205 Live brings back the Sauce!

Though they didn’t break out, the Cruiserweights of 205 Live always have a goal to strive for, and that is THE NXT Cruiserweight Championship! Will Ari Sterling, Grayson Waller, Asher Hale or Guru Raaj be in pole position on the purple ‘n ‘orange?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Guru Raaj VS Asher Hale; Raaj wins.
• Ari Sterling VS Grayson Waller; Sterling wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

Guru Raaj VS Asher Hale!

While neither man made it through their opponents the last couple of weeks, that doesn’t mean these two rising stars are burnt out! Will the Highest Flying Wrestler in India or the Saint of 205 Live rebound back up towards the title chase?

The bell rings and the two circle. Fans rally up, the two feel things out, and Hale gives a testing kick. Raaj stays up but Hale puts him in a corner. Raaj gets away and the two go again. They knuckle lock, Hale headlocks but Raaj powers out. Raaj is feeling great and the CWC like it, and he arm-drags Hale to a corner! Raaj keeps that energy, but Hale waistlocks to drag Raaj down. Hale floats around, waistlocks, but Raaj gets up to work on an escape. They move around, Raaj goes to ropes and he throws Hale out! Hale gets up in a huff but Raaj is still feeling good. Hale gets on the apron, shoulders into Raaj hard, then slingshots up and over.

Hale swings on Raaj but Raaj dodges, comes back and blocks hip toss to arm-drag! Hale comes back but into another another arm-drag, and then Raaj dropkicks him down! Raaj is fired up and Hale gets to a corner. Raaj sees Hale go to the apron and fans rally up, “Let’s Go, Guru!” Hale slowly gets up and Raaj is after him, but Hale gets away. Hale throws body shots through the corner, then pulls Raaj’s hair for a HOTSHOT NECKBREAKER on the crossbar! Raaj falls, Hale gets him up and TOSSES Raaj into boards! Hale refreshes the count, dares Raaj to get up, then KICKS him around the way! Hale puts Raaj in the ring, smirks as he drags Raaj, but Raaj is dead weight.

Hale decides to NECK TWIST Raaj with his feet! And then a scuffing kick! The Saint is a sinner tonight as he taunts and kicks Raaj around. Hale digs his knee into Raaj’s back, and has a neck wrench with his hands. Hale pulls on an arm, gets Raaj up, but Raaj throws body shots! Hale EuroUppers Raaj off his feet then stomps him in the ribs. Hale gets Raaj up again, reels him in, but Raaj blocks the suplex. So Hale gives him a stiff DDT! Cover, TWO!! Raaj survives and Hale snarls. Hale gets Raaj up, suplexes, but Raaj counters to a cradle! TWO, and Raaj turns around into Hale’s POWERSLAM! Cover, TWO! Another cover, TWO! A third, ONE!!

Hale is getting mad as Raaj gets up in a corner. Fans rally, Hale runs corner to corner, but Raaj boots! Hale blocks it, puts the leg on the ropes, and gets the other. Raaj boots free, bobs ‘n’ weaves and fires off body shots! Hale knees hard, clinches to throw more knees, but Raaj blocks and shoves! Raaj runs in to RAM Hale in a corner! Raaj won’t let Hale get away, he keeps RAMMING in his shoulder! The ref counts, Raaj headlocks and BULLDOGS! Cover, TWO! Hale is still in this but Raaj gets him up. Raaj fisherman’s but Hale wrenches free! Raaj breaks the wristlock to KICK the legs over and over! Raaj SHOTGUN DROPKICKS Hale down! Cover, TWO! Raaj grits his teeth as Hale survives!

Hale gets up and KNEES Raaj in the ribs! Hale stomps Raaj’s hands, reels him in, back drop to a flurry of stomps! Hale gets Raaj up again but Raaj CHOPS him! Hale tries again, but Raaj lands on his feet to backslide! Raaj wins!!

Winner: Guru Raaj, by pinfall

Hale is furious that “rookie” Raaj got him! Is the Guru wise beyond his years? Will he be slowly but surely head for the Cruiserweight Championship gold?

Ari Sterling VS Grayson Waller!

