Plans change but the action remains the same!

Yes, yes, last week there were advertised qualifiers for the NXT Breakout Tournament, but things get forgotten in the shuffle. Even so, witness the WWE in-ring debuts of Odyssey Jones and Josh Briggs!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Josh Briggs VS Asher Hale; Briggs wins.
• Odyssey Jones VS Grayson Waller; Jones wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

Josh Briggs VS Asher Hale!

The tallest man to ever be on 205 Live uses pain to feel alive, and he might be living his best life right here! But will the Saint use him to rebound from the loss to Roderick Strong?

The bell rings and the two circle. Fans are on Hale’s side but Briggs doesn’t let that bother him. Some fans do cheer Briggs on as he scoops and SLAMS Hale fast! Hale gets around for a leg guard, goes after a leg, but Briggs stays up in the corner. Briggs shoves Hale away, storms up to him, but Hale tries a drop toehold. Briggs stays up, reels him in and choke grips, but Hale goes after the arm! Briggs stays up again and scoops, but Hale knees free of the sidewalk slam to get around the back. Hale wants a backslide but Briggs is way to big for that! Hale uses the corner to go up and over and reel Briggs into an inside package! Cover, TWO!

Briggs gets up, Hale dodges him and dropkicks him out! Hale goes to the apron and SLIDING KNEES! Briggs staggers but gets in the ring. Hale hurries but Briggs choke grips and gives Hale a HIP TOSS BACKBREAKER! Briggs stomps Hale down, paces around, then brings Hale back up. Briggs whips Hale hard into a corner and Hale bounces off the buckles! Cover, TWO! Hale survives but Briggs looms over him. Fans rally as Briggs CLUBS Hale down, then Briggs brings him up in a suplex. Hale fights that, rolls Briggs back to the cradle, TWO! Briggs scoops for a SIDEWALK SLAM then SPLAH! Cover, TWO! Hale gasps and sputters but he’s still in this!

Briggs stalks Hale but Hale throws body shots! Hale kicks from below, Briggs shoves him down and drops an elbow! Cover, TWO! Briggs gets annoyed and he wraps on a chinlock. He grinds Hale but fans rally up. Hale fights up, throws body shots, but Briggs CLUBS him again! Briggs grins as he looms over Hale this time. Hale crawls with a leg guard ready, but Briggs blocks the kick to drop another elbow! Briggs paces around, almost toying with Hale as he dares him to get up. Fans still rally behind Hale but Briggs throws back elbows in the corner! Briggs lets off, runs side to side, and BOOTS Hale down! Briggs glares at the camera before he goes back after Hale. Cover, TWO!!

Briggs is annoyed but Hale bails out of the ring. Briggs goes out after Hale but Hale gets back in the ring. Briggs gets up but Hale KICKS him in the ropes! And again! And again! Hale hammers away, builds speed, but Briggs BOOTS him right back down! Briggs steadies himself while Hale sits up in a daze. Briggs drives in elbows then clamps on an armlock. Fans rally, Hale fights up and throws forearms! Hale throws more body shots, winces but runs, and turns kitchen sink knee into a roll up! Briggs stays up but Hale avoids the knee drop! Briggs hobbles, Hale bobs ‘n’ weaves and fires off strikes! Hale has Briggs covering up but Briggs knees low.

Briggs whips, Hale ducks and dropkicks the leg! Hale ENZIGURIS, Briggs goes to a corner! Hale runs corner to corner, blocks a boot and puts it in the ropes! Hale gets the other leg and blows a kiss before the DRAPING DRAGON SCREW! Briggs clutches his legs, Hale brings him up and TORNADO DDTs! Cover, but to a CROSSFACE! Briggs endures, fans rally and duel, and Briggs crawls his way over, only for Hale to shift to an ANKLE LOCK! Hale leans on the hold, but Briggs turns around to boot Hale away! Briggs is up, choke grips, but Hale makes the choke slam into a wheelbarrow! Victory roll, TWO! BUZZSAW! Briggs is down, Hale covers, TWO!?! Briggs survives but Hale goes up top!

Fans are fired up as Hale aims, for a DOUBLE- No, Hale has to bail out as Briggs moves. Briggs boots to then LARIATO!! Cover, Briggs wins!!

Winner: Josh Briggs, by pinfall

A very Stan Hanson or even JBL level clothesline, Briggs wins by giving tribute to his role models! Will Briggs follow their examples and become a top name in the near future?

Backstage interview with Grayson Waller.

With NXT announcing the Breakout Tournament field, and his opponent tonight being named and not Waller, how does Waller feel about that? “Most people would be upset, but I’m not. If I was put in that tournament, I would’ve been offended. I’ve already broken out, I’m undefeated, you’ve seen it!” But Waller hears a lot of chatter from these guys. They’ve got an opportunity, they’re suddenly got courage and now they’re talking. That’s put a chip on Waller’s shoulder. Waller knows Odyssey Jones is the biggest and the baddest in the bracket, but Waller likes to fight. Jones may be real big and real strong, but Waller’s fit, fast and handsome! Everything Jones isn’t.

