By Dom Van Dam
205 Live 12/03/19
G’day lads and welcome to semi-finals week in the 205 Live number one contenders tournament. We are quickly rolling downhill towards Wrestlemania 34 and, most importantly for us here on the 205 Live recap, the 12 hour preshow.
Previously on 205 Live:
The past fortnight of programming has produced 4 unique but engaging quarter final contests in the tournament to decide Buddy Murphy’s Wrestlemania opponent.
Tony Nese, the pre-tilt favourite cemented his spot in the final four with a victory over Kalisto with the running Nese in the corner.
Drew Gulak outlasted The Brian Kendrick in a tremendous contest which built from start to thrilling finish.
Newcomer Oney Lorcan lived up to an incredible video package and defeated rookie sensation Humberto Carillo to stamp his boarding pass.
Finally, Cedric Alexander, foreshadowing a new attitude, put down Akira Tozawa with the LC-123 for his latest semi appearance.
Tonight we have semi-finals fever as 4 will become 2 and we, loyal reader, get one step closer to the Pre-showcase of the Immortals.
Promo Pourri:
We mix things up this week with a bit of a different start. The Philadelphia stretcher Drew Gulak is usurping the position of G.M. Maverick at the top of the program to hype tonight’s action. The former CZW Champion, in a paisley tie and checked jacket, predicts that his match tonight against Tony Nese is where The Premier Athlete “chokes.” I’m sure that he means metaphorically as Nese has fallen short against Gulak in tournaments before, but in a literal sense Gulak is predicting what he believes will be the conclusion of tonight’s contest. He uses the modal auxillary verb to promise that Nese “will tap out.”
Tony Nese who is seen here wearing a t-shirt for the first time ever, not just on TV; but ever, has the immediate right of reply. The Gym Bunny says that Gulak is “The most dangerous man in the ring” and Nese isn’t going to use his speed or strength to beat Gulak tonight, but his focus. Nese is willing to do anything to get to Wrestlemania and he will “not give up.”
Oney Lorcan is next to the wicket and although he is very complimentary of his opponent, Cedric Alexander, he promises to “Snuff out the soul of 205 Live.” Again, maybe I’m reading in to this too far but if you’ve read this far in to the article you’ll probably continue to indulge me. Lines like this one from Boston Brawler all contribute to our ongoing narrative of Alexander’s change of character. Lorcan finishes off by reminding the former champion that tonight is “nothing personal.”
Alexander, presented in all black, rounds things off for this week’s PP. He predicts that Lorcan will be a future champion but “all roads run through me.” A fantastic use of metaphor sets up our contest for tonight. Will Alexander be the gauntlet that Lorcan can run through to become the next big star in Cruiserweight wrestling? Or will the gatekeeper have one more tilt at ascending to the mountaintop?
Finally we hear from the champ himself, all the way from sunny, Melbourne Victoria. I got pretty homesick watching this actually. Murph is walking down the footpath of what is assumedly his parents’ suburban street and there is a four wheel drive parked on the side of the widest cul-de-sac you’ve ever seen. Early reports again suggest that “there’s no stopping the unstoppable.” But of course you ranga ledge.
Cedric Alexander vs. Oney Lorcan:
Aiden English kicks us off with some Biblical Allusion, “What is worse? Having been to Eden and tasting its fruit or never having tasted it at all?” This match is the tale of the newcomer Lorcan, looking to try and overcome the decorated Alexander to leapfrog the former champion on the 205 ladder.
In his earlier promo, Alexander encouraged Lorcan to bring his lariats as well as his chops and the fighting Irish does just that in the early going with heavy handed chops winding C.A. Wrestle factory and a big lariat knocking him from his feet in the first minute. Everything that Lorcan does looks like it hurts like hell, probably because it does, he is just so believable.
The crowd starts to get in to this when Alexander is on offence and Aiden English again chips in with the well timed metaphor to accompany a C.A. flurry; “Wrestlemania is flowing through his veins.” That’s absolutely superb from English.
Alexander’s back and ribs- I guess his lumbar in general- is giving him trouble and he’s selling it like ice to Eskimo meth addicts. The impairment briefly stops him from executing a back suplex to Lorcan but within the space of about a minute he makes a Lazarus like recovery to hit a Zack (Michinoku) driver for a near fall. Cedric “snaps” after Lorcan kicks out and assumedly begins to show his true colours, stomping away at Lorcan on the mat.
The big high spot is a half and half (hardway) suplex from the top rope, but it’s not enough to snuff out the soul just yet. Lorcan is frustrated and drills Alexander with the same palm strikes he hit Carillo with to begin the closing sequence last week but it only serves in waking Alexander up enough to hit the lumbar check and advance to our final.
This can’t be the last we see of Oney Lorcan on this program though you wouldn’t have thought.
Promo Pourri 2:
Mike Kanellis, in another loud jacket, is backstage with his wife and G.M. Maverick and he is apparently “not just happy to be here” because he “deserves better.” Maverick tells the opportunist that next week the couple need to take their opportunity very seriously because “looking good in defeat” won’t cut it any longer.
Ariya Daivari gives a very brief Instagram-style promo to inform us that “the leash is off.” By the way if you like Instagram style footage, don’t forget the boys over @wrestlingshouldbefun and their live blogs of shows. The most recent efforts from the St. Paddy’s Day Bender in Dublin included appearances from Aussie Open and model/actor Kristy Quade. Anyway, Daivari continues and informs us that we are soon to see what “a year of fury looks like.” The zoomorphism with “leash” creates the all-important, justifiable reason for his fury as he feels mistreated, and the personification of the fury creates interest in to how he will approach his next in ring encounter.
Tony Nese vs. Drew Gulak:
Our main event is a much awaited rematch from last year’s tournament. Nese says he is too focused to be caught by the dangerous Gulak for a second time. That’s how the match begins, with Nese playing defence and trying to avoid being stretched by Drew. This strategy certainly doesn’t seem to be working through the middle of the match with The Philly Special systematically working on the leg, neck and back of Nese to slow him down. My neck, my back, work my leg, Drew Gulak!
As always in these Gulak matches, the pace quickens like perpetual motion as time passes. It’s nice to have Tony Nese working as a babyface because he can actually hit all of his flips and high spots to applause rather than disdain from the audience. However I’m still not sure if those in attendance care who they should be cheering for, or if once again they are simply apathetic.
There’s a lovely piece of onomatopoeia from Nigel McGuinness upon Nese missing a high risk manoeuvre; “450 Crash!” That’s Lovely stuff.
We go back and forth down the stretch. Gulak has the Gulock and Nese is in very deep water, he promised he wouldn’t quit though and inches his way to the bottom rope. No rope break as Nese kicks off the bottom rope to float over in to a quick pinning combination and the 1,2,3. That was the perfect finish to this narrative. Nese is far too focused this year to fall to the same fate as the last.
Tony Nese advances to Next week’s final against Cedric Alexander. Until then lads, drink lots of water and look after your mates.
DVD
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