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WWE 205 Live – April 17, 2018

by Scrooge McSuck

Last week on 205 Live, Buddy Murphy ruined Cedric Alexander's Championship Celebration, laying him out with Murphy's Law... Kalisto pinned Akira Tozawa in a good match to open the show and advance the little angle between The Lucha House Party and Tozawa and Itami... THE Brian Kendrick is back, reforming his alliance with Jack Gallagher, and promises not to get revenge on Itami for breaking his nose and orbital bone... Drew Gulak defeated Mark Andrews, but now has Tony Nese to contend with.

- Presented LIVE on the WWE Network from Providence, RI. Vic Joseph and Percy Watson are calling the action, with Nigel McGuinness out for the second week in a row with a newborn at home. I can relate with the commitment to family first. Tonight, we're promised Lince Dorado and Gran Metalik taking on Itami and Tozawa in a Tornado Tag Team Match.

Mustafa Ali vs. Ariya Daivari:

Ali is still wearing his Glacier 2K18 outfit from WrestleMania 34. Dasha Fuentes interviews Daivari backstage asking why he challenged Ali to this match. He calls Ali a failure for losing at WrestleMania and says it was pathetic how he begged for a rematch last week. Daivari tackles Ali into the corner and stomps him down. Ali avoids a charge to the corner and takes Daivari over with a hurricanrana for two. Daivari meets a boot in the corner but recovers in time to kick the legs from under Ali and takes him off the ropes with a back stabber. Daivari with a series of back breakers for a two-count. Ali comes off the ropes with a forearm. Daivari with a handful of hair to pull Ali into position for an inverted DDT for another two-count. Ali escapes a bear-hug with elbows to the side of the head. He sends Daivari into the corner and connects with a pair of clotheslines. Daivari sends Ali into the corner but misses a charge. Ali with a roundhouse kick from the apron. Daivari counters the rolling face-buster and connects with a super-kick for two. Whip to the ropes and Ali pushes off Daivari for a dropkick. Ali follows him to the floor and gets planted with a spine-buster for the extra aggression. Back inside, Daivari hits the Frog Splash for two. Ali ducks the hammerlock lariat and rolls Daivari up for two. Daivari quickly recovers and hits the lariat for two. Ali flips out of a back suplex from the top rope and quickly hits the 054 for the three-count at 7:35. Daivari's losing streak continues in a decent match. **1/2

- Highlights from last week where Buddy Murphy attacked Cedric Alexander from behind. Alexander made sure to go on Twitter to vent his frustrations.

- Drake Maverick is standing by to denounce Buddy Murphy's behavior. Despite his ruining last week's moment for Cedric Alexander, he was going to challenge Alexander for the Cruiserweight Title at The Greatest Royal Rumble, but earlier today, Murphy weighed in at 207.5 pounds, so he's lost his opportunity for the time being. His loss will be someone else's gain. Next week will be a Cruiserweight Gauntlet Match to determine that Challenger.

"Gentleman” Jack Gallagher & THE Brian Kendrick vs. Enhancement Talent:

First match for Kendrick since December. No graphic for the opponents who can't have simple names like "Tom Stone” or "Steve Lombardi.” Gallagher locks up with Vinny Testaverde and goes to work on the left arm. He drops Vinny across the top rope and Kendrick follows up with a hard boot to the side of the head. Vinny tries to mount some offense, but Kendrick cuts him off quickly. Kevin McAllister tags in and doesn't have much luck, either. Kendrick with a hard whip into the corner. He lays into Kevin with chops. Kendrick takes exception to taking a punch to the face and slams Kevin into the turnbuckle. Gallagher slams him across the edge of the ring. Kendrick with the Captain's Hook to finish at 3:55. Not the best squash match I've ever seen. Should be interesting to see where this alliance goes.

- Dasha Fuentes is backstage with Mustafa Ali. She wants to know his opinion on Buddy Murphy not making weight. Ali says he cuts the weight and comes back to get what he has coming to him. Ali makes sure to throw his name into the hat for next week's Cruiserweight Gauntlet.

