Leighty’s 2021 Countdown: The Matches of 205 Live

-Welcome as we look back on the year that was in 205 Live. It was a transitional year as the WWE decimated this once proud brand by firing most of the stars that made in the pound for pound best in ring weekly wrestling show. As you will see from the countdown once they were fired the quality started to drop a bit. Things dropped even more when the show turned into NXT 2.05 Live Dark Elevation. They dropped all pretense of this being a CW Show as heavyweights and the woman’s division started to appear. Even with that there were a few matches from the second half of the year that made a decent showing on this list. As a reminder this is my personal list and obviously not everyone will agree, but it’s something fun to do and look back on. Let’s get to it!

121) Amari Miller/Valentina Feroz vs. Katrina Cortez and Yulisa Leon (NR) – 10.22.21

120) Erica Yan vs. Valentina Feroz (NR) – 11.05.21

119) Sarray vs. Lash Legend (1/2*) – 12.17.21

118) Lash Legend vs. Amari Miller (SQUASH) – 12.10.21

117) Xyon Quinn vs. Oney Lorcan (SQUASH) – 09.24.21

116) Boa vs Malik Blade (SQUASH) – 09.17.21

115) Creed Brothers vs. Demetri Jackson and Andrew Lockhart (SQUASH) – 10.08.21

114) Brooks Jensen and Josh Briggs vs. Keagan Scott and Taylor Garland (SQUASH) – 10.15.21

113) Grayson Waller vs. Sunil Sing (SQUASH) – 06.11.21

112) LDF vs Malik Blade and Ru Feng (SQUASH) – 12.17.21

111) Ivy Nile vs. Fallon Henley (*) – 12.24.21

110) Valentina Feroz vs. Katrina Cortez (*) – 09.10.21

109) Ivy Nile vs. Erica Yan (*) – 12.03.21

108) Elektra Lopez vs. Valentina Feroz (*) – 11.26.21

107) Tiffany Stratton vs. Amari Miller (*) – 11.19.21

106) Amari Miller vs. Valentia Feroz (*) – 10.01.21

105) Sarray vs. Amari Miller (*) – 10.08.21

104) Amari Miller vs. Erica Yan (*) – 11.26.21

103) Boa vs. Draco Anthony (*) – 12.03.21

102) Dante Chen vs. Malik Blade (*) – 10.01.21

101) Amari Miller vs Nikkita Lyons (*1/4) – 12.31.21

100) Valentina Feroz vs. Amari Miller (*1/4) – 09.17.21

99) Boa vs Jeet Rama (*1/4) – 10.16.21

98) Yulisa Leon and Valentina Feroz vs. Erica Yan and Fallon Henley (*1/2) – 12.17.21

