So I'm sitting here, ready to type a whole review, but I must admit I still don't know what I could tell you about Enzo Amore.
This feud has certainly been something. For all the talk of wanting characters that aren't just clean-cut, black-and-white good guy and bad guy, Enzo's booking reaches a completely new gray area that no one knows what to make of. He's an underdog, but he doesn't know how to fight; he competes in a way that nobody really wants to see, but people still chant his catchphrases along with him. We've already discussed this, and the company's hate-booking isn't doing anyone any favors at all.
I wish Enzo's mic skills were on someone else entirely, because this is the only thing that's got a shot at saving this entire feud. But even then, it doesn't really do much; Enzo passionately delivers talking points that Neville (or any other textbook pro wrestling heel) easily shoots down, so those promos full of heart are all nothing. Nobody really cares or gets into wrestling to hang out with Drake and the Weeknd, unless you're a heel.
Nobody knows what to do with Enzo, because nobody important really cares about Enzo. He's just there to enable the part of the crowd who's happy with chanting things along with the wrestlers. I imagine he expected his low blow to get some sort of positive reaction, but anyone can tell that the move fell flat.
So where are we headed from here? Will the Cruiserweight Championship match this Sunday at No Mercy be must-watch just because we get to see Neville dismantle a peasant like Enzo? There's no way they're giving him a surprise title win, with the way he has no goodwill left in the locker room. I mean, that's why guys like Miz and Braun Strowman bowl him over on their days off.
Enzo speaks one kernel of truth in his entire promo, however, and that he's the biggest superstar on 205 Live, putting the whole show on the map just through his migration. They're obligated to give him this storyline just because of that, and only because of that. I hate that they were, but I hate the fact that they were willing to turn this into trash just because of how Enzo is as a person. If you didn't want to, you probably just shouldn't have.
205 Live 9/19/17 Grade: Only one thing really stood out in the entire episode for me, and that's TJP snapping. Tozawa's back, though, and that's something, but not enough to get it out of a B-.
Short stops
- I have no idea why Cedric Alexander doesn't actually address Jack Gallagher instead of having a rematch with Brian Kendrick. Like did he really expect anything different? The backstage interview with Gallagher explaining his motives is great, but if I got ambushed by a dude I thought was on my side, wouldn't I urgently try to find out what's up with that?
- That said, Jacky Boy mentions the wound in his head following his match with Kendrick, and I can't help but wonder if this is an elaborate long con to get back at him when he least expects it. This should at least be a lot better than Orton infiltrating the Wyatt Family.
- Hey, new Drew Gulak music! I like the Powerpoint gimmick, but I have no idea why Tozawa is beefing with Gulak. It also doesn't help that it looks like they've all but dropped the entire Titus Worldwide involvement, if it weren't for the commentators still mentioning it.
- The only bright spot of this show right now is TJP/Swann. Tony Nese and Gran Metalik have pretty much disappeared after the Fatal Five-Way, and I hope it's not them stalling on Nese again after he'd finally found an execution that worked for him. The complex TJP/Swann storyline would be even better if the cruiserweight division were an entirely separate entity from the RAW roster, because it's stuff like that, combined with the fact that this is the best main roster show wrestling-wise, that could sustain 205 Live for a while, like a Lucha Underground.
- I laughed at the commentators having to explain who Lince Dorado was, because I imagine he doesn't appear on the show enough for the audience to consistently recognize him.
The Cruiserweight Division Power Rankings (as of 9/22/17)
Not much has moved around here according to the Smarkometrics Experience Xtreme, mostly because the show was focused on its last-minute builds toward No Mercy on Sunday.
Photo from WWE
- 1. Neville, no movement — Well, I'm glad that Neville had another pedigree-proving match again after a while, but I just wish it wasn't at the cost of Gran Metalik. That's just me, though.
- 2. Cedric Alexander, no movement — There's literally no reason for me to move Cedric down. He beat his opponent square, even though he got punked out by Kendrick and Gallagher afterward.
- 3. Enzo Amore, no movement — Doesn't actually accomplish anything.
- 4. The Brian Kendrick, #7 last week — Moves up only because everyone above him moves down. But his stock is rising after finding a new friend... or did he?
- 5. Jack Gallagher, #8 last week — See Brian Kendrick.
- 6. Gran Metalik, #4 last week — His momentum stalls after Neville makes quick work of him.
- 7. TJP, #9 last week — Finally snaps, after the longest waiting game. This should be fun.
- 8. Rich Swann, #5 last week — Falls a few spots after he gets punked out. The movement around here is swift.
- 9. Akira Tozawa, #10 last week — Climbs back up after he handily beats Drew Gulak. I just don't know if that was the end of it.
- 10. Mustafa Ali, #11 last week — Beats Tony Nese on Main Event. On fucking Main Event.
- 11. Tony Nese, #5 last week — Nese is down to losing on a show nobody except the live crowd watches after a hot August.
- 12. Lince Dorado, #13 last week — Lince was teaming with Ali when he won on Main Event, so I guess that's something.
- 13. Drew Gulak, #12 last week — Still the whipping boy, but at least has entertaining Powerpoint presentations to boot.
- 14. Ariya Daivari, no movement — Does anyone remember when Ariya looked like a real contender to Neville's title? No?
- 15. Noam Dar, no movement — Yeah, when Lince Dorado has more exposure than you, you know you're kinda fooked.
Photo from WWE
*****
Romeo Moran (@roiswar) is the Editor in Chief of Smark Henry and one of the three hosts of the Smark Gilas-Pilipinas Podcast. He gets by in this hard knock life through working in publishing. Smark Henry was his and Stan Sy's original vision of a watering hole for local wrestling fans. He roots for the undersized guys who hit hard, but really hates Davey Richards with his entire soul. He likes taking your wrestling questions over on his Curiouscat account.
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