they started slowly to establish that Neville was more comfortable in the match, and that translated into Adrian controlling the early portion without having to tone down his arrogant facade. Even something as simple as the early wristlock/armdrag stuff, where Cedric was getting outwrestled but you could also see him learning and figuring out what to do against a better opponent, that was handled so well. Neville turned a lot of his offense into some ground and pound to allow Cedric to hit the big moves and high spots, like the Spanish Fly and the Tope, which are much more natural for a babyface to hit and to get the crowd behind him; meanwhile, the aforementioned ground and pound was done viciously and engendered a ton of sympathy heat for Cedric as the babyface. Even the end of the match was done in a (stupidly misguided) way to protect Cedric, as he can claim a less than clean loss to Adrian in this one. This was superb. I loved it.

Post-match, Neville glowers at the camera again as now Dar gets in his face and tells him that they should beatdown Alexander some more, but Neville isn’t interested in Noam and tosses him to the floor, which is completely in character and correct for him. Neville stomps away at Cedric until Rich Swann’s music hits, and Swann hits the ring for the brawl with Adrian. Noam comes back in for Cedric and they brawl up the aisle, while Swann fires back at Neville in the ring as the refs try to separate them to no avail. They keep brawling with each other as the show goes off the air, with the announcers reminding us that on Sunday, it’s Neville/Swann for the Cruiserweight title!

FINAL THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: The main event is absolutely the best thing about the show this week, as these two guys should fight again and get even longer than 14 minutes to do it. Neville is killing every single aspect of his character right now, and while I’m more than okay with Rich as the champ, the fact is that Neville needs to have that belt as soon as possible. He’s incredible. And this was the first time since Alexander faced off with Kota Ibushi that we saw even a glimmer of what he can truly do in the ring. (Side note: Man, I wish Neville had been healthy for the CWC, because he and Ibushi could have tore the house down.) The first half of the show is mediocre, but I like Nese and better that you have Kendrick squash some local yokel than anyone on the roster, especially if you’re going to give the main event significant time like they did tonight. Much, much better show than last week’s debacle.

Hmmmm…..much, much better show than last week…..complete lack of Alicia Fox this week…..coincidence?

As always, thanks for reading this thing I wrote,

Rick Poehling
@MrSoze on Twitter