97) Amari Miller vs. Cora Jade (*1/2) – 09.03.21

96) Xyxon Quinn vs. Ru Feng (*1/2) – 10.29.21

95) Josh Briggs vs Joe Gacy (*1/2) – 08.13.21

94) Roderick Strong vs. Ru Feng (*1/2) – 11.05.21

93) Dusty Classic: LeRae and Hartwell vs. Dolin and Jade (*3/4) – 01.22.21

92) Andre Chase vs. Damon Kemp (*3/4) – 12.24.21

91) Sarray vs. Katrina Cortez (**) – 10.29.21

90) Duke Hudson vs. Malik Blade (**) – 10.22.21

89) Solo Sikoa vs. Ru Feng (**) – 12.24.21

88) Joe Gacy vs. Josh Briggs (**) – 09.03.21

87) Boa vs. Jeet Rama (**) – 10.29.21

86) NXT Breakout: Guru Raaj vs. Andre Chase (**) – 07.02.21

85) NXT Breakout: Joe Gacy vs. Desmond Try (**) – 07.02.21

84) Solo Sikoa vs. Andre Chase (**) – 11.26.21

83) Andre Chase vs. Guru Raaj (**) – 12.10.21

82) Xyon Quinn vs. Jeet Rama (**) – 10.22.21

81) Ember Moon vs. Cora Jade (**) – 09.24.21

80) Edris Enofe vs. Malik Blade (**) – 11.19.21

79) Xyon Quinn vs. Andre Chase (**) – 09.03.21

78) Dante Chen vs. Draco Anthony (**) – 12.31.21

77) Atlas/Grey vs. Bollywood Boyz (**) – 04.30.21

76)) Mansoor/Stallion vs. Ever-Rise (**) – 02.26.21

75)) Mansoor/Stallion vs. Bollywood Boyz (**) – 03.12.21

74) Ari Sterling vs. Samir Singh (**) – 05.07.21

73) Ashante “Thee” Adonis/Mansoor vs. Bolly-Rise (Parker/Samir) (**) – 02.12.21

72) Edris Enofe vs. Guru Raaj (**1/4) – 12.31.21

71) Solo Sikoa vs. Malik Blade (**1/4) – 12.10.21

70) Guru Raaj vs. Asher Hale (**1/4) – 07.16.21

69) Odyssey Jones vs. Grayson Waller (**1/4) – 07.09.21

68) Ikemen Jiro vs. Malik Blade (**1/4) – 09.24.21

67) Ari Sterling vs. Sunil Singh (**1/4) – 06.04.21

66) Nese/Daivari vs. Bolly-Rise (Sunil/Martel) (**1/4) – 02.05.21

65) Bolly-Rise (Sunil/Parker) vs. Nese/Daivari (**1/4) – 04.03.21

64) Roderick Strong vs. Odyssey Jones (**1/4) – 10.15.21

63) Roderick Strong vs. Draco Anthony (**1/4) – 11.12.21

62) Odyssey Jones and Trey Baxter vs. Joe Gacy and Josh Briggs (**1/2) -09.10.21

61) Ikemen Jiro and August Grey vs. The Bollywood Boyz (**1/2) – 05.21.21

60) The Creed Brothers vs. Jacket Time (**1/2) – 12.03.21

59) Andre Chase vs, Malik Blade (**1/2) – 11.12.21

58) Indi Hartwell vs. Valentina Feroz (**1/2) – 11.12.21

57) Asher Hale vs. Guru Raaj (**1/2) – 07.23.21

56) Drake Maverick vs. Asher Hale (**1/2) – 07.30.21

55) Grayson Waller vs. Asher Hale (**1/2) – 06.18.21

54) Grayson Waller vs. August Gray (**1/2) – 06.25.21

53) Ikemen Jiro vs. Trey Baxter (**1/2) – 08.27.21

52) GVY vs. Jacket Time (**1/2) – 11.05.21

51) Grayson Waller vs. Trey Baxter (**1/2) – 10.08.21

50) Ariya Daivari vs. August Grey (**1/2) – 02.19.21

49) Ashante “Thee” Adonis vs. Ariya Daivari (**1/2) – 03.19.21

48) Josh Briggs vs. Asher Hale (**3/4) – 07.09.21

47) Dusty Classic: The Bollywood Boyz vs. Legado Del Fantasma (**3/4) – 01.15.21

46) Jake Atlas vs. Tony Nese (**3/4) – 02.12.21

45) Stallion, Adonis, Mansoor, Atlas vs. Bolly-Rise (**3/4) – 02.19.21

44) Ariya Daivari and Tony Nese vs. The Bollywood Boyz (**3/4) – 03.26.21

43) Kayden Carter and Kacy Catanzaro vs. Yulisa Leon and Valentina Feroz (**3/4) – 11.19.21

42) Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari vs. Asher Hale and Ari Sterling (**3/4) – 06.11.21

41) Asher Hale vs. Ariya Daivari (**3/4) – 05.14.21

40) KUSHIDA vs. Ari Sterling (**3/4) – 08.06.21

39) Ikemen Jiro vs. Tony Nese (**3/4) – 06.18.21

38) August Grey vs. Tony Nese (**3/4) – 02.26.21

37) Joe Gacy vs. Grayson Waller (***) – 08.20.21

36) Jiro/Grey vs. Nese/Daivari (***) – 05.07.21

35) Nese/Daivari vs. Bollywood Boyz (***) – 04.23.21

34) Mansoor vs. Jake Atlas (***) – 01.01.21

33) Curt Stallion and August Grey vs. The Bollywood Boyz (***) – 01.08.21

32) August Grey vs. Ariya Daivari (***) – 03.12.21

31) August Grey vs. Ashante “Thee” Adonis (***) – 03.26.21

30) Dusty Classic: Ciampa and Thatcher vs. Nese and Daivari (***) – 01.22.21

29) Dusty Classic: Blackheart and Moon vs. Stark and Shafir (***) – 01.29.21

28) Dusty Classic: Curt Stallion and August Grey vs. Drake Maverick and Killian Dain (***) 01.15.21

27) Ever-Rise and Curt Stallion vs. The Bollywood Boyz and Daivari (***) – 01.01.21

26) Trey Baxter vs. Andre Chase (***) – 09.17.21

25) Ikemen Jiro vs. Ariya Daivari (***) – 06.25.21

24) Jake Atlas vs. Ashante “Thee” Adonis (***) – 04.16.21

23) Jake Atlas vs. Ari Sterling (***) – 07.23.21

22) Asher Hale vs. Tony Nese (***) – 05.28.21

21) August Grey vs. Tony Nese (***) – 04.16.21

20) Ashante “Thee” Adonis vs. August Grey (***) – 04.23.21

19) Ari Sterling vs. Asher Hale (***) – 05.21.21

18) Grayson Waller vs. Andre Chase (***) – 08.27.21

17) Grayson Waller vs. Ikemen Jiro (***) – 08.13.21

16) Ashante “Thee” Adonis vs. Ariya Daivari (***) – 01.08.21

15) Leon Ruff vs. Grayson Waller (***1/4) – 08.06.21

14) Ari Sterling vs. Ariya Daivari (***1/4) – 05.28.21

13) August Grey and Jake Atlas vs. Ariya Daivari and Tony Nese (***1/4) – 03.05.21

