The professional wrestling and mixed martial arts industries often interconnected with one another.

Following her departure from Ultimate Fighting Championship, Ronda Rousey famously made her professional wrestling debut in 2018, racking up multiple title wins in the years after. Conversely, Brock Lesnar started his wrestling career in WWE, touted “the next big thing” in 2002. “The Beast” would go on to claim the WWE Championship and various ventures in NJPW, before taking a five-year hiatus from professional wrestling to pursue his MMA aspirations.

Another former WWE Superstar recently made his professional MMA debut on Saturday, December 17. After previous experience in amateur mixed martials and bare-knuckle boxing, Jack Claffey — better known as “Gentleman” Jack Gallagher — squared up for Full Contact Contender. Airing on UFC Fight Pass, the event entitled “FCC 32” featured Claffey taking on Marlon Jones in a bantamweight bout.

Marlon quickly gained the victory via TKO, defeating Claffey in 1 minute, 7 seconds in round one.

Claffey Reacts To His Loss

Following his loss, Claffey expressed disappointment with his performance via Instagram.

“Here’s my favorite photo from last night,” he shared. “Very disappointed in myself and my performance. Happy the night ended with a win for @blackiechan_soda, who’s worked exceptionally hard for it. (Pictured here doing his best Steve Austin impression.) Thank you to everyone that’s reached out. Messages of support are always welcomed and appreciated. One win and one loss in 2022; life is all about balance. Bring on 2023! But first, coffee, cake, and @clara_sinclare.”

Claffey served in WWE from 2016 until his eventual release in 2020 after a sexual assault allegation. Most notably, he competed in the Cruiserweight Classic tournament, before moving over to WWE’s 205 Live show.

Jack Gallagher has broken his silence regarding an allegation that was made publicly against him during the #SpeakingOut Movement back in June. 

A woman named Becky alleged Gallagher got her drunk on New Years’ Eve in 2014 and he allegedly made unwanted advances and wouldn’t take no for an answer.

She claimed to have resisted his advances. However, when she tried to push him off, he grabbed onto her. He hanged onto her skirt that caused it to rip and she left the party after that.

This resulted in his WWE release. Gallagher took to Twitter to issue the following statement: 

“Following an allegation made in June 2020 as part of the #SpeakingOut movement I was released from my contract with the WWE.

I didn’t release a statement then because it didn’t feel the right thing to do at the time. I have now taken the time to process what has happened and would like to respond.

In 2014, at a New Year’s Eve party, I met a young woman and my behaviour towards her was inappropriate. As this party was nearly six years ago and I had drunk quite a large amount of alcohol that night, unfortunately, I do not recollect what happened.

I wish to make it clear that drinking is not an excuse for my behaviour that night. I want to express my deepest regrets, and I am genuinely sorry for the upset that I have caused.

Following these allegations, I proactively contacted the Head of WWE Talent Relations to take responsibility for my actions, as I was aware that the woman who made the allegations and I had both attended the same New Year’s Eve party. I was then informed that this would be a breach of the company ethics policy, and this is what lead to my release from my contract with the WWE.

This isolated incident is not reflective of my behaviour and attitude towards women. As a man, I know I can do better, and with the support of my wife, I have taken the time over the last few months to understand what I can do. But this is not about me, but about the women that come forward as part of the #SpeakingOut movement. I will continue to support women and this movement to the best of my ability.”

• Jack Gallagher Released By WWE

Jack Gallagher is no longer under contract with WWE. 

PWInsider.com reported that Gallagher was released on Friday. WWE announced the news via a statement, which you can read here: 

“WWE has come to terms on the release of Jack Gallagher (Jack Claffey).”

This comes after a story about him surfaced as part of the #SpeakingOut Movement. He joins a few names including Jordan Devlin, Ligero, Dave Lagana, Joe Coffey, Jim Cornette and his wife Stacey.

A woman named Becky came out alleging the WWE Superstar got her drunk on New Years’ Eve in 2014 after he poured straight spirits into her glass. This is when he allegedly made unwanted advances and wouldn’t take no for an answer.

In her accusation, she claimed to have resisted his advances, but when she tried to push him off, he grabbed onto her. As a result, he hanged onto her skirt that caused it to rip. She left the party after that.

Gallagher earned a place in the WWE Cruiserweight Classic in 2016, but was eliminated from the tournament by Akira Tozawa in his second-round match.

