G'day loyal reader (hey I'm realistic, there must be at least one of y'all out there right?) this week's 205 Live write up comes to you from the sunny future of Queensland Australia as I've ducked home for Christmas.
On the plane I was lucky enough to watch the "Sick" Nick Mondo docu-drama "The Trade" on Amazon Prime. I can't recommend this enough as it is part Beyond the Mat and part Donnie Darko. Anyway, it got me thinking about Combat Zone Wrestling and their impact on the WWE in 2018 and it just so happens that on tonight's episode of 205 we bear witness to two former CZW World Champions.
Previously on 205 Live:
We've now had two full weekly shows and subsequent reviews without a single Spanish Fly which kind of ruins one of the running gags I thought I could run into the ground in these weekly write ups. Fair play WWE.
Also Sunday at TLC "We" (Note I haven't actually seen the pre-show yet, so I should say "you") saw our Occa cruiserweight champion successfully retain in, I can only assume, a lush contest with Cedric Alexander.
Finally we remember that The Brian Kendrick promised everyone that he is a changed man. This leads us to our main event later on this evening of Spanky and Tozawa vs. Team Alliteration.
HIDEO ITAMI (W/ARIYA DAIVARI) v NOAM DAR
Magnum Drake is on the stick with Itami in ring gear and I guess the gimmick is they haven't got a scheduled match so they are here to demand a challenge. Daivari says "I shouldn't have to speak for Hideo Itami." Ahem. I think you'll find that's literally the reason you are on the payroll right now son...
GM Maverick, who has looked more like Goose on WWE television in recent weeks, threatens to suspend the last real men of 205 live for going in to business for themselves but the returning Jack Wilshere, oh wait no it's Noam Dar, is out to accept Kenta's challenge.
I know some people get a bit peeved with Nigel McGuinness' commentary when he constantly mentions his own career. But this week he really nails it and is very successful in legitimising the product. McGuinness says he can back up the fact that Itami is "The Japanese Legend" and "The most dangerous striker on the brand" because he has stepped in to the ring with him in the past.
Sidebar: If you want to see how legit Itami is, go have a look at the 3 way he had with Samoa Joe and The American Dragon Bryan Danielson from ROH "In Your Face 2006." (highlights here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR1WWdVgWbI) Itami gets legitimately knocked out by that slap from Joe in the early going and still finishes the match.
Anyway the match here is solid (Yeah I know, Wrestling Should be Fun likes everything). Dar gets distracted by some hotline bling on the apron when he goes upstairs. This allows Itami to absolutely batter him like a sausage and hit the hangman's knee for the 1,2,3.
BUDDY MURPHY PROMO
The Ranga 'Restler preaches that he is "The best" (superlative adjective) cruiserweight in the World and "needs a challenge" (Modal Auxillary Verb). Maverick says he will have an announcement for Murphy and all of us on the "best of" episode on Boxing Day next week.
LIO 'COORS LIGHT' RUSH v
Maybe if I rewatched this I would catch the mystery grappler's name but I was too busy laughing at the perfectly colour schemed Coors Light advertisement which was perfectly placed between 2 video screens playing Rush's titantron video. It was an Ace Ventura parking job; fitting in "Like a glove."
Rush on the mic but cuts his promo short to -ah- rush his unnamed opponent pre-bell.
Not only is Rush the first of our former CZW champions on this most exciting hour of television but the 23 year old piece of gold moves like molten gold in the early going. It's hard to turn away when his wheels are rolling. He hits 2 big Lo-Downs to knock off the mystery man. And then there's nothing left to do but knock off a couple of ice cold Coors Light stubbies.
C.A WRESTLE FACTORY PROMO
Not much to analyse here unfortunately with very few language features to speak of. Alexander (CZW alumni but not a champion) reckons he needs to work harder and promises that he "won't let things slip." Hmmm how'd that work out for Steven Gerrard?
THE BRIAN KENDRICK & AKIRA TOZAWA v DREW GULAK & JACK GALLAGHER - STREET FIGHT
Kendrick is out wearing white leopard print tights with a cleanly shaven face. He looks very Spankyesque here and not a day over 20 (no Coors Light for him). I wish he was still using Electric Six as entrance music like in his younger years though.
Drew Gulak, the other former CZW champion for those of you playing along at home, is in his "Street clothes," for this street fight. For him that consists of a button up (or down depending on where you are in the World) white shirt, business trousers, black leather shoes and taped fists which have "step 2 me," written on them.
The real story of the match is the style of "ugly violence" used by team Alliteration. Patrick Bateman and Gallagher start the heat as soon as they can get their hands on weapons but they are not the sort of weapons we normally see in a typical WWE street fight. Gulak uses a mop, broom and bucket; no this is not a Good Housekeeping match and no kitchen sink. We do however get unidentifiable bits of hard plastic upside the skull, fish hooking lips with Occy straps, a microphone and even one of the commentator's roller chairs to assist a sick dropkick from the Mancunian.
Actually the more I watch the more I see Kendrick's fingerprints all over this match. A street fight where it appears the competitors are just using exactly what's at their disposal rather than loads of the contrived and well prepared spots we might see in your run of the mill WWE street fight. Like all of Kendrick's best matches this one is definitely worth a look because it is completely unique. It won't look like any other match you watch this Christmas and definitely not anything like the death matches on Mondo's documentary.
Avalanche Sliced Bread #2 from Spanky on Gallagher for the win and I don't do ratings but this must be a solid 4 out of 5 Spanish Flies. Watch this match; It's noice, it's different, it's unusual.
Merry Christmas lads, we'll see you on Boxing Day!
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