12) Ari Sterling vs. Grayson Waller (***1/4) – 07.16.21

11) Ikemen Jiro vs. Grayson Waller (***1/4) – 07.30.21

10) Ariya Daivari vs. August Grey vs. Jake Atlas (***1/4) – 01.29.21

09) August Grey vs. Jake Atlas (***1/4) – 02.05.21

08) Ikemen Jiro vs. Andre Chase (***1/2) – 08.20.21

07) Ever-Rise vs. Nese/Daivari (***1/2) – 04.30.21

06) Jake Atlas vs. Tony Nese (***1/2) 03.19.21

05) Imperium vs. Ikemen Jiro and Trey Baxer (***1/2) – 10.01.21

04) August Gray vs. Ariya Daivari (***1/2) – 06.04.21

03) Tony Nese vs. Ari Sterling (***3/4) – 05.14.21

Another round of 205 Live OG vs. 205 Live Newbie! Sterling debuted last week in a win and the competition gets a little tougher this week. Nese gets an arm wringer quickly, but Sterling is able to flip his way out and get one of his own. Nese immediately backs him into a corner and then flips over off the top on a charge. He does some jumping jacks to show Sterling this is easy for him. Sterling gets a head scissors take over and then an arm drag into an arm bar. Nese uses an effective right hand to break and then lands kicks to the ribs. They fight on the apron and Sterling gets a unique trip that causes Nese to fall flat on his face. Nese bails and Sterling looks to fly, but Nese grabs his leg to stop that noise. They fight on the floor as Sterling fires off some chops. Nese uses the ring apron to gain an advantage and then resets the 10 count before going back out. He slings Sterling into the barricade and gets a one count back in the ring. Nese gets a mount to land some blows and then talks some crap. Nese works the leg, but Sterling gets to the ropes to break. Nese tries to pull him off and Sterling lands on his feet. He hits a back elbow and then a heavy lariat to the back of the neck. Nice! Running corner forearm and he tries a springboard into a sunset flip, but Nese rolls through and hits a nasty spinning kick square in the face for two. That was great! Nese goes to an old favorite the body scissors, but Sterling is able to land some elbows to break. Nese gets a whip into the corner that drops Sterling. He pops Sterling up top as he looks for a superplex, but Sterling is out and looks for a powerbomb. Nese block, but Sterling hits a flip into a rana that brings Nese off the top. Wow! That was sweet! Sterling launches his body at Nese to send him to the apron. He catches Nese with a spinning kick to send him to the floor and The Moonsauce nearly goes wrong, but he pulls it off. He looks for a springboard, but Nese catches him with a palm strike. Nese goes up, but the 450 misses. Sterling gets a roll-up for two and then they slug away in the middle of the ring. Nese gets dropped face first off a release suplex and a spinning axe kick gets two. Back to the apron as Sterling tries a suplex, but Nese floats over and gets a roll-up for two. Nese hits a running knee strike and then hits a compactor for two. Great near fall! Nese tells Sterling his doesn’t belong on his show, so Sterling hits a weak slap. Nese throws heavy blows and Sterling catches him with a knee. Sterling with a release powerbomb for two. Back up top for Sterling and again Nese is there to meet him. He fights Nese off and then blocks a palm strike in a nice counter. He leaps, but Nese is out of the way, so Sterling lands on his feet. Nese is right there though and gets a belly to back suplex into the buckles. The Running Nese finishes at 12:28.

Winner: Tony Nese via pin at 12:28
-This was wonderful and it was nice to see them given a decent amount of time. Nese winning is fine as he and Daivari don’t need to lose all these matches against the new guys. Easily one of the best matches in the 1 year I have been covering this show. Sterling has lots of potential and Nese is the MVP of this show so there was a feeling they could have a banger here.

