SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE 205 LIVE REPORT
NOVEMBER 29, 2016
COLUMBIA, S.C.
AIRED LIVE ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY JOEY GALIZIA (@RamJam89), PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Mauro Ranallo, Corey Graves, and Austin Aries.
Show opens with highlights from the Cruiserweight Classic.
Mauro, Graves, and Aries hype the division, and immediately promote the main event title match between Swann and Brian Kendrick.
All the cruiserweights are at the top of the stage as they get introductions. T.J.’s outfit is LOUD. Cedric gets the biggest pop. Last introduced is your Cruiserweight champ, The Brian Kendrick.
Video package on the Bollywood Boys. They talk their technical in-ring styles and share clips of the CWC as well as pictures with legends like Bret Hart and Chris Jericho. They’re excited to be here, and can’t wait to show the WWE Universe what they’re made of.
(1) Bollywood Boyz (Gurv Sihra & Harv Sihra) vs. Toney Nese & Drew Gulak
Nese starts with Gurv Sihra. Gulak tags in and takes control with a running dropkick. Gulak powerslams Sihra off the ropes and snags in a chin lock. Nese and Gulak work the lower body of Gurv trading in quick tags and working rest-holds. AA puts over both teams but says that none of them are the greatest man who ever lived. Harv gets the hot tag and hits Gulak with a spinning heel kick and then throws him into Nese for a clothesline ddt combination. Gurv hits Nese with a flying cross-body for a two count that Gulak breaks up. Fight breaks to the outside and Harv hits a springboard cross-body. Gurv goes for a suicide dive but gets cut off by Nese who runs through him with a forearm for a close two count. Gurv hits a ddt on Nese and then he and Harv hit a double-superkick on Gulak for the one two three.
WINNER: Bollywood Boyz via pinfall in 6:00.
Interview with the losing team. Drew says he’s not even sure where Bollywood is and Tony states that the ropes were greasy and that the conditions of the ring made it difficult for them to wrestle.
Cut to an outside shot of University of South Carolina.
Video package on Noam Dar. He discusses his charming persona and his unique style of speaking. A lot of clips of his matches in the classic, and it’s mentioned several times that he was the youngest competitor in the tournament.
Tom Philips is backstage with Kendrick. Brian asks him if he were a gambling man, because everyone should bet on him to win. Brian talks about Swann’s inexperience and how he did whatever it took to become the champ, and he’ll do whatever it takes to remain the champ.
T.J. Perkins shows up to claim he is still owed a rematch. He tells Brian that if he loses tonight that puts TJ out of the title picture, and then wishes him luck.
Coming soon video package on Grant Metalik.
Commercial Break for TLC.
Back from break and Ariya Daivari makes his entrance for the next 205 matchup. His opponent is… Jack Gallagher.
The two shake hands and we are under way.
(2) Ariya Daivari vs Jack Gallagher
Daivari starts with a hammerlock before Jack takes control and lounges on Ariya’s arm. He’s showing a lot of the same swagger and fluidity he did in the CWC. Gallagher handstands out of a headlock. Jack then counters a turnbuckle throw with a headstand and holds it for a moment before hopping over Daivair and taking over with an arm lock. JACK TIES UP DAIVAIR IN A WINDSOR KNOT AND HE CANNOT MOVE. Jack works the crowd and then penalty kicks Ariya in the bottom. Frustrated Daivari takes control with a neckbreaker for a two-count. He works Jack’s neck with knees and elbows before he locks in a rear face-lock. Crowd cheers Jack back into it and he lays Ariya out with two standing dropkicks and a cross-body for a close two. Mauro puts over Jack as more than just a mat based wrestler. AA says he’s great all around, and he’s also a huge Austin Aries fan. Daivari hits Jack with a stiff elbow, but Jack reciprocates with a hard-headbutt. Jack hits his running dropkick to the head for the 3 count.
WINNER: Jack Gallagher in 5 minutes 52 seconds
Promotion for Talking Smack with the Miz and A.J. Styles.
Back to the announce team and Corey and Mauro introduce the next video package, “The Golden Links.”