So tonight, Waller promises to show Jones that Waller isn’t in the Breakout Tournament with Jones because Waller isn’t the future. He’s the now! Will Waller be feeling baller after taking on The Odyssey? Speaking of…

Odyssey Jones speaks.

“Yes, Odyssey Jones is finally here! It is my moment, it is my time!” He’s been waiting patiently since 2019 to do what he does best, and that is compete! He knows what this tournament can do for him and for his career. Waller better watch out because he’ll be a good little warm-up to see where he is. Everyone at home watching might as well join the journey now! Odyssey Jones is here to stay! Will Jones’ epic be what sends the 21st Century Success Story on a detour?

Odyssey Jones VS Grayson Waller!

Where Briggs was the tallest, Odyssey Jones is the heaviest man to ever be on the purple ‘n’ orange! Forget 205 Live, he’s making this into 405 Live! Will that advantage alone make a big dent in Waller’s undefeated streak?

The bell rings and fans are fired up for Jones as he circles with Waller. Waller uses kicks to test the waters but Jones shrugs them off. Jones blocks a kick, Waller rolls to get away, and Jones nods, liking Waller’s agility. Waller comes back with more testing shots but Jones gets serious with him now. Jones corners Waller, the ref calls for the ropebreak and Jones backs up. Waller comes back and wants a test of strength? Jones says alright then, but Waller kicks low! Waller headlocks, but he can’t get the takeover! Jones powers up but Waller holds tight. Jones still powers out and then runs Waller over! Waller gets up in a huff, runs, but Jones runs him over again!

Things speed up, Waller hurdles but gets POUNCED out of the ring! Jones dares the “little man” to get back in! Waller is mad, storms around the announce desk and gets in the ring. Waller gets a leg but Jones throws him off. Waller comes back but Jones again throws him off. A third try but Jones CLUBS Waller down! Jones stands Waller up, bumps him off buckles then splashes! Jones whips corner to corner, runs in and SPLASHES again! Fans fire up as Jones TOSSES Waller across the ring! Waller gets to the corner but Jones is on him again for another TOSS! Jones stalks Waller, and gives him a big headbutt! Jones runs but Waller dumps him out!

Waller builds speed while Jones gets up, and Waller DIVES! Jones catches him!? And pops him around, but Waller slips off to POST him! Waller leaves Jones behind and the ring count is 5 of 10! Jones gets up at 7, on the apron at 8, but Waller goes after him! Jones ROCKS Waller, steps in, but Waller EDDY GORDOS! Waller goes to the rope, GUILLOTINE BALLER ELBOW DROP! Jones is dazed, Waller kicks him around, even toys with him. Waller gets Jones up and clubs him to a corner to throw body shots. Jones turns things around to fire off hands of his own! The ref counts, Waller goes up and gets the DRAPING TRIANGLE! Waller lets go at 4 and then gets in to tilt-o-whirl, for the GUILLOTINE!

Waller squeezes as tight as he can but Jones is too big and too strong for body scissors! Jones gets up, powers Waller through and hits a BIG suplex! Fans fire up as Jones and Waller rise. Jones swings but Waller spins him and cravats for knees! Waller boots, Jones stays up, so Waller hits a ROLLING ELBOW! Waller goes out, somersaults in, and hits the STUNNER! LEG LARIAT! Cover, ONE?!?! Waller hurries to the corner, BALLER ELBOW! Cover, TWO?!? Waller is surprised that Jones survives but Waller keeps on him with clubbing forearms. Waller gets Jones’ arm and drags him in to the TRIANGLE! Jones endures, fans rally, but Waller throws hands!

Waller squeezes as tight as he can but Jones gets his second wind! Jones dead lifts and POWERBOMBS Waller down! Fans fire up as Waller slowly rises, and Jones DOUBLE CHOPS! Jones scoops and SLAMS Waller, then RAMS him into the corner! Jones puts Waller on the top rope for a DOUBLE AX HANDLE! Waller is gasping, Jones runs corner to corner to back body block! Jones scoops Waller, for a WORLD’S STRONGEST SLAM!! Cover, Jones wins!

Winner: Odyssey Jones, by pinfall

With those checkers on his gear, you might as well king Jones right there! But with this, the Odyssey begins, will he break out, #SoundtheAlarm, and take the tournament?

My Thoughts:

Though there wasn’t proper planning between 205 Live and NXT, causing these matches to no longer be qualifiers and turning them into predictable showcase matches, this was still a very good episode. Hale gave Briggs a great fight, but Briggs is big and mean, it makes sense he’s one of the eight. Odyssey Jones is big but not mean, he’s very charismatic. His promo was very good, and it really lets us know that yes, they wanted to do this tournament again last year and he would’ve been in it then, so he’s going to be in it now and I really hope he goes far in it.

My Score: 8.3/10