Gallagher later worked in the Cruiserweight division and on its weekly television show, 205 Live. 

• Jack Gallagher Giving “Gentleman Lessons”

Rumor Killer On Impact Release

Earlier in the day, Pwinsider had reported that Impact Wrestling has released backstage interviewer McKenzie Mitchell, after the hiring of Alicia Atout for a similar role.

However, after the news became viral, the Impact Star took on her twitter account and killing the rumors about her release from the company, the interviewer said that the whole story is news to her too:

News to me! 🤔 https://t.co/88wry04ilk

— McKenzie Mitchell (@mckenzienmitch) June 13, 2018

The site has since corrected their report as well, accepting that the story was wrong. They reveal that it was reported to them by a contributor who has previously given them correct Impact news and claim that they will not be using material from the source again.

WWE Releases First Round UK Tournament Match Online

WWE has released a first-round UK Championship tournament match between Drew Gulak and Jack Gallagher online and posted the video of it on their official YouTube channel:

The video as seen below features a ten minutes match between the two 205 Live Stars. The winner of this match moves on to the quarterfinals of the tournament:

The quarterfinals of the tournament will take place on June 18th at Royal Albert Hall along with the semi-fnals and finals. The winner will then go on to face the UK Champion Pete Dunne on the next night on June 19th.

– On last night’s episode of SmackDown Live it was announced that WWE Champion AJ Styles will defend his title in a 2-on-1 handicap match against Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV) later this month. “KO” took to Twitter to react to the WWE Title opportunity:

https://twitter.com/FightOwensFight/status/948395979589464064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

– Last night’s episode of 205 Live continued the feud of Hideo Itami and Jack Gallagher as Gallagher beat Itami down with a pipe. You can check out the video of the segment here below:

Cody Rhodes is a prime example of someone who left WWE and reached even greater levels of success on his own terms on the independent scene.

While working for WWE is the dream of most professional wrestlers, there are a lot of performers who we think have more potential in other promotions.

Here are 5 WWE superstars who I think would benefit from working elsewhere:

Dolph Ziggler:

Dolph Ziggler

Recent reports have suggested that Dolph Ziggler isn’t content in his current role at WWE.  Having introduced Shinsuke Nakamura and Bobby Roode to the main roster with opening feuds that have seen him on the losing end overall, Dolph isn’t exactly progressing towards significant title opportunities that he was accustomed to previously in his career.

His current entrance, with no music, sums up his entire direction and drive at the moment: there is none!  I don’t believe that this is due to him personally, but how he is being used within the company.  The perfect example is his absence from this month’s Survivor Series PPV.

The plan for Dolph Ziggler should be to leave WWE, re-invent himself having toured other companies, and return to WWE a new man!

Zach Ryder:

The Hype Bros just don’t have the hype anymore; some may ask whether they ever had any hype at all.  And since returning from a knee injury after 6 months off, Zach Ryder has been involved in more losing matches than winning.  One of his last memorable moments came in the form of Wrestlemania 32:

But this is rumoured to have only come about because Neville had broken his ankle.

Since partnered with Mojo Rawley, The Hype Bros have been able to work their way into number 1 contender positions, but haven’t been able to convert these opportunities into meaningful  title reigns. With Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin being pushed, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn potentially working as tag-team partners, as well as the return of Luke Harper and Erick Rowan as The Bludgeon Brothers, The Hype Bros aren’t likely to feature in many significant matches in the near future.

Another problem Ryder faces is his one-dimensional tag team partner, Mojo Rawley.  Mojo Rawley won the Andre The Giant Battle Royale Memorial Match… and has done nothing with it; the year before Baron Corbin won the same match.

Ryder could simply part ways with his tag partner, but it then appears difficult to place him in the ring with other superstars who have overtaken him in the singles division.  The worry would be that he ends up doing nothing, much like he is doing now.

Given the chance to leave WWE, Zach Ryder is just about young enough to alter his persona and break away from WWE, whilst also using his experience to put on good matches and build himself up out on the independent circuit.

It may seem unlikely, but let’s remember that Simon Gotch has done extremely well for himself since leaving WWE.

