WWE '205 Live' Review (3/14/17) – Fatal Five-Way Elimination #1 Contender Match

Welcome back to Drews Reviews! We’re on the road to Wrestlemania 33, and things are really heating up! Speaking of Wrestlemania, we’ll find out who is going to take on Neville at the show of shows in the 205 Live main event. But before we get to that, here’s this.

Raw Rebound

Akira Tozawa and TJ Perkins vs The Brian Kendrick and Tony Nese

Before the match, the announcers mentioned an upcoming fatal 5 way elimination match on 205 Live to determine the number one contender to the WWE Cruiserweight Championship. That match will include the four guys taking part in this tag team contest, and Austin Aries, who will be making his Monday Night Raw in ring debut tonight. There were also some replays shown from last weeks 205 live match that saw Tozawa take on “A” Bryan Kendrick. Tozawa and Kendrick started things off, but that was all a part of the plan, as Nese attacked Tozawa from behind. Nese then tagged in Kendrick, who went to work on Tozawa while he has down. Tozawa started to heat up, before knocking Kendrick out of the ring, and then ran the ropes, and launched himself into Kendrick on the outside . TJ Perkins followed that up with a head scissors take down on Nese, and the match went to commercial break. Back from commercial, Kendrick is in control of Tozawa. Neville was shown watching the match in the back. Tozawa started to fight back, and even interrupted a double team attempt, before delivering a huge forearm to Nese. Tozawa went for a tag, but Kendrick ripped Perkins off of the ring, and Nese got back up to work on Tozawa again. Nese applied a submission hold, and Tozawa started to power out. Tozawa reached for TJP to make a tag, but Nese prevented the tag at the very last second. Tozawa hit a enziguri on Kendrick, then tagged in TJP. TJP started to heat up . and hit a big move for a near fall. Perkins then got up, and caught a huge elbow from Nese. After an exchange that left Nese dazed, Perkins hit a big DDT off of the top rope for a near fall, then set up for a detenation kick that was broken up by Kendrick from the apron. Tozawa came storming in, but knocked himself and Kendrick off of the ring apron. This caused TJP to get distracted, followed by a rollup by Nese from behind, along with a hand full of Perkins shorts for the 1-2-3.

Analyis: Cheap win for Nese, but that’s smart because he is a heel, and he should cheat. There were some fun moments in the match, but nothing we’ll remember a few weeks from now. I liked how Tozawa pretty much sacrificed himself to help his partner win. What I didn’t like is how his partner got all “wait, what?” and got rolled up from behind.

Up next, Austin Aries makes his Raw in ring debut. Before Aries made his way out to the ring, replays aired showing the “statement” made by Austin Aries to Neville. The video continued playing, and clips from last weeks 205 live were shown where Neville told Aries that the locker room is mad at him for trying to jump the line. Later in the night, Aries defeated Tony Nese in Aries 205 Live in ring debut.

Austin Aries vs Ariya Daivari

The bell rang, and Daivari kicked Aries immediately. Aries got going with a couple of arm drag takedowns, and a handstand into a drop kick. Neville then appeared on the screen again, watching the match from the locker room area. Aries continued to work on Davari, but then got launched to the outside. Daivari threw Aries back into the ring, and hit aries with a huge clothesline for a near fall. Davari started to work on the injured eye of Aries, then hit AA with a huge chop. Aries started to fight out, and slammed Davari into the mat. Aries then delivered a spinning elbow to the chest of Daivari while he was laid out on the mat. Aries tossed Daivari to the outside, then dove onto him. Aries tossed him back into the ring, and hit a hip breaker, before dropping Daivari on his head. Aries hit the rolling elbow for the 1-2-3, and Neville was shown once again, looking on angrily to close the segment.

Analysis: Hmm I wonder who will win that fatal 5 way elimination match on 205 Live? Probably the guy who had a singles match, and picked up the W. With that said, Aries didn’t exactly squash Daivari. In fact, Daivari got in multiple shots, and a near fall. That makes sense though, as Daivari is a tall task for most of the division, and Aries is still working out the kinks since his return.

And now, 205 Live!

205 Live EP.16 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Before the opening pyro display, the superstars involved in tonights main event said a few words about themselves, and how they plan on winning tonights main event. The winner of that match will take on Neville for the cruiserweight championship at Wrestlemania.

The pyro went off, and Tom Phillips welcomed us to 205 Live, as well as Corey Graves. No Mauro Ranallo tonight… Apparantley he had some travel issues. Nevilles pyro went off, and he walked out to the stage area. He said he broke his ankle in Pittsburgh one year ago yesterday. He said from there he had been forgotten about. The WWE Cruiserweight champion said he had to come back and show everyone who he is and look at him now. Neville said tonights match is to see who will take on “the king” at wrestlemania, and at Wrestlemania he will “deconstruct his opponent”. Mustafa Ali interrupted Neville, and we have our first match of the night.

Analysis: Just a little hype to set things up for the main event tonight. As for Mustafa ali cutting Neville off, that is probably not a good idea these days.

Mustafa Ali vs Drew Gulak

The match started with Gulak in control immediately. Ali caught Gulak for a quick roll up, followed by a crossbody onto Gulak who was out on the floor. The two came back into the ring, and Ali went for another pin attempt. Ali delivered some big shots in the corners, followed by a tornado DDT attempt into a guillotine, but Gulak reversed, and dropped Ali on his head. Gulak started going to work on Ali, and went for a pin. Ali kicked out, and Gulak remained in control, followed by a gory special for a very long hold into a pin attempt by Gulak. Ali kicked out, and started to fire up with some shots to Gulak. Ali got whipped into the corner, then caught Gulak with a kick between the ropes, and hit the roll through neck breaker for a near fall. Ali stayed in control, but Gulak countered, and started to go to work. Ali regained the advantage, and Gulak landed in the corner of the ring. Ali set up for the inverted 450 splas , and nailed it for the 1-2-3.

