WWE 205 Live results and observations (11/29/16)
History was made on the debut episode of 205 Live, as Rich Swann defeated The Brian Kendrick to become the new WWE Cruiserweight champion at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, S.C.
Swann won his first WWE title after a very entertaining match that ended with him hitting Kendrick in the face with series of spin kicks, the last of which finally put the former champion down for the three count.
After the match, Swann dedicated the championship victory to his late mother, who passed away when he was a teenager. WWE put together a video package before the match that chronicled Swann's tough upbringing in Baltimore that saw him lose both of his parents as an adolescent.
Swann's victory was what most people will probably remember the most about the initial installment of 205 Live, but that will be mostly due to the rest of the show being mostly uneventful.
That's not to say the show was bad, but it was used to introduce unfamiliar fans to the names and faces that will be featured on the show moving forward, including Akira Tozawa, Gran Metalik, Jack Gallagher and The Bollywood Boyz.
Speaking of the Bollywood Boyz and Gallagher, they both won their debut matches on the show.
Because the show felt more like the first day of class at school, it had a dull feel at certain points. The matches were entertaining, but a sparse crowd in Columbia didn't help anything. The fans that did decide to stick around after Smackdown Live were not very lively probably due to it being late in the night.
Doing 205 Live after Smackdown Live might work best for WWE logistically at the moment, but I believe the company should consider airing it before the main show, as it will give it a chance to be in front of a livelier audience.
Here are the full match results:
- The Bollywood Boyz def. Tony Nese & Drew Gulak
- Jack Gallagher def. Ariya Daivari
- WWE Cruiserweight championship – Rich Swann def. The Brian Kendrick