WWE 205 Live results: Isaiah ‘Swerve’ Scott vs. Tony Nese

Isaiah “Swerve” Scott defeated Tony Nese

A light feeling out process started the match. Instead of fully engaging in the match, Tony Nese fell to a knee and flexed. This was before the two reentered a short lockup. Nese broke said lockup after Isaiah Scott gained the advantage. Nese then teased a test of strength but took down Scott with a single leg before Scott could lock in his fingers. 

Nese held onto the leg of Scott but soon found himself inside Scott’s guard. Scott took the arm of Nese but before he was able to capitalize Nese forced a rope break; Nese pushed the face of Scott instead of breaking cleanly. Scott pushed the face of Nese in retort. Nese was visibly unpleased by this interaction and charged Scott. Scott jumped Nese, which triggered a brief exchange that saw Nese back down on the mat.

Scott now had Nese under his control. He freely transitioned to different body parts of Nese, but ultimately held him in a side headlock. Nese broke the headlock multiple times, but found himself in it once more almost immediately. Finally, Nese was able to stand back into the corner, forcing the referee to break.

Nese successfully created distance with a back elbow which he used to attempt a moonsault. Scott avoided the dive, but Nese landed on his feet. Nese then dodged Scott’s attempted elbow with what was akin to a standing backbend. Nese tried for offense of his own but met a similarly impressive dodge from Scott. Scott landed an arm drag and returned the match to the mat.  Scott torqued the arm of Nese. Nese was able to stand and again cause the rope break.

 Nese struck Scott immediately following the break. Nese then took control of the head of Scott, ran him across the ring, and jumped to the floor, driving the neck of Scott into the top rope in the process. Nese pulled Scott from the ring by his foot and gestured to the ring steps. Before Nese could drive Scott into them Scott stuck out his boot. Scott then proceeded to walk the entirety of the ring; he chopped the chest of Nese while him into any barrier he could. Nese retreated to the inside of the ring but Scott pulled him back to the outside. Nese was able to avoid an attack of Scott’s by lifting him onto the apron. Nese met Scott, picked him up, and dropped the flat of his back onto the apron.

Scott laid on the outside of the ring until the referee counted to six Scott was immediately hit with a back elbow upon reentry. Nese meticulously struck Scott before going for a pin attempt. After Scott kicked out Nese grew frustrated. Nese toyed with Scott which allowed Scott to temporarily reenter the fray. Scott showed signs of life for a moment but was dropped by Nese with a leg sweep. 

As Scott laid flat on his back Nese traveled to the top rope where he delivered a picture-perfect moonsault on Scott. Scott kicked from the pin attempt that followed. Nese kept up the pressure with two backdrops and a pin attempt which Scott kicked out from.

Nese once again turned to toy with Scott. Scott was able to stand and chop Nese in response. As Scott looked to be in a good position Nese synched the head and tried for a suplex. Scott fell to his knees to block. Nese and Scott struggled. Nese lifted Scott for the suplex but failed to bring him over. Nese stepped back and kicked Scott before trying for the suplex again. Nese placed his head in the perfect position for Scott. Scott synched the head of Nese and connected with the suplex Nese had been fighting for. This was a very fun exchange. 

Scott climbed to the top rope – Nese met him with a stunning fist before he could jump. From the top Nese grabbed the head of Scott, he still was digging for the suplex. Scott pushed Nese off but before he could regain his footing Nese grabbed his head for the suplex once more. Scott shoved Nese down and before Nese could grab him again Scott jumped. On his decent Scott grabbed Nese with a rollup. Nese rolled through and tried to kick Scott’s head from his shoulders. Scott kicked out from the pin attempt that followed.

Nese used body scissors in an attempt to keep Scott grounded. Scott punched Nese in order to free himself. Nese slapped Scott as the opponents rose to their feet. Nese then grabbed the hair of Scott and tried to humiliate him with a collection of insults. Scott snapped up and connected with a barrage of quick strikes. Scott then dove from the middle rope with an uppercut to the back of Nese. Nese tried to seek safety on the outside but was immediately met with a punt. After Nese rolled in Scott connected with a flat liner. Nese kicked out from the pin attempt that followed.   

A gassed Nese then traveled to the corner. Scott tried for something but was pushed off by Nese. Nese then traveled to the middle rope and leaped with a dropkick. Scott pushed off the kick and transitioned over the body of Nese into waist control. Scott used this control to connect with a suplex and a near fall. Scott set up for the house call kick, but Nese stepped out of the way. Scott tried to regain offensive control but found himself inside the Boston crab after Nese stuffed a dropkick attempt. Scott struggled but eventually rolled out of the crab. Nese planted Scott with a power slam. Scott kicked out once more.  

Nese positioned Scott in the corner for his running knee finish, but Scott lifted Nese over the top rope and onto the apron before Nese could connect. Nese allowed Scott to fall over his head onto the outside. Once standing outside of the ring Nese connected with a spinning forearm. Nese then sent Scott crashing into the ring steps. Nese rolled Scott into the ring and climbed to the top rope. Nese connected with a moonsault. Scott grabbed the bottom rope in the pin attempt that followed creating another near fall. Nese looked agitated.

Nese, not knowing how to finish Scott, traveled to the outside where he picked up a chair. The referee yelled at Nese and eventually convinced him to drop the chair. Scott kicked him as soon as he did. Scott connected with two double foot stomps which resulted in a successful pin. 

This match being the only match on the card meant it had to go long, and it felt long. It is a strange decision to let a half-hour match end with a sequence that started with a referee distraction. It made Nese look barmy and incapable. 

This is not to say this match did not have its shining moments though. For example, Nese’s struggle for a suplex drew me in even if it was forgotten relatively quickly. The athleticism was there, the execution was there, but ultimately the match didn’t seem to have a clear start-to-finish story to tell.