The Muscle of El Monte returns to 205 Live!

Ari Sterling’s been running hot, but look who’s back in 205 Live! Jake Atlas wants to show there’s still a long way to go before The Sauce is ready!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Guru Raaj VS Asher Hale; Hale wins.
• Jake Atlas VS Ari Sterling; Atlas wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

Guru Raaj VS Asher Hale!

Yes, we saw these two face off just last week, and the Highest Flying Wrestler in India took the win! But will The Saint redeem himself in this sudden rematch?

The bell rings and the two circle. They feel out the grapple as fans rally up, and the two tie up. They go around and break, fans duel and the two go again. Hale gets a leg, trips Raaj, but Raaj kicks him away. They reset, tie up again, and Raaj headlocks. Hale rolls free but Raaj is back with another headlock. Hale rolls free again but Raaj facelocks. Hale slips out to facelock back, but Raaj fights up and wrenches to a wristlock. Raaj reels Hale into a clinch, but Hale powers out, only for Raaj to run him over! Cover, ONE, and Hale bails out. Raaj waits as Hale cools off. The ring count climbs to 5 of 10, Hale gets in at 7.

Hale and Raaj go again, Raaj gets a leg but Hale stays up to wrench and wristlock. Hale wrenches, wrangles Raaj down and has the wristlock. Raaj rolls, gets up and wrenches Hale back. Fans cheer for “205! 205!” as Hale rolls and wrangles Raaj down. Raaj kicks Hale away then dropkicks him down! Fans fire up as Raaj hits a big headlock takeover! Hale gets frustrated and he pushes back with a chinbar. Fans rally and duel as Hale fights up to his feet. Raaj uses the corner to go up and around and hit another takeover! Hale is upset again and Raaj keeps shrugging off the chinbar. Hale fights up, goes to the corner and Raaj uses the corner again!

Hale shoves Raaj away but he runs into a hip toss! Raaj clotheslines Hale at the ropes, then clotheslines him up and out! Raaj checks his own hand, he might’ve overdone it. Hale gets up slowly but gets to ringside at 6 of 10. Raaj reaches for Hale but Hale trips him up! Fans fire up as Hale spins Raaj and gets him on the apron for a NECK TWIST! Raaj writhes under the ropes while Hale seethes. Hale goes in, BOOTS Raaj down, then stomps him all around! Hale eggs Raaj on, KICKS him in the back, then gets him up. Fans duel, “ASH! ER SUCKS!” “NO!” as Hale reels Raaj in, and SNAP HALF HATCH SUPLEXES! Float to a cover, TWO!!

Raaj is still in this but Hale is still on him by tying up the legs. Hale just sits on the figure four knot, the Indian Deathlock, and Raaj suffers. Hale bridges back for the MUTA LOCK! Raaj endures, fans rally and duel even harder, but Hale twists and turns Raaj around in the hold! Raaj still endures so Hale lets him go to push him around. Hale stands Raaj up to EuroUpper! Raaj staggers to a corner and Hale KICKS him down. Hale kicks and stomps and eggs Raaj on, then KICKS him more! Raaj fires up to throw body shots! Raaj backs Hale down to a corner, RAMS into him, then throws him back in for more shoulders! Hale can’t get away as Raaj keeps RAMMING him!

The ref counts, Raaj lets off but Hale pushes the bulldog away! Hale waistlocks, Raaj switches, then Raaj ducks the back elbow to KICK a leg, and basement dropkick Hale down! Hale staggers up into Raaj’s headlock, for the BULLDOG! Cover, TWO!! Hale survives but Raaj drags Hale back up. Raaj reels Hale in, Hale wrenches out to sweep the legs! Raaj ducks the buzzsaw to trip Hale up! LA MAGISTROL! TWO!! Hale gets free, but Raaj wants a backslide! Hale resists, this is what got him last time! Raaj drops, Hale rolls through and KICKS Raaj, to reel him in for a ROLLING NECKBREAKER! Hale gets Raaj back up, hooks him up, FISHERMAN BUSTER!! Cover, Hale wins!

Winner: Asher Hale, by pinfall

The Saint redeems himself and ties things up with Raaj, 1-1! Will Hale and Raaj come right back next week for the tiebreaker? Or will both men need a little time to make sure they’re both 100% first?

Jake Atlas VS Ari Sterling!

The purple ‘n’ orange means so much to the Muscle of El Monte, he couldn’t help but want to be back. And while he’s still pretty young in his career, he wants to show the newest wave where he stands in the division. Will The Sauce be the one getting burned tonight?

The bell rings, the two circle and fans duel already. Ari and Atlas tie up, Atlas gets around to the waistlock but Ari blocks the lift. Ari moves around, reaches back, and uses his headlock to get free. Atlas chinbars to spin Ari to a facelock, but Ari spins out. Atlas dodges to waistlock again, but Ari again resists. Ari switches, Atlas switches back, but Ari wrenches to a wristlock. Atlas rolls, slips through and waistlocks to finally SLAM Ari down. Atlas looms over Ari, brings him up, but Ari arm-drags him away! Atlas gets Ari back with an arm-drag of his own! Atlas eggs Ari on but Ari blocks the arm-drag! Atlas keeps trying but Ari keeps blocking.