Gentleman Jack Gallagher:

Jack Gallagher is a shadow of his former self.  The 205 Live superstar was a fantastic face, with brutal headbutts and an umbrella named William the Third!  He has since turned heel and lost all moment that he had.  I personally believe that he should have won the Cruiserweight Championship from Neville.

However, the main reason why Jack Gallagher should move away from WWE is centred around the division he is in: 205 Live.  The show isn’t big enough for more than 1 or 2 main superstars, everyone else takes a backseat and can’t develop their career.  Furthermore, after the departure of Austin Aries and Neville, WWE brought in Enzo Amore and Kalisto – they didn’t even promote superstars from within the division!

Jack Gallagher needs to leave and continue this persona with other companies where he can earn and take genuine steps forward, rather than being ignored.  If I were him, I would be talking to Neville and other promotions, starting in the UK.

Chad Gable:

Unlike Zach Ryder, Chad Gable is currently part of a tag-team which could deliver in the next year.  Gable has teamed up with Shelton Benjamin after Jason Jordan parted ways with American Alpha to seek success as a singles competitor.  The truth is, Chad Gable is just as impressive on his own, and deserves to be on the singles scene as much as Jordan.  Unfortunately for Gable, Jordan was given priority.

While Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin were able to defeat The Usos via countout, many say the match appeared weird and suspect an injury forced a quick end.  However WWE’s willing to have the match at all shows a desire to push the newly formed tag-team which could lead to title opportunities in the future.

The main point is: if Chad Gable becomes a singles competitor, he should leave WWE.  If he stays in a tag team, he should remain where he is already established.  Chad Gable had a few singles matches, and put on a great performance against AJ Styles, but didn’t appear to be rewarded for it.  He needs to be somewhere that casts him as a legitimate champion, which I believe is more achievable for him outside WWE.

Rusev:

Rusev looks the part, sounds the part, and sells an RKO better than anyone else.  He is also active outside the ring, and entertaining on twitter.

The bad news for him is that WWE have cornered him into a stereotypical role that has no freedom or creativity.  Getting Rusev to pursue nationalistic goals, like flag matches and Rusev Day, doesn’t develop his character and he just ends up helping others look better than he is.

Much like Dolph Ziggler, Rusev has also missed out on this month’s Survivor Series and is sat on the sidelines.

When he was featured on UpUpDownDown however, he didn’t appear as his in-ring character, and we were able to see the real Rusev which was much more entertaining.  It appears that the in-ring persona is largely controlled by the WWE creative team, which is holding Rusev back.  That’s not to say that Rusev isn’t successful in WWE, but I believe he has the potential to achieve even more outside the company.

There is no doubt that Rusev would draw huge numbers to any promotion outside of WWE; and he could finally explore new creative avenues that would only boost popularity among fans.  I believe people would go to see him as an ex-WWE superstar, but then continue watching to see how he develops on his own.

Unfortunately I can’t see him make the move away from WWE as the lure of potential success remains present for him, but I wish he would take the opportunity to set himself free.

Jack Gallagher of 205 Live was the latest guest on Ring Rust Radio to promote An Extraordinary Gentleman, the documentary on his life that premieres this weekend in Manchester, England. Here are some highlights they sent in, with audio from the show available at the end of this article.

Ring Rust Radio: On November 5 at the Fab Café in Manchester, Figure Four Films will debut An Extraordinary Gentleman, a documentary focusing on your life and rise in the wrestling business. How were you first presented with this project and what were your initial thoughts on a documentary being made about you?

Jack Gallagher: I was first approached in the lead up to the Cruiserweight Classic by Adam Gill. He had previously made a film called Two Out of Three Falls that I had seen. It was a documentary about the British scene and how it evolved from the old World of Sport of Johnny Saint and Steve Grey era to the early 2000’s independent scene that we had. I was approached by him and the pitch was that I was a modern example of British style wrestling and it was almost in a way a spiritual sequel to his first documentary. The WWE link had a certain amount of interest in me there. It was actual fortuitous that by the end of the documentary I had signed a contract, so the film accidentally became about me getting to WWE.

Ring Rust Radio: Your first taste of WWE action came in the Cruiserweight Classic. How did you find out you were part of the tournament and how did you feel when the WWE Universe almost instantly took a liking to you and your character?

Jack Gallagher: I was first approached by William Regal who had sent me an email saying that there was something, nothing specific, but something coming up and that my style in particular and the way I carry myself probably best translated in a live environment, compared to sort of seeing me work out in the ring and go through drills and the usual try-out stuff. So, he had been helping me in that manner. I was overwhelmed because wrestling in the Classic was the first time I had ever competed in America at all, so I actually had no idea how Americans would take to me. Typically speaking and historically speaking, the English are put as the villains in your films over here, so I thought a very typical English person would get booed out of the building.

Ring Rust Radio: WWE has taken a huge interest in the British wrestling scene over the past year or so between utilizing you and Zack Sabre Jr. in the CWC, and holding the UK title tournament. How do you believe British wrestling as a whole has changed either for better or worse now that WWE has such a large influence?

Jack Gallagher: I think it’s mostly positive because trying to think for worse, how it is negatively affected, I’m not sure about the worst because I’m out of the scene. I think from looking outside of the scene now, it seems like it goes from strength to strength. A lot of people here who have been forced to pursue this part-time can now do this full-time. It has more exposure, more potential for travel which means more potential for earnings, so people can earn a better wage, and also it’s a glass ceiling that has been broken. It’s a path people can travel now. When I was beginning to train, I was thinking there were guys like Doug Williams who were phenomenal performers, but they still weren’t in WWE. Doug is a big stocky guy and whatnot and skinny little five-foot-eight me didn’t even have the dream or thought that I could make it to WWE. I thought at best I can make it to Japan and work there. Now you got guys like me, guys like Noam Dar, obviously Zack Sabre Jr. who competed in the classic, Pete Dunne the UK champion, Tyler Bate, Trent Seven, more than a handful of guys that have proven that there is a path from the training school to the top of the business and that’s the main takeaway I think.

Ring Rust Radio: In more than a year with WWE, your character has shown a lot of developments and you’ve been both beloved and hated by fans during that time. How much creative input do you have in the way your character is presented on television during your promos and matches?

Jack Gallagher: Not to plug the documentary, but a lot of this is talked in the documentary. A lot of what you see on screen isn’t fictitious, it’s usually just me being me. The lovable side is me on a good day and the side that’s been hated or as my wife affectively refers to is Angry Jack. In terms of creative input, you’ve got to understand that the majority of the writing staff is American and North American. They are very aware that none of them grew up in Britain as a young British lad, so when I say to them this is what I would probably say, I would not use this word, I would use this, or I wouldn’t do this I would do that, they are very open to it because I have a very clear idea as to who I am as a person and a fictional character. The relationship with Vince McMahon, he is surprisingly approachable. Growing up watching WWE or WWF as I did growing up, you think of Vince McMahon as this larger-than-life scary character. He is a larger-than-life character, but he is very welcoming, surprisingly charming, he sits down and if he has time in his busy schedule, which is rare, but if he has time in his schedule, he has time for anyone.

Ring Rust Radio: With a drastic character change over the last several weeks, do you prefer playing a face or a heel and what are some of the challenges you face trying to get over as the bad guy after, so many fans came to love you?

Jack Gallagher: I’ve always preferred being a good guy, but I think a lot of that has stemmed from being a smaller competitor. There’s a certain amount of menace that is difficult when you’re being villainous. I think every good and interesting bad guy in fictional history has had a certain amount of menace and danger to him. In terms of overcoming that physically that’s kind of difficult for me since I’m a smaller guy. I tend to default to things like Hannibal Lector and people like that for influences; kind of an intellectual sort of scary people. It was a strange trait and change I thought myself. I was enjoying what I was doing but then again, I thought this was something no one is going to see coming so it’ll probably work when I did a little bit of a switch.

Ring Rust Radio: You’ve been working closely with Brian Kendrick lately, forming one of the most interesting alliances in WWE. What has that been like for you, and how has working with a WWE veteran like him helped you?

Jack Gallagher: When we first arrived, and I say we as the British group Noam, Zack and myself. When we first arrived in America, the people that we were driving to the classic with because we all carpooled were TJP and Brian Kendrick. Brian was one of the first American wrestlers I had any interaction with in WWE. In fact, after my first match here, Brian got my contact information and complimented me, and we had a little bit of a talking about wrestling now and again and the business of it even before the cruiserweight division was a thought in anyone’s mind. It’s been really wonderful for me because I get to pick his brain and he obviously has the experience on me and in a strange way as well it occurred to me that when Brian first started in WWE his mentor was William Regal and he sort of has a reverse situation now where he’s mentoring a new little William Regal in WWE. I enjoy the sort of mirrored aspect of that.

Ring Rust Radio: Very early on in your career with WWE it was evident that you were somebody that would transcend the cruiserweight division. What do you think you need to do on your end to break away from the cruiserweight championship and into the conversation for the Universal championship and other main event-level opportunities?

Jack Gallagher: I don’t think it’s about breaking away from the cruiserweight division, I think it’s about elevating it in people’s mindsets. I think the 205 show on the network is currently fourth or third, it’s one of the most watched shows on the network. In fact, it’s probably higher watched than some of the wrestling shows on the network as well. I think it’s just overcoming the perception of people don’t like cruiserweights. I understand that’s the narrative that goes around where actually we get a lot of positive feedback both on social media and in person.

During WrestleMania Access with the amount of people that were big fans of the cruiserweight was startling to us. So, for me it’s not escaping the division, it’s about elevating it. NXT went from a developmental system which was considered a step down, to a completely separate brand unto itself where people are stars and they sell out stadiums and they tour by themselves. In my head I think, if we all work hard, then 205Live becomes good, the division becomes good, the division raises, and then there’s more opportunities and then there’s more interesting things for everyone as well.

Figure Four Films and Paragon Pictures have announced that their documentary “Extraordinary Gentleman” on WWE Superstar Jack Gallagher will premiere Sunday, November 5th in Manchester, England.

Gallagher announced earlier today on Instagram that he will be attending the premiere:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZl3sJYlpmA/

The documentary was filmed during WWE’s Cruiserweight Classic last year. Below are the details about the film and the premiere November 5th:

Figure Four Films & Paragon Pictures in association with FutureShock Wrestling present:

“An Extraordinary Gentleman”

The world premiere of a documentary charting the journey of WWE’s first Manchester born and bred superstar.

Sunday 5th November

Fab Cafe, Portland Street

Doors open 12:30pm, screening at 1pm..

Tickets £15 available via futureshockwrestling.co.uk

He is a WWE superstar… A learned scholar of the fighting arts… A Mancunian born and bred… Above all else however he is and always will be known as a gentleman. He is the Extraordinary Gentleman Jack Gallagher and this is his story.

Figure Four Films and Paragon Pictures are proud to present “An Extraordinary Gentleman”, a documentary by Adam Gill. An unprecedented look into the life and story of WWE’s Cruiserweight Classic and 205 Live breakout star, this will prove to be essential viewing for wrestling fans.

Hear how Jack’s journey into the squared circle bagan and hear from his colleagues, friends and even his rivals about the times and tales they’ve shared. Get to know the gentleman behind the suit and umbrella as well as his foray into MMA and his ascension to the ranks of the world’s largest sports entertainment promotion.

Adam Gill and his crew followed Mr Gallagher for several months in what would turn out to be the most eventful time of his life to date. Featuring action from British promotions FutureShock and PROGRESS as well as WWE it turned out to be quite the rollercoaster. A rollercoaster that’s just getting started.

Tickets include a post screening Q&A with Jack and Adam as well as a meet and greet with the WWE superstar. There will also be collections in aid of Forever Manchester, the local charity that Mr Gallagher is proud to serve as ambassador for.

Don’t miss a chance to be part of this exclusive world premiere and experience. Tickets will be limited so don’t miss out.

All proceeds from ticket sales will go to the documentary makers to help secure broadcasting rights for music and footage as well as to recover filming and editing costs.

Venue Details:

Fab Cafe

111 Portland Street, Manchester

M1 6DN

Website: www.fabcafe.co.uk

• 3 Ways To Fix The Cruiserweight Division & 205 Live

– After weeks of feuding with Brian Kendrick, Jack Gallagher apparently turned heel on this week’s episode of 205 Live. During Kendrick’s main event match with Cedric Alexander, Gallagher hit the ring and attacked Alexander, leading to the disqualification.

Gallagher first confronted Kendrick, but then beat up Cedric before kicking him out of the ring. The show ended after Gallagher offered a handshake to Kendrick, which Kendrick accepted after hesitating.

– RAW General Manager Kurt Angle and WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan reacted on Twitter to Kevin Owens’ vicious assault on 72-year-old WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon at the conclusion of Tuesday’s SmackDown. The attack came after Mr. McMahon announced Owens will square off against his son Shane inside Hell in a Cell at the upcoming pay-per-view.