After the match, Gulak demanded a microphone. He said week after week he does his best in the ring, and no one appreciates him for it. He said he doesn’t need to change, and 205 Live is what needs to change.

Analysis: The match was short, and not really the point of this anyways. The part after the match is the focus here since Gulak said that weird line about 205 live needing to change, and not him. While that may or may not be so, Gulak could definitely use a change somewhere, because what he’s doing as of late isn’t working.

Daivari and Noam Dar were shown in the back, Dar said he asked for a match with Swann and Gallagher later tonight. He said they should be a tag team, but Daivari declined. The segment ended with Dar giving a pre game speech where the two found something in common, which is that they both want to get the thorns out of their sides. Dar reached out for a fist bump, and Daivari very aggressively returned it.

Analysis: Noam Dar has beef with Swann because he keeps secretly not so secretly sending Alicia Fox gifts. Daivari and Gallagher have a rivalry that goes back to the beginning of 205 Live, and they were supposed to never cross paths again after their I forfeit match. Well so much for that. Anyways, it should be a nice match.

Rich Swann and Jack Gallagher vs Noam Dar and Ariya Daivari

Swann danced before the match, and Gallagher… kinda, sorta Danced? beside him. Dar made his way out the ring with Beauafuhl Alicia FOOOXXXXX. The teams started off with a handshake, as Alicia Fox chanted fight. Gallagher and Dar started off the match. The two tied up, and Gallgher escaped with a handstand. Gallagher remained in control with a headlock into the corner. Dar whipped Gallagher into the corner, but Gallagher did his signature headstand. Gallagher remained in control, and went for a tag, but Daivari knocked Swann off of the ropes, and Gallagher was taken down. The heel team worked over Gallagher for a while, as they did some quick tags in and out of the ring to beat down on Gallagher, and separate him from Swann. Gallagher started to fight out, and tagged in Swann, as Daivari entered the ring on the other side. Swann hit rolling thunder on Daviari for a near fall. Swann started to go to work, and took down Davari again with a headscissors. Dar came into the ring from behind Swann, then pinned him for the 1-2-3.

After the match, Dar said actions speak louder than words, and real gifts come from the heart. He said his gift tonight is his victory. A guy showed up from behind with a big teddy bear, and Dar played it off like he knew what was up. He then said “victory, and a bear for Alicia FOOOOOOOOOXXXXXXXXXXX”. Seriously it was the longest one yet.

TJ Perkins vs. The Brian Kendrick vs. Akira Tozawa vs. Tony Nese vs. Austin Aries

The ball rang, and the five guys kinda looked around, as Aries kicked it in the corner, and Kendrick bailed out. Aries came in from out of nowhere and attempted to eliminate Nese. Perkins entered the ring, and went to work on Aries, delivering a few drop kicks and a dab. Aries dropkicked TJP, then set up on the middle turn buckle for a leaping shot to the back. He then dumped TJP out of the ring, and Kendrick entered the match. Tozawa followed, and knocked Kendrick out of the ring. Tozawa tried to take flight but got caught by Kendrick. Aries then took out Nese with a dive. There a was a double pin attempt by Kendrick and Aries. The two started to team up, and then Kendrick started working on Aries. Perkins entered the ring, and TJP drop kicked Kendrick. Nese then came into the ring, and took out Perkins for a near fall. Nese stayed in control, and attempted another pin. Nese then applied a long submission hold, while telling him he shouldn’t be in the match. Perkins started to fight out, as Tozawa set up on the top rope. Tozawa missed the move, but followed with a snap suplex. Kendrick broke up the pin, and tried to pin Nese. Kendrick got Nese out of the ring, and Tozawa and Kendrick started to go one on one. That ended with Tozawa on top, but he was quickly taken out by Perkins with a dive. That was followed by a dive from Nese. Aries set up for a top rope move, but Kendrick knocked him off the ring. Then Nese set up for the running Nese, as Aries was in the corner of the security railing. Nese hit the move, and the wall exploded. What an OMG moment! The action continued in the ring with Nese and Perkins. Perkins applied a cross arm breaker, and Tony Nese tapped out. Nese delivered a cheap shot, then got caught with a kick by Tozawa. Kendrick then delivered sliced bread number 2 to Tozawa for an elimination, followed by a captains hook on Perkins. Perkins fought out, and Kendrick tried sliced bread again, but failed. Perkins and Kendrick fought on the top rope, and Aries came back into the match, and threw both guys into the mat with a powerbomb. Aries and Perkins worked their way up, followed by Kendrick. They both knocked down Kendrick, and Aries went for a pin on TJP. Aries tried to pin him again. Kendrick jumped in to help, and TJP was eliminated. Kendrick hit sliced bread on Aries for the 1-2-NO!! Aries applied the captains hook, and Aries eventually made it to the ropes to fight out. He would make it out, and hit Kendrick with the rolling elbow for the 1-2-3, and a shot at the WWE Cruiserweight Championship at Wrestlemania.

Analysis: Wow what a really fun match! The whole thing went about 13 mins long, and the action never stopped from bell to bell. The rivalry between Tozawa and Kendrick is something that pretty much dominated the match, as well as the stuff between Kendrick and TJ Perkins. The moment that we’re all going to remember from this is that insane running Nese on the outside. I didn’t see that coming! After that the eliminations started happening real fast, and things got a little hard to keep up with, which is credit to the speed and agility of the division. In the end, the person we all expected to win won, and the match at Wrestlemania is set. “The Greatest Man That Ever Lived” Austin Aries vs King Neville for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship