205 Live kicks off this week with video highlights of Hideo Itami spoiling the Mustafa Ali and Buddy Murphy match two weeks ago. It continues with footage from last week of both Ali and Murphy looking for a match against Itami. General Manager, Drake Maverick, considers Ali’s request for a triple threat match between the three men and agrees accordingly.
With Vic Joseph and Nigel McGuinness working on the WWE UK Special tapings in London, Tom Phillips joins Percy Watson on commentary.
Drew Gulak vs Lince Dorado
As Drew Gulak comes to the ring with only Brian Kendrick (Jack Gallagher also fulfilling duties for the UK Special), footage from last week’s defeat to Kalisto, Gran Metalik, and Lince Dorado is shown. The Lucha House Party are in a playful mood tonight during their entrance, bringing a “mascot” pinata called Penelope Gulak to the ring; Drew’s face plastered on the front.
The match is underway and Gulak wins the first lockup with a headscissors takedown. This sets the scene for the early portions of the match, as Gulak displays his technical prowess, regularly thwarting Dorado’s luchador inspired reversals. Interestingly, Dorado’s first proper foothold in the match comes in the form of an arm drag to Gulak. Dorado takes Gulak’s hand and dances up the turnbuckle, but Gulak trips him. Gulak looks to punish the shaken Dorado now, in the adjacent corner.
Dorado fights back and lays punches into Gulak’s body, but Gulak pulls him out through the bottom rope by the tights, Dorado suffering an awkward landing. With “Penelope” in peripheral vision on the commentary table, Gulak’s anger intensifies, as his aggression back in the ring falls on to Dorado. Before more damaging offense can be mustered, the two men’s heads collide, flooring them both.
Dorado gains the upper hand once composed, with clotheslines and a dropkick. He seems to have Gulak’s number, as it is now his turn to block any successful counters from Gulak. The offense escalates to the point of Dorado delivering a handstand springboard stunner (Golden Rewind).
The impact of the move sends Gulak flying close to the side of the ring. Outside, Brian Kendrick capitalizes on this and puts his associate’s leg on the rope during a pin attempt. The referee misses this, which outrages Metalik and Kalisto on the opposite side of the ring. They make their way towards Kendrick, only to be motioned back by the referee. Once again, Kendrick takes advantage of the referee’s blind side and punches Dorado. The luchador staggers back from the ropes and falls into a waiting Gulak, who applies the Gulock. The referee turns round in time to see Dorado frantically tap out, giving Gulak the win. Gulak and Kendrick trash-talk the Lucha House Party as they make their way up the ramp.
Winner: Drew Gulak
Drake Maverick is backstage, asking the referee for tonight’s triple threat main event match to ensure that there is a definite winner. The referee walks away, and Maverick turns to address Hideo Itami. Maverick tells Itami that, if he has a problem, to be professional and come to him. Itami agrees, but only if Maverick shows him respect. Maverick brushes the remark off, suggesting that Itami make the best of his opportunity tonight and prove that he belongs in the Cruiserweight Championship scene.
Before the next match, Buddy Murphy is seen sharing smug smiles with his training partner, Tony Nese, backstage.
TJP vs “Palbert”
TJP makes his way to the ring with a microphone in hand. He slowly descends the ramp, bemoaning that his talent is wasted for another week. TJP claims he’s not asking for much, just higher profile matches. Instead, he is given the competitor in the ring. TJP asks him to introduce himself, but cuts him off, preferring the title “Palbert”. TJP continues to mock Palbert, who retaliates with a swift strike to the face. This infuriates TJP, who takes out Palbert’s knee and locks in his inverted kneebar. Palbert screams for mercy and taps out.
TJP shouts that he deserves better and makes his way back up the ramp, as the match never officially gets underway.
After footage of Mustafa Ali warming up with Cruiserweight Champion Cedric Alexander backstage, Phillips and Watson introduce stills of the newest addition to 205 Live, Leo Rush, seen signing a contract with Drake Maverick. Phillips announces that Rush will make his debut next week. Watson continues by announcing a six-man tag team elimination match for the same episode: Lucha House Party vs Drew Gulak, Brian Kendrick, and Jack Gallagher.
Mustafa Ali vs Buddy Murphy vs Hideo Itami
Threatening glances and taunts are shared between the three men as they separately make their way to the ring. They circle each other, unsure how to proceed. However, with Itami being the disruptive factor, Ali and Murphy chose him as their first victim. With Itami smartly backing away outside the ring, Murphy advances. The two begin to scuffle, but Ali surprises them both with a somersault from the turnbuckle.
Ali throws Itami back in the ring and peppers him with punches but is pulled away by Murphy who lays kicks into Itami. Ali and Murphy’s desire to exact revenge on Itami sees them fight each other now. Ali looks to run the ropes and vault outside to Murphy but is stopped dead by an Itami knee to the torso. The Japanese star has Ali in a chinlock, shouting for respect. He is wily enough to kick a returning Murphy off the apron and continues to punish Ali. With his back turned, however, Murphy sneaks up.
Murphy and Itami exchange snapmare and back-kick sequences, both showing an equal tolerance for pain. As Itami gains the upper hand, Ali lays Itami out with a backbreaker, but Murphy homes in on Ali with a similar move. All three men are nursing their backs now. Ali surprises Murphy with a roll-up pin, but Murphy kicks out and locks Ali in a sleeper hold in an attempt to slow him down.
Ali slips from Murphy’s grip as Itami applies the same move to Murphy. The three men are showing early signs of exhaustion due to the significantly physical battle so far. Ali is the first to show signs of a second wind, taking out Murphy with a reverse-rana and a tornado DDT. He attempts a “054” on Itami, but Itami swipes Ali’s legs. Itami looks for a back superplex, but Murphy dislodges Itami from Ali, looking for a powerbomb. Ali backflips away from the tangle and Murphy delivers a superkick to both Ali and Itami on either side of him, earning a near fall.
Clubbing forearms are thrown to whoever is closest to each wrestler. Concluding an impressive sequence of spinning back fists and knee strikes, Ali is the last man standing with a superkick to Murphy. He attempts a moonsault crossbody on Itami but receives a dropkick to the face instead. All competitors are now slowly writhing around the floor.
Murphy powerbombs Itami, who kicks out, but the momentum spins him into a knee strike from Murphy. Ali lands another superkick on Murphy who lands on top of Itami. Ali climbs the turnbuckle. He crushes both men with a normal 450 splash. Ali pins Itami but is pulled off and out of the ring by Murphy.
Murphy throws Ali into the announce table and weighs up his options. He clears the table and drags Ali over, but Ali sweeps Murphy legs, upending the Australian. Ali collects himself, leaps onto the table, and takes out Murphy with a devastating Spanish fly onto the floor.
Ali crawls back into the ring, but the refreshed Itami levels Ali with a hesitation dropkick out of nowhere. Itami pounds the mat in frustration. He tries to expose the bottom turnbuckle, but Ali rolls him for a pin. Itami kicks out, the momentum throwing Ali into the corner. Itami finishes Ali off with another hesitation dropkick onto the partially bare buckle. He hooks Ali’s leg for the victorious pin.
Winner: Hideo Itami
205 Live goes off the air with Murphy and Ali cradling their battered bodies, and Itami parading the ring in a mocking manner, crying out for respect once again.
What did you think of 205 Live this week? Feel free to drop your comments here or wherever you read this on social media. You can find me on Twitter and in Social Suplex’s Facebook group.
You can read more of my columns right here. Additionally, you can hear my opinions on all things WWE in Glasgow based podcast, “The Ricky & Clive Wrestling Show”, one of the shows that make up the ever growing Social Suplex Podcast Network. The latest episode discusses WWE’s most impactful Money In The Bank briefcase cash-ins, and what they meant for the company and the wrestlers involved.