- Drew Gulak is standing by to gloat about his victory over Mark Andrews last week. He says Tony Nese will continue to flounder in mediocrity. Next week, he too will be in the Cruiserweight Gauntlet.

Gran Metalik & Lince Dorado vs. Akira Tozawa & Hideo Itami:

Texas Tornado Match, meaning all four men are legally in the ring and don't have to worry about tagging in. Nice to see Metalik and Dorado are color coordinated for such an important match. Drake Maverick joins the commentary team for this one. Dorado and Metalik "break out” and attack Itami and Tozawa in the aisle. They fight their way to ringside, knocking the duo off the aprons with super-kicks and following with synchronized tope suicidas. The bell finally rings as Itami gets double teamed. Metalik assists Dorado in a head scissors splash for a near fall. Tozawa gets lit up in the corner with chops. Dorado with an avalanche and splash for two. Tozawa boots Metalik off the apron and Itami with a running knee to Dorado. Tozawa joins the party, springboard off the middle rope for the trust fall splash.

Back inside, Dorado gets treated to the 2-on-1 beating, stomped in the corner like you'd stomp a flaming bag of dog poop. Tozawa plays to the crowd too much and gets rolled up for two. Itami with a swinging neck breaker for two. Whip to the corner, Tozawa dives in with a forearm. Dorado gets dropped across the middle turnbuckle and Itami hits him from behind with a knee for two. Dorado fights out of the corner but gets caught by Itami in an Octopus Lock. Metalik returns to the ring and gets caught in a standing version but manages to fall over onto Itami and Dorado to break both holds. Dorado slaps Itami and pays for it in the form of an open palm strike. Itami tears at the mask but can't remove it completely. Small package on Tozawa for two. Metalik continues to nap as Dorado takes a beating from both opponents. Tozawa with a slam and jumping senton for two. Meanwhile, at ringside, Itami slams Metalik into the table.

Tozawa and Itami take turns laying into Dorado with strikes, concluding with Tozawa's signature right jab. Whip to the ropes, Dorado slips out of the ring and Metalik comes back in with a missile dropkick. He catches both Itami and Tozawa with tilt-o-whirl back breakers and launches Dorado for a double missile dropkick. The action spills to the floor, with the LHP hitting synchronized Asai Moonsaults (from the top rope). Dorado slams Itami face-first onto the announcer's table. Whip is reversed, and Dorado takes a brutal bump into the steps. Metalik goes to help but Tozawa wipes him out with a tope suicida. Tozawa and Dorado fight on the top rope. Itami joins the fun while Metalik plays dead on the table. Metalik surprises Itami with a jumping roundhouse kick and hits a sunset flip from the top to complete the Tower of Doom spot. Tozawa and Dorado trade forearms, with Tozawa getting the better of the exchange. Dorado with a Franken-Steiner out of nowhere for two. Tozawa with the spinning roundhouse kick and the flying senton splash for two. Metalik springboards off the ropes but is met with a dropkick. Itami with a twisting knee to the face for two. Whip and Dorado hits a springboard stunner on Itami and Tozawa for duel two-counts. Itami with a pair of back fists and a basement dropkick. Metalik sneaks in for a school boy for two. Tozawa accidentally hits Itami with a boot, gets hit with a kick from the apron, and The LHP finish with a SSP (Dorado) and rope-walk elbow (Metalik) for double three-counts at 15:36. A little too hectic to keep up with, but the work was good. I just wish they taped in front of a more lively audience. ***1/2

Final Thoughts: Looks like we've wrapped up the rivalry between the Luchadores and Itami and Tozawa, and the seeds are planted for the inevitable program between the latter teammates. Buddy Murphy making weight continues to be one of the more interesting storylines presented from week-to-week, and is a good way to write him out as a challenger for the short-term to give us a Gauntlet Match next week and determine a contender for The Greatest Royal Rumble.

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