G’day lads and welcome back to another issue of Wrestling Should be Fun’s only sponsored weekly review; 205 Live with Dom Van Dam. Firstly a big shout out to the crew who made the pilgrimage to Camden High Street on Sunday for Progress Wrestling Chapter 83.
If you missed out on the 3 shot rounds, remember to go follow @wrestlingshouldbefun on Instagram to catch up on all the action.
PREVIOUSLY...
The last few weeks have seen the build for the Fatal Four Way for the Cruiserweight Title fire up like a Hulk Hogan comeback, most recently with Hideo Itami qualifying last week. Remember how we got here now though lads, it’s the story of a runaway freight train of champion feeling no one man can stop him and an ambitious General Manager trying to call his bluff by putting 3 speed bumps in his way.
Tonight we see one more chapter in the development of Buddy Murphy as the juggernaut as he has thrown out an open challenge to anyone not currently on the 205 Live Roster.
LIO RUSH v LINCE DORADO
We open up this week with the 24 year old piece of Gold vs. the Golden Lynx both trying to stake their claim for the, ah, gold in the future.
Coors Light is on the mic to begin and welcomes us to “Lio-5 Live.” I’ll allow it. Rush walks us through his completely legitimate gripe with Lince Dorado, who’s outside distraction cost Rush a shot at the aforementioned gold. If you’ve followed the narrative from the previous weeks’ articles you would know that I’m inclined to agree with the Hype Man.
The Lucha Heel Party don’t actually do much to make a traditional wrestling fan (someone who wants good guys to cheer and bad guys to boo) warm to them. I personally have no problem with 205 Live going the way of realistic characters and no clear cut heroes or villains but just for argument’s sake let’s consider our options.
In an era where we are consistently told that it’s impossible to be a heel because of social media and smart fans, this sort of booking is part of the disease which is killing off heels. Outside interference, using foreign objects (even novelty ones like piñatas), using the numbers advantage, bending the rules to beat a more skilful opponent (see The Revival on Raw); these are the calling cards of a true heel.
Maybe people are right, the disease is too far ingrained and we can never have heels again, or maybe characters like The Lucha House Party could be booked differently to be a part of the cure.
We have a competitive match here between these 2, admittedly gifted athletes. Sidenote: I am writing this as I mow through a trough of pasta and use my free hand to swipe right on my phone. Compared to me anyone who has ever stepped foot in a ring is a gifted athlete, hell anyone who has ever stepped foot in a gym.
Lio goes on heat without having to cheat or bend the rules and surprise surprise there is no real sympathy for Dorado. (That’s what happens when you book with no characters, so is there even a point following this psychology in a match?)
Then Rush wins clean with the Low-Down like a babyface. I enjoyed the match, but I’m also spending time every week writing an article about a show that’s not televised, I like everything.
PROMO POURRI
NOAM DAR
The Scottish Supernova, without subtitles for another week, reminds the audience that he defeated Tony Nese last week. Nese, without his protein cup for another week, interrupts Dar and claims the victory didn’t prove he was a better athlete but just “how lucky he was.” Nese goes on to say “every dog has his day.”
The use of the zoomorphism to compare Dar to a dog is condescending and suggests Nese is in a league of his own. He metaphorically is suggesting that Dar was dominated so much in last week’s contest that it is like Nese is a different species. I hope that for Tony’s sake he is nicer to animals in real life or Zack Sabre Junior might just armbar him.
Nese challenges Dar to another match but everyone’s favourite Oasis fan refuses, repeatedly saying “you lost,” in a fashion similar to title character in Poe’s The Raven. Nese is clearly frustrated by the repetition and Dar leaves him like a dog without a bone. (see what I did there?) Early reports suggest that Noam did not look back in anger.
FATAL FOUR WAY CONTENDERS
Up next are rapid fire promos for all three challengers for The Royal Rumble in succession. Nothing much really of note, they all just promise to be the man to finally stop the Rolling Stone that is Buddy Murphy.
Great use of the corner men for Itami (Daivari) and Tozawa (Kendrick) though to help get the points across for the 2 Japanese superstars.
Next week it’s announced that we will see all 3 of these challengers compete in a triple threat match, just 5 days before the Rumble.
BUDDY MURPHY OPEN CHALLENGE
Murphy is on the mic in his masculine Melbournese drawl and out to answer the challenge is someone I’m not sure I can remember seeing before: Humberto Carillo.
Percy Watson informs the fans that Carillo is “NXT’s own” and a nephew of Hector Garza. If you fancy learning a little bit more about the up and coming stars of NXT, go check out JCH’s NXT wrap up on the site weekly. (It’s also a lot timelier than my article each week).
The idea of this whole story arc is that Murphy felt he was too dominant on his own show so felt he had to look abroad to be challenged. For the WWE to call on someone who is a completely new face would seem to me to complete oppose this purpose because surely a competitive match here can only build Carillo and not shine Murphy. Hence why I thought we might get an established star like a Tyler Breeze.
Carillo is actually impressive with his movement and we see some Amazing Red/Low Ki style evasion sequences that Jim Cornette would hate. Bud Light continually gets the upper hand throughout the first 75% of these exchanges.
We see a plethora of spots outside the ring, with the ringpost and Murph even gets backdropped on the apron. (One for you @hannahebb)
As the story develops, Carillo gains the ascendency and Murphy is in jeopardy for the first time. Maybe the unknown quality of Carillo will be the first chink in Murphy’s armour that has been impenetrable since Melbourne?
Just when we (the television audience I mean, because the live house was dead as a doornail, unfortunately) think Murphy is finally going to have his pants pulled down he comes down awkwardly on his knee from a suplex and feigns an injury. In the words of Gabe Sapolsky: “That Motherf___________!” This leads to a tremendous finishing stretch but in the end it’s a big knee and Murphy’s Law and the juggernaut bustles on to the Rumble.
Fantastic effort from Carillo, it was just a bit of a shame about the crowd being flatter than a plate of piss. Hopefully the next time we see the lad it will be with a point of reference to garner some support from those in attendance.
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
A really short episode this week at only 47 minutes, but as always worth a look. So until next week lads, don’t forget to check us out over at Insta: @wrestlingshouldbefun. Drink lots of water and look after your mates.
Dom Van Dam
(Now back to pasta and swiping)
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