After Cameron Grimes cooled him off, The Sauce is back and ready to heat things up again! But the 21st Century Success Story wants to snap back from being smashed by Odyssey Jones in the worst way possible. Will Ari burn it up on the purple ‘n’ orange? Or will Waller be baller with this rebound in the paint?

The bell rings and fans rally for Ari. He and Waller circle, Waller tries testing kicks, and he corners Ari for a second. Waller backs off, he ties up with Ari, and they go around the ring and along the ropes. Waller shoves Ari away and says he’s big and strong, too. They tie up again but Ari shows his strength with a shove. They go again, Waller arm-drags but Ari holds onto the collar ‘n’ elbow. They get up, end up in a corner, and Waller pushes Ari’s face as he lets off. Ari cools off, Waller gets around him, but Ari resists the lift. Fans rally, Waller gets the slam, and then floats to the facelock. Waller floats around again to slap Ari around, but Ari gets up to stare Waller down.

The two go again, Ari waistlocks and Ari gets the slam! Ari has a full mount and slaps Waller around, but Waller gets away to the apron. Fans rally as the two reset. They tie up, Waller goes for an arm, and Waller wrenches. Ari wrenches back to a wristlock, but Waller rolls, handsprings, wrenches and then pie faces Ari. Ari shoves Waller, Waller shoots in to get a waistlock. Ari wrenches free, Waller wrenches back, and Waller kicks Ari’s legs. Ari stays up, rolls, handsprings and flips to WRING Waller, to an armlock! Fans fire up for Ari as he facelocks. Waller gets up as fans rally for “205! 205!” Ari whips, Waller goes up and over and rolls to taunt Ari.

Ari runs in, Waller dodges but Ari goes up and over now! Ari taunts Waller and baits him into the corner! Ari slips to the apron to ROUNDHOUSE Waller, then slingshots in to headscissor Waller away! Waller ends up in the opposite corner, Ari runs in but Waller elbows him away! Waller goes up, jumps and flying arm-drags Ari! Ari gets up and dodges, but handsprings over Waller’s dropdown! Waller trips Ari, stares him down, and things speed up more. Ari hurdles, Waller handsprings, and Waller talks trash only to get run over! Ari grins, he returns the handspring but Waller trips him up! Fans boo but that was clever! Waller CLUBS Ari down, then looms over him.

Waller stomps Ari to ropes, Ari hits back, but Waller wraps Ari’s arm around ropes! The ref counts, Waller lets off, and he gets Ari back up. Fans rally as Waller drops knees into ribs. Ari throws forearms, Waller KICKS away on the leg! Waller hits an ARMBAR DDT! There’s at least one shrill child that thinks “ARI SUCKS!” Waller digs his foot into Ari’s face, the ref reprimands and Waller lets off. Waller gets Ari’s bad arm and isolates it so he can stomp it! Ari clutches the elbow, Waller kicks him in the back! Waller gets Ari up, Ari counters the suplex to a cradle, TWO! Waller takes out a leg! Fans fire up as Waller gets Ari in a motorcycle stretch.

Ari resists, Waller clubs the arms and pulls Ari back! Ari endures the knee in his back, fans rally up, and Ari fights up to his feet. Waller isolates the bad arm but Ari arm-drags free. Waller dodges, but so does Ari! Ari sunset flips, Waller stays up and drags Ari into a TRIANGLE HOLD! Ari scrambles to the ropebreak! The ref counts, Waller lets off, LEG LARIAT! Cover, TWO! Waller is annoyed that Ari survives, and he argues the count with the ref. The count is the count, so Waller just swaggers to get back into the right mindset. Waller wraps Ari’s bad arm on the ropes again, lets off as the ref counts, and then goes up the corner to DUMDUM STOMP the bad arm!

Ari clutches the arm, Waller clamps on and gets the FUJIWARA! Ari endures, crawls, and gets the ropebreak! Waller thrashes as the ref counts, and lets off at 4! Waller stomps Ari, avoids his kicks, but Ari body shots and haymakers! Ari CLUBS Waller, Waller mule kicks and EDDY GORDOS! Cover, TWO!! Ari survives and Waller seethes as he drags Ari up again. Waller torture racks, Ari clasps hands to resist the stretch! Ari fights with his good arm but Waller hits an Argentine Backbreaker to an INVERTED ROLLING SENTON! Waller hammerlocks the bad arm as he has Ari on the ground. Ari snarls, fights up and fans rally behind him!