Kurt Angle said Owens’ attack on Vince was something that would never happen on his show, while Hogan marveled at WWE’s booking and sees big money in KO.

The headbutt heard around the world. This would never have occurred on my show, under my watch. #Itstrue https://t.co/0FaFmaFF0b

— Kurt Angle (@RealKurtAngle) September 13, 2017

Vince just taught this new crew how to get somebody over,now Shane needs to put icing on cake then KO will be money forever. HH

— Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) September 13, 2017

Eric Bischoff on if he would buy GFW

There have been reports of Global Force Wrestling “hemorrhaging funds” recently. A fan asked Bischoff if he was interested in purchasing Global Force Wrestling and Eric said that he was “not in the market for a clown car at the moment”. Bischoff worked with TNA from 2010 until 2014.

@EBischoff Are you going to buy @IMPACTWRESTLING and make pro wrestling great again?

— JC (@fakeifier) September 7, 2017

https://twitter.com/EBischoff/status/905902969404751873

Jack Gallagher gets married

205 Live star Jack Gallagher recently married indie wrestler Clara “Alexis Rose” Sinclare.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYwnrj9BG95/

Ric Flair posts new photos

Ric Flair shared some photos last night and today of his family with him at the hospital.

Wink 😎 pic.twitter.com/KWhQvGZ7Bt

— Ric Flair® (@RicFlairNatrBoy) September 8, 2017

PROGRESS will be hosting their first ever New York event on August 12th at the Elmcor Center in Queens.

As part of the event WWE UK Champion Pete Dunne will be putting his belt on the line against former PROGRESS performer and current 205 competitor Jack Gallagher.

This will be a very welcome return for the ‘Gentleman’ who became a mainstay for the company during his initial run, helping the upstart company reach new heights through his feuds with Zack Gibson, El Ligero and….Pete Dunne.

.@GentlemanJackG returns to PROGRESS on 12th Aug to challenge @PeteDunneYxB for the #WWEUK title at #ProgressNYC! https://t.co/dcU7A3hIm9 pic.twitter.com/xsKjJ75unm

— PROGRESS Wrestling (@ThisIs_Progress) July 31, 2017

The cruiserweight division seems big on teaching lessons at the moment.

Jack Gallagher recently announced that he will be providing weekly written lessons to his fans on how to be a “gentleman”. Each week, seemingly for 13 weeks, Gallagher will provide one rule of being a gentleman. He unveiled rule #13 recently:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTAMTNFFOGM/

“Gentleman” Jack Gallagher

Gallagher has become one of the bright spots for WWE’s revamped cruiserweight division. While 205 Live has produced some entertaining shows as of late, viewership of the program is said to be low on the WWE Network.

On Raw last night, Gallagher dropped a match to former CW champion TJ Perkins. The now-heel Perkins capitalized on Gallagher’s distraction with Neville and Aries at ringside to score the win.

TJ Perkins vs. Austin Aries has been announced for tonight’s 205 Live.

205 Live
April 11th 2017
Boston, MA

1. The Brian Kendrick vs. Mustafa Ali

Kendrick lost to Tozawa last week, and finally got taught a lesson himself. This week he is taking on the surging Mustafa Ali, who has set himself apart from others in the cruiserweight mid-card as of late. Kendrick locked Ali in the Captain’s Hook and the bell rang. Kendrick let go of the hold but Ali didn’t tap. Turns out Tozawa rang the bell on the outside.
Ali then turned the tables on Kendrick and hit the inverted 450 splash.
Tozawa then told Kendrick this was lesson #2: looks can be deceiving (he was dressed as the ring bell guy). For the second week in a row Tozawa beats Kendrick at his own game.
Winner: Mustafa Ali

2. Rich Swann vs. Johnny Ocean

The newcomer Ocean got in a little bit of offence, though this was still a showcase match for Swann. He hits a roundhouse kick and the phoenix splash for the win.
Swann gets on the mic after the match and again takes credit for the gifts given to Alicia Fox. This brought out Noam Dar who went back and forth with Swann. This brought out Alicia Fox who snapped a solid Billy Madison reference when she mentioned she has noticed “you looking at me Swann!”. Fox had another gift in her hand that Dar tried to take credit for, but this gift turned out to shoot white powered all over Fox.
Winner: Rich Swann

