205 Live Roll call: As generic as a roll call as you'd expect it to be. Mustafa Ali has been promoted to main roster status as has Ho Ho, so I'm a happy camper. Plus Akira and Gallagher are here

The commentary team is Renalo, Corey Graves and AUSTIN ARIES.

Bollywood Boyz video package: Awesome! Pretty much the same video package/promo as you got during the CWC except they're together. One gets emotional when they're talking about their blind 90 y/o grandpa

The Bollywood Boyz vs Tony Nese and Drew Gulak- Pretty average TV match. Props to the Bollywood Boyz for bringing the crowd, who I imagine is recovering from the Smackdown taping earlier, into the match. 4.5/10

Gulak and Nese post match promo- Charly asks them the generic what are your thoughts promo. Drew sounds like he's cutting a promo after having been jarred from a nap and bombs it. Charly looks super confused. Tony Nese cuts a much better promo and bitches about the ring being shit. It was a good, unique promo in concept, but if you worked on the indy scene for 10 years shouldn't WWE rings be a godsend?

Noam Dar promo- Bad. You know it's bad because I had to turn the subtitles on and restart it. He also said, "I'm a cool cat." How is this man a babyface

Brian Kendrick interview. Awesome until TJP showed up. TJP reminds Kendrick he owes him a rematch and wishes him luck.

Gran Metallik hype video: Not bad production wise, but out of place on this interview heavy show


Ariya Daivari vs Jack Gallagher. Like the Bollywood Boyz before him, Gallagher managed to get the crowd into the match. Popped for all his comedy stuff. I want to see someone tap to the Pretzel Hold just once. Props to Daivari for coming back from the pretzel hold and looking legit pissed off until Gallagher picked up the duke. 6/10

Lince Dorado interview- decent. They really put over the Shooting Star Press in the accompanying package though

Rich Swann video package/inteview- Great. Swann is a great promo
Rich Swann vs Brian Kendrick (c) for the Crusierweight Championship Kendrick works over Swann's neck, Corey Graves and Aries put over Kendrick as a killer. Swann proves he's the best babyface in the Crusierweight Division with his comeback and win. 7.5/10

Rich Swann post match promo- Emotional in a raw, real way that TJP could not pull off.
Brian Kendrick post match promo- Great. Sets up Kendrick vs TJP for the future and also leaves the possibility open for a rematch.

A great beginning for 205 Live. Austin Aries killed it on commentary, from insinuating that the Shira Bros hadn't had plumbing until now, to making comments about the wealth of the Daivari that sounded believable despite it never being kayfabe before,

Hm. Title change on this show was surprising to hear of.

a bunch of promos and vignettes, a tag match and a title change is exactly how i would have booked the first ever show, maybe remove the daivari match and give time to the other two matches

cero2k wrote:a bunch of promos and vignettes, a tag match and a title change is exactly how i would have booked the first ever show, maybe remove the daivari match and give time to the other two matches

I would be in agreement with you if Swann and The Bollywood Boyz hadn't gotten over with the time they had and the depleted crowd they got. Even then, I think as a booker I'd have risked it, as Gallagher has mega star potential and is super entertaining, so you might as well push him as a higher level mid carder right away. I think the two things I would've asked were the Metallik and Dar debuts. The fact that I think Dar sucks eggs aside, it didn't prudent to put elaborate packages of guys who aren't booked on the show on the first show. Maybe put Metallik and Dar in singles matches against Neise and Gulak next week and put the packages there

NWK2000 wrote:

cero2k wrote:a bunch of promos and vignettes, a tag match and a title change is exactly how i would have booked the first ever show, maybe remove the daivari match and give time to the other two matches

I would be in agreement with you if Swann and The Bollywood Boyz hadn't gotten over with the time they had and the depleted crowd they got. Even then, I think as a booker I'd have risked it, as Gallagher has mega star potential and is super entertaining, so you might as well push him as a higher level mid carder right away. I think the two things I would've asked were the Metallik and Dar debuts. The fact that I think Dar sucks eggs aside, it didn't prudent to put elaborate packages of guys who aren't booked on the show on the first show. Maybe put Metallik and Dar in singles matches against Neise and Gulak next week and put the packages there

running some vignettes and say 'debuts next week' with some guys isn't that bad. or maybe run like rewinds from the CWC showcasing some guys that are going to debut later on

Generally agree with everything you guys said.