By Jon
COMMENTATORS: Vic Joseph & Nigel McGuinness
The first 205 Live of 2021 features a six-man tag team main event as Curt Stallion teams with Ever-Rise to take on Ariya Daivari and The Bollywood Boyz.
CHAMPION
- NXT CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPION: Santos Escobar
LINEUP
- Mansoor vs. Jake Atlas (**1/4)
- Curt Stallion & Ever-Rise vs. Ariya Daivari & The Bollywood Boyz (**1/2)
*****
-VIDEO: Mansoor returned home to Saudi Arabia and WWE filmed it to highlight some of the positive changes going on there.
Mansoor defeated Jake Atlas via pinfall (8:58)
Mansoor attacked Atlas’ leg early, connecting with a sunset flip and immediately transitioning into a punishing single-leg crab. Atlas eventually escaped and kicked Mansoor into the buckles, and focused on weakening the neck with forearms and a couple of cravats. Atlas cartwheeled under a clothesline but landed weird on his leg and Mansoor went back to work with a Dragon Screw Legwhip and another single-leg crab. Atlas and Mansoor traded roll-ups and nearfalls, Atlas connected with a Brainbuster but couldn’t get the pin, Mansoor yanked him off the buckles with a Dragon Screw Legwhip then wrapped the legs up and bridged into a pinning position for the 1…2…3.
- Mansoor was undefeated in 2020 and continues his streak into the New Year with this victory. The match was okay with some odd timing here and there, and it felt like Atlas was holding back so Mansoor could keep up. I wonder what the plan for Mansoor is going to be; he’s been given A LOT of wins on 205 Live but if they aren’t leading anywhere it doesn’t seem to be anything worth getting excited about. (**1/4)
-TWO DAYS AGO ON NXT: Lucha House Party (Gran Metalik & Lince Dorado) defeated Legado del Fantasma (Raul Mendoza & Jaqouin Wilde), which leads into New Year’s Evil this upcoming Wednesday as Metalik challenges Santos Escobar for the Cruiserweight Championship.
-EARLIER TODAY: Curt Stallion tried not to pick sides in the Cruiserweight Title match but made it known he wanted to get his hands on Santos Escobar more, then changed his focus to tonight’s match. Ever-Rise popped in to call Stallion “Cowboy Curt” and just be a couple of goofball jacksses. It worked.
Curt Stallion & Ever-Rise (Chase Parker & Matt Martel) defeated Ariya Daivari & The Bollywood Boyz (Samir & Sunil Singh) via pinfall (9:16)
Stallion seemed to enjoy the antics of Ever-Rise as he joined in on their usual entrance poses. What an easygoing dude. Daivari started the match for his team and refused to tag the Boyz in, forcing Samir to tag himself in. Martel controlled things well until he was attacked from behind. The Bollywood Boyz took turns wearing Martel down, refusing to tag Daivari in the same way he did to them at start, until Daivari finally did it himself. Stallion got the hot tag and connected with a whole lot of combo offense on Samir, including the step-up DDT that he always thinks will get him a win but NEVER HAS. Quick tags by the face team, Stallion even took part in some of the usual Ever-Rise offense by launching off of Martel’s back with an elbowdrop. Daivari finally tried to be a good teammate but was accidentally blasted with a flying elbow by Samir; Daivari threatened to walk out and Stallion flattened all three with a backflip splash as Ever-Rise held the ropes down. Samir was tossed back in, Ever-Rise connected with a double Stun Gun and Stallion followed it with a running headbutt, leading to Parker covering for the 1…2…3.
- I got a real kick out of Stallion here; some real Matthew McConaughey vibes as he just went along with Ever-Rise’s goofiness and even tried to pose with The Bollywood Boyz behind their backs. Daivari not wanting to actually TEAM with the duo he found to be his partners was on brand, as he only barely tolerates Tony Nese and Tony Nese alone. Good match, fun finish, Ever-Rise does indeed rule. (**1/2)
Stallion and Ever-Rise celebrate their win as the show concludes.
*****
FINAL THOUGHTS: Breezy enough way to kick off 205 Live in 2021. They made it a point on Twitter to reference that Curt Stallion isn’t “cashing in” his title shot yet and with Santos Escobar facing Gran Metalik next week it seems like he’s going to be shuffled to the back for awhile until they decide he’s ready. Fair enough, but if this means constant matches against Daivari and Nese I’m going to scream…and still review the show anyway.
