WWE 205 Live results: Kushida vs. Danny Burch

By Chick Fritts

Kushida defeated Danny Burch

The opening moments of 205 Live’s opening matchup in an empty WWE Performance Center began with chain grappling. Kushida and Danny Burch traded control of individual limbs. Burch would have a hold of a leg and Kushida would get an arm. Burch gained the arm and Kushida tried the leg. This back and forth went on for some time and saw a variety of holds used by each man. 

The opening limb targeting came to an end after Burch changed the pace with a flapjack. Burch failed to follow up due to Kushida kicking him after being provided with a brief breather. Burch rolled to the outside and Kushida looked for a dive. Seeing Kushida in a running motion Burch hopped to the apron and was swiftly met with the heels of his inverted opponent.

Kushida failed significant advances after this point as a top rope forearm attempt was caught with a right hand from Burch, who then proceeded to grind down his already grounded adversary. He did this with effective striking and grounded holds.

An Irish whip from Burch allowed Kushida to launch a counter-attack that started with a handspring back elbow. Burch attempted to gain his bearings on the outside of the ring, but Kushida gave him no such break. Kushida instead jumped from the apron onto Burch before sending him back to the ring. Kushida continued his attack with a kick to the head. 

Burch stuffed what looked to be a DDT attempt from Kushida and connected with a loud forearm smash. Burch went for a pin but Kushida kicked out only to be seamlessly transitioned into a crossface in the center of the ring. Kushida managed to fight through and land a light strike to Burch which initiated a brief exchange of blows that saw Kushida regain match advantage. Kushida wasted no time as he positioned himself for and succeeded in applying the hoverboard lock. Burch immediately tapped out. 

In their first time meeting, Burch and Kushida put on a fairly typical WWE cruiserweight match. The lack of audience definitely did not help it was not a great hindrance either. While the match was nothing to write home about it was far from bad, it worked fine as an opening contest. 

Jack Gallagher defeated Tyler Breeze

In his first singles appearance following his return to 205 Live, Jack Gallagher dawned a cloak that covered his new tattoos. He let it fall to the mat in a theatrical display. This definitely seemed best fitted for a live audience, the all at once re-reveal to remind the world of his new appearance and maybe score a gasp or two at the same time, but still came across well enough without a crowd. 

The opening moments of the match saw Gallagher and Tyler Breeze enter a collar and elbow tie-up which saw Breeze gaining the advantage in the first leg of the match. Breeze seemed to have an answer for Gallagher’s questions. 

Gallagher turned the match in his favor when Breeze slipped and gave control of his head to his opponent. Gallagher took this head control and turned it into a fireman’s carry drop onto the top rope. Powerful strikes from Gallagher followed. A struggling Breeze tried for an opening, but Gallagher did not give an inch, instead continuing the barrage of strikes. 

Gallagher completely controlled the pace of the match for a long while. Breeze tried again to regain a semblance of a chance with some strikes to the gut. Gallagher was sent back into the corner and Breeze connected with a match altering kick. Breeze then landed two flying forearms to a cornered Gallagher and seemed to be in the driver’s seat. When Breeze was going for a third flying forearm, Gallagher entered a sprint and missed a dropkick. 

Breeze rolled him up and Gallagher kicked out and before he had a chance to breathe Gallagher was laid out with a supermodel kick. Breeze went for a pin only for Gallagher to answer the referee’s count.

A now desperate Breeze looked for a way to close the match. He climbed to the top rope but was brought down by Gallagher who had quickly recovered from Breeze’s attempted finish. Gallagher turned his attention to the arm of Breeze with an armbar in the center of the ring. Breeze dug down deep and crawled to the bottom rope.

Gallagher. in a position similar to Breeze from moments earlier, was growing frustrated. He stuck and struck only for Breeze to not only answer his strikes but also regain control of the match. The two found themselves on the outside of the ring wherein Breeze drove Gallagher into the barricade before returning him to the squared circle. Breeze struggled to reenter the ring as his arm was damaged from Gallagher’s armbar. This momentary pause gave Gallagher enough time to connect with a discus lariat and secure the pinfall victory. 

Both men looked strong in a very fun and logical match. Not a moment was a lull or without reason. In the end, Gallagher came across looking beastly and as a legitimate threat to Jordan Devlin’s cruiserweight title reign.

205 Live this week was solid. The opening match wasn’t fantastic but the main event was a great display of cruiserweight wrestling. Breeze and Gallagher managed to pull off a very good match.