02) Mansoor vs. Curt Stallion (***3/4) – 03.05.21

At this rate Mansoor is going to end up having the most matches this year for WWE as he is up to working both Main Event and 205 Live every week. Mansoor talks a little crap before the lockup and Stallion gets a side headlock into a take down. Mansoor breaks and gets a front facelock, but Stallion reverses to an attempted guillotine. Mansoor escapes and gets a hammerlock, but Stallion gets a drop toehold and floats over with a side headlock. The pace quickens as they run the ropes and Mansoor trips up Stallion and gets a cradle for a two count. Another go and this time Stallion is ready and gets a dead lift German Suplex into a bridge for a two count. Snap suplex is followed by a jumping knee and that gets another two count for Stallion. Mansoor escapes another guillotine attempt and ducks a clothesline before delivering one of his own. Nice clothesline to boot! They trade blows in the corner and Mansoor hits the running clothesline in the corner. Again, one of my favorite moves (Hogan fan) and one I always use with any created wrestler in wrestling video games. Mansoor looks for a sunset flip, but Stallion rolls through and lands a double stomp to leave both men down. They throw blows in the middle of the ring and Stallion hits Air Raid Crash after ducking a clothesline. Stallion hits a running forearm in the corner and then a running knee. He follows with a basement dropkick and then a sick DDT into the bottom turnbuckle. That was nasty! They trade roll-ups and switches before Mansoor gets a double underhook suplex for two. Stallion is out as Mansoor struggles to get him back to his feet, but he was playing possum as he blasts Mansoor with a headbutt that sends Mansoor to the floor. Stallion follows out with a dive and then fires Mansoor back into the ring. Stallion heads up, but the splash catches nothing but knees. Mansoor heads up, but took too long as Stallion catches him and connects with another headbutt. Spanish Fly gets a two count as Mansoor gets his toe on the bottom rope to break. Damn! Stallion dives for another headbutt, but Mansoor ducks and Stallion goes headfirst into the top buckle. That looked great! The slingshot neckbreaker finishes for Mansoor at 10:26.

Winner: Mansoor via pin at 10:26
-This was awesome and the second-best (now third-best) match I’ve seen in my run reviewing this show (Swerve/Nese from last June). These guys clicked her and probably best match from Mansoor outside his win over Cesaro. Definitely check this match out this week and at this point they may as well go with Mansoor as the next challenger to Escobar

01) Mansoor vs. August Grey (***3/4) – 04.03.21

-No clue why this isn’t the Main Event as Mansoor is undefeated and Grey has been built up rather well and I figured was due for a Cruiserweight Title shot soon. Nigel brings up that Mansoor knocked off Angel Garza this past week on Main Event and you can find my review here. Speaking of which, can we get Garza on this show and back on NXT? Lockup to start and Grey gets a go behind, but Mansoor reverses into a hammerlock. Grey fights his way into a side headlock which Mansoor tries to counter with a belly to back suplex, but Grey rolls through to maintain control. Nice! Mansoor shifts his weight to get a two count, but Grey shifts back into the hold. Nigel mentions Mansoor is looking to run his record to 45-0. Mansoor tries to quicken the pace, but Grey grounds him with another headlock. Back to their feet and and Mansoor rolls through a victory roll and gets a standing moonsault for two. Some nasty chops from Mansoor, but he gets caught in the corner and gets flipped inside out off a belly to back suplex. Vic brings up that Jordan Devlin is the longest reigning Cruiserweight Champion even going back to WCW days. Mansoor gets a reverse chinlock and Grey tries to roll out, but Mansoor rolls with him to keep control. A nice snap suplex from Mansoor gets a two count and then he goes right back to the reverse chinlock while also controlling the arm. Mansoor delivers an elbow and hits a clothesline for two. Back to the chinlock, but Grey is able to break and Mansoor ends up on the floor after a rope running sequence. Grey hits a suicide dive and then back in walks the ropes into the crossbody that he used to win last week. He follows up with a jawbreaker into a neckbreaker. They then go through a crazy sequence with counters into 7 different two counts. Mansoor ends the flurry with a boot to the face and then a release German Suplex. A Mansoor charge in the corner ends up eating a boot. Grey tries the Tornado DDT, but Mansoor uses his power to block. In a sick spot Mansoor tries to spring up to Grey on the top, Grey catches him off the rebound with a side Russian Leg Sweep. Fantastic! Grey tries another belly to back, but Mansoor lands on his feet and plants Grey with a slam into a Flatliner. He heads up and the moonsault misses, but he lands on his feet only to get caught with a superkick. Grey immediately follows with a modified powerbomb into a pin for two in a great near fall. So Much Prettier is hit, but Mansoor ends up falling to the floor which is a horrible break for Grey. The ref gets his count up to 9 and Grey heads to the floor to break as he doesn’t want to end the streak that way. That is admirable, but also pretty dumb. Sure enough Mansoor gets an inside cradle for the win at 10:58.

Winner: Mansoor via pin at 10:58
-This was great as both men come out looking strong. They have to pull the trigger on one of these two at some point as the next challenger to whoever ends up with the Cruiserweight Title. This should have been the match to close the show this week and I want to see this one again with the entire show devoted to the match.

-Thanks for counting down all these matches with me. As you can see, we certainly lost a lot when the division was gutted. Still for a brief this show routinely put out some of the best in ring wrestling on a weekly basis. Thanks for reading!