Atlas whips, Ari reverses but Atlas reverses back, only for Ari to RANA! But Atlas handsprings through! Atlas wags his finger, then runs in to tilt-o-whirl headscissor! Ari handsprings through, though it could be cleaner. There’s a stand off and fans fire up. Atlas dodges the dropkick but Ari trips Atlas up. Cover, ONE! Atlas sweeps, covers, ONE! Ari waistlocks, drop toeholds and ties up legs to cover, TWO! Inside cradle, TWO! Atlas knees low and CHOPS Ari to a corner. Atlas whips corner to corner, Ari goes up but is put on the apron. Ari GAMANGIRIS Atlas, then slingshots to headscissor Atlas, only for Atlas to CALF KICK! Cover, TWO!

Atlas keeps cool, gets Ari up and scoops for a SLAM! Cover, TWO! Atlas gets around to waistlock Ari for a rear bearhug. Ari endures as Atlas shifts to a body scissors. Fans rally up as Ari elbows the legs. Ari pushes back, covers, TWO! Ari is free but Atlas scoops again for another SLAM! Cover, TWO! Atlas keeps his cool as Ari stays in this, and Atlas goes back to the rear bearhug. Ari endures the squeeze, even as Atlas leans on him. Ari gets the ropes, fans rally and duel as the ref calls for the ropebreak. Atlas ducks Ari’s back elbow, scoops, but Ari slips out to ROCK Atlas with haymakers! Atlas then spins Atlas to LARIAT! Ari keeps going, and he rallies with forearms!

Atlas staggers to a corner, Ari whips him corner to corner but Atlas reverses. Ari goes up an dover for a TWISTING SUNSET! Cover, ONE!! Atlas gets Ari turned around to KNEE him in the side! Cover, TWO! Atlas starts to get frustrated but he pulls Ari by his hair into the body scissors. Ari endures, even as Atlas adds a chinlock. Fans rally, Ari fights with back elbows and he gets free. Ari stands, brings Atlas up to throw BIG elbows, then another back elbow. Atlas staggers into the leg sweep, then Ari runs to SOMERSAULT AX KICK! Cover, TWO! Atlas survives but Ari keeps cool. Ari gets Atlas up but Atlas trips Ari to a HALF CRAB!

Ari endures as Atlas sits deep on the hold! Ari powers through to turn over and cradle! TWO, and Ari gets a COMPLETE SHOT! Cover, TWO! Ari grows frustrated now but he gets up. Atlas slowly rises, Ari scoops him, but no Baja Blast! Atlas JUMP KNEES and ROLLING ELBOWS! Atlas chicken wings and spins Ari but Ari elbows back! Ari runs, Atlas follows to uppercut! Atlas runs, into a JUMP KNEE from Ari! Ari runs but Atlas follows. Ari dodges, and again, and leaps, into Atlas’ arms! FALL AWAY SLAM! Cover, TWO! Atlas grits his teeth as fans rally up again. Atlas drags Ari to a drop zone and he goes up to. Ari rises and CHOPS Atlas first!

Ari throws forearms, positions Atlas, but Atlas CLUBS Ari. Ari ROCKS Atlas back, goes up to join Atlas, but Atlas shoves Ari away! Ari lands on his feet, comes back, NO HANDS STEINER! Cover, TWO!! Atlas survives and fans argue the count. Ari gets back to his feet, drags Atlas into the drop zone now, and stomps him down. Ari goes up and 450- NO! Atlas moves, CORNER GERMAN SUPLEX!! Ari is dazed, Atlas goes up top, CARTWHEEL DDT!! Cover, Atlas wins!

Winner: Jake Atlas, by pinfall

The Sauce was strong but Atlas was stronger! But there is also still respect between them. Will this win mean Atlas is heading back towards the Cruiserweight Championship gold?

My Thoughts:

Another good episode, and a part of me likes that they redid Raaj VS Hale already. Granted, there aren’t a lot of wrestlers under 205 Live after Nick Khan pissed all over it, but this could turn into a rivalry between Raaj and Hale that helps elevate them both. Then Atlas being back in 205 Live is really more because again, there’s no one in 205 Live anymore. But also, Atlas had that one bit in the Mixed Tag against Tian Shaw and that was a bit rough on Mercedes Martinez so it seems whatever more might’ve been planned was ditched. Atlas needs something to do, becoming the new top guy on 205 Live seems like a good spot for right now.

Also, it seemed like he was trying to wrestle the way Tony Nese wrestled, with more power and strikes than acrobatics. Commentary made note of it, and it’s not like Atlas can’t do it, but I feel like the style change created some stiffer, more awkward moments between him and Ari. Now more than ever, I feel like NXT really should try for more integration of 205 Live. Get the champion and other wrestlers normally on NXT over here on 205 Live to make people want to watch it. Of course, it feels like that request keeps getting repeated over and over, but that’s because it’s a good idea.

My Score: 8.1/10