Previously on 205 Live, the top (and only?) tag teams on the 205 Live roster squared off as Hideo Itami and Akira Tozawa faced The Lucha House Party, and Cedric Alexander defeated Roderick Strong in an amazing match to secure his spot at WrestleMania.
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And now, the Best and Worst of WWE 205 Live for March 20th, 2018.
Best: Lynx Awakening
I am all about the focus on tag team wrestling as we transition to the post-tournament world of the new 205 Live, but we’re going to need some new tag teams. The Brian Kendrick coming back can help with that. Name aside, I do love the Lucha House Party very much. Kalisto sitting on Gran Metalik’s shoulders getting the LUCHA chant going was great. They’re like a smaller, masked Dia Nueva. Gran Metalik is the Big E. Kalisto is the Kofi. And Lince is the Xavier Woods – secretly the best of the three.
There still some bad blood between Gran Metalik and Hideo Itami, which leads to the lame DQ finish for the match. It did bring about one of my favorite things, though. For the second week in a row, Akira Tozawa had to hug Hideo until he calmed down. I am fully on board with Emotional Support Akira Tozawa.
Worst: Turning A Positive Into A Negative
TJP won a match. It was short. A couple things:
1) I like his finisher, but I feel like there is a finisher problem in 205 Live. The LumbarCheck and the End Of Heartache (or Hard Take, if you’re Nigel) are very similar. The Detonation Kick and whatever the hell they’re calling Hideo’s thing (Take A Nap? Hit The Hay?) are pretty similar. Just something to consider.
2) TJP’s offense doesn’t really lend it self to a two-minute squash.
3) How much better would it be if after he hits the kick, he does the cocky Jericho one foot pin while dabbing? Come on TJP. Make it happen.
The real worst, though, comes from the announcement of a match to crown a number one contender. So much planning has gone into this tournament, and now the first challenger for that hard fought title will be either Buddy Murphy (good call, no complaints on that one), TJP (lost in the first round, hasn’t been on TV since) or two guys who got in for breaking up a fight, both of whom were also eliminated in the first round.
The point is, suck it, Roddy.
Best: A Contrast In Styles
So, obviously, this was awesome. Major props to the Dallas crowd. I know half the area left after Smackdown, but the people that stuck around really gave the wrestlers their all. It helps that they have amazing matches with characters they care about. Who would have thought that’s the secret to pro wrestling.
I miss corny power point Drew Gulak more than anyone, but I still enjoy Psycho Drew The Philly Stretcher a hell of a lot. There is something about him in those pre match videos, calm and composed with that cut on his face. He just seems … dangerous.
I think this tournament has done the most for Roderick Strong, but Gulak and Mustafa are a close second. With Enzo gone (that’s a name I haven’t thought of in months) Drew didn’t have to be the comedy guy to play off the exasperated straight man, and Mustafa Ali just reminded us that he is one of the best pure babyfaces in all of wrestling. (And also, he used to be a cop? If we ever do get that trios tournament that I desperately want I need Mustafa reassigned to the Fashion Police.) The new 205 Live kicked off with that awesome Cedric Alexander – Mustafa Ali match, so I guess it’s only fitting that the two of them take it all the way to WrestleMania.
Also, how cool is it that they are pushing a guy named Mustafa Ali and his gimmick is just plucky underdog who fights for the people? I know I’m in my little Hollywood bubble where I’m not even supposed to notice things like that, but I’ve also watched wrestling my entire life.
The match itself was, like I said, awesome. They brought the intensity from the get go. Ali is the best salesman in the WWE right now, so he made every thing Gulak did look vicious.
https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/976293519030738945
I’m a sucker for that clothesline sell.
They took the match to the outside quite a bit, which never happens in 205 Live/cruiserweight wrestling, so it really did give it that big match feel. Even though I knew there was no possible way they’d let this match end in a count out, there was a split second there were I was worried.
The only minor complaint I could have was that the finish came somewhat suddenly, but I think that’s just how Ali works? It was the same in the Buddy Murphy match. Take a beating within an inch of your life, but as long as you don’t give up, you have a shot at the DDT-054 to put them down.
205 Live is the best show on WWE television, and we’re going to WrestleMania.
Next week: The title match is set, but we’re going to have a number one contender’s four way match featuring Kalisto, Akira Tozawa, TJP, and Buddy Murphy. My money’s on Murphy.
Thanks for reading.