Ari throws haymakers, CHOPS and repeat! Waller staggers but BOOTS Ari right back down! Waller catches his breath as he gets up, and he watches Ari sit up. Waller gives toying kicks, “I’m not impressed with your performance!” Waller drops elbows and asks, “This is it?!” Waller gets Ari up and goes after the bad arm, but Ari resists the Kimura! Ari throws body shots, Waller wants the double wristlock! Ari throws more body shots and then throws Waller out. Waller lands on his feet but Ari springboards, only for Waller to intercept! Waller drags Ari out with a sleeper! Ari RAMS Waller into apron, arm-drags him off, but Waller BOOTS him again!

The ring count is climbing, Waller goes up and slingshots in to stomp the bad arm! Waller drags Ari into the ring, CLUBS the bad arm, and CLUBS it again. Waller throws body shots but Ari gives forearms! Ari has Waller in a corner, Waller boots him again, then gets up for a DRAPING ARMBAR! The ref counts, Waller lets off, and then Waller somersaults in for the STUNNER! Waller goes up the corner, BALLER ELBOW! Cover, TWO!?! Ari survives and Waller is shocked most of all! Waller watches Ari flounder around and he kicks him down. Fans rally up as Waller gets Ari around to a cobra twist, and then just furious elbows!

Waller clamps harder on the cobra twist but Ari endures! Fans rally back up as Ari fights free and throws elbows. Ari turns things around to rain down rights! Waller wants the Triangle, but then settles for an armbar! Ari clasps hands, moves around, but Waller resists the cover. Ari dead lifts to SLAM Waller, but Waller holds onto the bad arm! Ari stomps Waller in the face! Ari is free, Waller staggers up and fans fire up as Ari ROCKS him with forearms! Waller can’t get his guard up but he kicks the bad arm! Ari catches the clothesline, spins Waller and CLOBBERS him! Ari rallies, runs and WHEEL KICKS!

Waller and Ari are up, fans duel and Ari fires forearms! The bad arm still works enough to back elbow Waller to the apron! Waller shoulders in, but into a kick! Ari runs side to side to SOMERSAULT AX KICK! Waller staggers around on the outside, Ari takes aim, and gives him some MOON-SAUCE! Direct hit and down goes Waller! Fans fire up again and Ari gets Waller up! Ari puts Waller in the ring, fans are fired up for “205! 205!” again, and Ari is up top! Ari aims, for a 450- NO! Waller moves, Ari lands on his feet, but Ari ducks the Leap Frog Stomp! Ari ROCKS Waller, runs corner to corner, but Waller boots him. Ari rolls through to come back, NO HANDS STEINER!!

Waller staggers up, Ari fires up, scoop and BAJA BLAST 86!! Cover, Ari wins!!

Winner: Ari Sterling, by pinfall

Perhaps the hardest fought match for both men since coming to the WWE, and in the end, the Sauce toughs it out and overcomes! Will Ari be waiting in the wings as the NXT Cruiserweight Champion, Kushida, has scores to settle?

My Thoughts:

A very good episode for 205 Live now that we’re past the Breakout Tournament qualifiers. Both matches tonight could’ve gone either way, though there was a good detail that Waller was still undefeated in his weight class, aka Cruiserweight division competition. Raaj VS Hale just had that one rough spot where Raaj’s counter to a suplex inadvertently turned into Hale’s DDT, but he recovered well from it. Raaj winning does make sense, he’s new and looks to have some promise in the Cruiserweight Division given how good he looked back at Superstar Spectacle.

Ari VS Waller was very good, and I guess they figured to just get through with Waller’s “undefeated against Cruiserweights” streak. Though Ari was essentially a Heel in his match with Grimes, he’s a Face on 205 Live and most of the fans seemed to be on his side. There needs to be more integration between NXT and 205 Live, I want to see Ari to get a chance at the Cruiserweight title at some point. Maybe part of why the Breakout Tournament’s prize is a shot for any title is a way to say the winner, if under 205 pounds, could challenge for the Cruiserweight title to elevate the division even more. It probably won’t happen but even just a tease of it would be the best WWE’s done with this division in a long time.

My Score: 8.2/10