WWE 205 Live results: Santos Escobar vs. Oney Lorcan

Mansoor defeated Tehuti Miles 

Following the night’s initial bell, Tehuti Miles and Mansoor did a stare down. Miles landed two leg kicks, each of which caused Mansoor to pull back. Mansoor, instead of keeping his distance, shot in for a takedown, which he succeeded in getting before being kicked off immediately after. Mansoor tried for a move, but seemed to be stuck in his movement. Miles hoisted Mansoor over his shoulder before synching a headlock. 

Miles and Mansoor traded the headlock back and forth. After escaping a prolonged headlock, Mansoor connected with two arm drags but Miles avoided the third. Miles tried to take advantage but Mansoor was able to land the third arm drag before Miles could capitalize. Mansoor sent Miles to the outside with a clothesline. Miles came back in by grabbing the legs of Mansoor moments later. Mansoor, who was now on the mat, was dragged under the bottom rope before being catapulted into it. Miles struck Mansoor, who sold the throat.

Mansoor soon found himself hung over the middle rope. From this position, Miles applied his weight to the damaged body part. Mansoor fell to the mat from where Miles tried for a pin; Mansoor kicked out. Miles lifted Mansoor with a neckbreaker. Miles lifted Mansoor again, landed a second neckbreaker, and tried for the pin once more. Mansoor kicked again. Miles synched in a rear chinlock. 

Mansoor sold the rear chinlock as if his lights were going out. Right before the fade to black Mansoor fought to a standing position from where he fell, sending Miles to the outside. Miles grabbed the leg of Mansoor again but Mansoor rolled through, creating a plausible near fall in the process. Mansoor struck Miles before landing an atomic drop into a spinebuster. Mansoor waited for Miles to rise to his feet but Miles sidestepped the attack sending Mansoor over the top rope and onto the apron. From the apron, Mansoor and Miles entered a brief struggle which ultimately saw Mansoor connect with a slingshot neckbreaker. Miles kicked out from the pin attempt that followed. 

Mansoor, now in a state of desperation, climbed to the top rope. From the top, Mansoor dove only for Miles to evade his attack. Miles lifted Mansoor, who landed on his feet, for a facebuster. Miles then lifted Mansoor onto his shoulder. Mansoor wiggled free and landed an enziguri. Mansoor then lifted Miles onto his shoulders, pulled in his head, and landed what was essentially the one winged angel at an angle. Miles was then pinned making Mansoor the victor. 

This match was dodgy. Miles and Mansoor struggled to get on the same page early on and the match’s layout was lackluster. Things in the opening minutes just happened, the finish just happened – the match just sort of happened. I am still not sure what the narrative to this match was.

Santos Escobar (with Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde) defeated Oney Lorcan  

Prior to and immediately following the bell’s sounding, Oney Lorcan dawned a serious game face. He really looked as if he had something to prove. Santos Escobar and Lorcan entered a tie-up that broke almost as soon as it started. Lorcan was forced to pull away – his arm was still damaged from his encounter with Timothy Thatcher at NXT’s Great American Bash. Lorcan tried to tie-up once more but Escobar, like a shark to blood, grabbed the arm. Escobar took Lorcan to the mat with an arm drag and applied pressure to the arm once grounded. Lorcan fought to a standing position and into the ropes to force a break. 

Lorcan chopped the chest of Escobar with his injured arm. Escobar not only did not flinch from the strike he also poked at Lorcan who was pulling back due to self-inflicted pain. Escobar took Lorcan to the mat and continued to put pressure on the arm. Escobar used his chin as a point of pressure in a truly unique form of torture. Lorcan was eventually able to free himself by rolling Escobar onto his back and into a pin. The two men rose to their feet. 

Escobar secured another takedown. This time Escobar used the position to lift Lorcan by his arm. Escobar used his shoulder and the ropes to attack the injury of Lorcan. Escobar, in a haze of confidence, stepped back and played to the crowd. Lorcan took advantage of this by trying for a pin. After the subsequent kick-out, Lorcan secured control of Escobar. Escobar was able to escape by grabbing the leg of Lorcan. Escobar stepped over Lorcan, leg still in hand, and into a single leg crab. From the crab, Escobar was sure to tie the arm of Lorcan into the move. Escobar soon let go of the leg and turned his attention solely to the arm. Lorcan crawled to the ropes in order to secure the break. 

Escobar landed a suplex but only after placing the arm of Lorcan under his weight. Lorcan tried to retaliate after being hoisted to his feet, but was dropped almost immediately after. Escobar then grabbed the arm of Lorcan and slammed it into the ring post. A slow climb to the top rope from Escobar then ensued. Lorcan took this as an opportunity as he met Escobar with an uppercut. The two then entered a struggle atop the ropes. Escobar jumped to the apron, slamming the arm of Lorcan into the turnbuckle in the process. As Lorcan lay in agony, Escobar grabbed his arm again. This time he slammed it back into the post. Lorcan’s arm was continually attacked in the minutes that followed. Strong strikes, extended holds, the whole works.

Escobar at this point was toying with his prey. Only after a missed enziguri from Escobar did Lorcan show signs of life. A barrage of strikes that was punctuated with an impassioned uppercut left Lorcan in the driver’s seat for the first time, at least he would be in the driver’s seat if he were able to follow up. Lorcan sold his injury as if his arm was broken. After trying to approach after prolonged selling, Lorcan had his arm attacked once more. Escobar lifted him up and planted him with the phantom driver which resulted in a pinfall victory. 

This match was excellent. From the opening moments to the match’s conclusion it was clear that these men had a powerful and concise story to tell. Escobar’s brutal display of malice was matched in theatrics only by Lorcan’s consistent showing of agony. When a meeting of seemingly unrelated storylines results in such an excellent integration it is worth celebrating.