Leighty’s WWE 205 Live Review 10.22.21

-As a reminder my retro review of Halloween Havoc 1996 will be going up this weekend. Thanks for all the comments as I have traveled back 25 years and checked out some of the PPVs from WCW and WWF. My plan is to get to Survivor Series 96 next. Now to what passes for 205 Live these days. Let’s get to it!

-Announce Team: Vic Joseph and Nigel McGuiness
-Taped: WWE PC, Orlando, FL

Amari Miller and Valentina Feroz vs. Kataina Cortez and Yulisa Leon

-Valentina and Cortez start with a handshake and then Valentina gets a arm takedown, but Coretz escapes and gets a side headlock. They jostle for a bit and then the tag is made to Leon. Feroz gets an armdrag, but Leon springs to the top and gets a head scissors take down before tagging to Cortez. She comes off the top with a missile dropkick. Feroz gets a roll-up for two, but Cortez back to the side headlock. Fortez throws forearms and is able to get to her corner for the tag. Leon in as well and Miller wins a strike exchange. Slam from Leon and then she gets a roll-up for two as Feroz is back in to break up the fall. All four women in and they fight which ends with Feroz and Cortez hitting the floor. Miller gets the win with her craveat into a knee strike for the win at 3:44.

Winners: Amari Miller and Valentia Feroz via pin at 3:44
-Nothing to really rate here as it was too short and your bare bones tag match for the newbies.

-We go back to The Poker Room with Duke Hudson from NXT2.0 this past week. Okay then! Oh, I see, Hudson is facing Malik Blade next.

-NXT2.0 Shop commercial!

-NXT Halloween Havoc commercial!

Malik Blade vs. Duke Hudson

-Crowd loves Blade as he is the hometown kid. I mean Hudson just had a vignette shown and custom music, so Blade is toast here. Lockup to start and Hudson powers Blade into the corner. Clean break and we have another go and Blade gets a side headlock. Hudson shoves off and gets a shoulder block. The crowd lets him know “you still suck.” Have I mentioned lately how great it is to have crowds back again? Hudson dumps Blade to the floor to clown him a bit. Blade tries to sweep the leg and by sheer force gets it done and back to the side headlock again. Another leg sweep followed by a mule kick. He heads up top, but gets caught and tossed with an overhead belly to belly. “You still suck,” again from the crowd. Hudson gets a slam and throws some heavy clubbing blows to the back. Another slam gets a two count. Jawbreaker from Blade as he fights from underneath. He catches Hudson with an elbow and fires off clotheslines followed by a dropkick. Running clothesline in the corner and Blade comes off the top with a crossbody for a close near fall. They had me buying that one as the kickout was at the perfect time. Blade gets launched into a flapjack and a hard right follows. Hudson tells Blade, “better luck next time,” and plants him face first into the mat which gets the pin at 5:30.

Winner: Duke Hudson via pin at 5:30
-This had wonderful heat thanks to the crowd being so behind Blade. That place is going to go crazy when he finally gets a win on this show. Blade impressed me more, but Hudson is bigger and who they are pushing. This was fine. **

-Survivor Series commercial! Big E vs Reigns should BANG!

-Rundown of Halloween Havoc card.

Jeet Rama vs. Xyon Quinn

-Handshake to start! Rama gets an arm, but Quinn shoves him off rather easily. Another go as Rama gets a waistlock, but Quinn counters with a side headlock. Leg trip by Rama and he grabs an arm again, but Quinn is up to his feet quickly and gets a float over into a headlock. Rama elbows out and avoids a charge in the corner. Suplex from Rama doesn’t even get a one count. Rama back to the arm and shoulder and he maintains the hold as Quinn tries to roll him off. Quinn just uses his power, but Rama drops him and goes to a standing armbar. He throws some knees and gets a hard whip into the corner. Rama gets a taste of his own medicine as he gets sent hard into the corner and both men are down. Rama first to his feet and he goes back to work on the arm and shoulder. Quinn breaks and uses raw strength to get a slam for two. Back elbow and strikes thrown by Quinn. He gets an inverted atomic drop and then a clothesline. He tosses Rama across the ring and gets a running shoulder in the corner. Another throw across the ring and another running shoulder in the corner. Samoan Drop and SuperMan punch finishes at 5:18.

Winner: Xyon Quinn via pin at 5:18
-Another basic match that was used to showcase Quinn. I am liking what I see from both guys and getting these chances to work will only help them. This was also fine. **

-Jeet and Quinn shake hands after the match and we are out with Quinn posing to the crowd.

-Thanks for reading!

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

Not a good show, but also not a bad show which is the definition of average. I still am not a fan of the 3 match format, but considering this is basically 205 Live Elevation perhaps keeping the matches short for those involved is a good thing. Now if they would just change the name!