WWE 205 Live results: Josh Briggs vs. Joe Gacy

Today marks the first 205 Live taping to air following the batch of recent talent cuts. It also follows the announcement of 205 Live’s welcoming of those over 205 pounds, which WWE finally mentioned after months of its happening. And perhaps even more interestingly, this is the first episode of 205 Live to run directly against AEW’s new show, Rampage.

Grayson Waller defeated Ikeman Jiro 

To preface my praise for this match, I was more than disinterested heading in. This was an excellent, detail-oriented match. 

Jiro gained some early momentum with offence that a prepared Waller cut off. Waller slowed the match to a crawl, connecting with move after move, each of which was interrupted by pauses. Waller tried to end the match with a pin accompanied by a handful of tights. The referee interrupted the illegal pin providing Jiro with some much-needed space.

Jiro connected with two dives after resulting in a near fall. Jiro tried for the Ikeman slash, a move Waller avoided by rolling to the outside. Waller re-entered the ring in a hurry to further interrupt Jiro with a cutter resulting in a fully convincing near fall.

Following another back and forth, Jiro connected with a beautiful hammerlock powerslam. Waller was able to kick out of the move and gain enough separation to land a curb stomp. He followed the stomp with a pin to close an excellent match.

Josh Briggs defeated Joe Gacy

This was a fun match that is entirely different from what one is used to seeing on 205 Live. Two big men were hitting each other with big men wrestling moves; it’s easy to like.  

To kick off the “new” era of 205 Live, these heavyweights opened with a showcase of power. Splashes and strikes filled the opening minutes as Briggs used his weight entirely to his advantage. Gacy’s rally also featured the use of his power. Both men traded power moves and intense strikes deep into the match. It was a proper hoss fight. A colossal lariat closed the match in favour of Briggs.

Why 205 Live doesn’t pivot to a name that makes marginal sense is beyond me. WWE owns such an expansive library of already established brands that this shouldn’t be a challenge. This should be called Velocity, Heat, or anything other than 205 Live, as the show is neither live nor featuring those under 205 lbs. 

Also, against Rampage, it makes no sense to watch this show live. Even if the matches are good at times, it’s wholly uneventful and entirely forgettable.