Video package of Lince Dorado. He talks about the opportunity given to him and his family, and how growing up in Puerto Rico made him an avid fan of lucha libre wrestling. He puts over his finisher, the shooting star press.
Commercial Break.
The champion comes out and it is time for the Main Event.
Brian has his Jack Sparrow jacket on as they cut to a promo package for Rich Swann.
In a video package package, Swann talks about losing both of his parents when he was in his early teens. He expresses how hard it was to not have a mother and father to show you how to be responsible. Swann with a smile on his face, embraces the art of wrestling, and how much it saved his life. More CWC clips show his most charismatic moments in the ring and with the fans, and his incredible agility. Rich talks about traveling to Japan, the UK, and no matter where, believes he has proven to be the best Cruiserweight. The package ends showing his victory earning him the # 1 contender spot.
(3) The Brian Kendrick vs. Rich Swann – Cruiseweight Title match
The two shake hands as the bell rings. Kendrick takes control with a hammerlock and brings Rich to the ground. Rich rolls out and reverses the pressure bringing Brian to his knees, but Brian rolls right through like the crafty veteran he is. Graves mentions that since Kendrick became champion the Cruiserweights have gained more legitimacy. Kendrick bounces Rich off the ropes leading to a nice leap frog and 450 flip sequence which Rich wins with a standing drop-kick. The Brian Kendrick hits Rich with a boot to the face and works Rich into the corner. Swann hits Brian with a few Flair chops drawing wooooo’s from the crowd.
Rich takes control and hits Brian with a double-underhook powerbomb. Kendrick goes for sliced bread (Shiranui DDT) but Swann catches him in a roll-up which Kendrick escapes and quickly moves to the outside to catch his breath. Swann hits Brian with a baseball slide then measures him up for a summersault clothesline off the barricade. He slides Kendrick in the ring for a two count. The two exchange open handed slaps but Kendrick uses his momentum and hits a backdrop and transitions into the Captains Hook (Bully Choke). Swann gets to the ropes.
Brian tries a dragon suplex, but Rich lands on his feet and hits a reverse belly to belly dropping Kendrick right on his head. Swann utilizes his environment and gets Brian up on the top rope for a superplex. Kendrick wins the exchange and hits a neckbreaker off the steel of the turnbuckle which drops Rich to the outside. Referee gets to a 9 count but Rich just beats the count, and then walks right into a snap suplex from Brian netting a two count. Kendrick hits the dragon suplex for a two count an then again transitions into the Captain’s Hook but this time Swann blocks it.
After a struggle, Brian just grabs Rich’s arms and locks in the straight jacket choke-hold. Swann rolls out and lands a modified Michinoku Driver for a close 2 count. Brian charges Swann and Rich NAILS him with a crescent kick. He preps for the standing 450 but BRIAN GETS HIS KNEES UP. ROLL-UP FOR A CLOSE TWO. Brian quickly transitions into the Captain’s Hook right in the middle of the ring, but Rich gets to the ropes again! Rich tries to set up Kendrick for another superplex but hits a TOP ROPE SLICE BREAD CUTTER AND ONLY GETS A TWO COUNT. Wow what a match. Two different this is awesome chants begin. Brian charges Rich again but he hits three spinning back kicks to the head and covers Kendrick for the three!
WINNER: Rich Swann by pinfall in 15:12 to capture the Cruiserweight Title.
Immediately after the match Rich gets interviewed. He’s getting showered with you deserve it chants. Rich with a big smile on his face says “THIS IS US.” Then he thanks his mom, says that she is there in spirit, and dedicates the win to her.
Tom Philips catches up with Kendrick on the runway. He calls the loss a shocking upset. Brian says he was robbed, and blames TJ Perkins for mind games. He says this won’t last long, and mark his words, he’ll take back what is his.
Graves says he can’t wait to see the fallout of 205 on Raw, and that’s the show.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Great showing for what the Cruiserweight Division can be, and a genuinely shocking finish in the main event made this first 205 feel special. The matches were all-around pretty solid showcases for those who wrestled tonight, and should only get better as the top guns Lince, Metalik, and Alexander are still on the shelf.
Lince sucks – Can’t wait to see Tozawa in there though