3. TJ Perkins vs. Gentleman Jack Gallagher

This was Perkins first match since embracing a new heel-ish attitude. The winner of the inaugural cruiserweight classic has grown frustrated in recent weeks as he continues to fall farther out of title contention. Perkins through Gallagher head first into the ring post, leading to a solid Fight Club movie reference by Corey Graves when he said “I am Jack’s complete state of unconsciousness”. After that Perkins hit the Detonation kick for the mild upset victory.
After the match Neville came to ringside and raised the hand of Perkins in an act that solidified TJP’s heel turn.
Winner: TJ Perkins

WWE has announced the battle royal participants for tonight’s SmackDown – John Cena, Dean Ambrose, AJ Styles, Baron Corbin, Dolph Ziggler, Kalisto, Apollo Crews, The Miz, Luke Harper and Mojo Rawley. The winner will face WWE Champion Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania.

Tonight’s SmackDown will also feature Nikki Bella vs. Natalya in a Falls Count Anywhere Match and Naomi defending the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Alexa Bliss, if Naomi is cleared to wrestle.

Below is a promo for tonight’s battle royal:

Don't miss a #BattleRoyal to determine the #WWEChampionship #1Contender TOMORROW NIGHT on #SDLive at 8/7c on @USA_Network! pic.twitter.com/J7HYo043ho

— WWE (@WWE) February 21, 2017

Jack Gallagher won a Fatal 5 Way elimination match over TJ Perkins, Noam Dar, Mustafa Ali and Cedric Alexander on tonight’s 205 Live to earn a shot at WWE Cruiserweight Champion Neville next month at Fastlane. The current Fastlane card is as follows:

– Kevin Owens defends the WWE Universal Championship against Goldberg

– Neville defends the WWE Cruiserweight Championship against Jack Gallagher

– Roman Reigns goes to war with Braun Strowman

Fastlane takes place on 3/5 from Milwaukee.

WWE this week announced the bracket for the first ever UK Championship Tournament set to take place this weekend at the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, England.

The tournament features some of the best performers on the British scene and here are (in my opinion) the top four men who are likely to go all the way and become the first ever WWE UK Champion.

Pete Dunne

Pete Dunne (known affectionally to PROGRESS fans as ‘PETER’) had the biggest year of his career in 2016. His stellar year included a spot in PWG’s BOLA tournament, facing Yuji Nagata in Rev Pro, winning the PROGRESS Tag Team Titles with Trent Seven and to cap it off he secured the PROGRESS Championship by pinning Jimmy Havoc at Chapter 39.

Dunne has been in the industry around a decade and has established himself as one of the top acts in the UK scene, nicknamed the ‘Brusierweight’ he has a hard hitting style and works predominately as a heel for multiple companies across Britain, he possesses a natural ability to rile up a crowd that harks back to William Regal in his prime. I would absolutely consider Dunne to be the favourite going into the tournament in Blackpool.

Projection: Winner

Expect something "completely different" when #The Bruiserweight @PeteDunneYxB steps in the ring at the @WWEUKCT! https://t.co/eVwAYvQTBt pic.twitter.com/3RUHU8WxHW

— WWE UK Championship (@WWEUKCT) January 7, 2017

Trent Seven

Trent is one of the most experienced performers in the tournament. He too has had a breakout year in 2016, highlighted by his PROGRESS Tag Team title run with British Strong Style partners Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate (more info on Tyler below). Having worked the majority of the year as a firm crowd favourite both as a singles star in Fight Club Pro and as a tag team specialist in Moustache Mountain, his heel turn in PROGRESS set the stage for a huge tag team title win at Chapter 36. After the win a new cocky, arrogant side of his character shone through and brought out a different more focused Trent. I expect that he will work as a crowd favourite in the tournament and turn more than a few heads in the WWE fan base.

Projection: Loss to Pete Dunne in Final

It's been an unconventional path to the @WWEUKCT for @TrentSeven as he looks to make history next weekend! https://t.co/QZaIjvDJug pic.twitter.com/Ll055Joq90

— WWE UK Championship (@WWEUKCT) January 6, 2017

Tyler Bate

Tyler is one of the youngest performers in the UK tournament however he too had a hugely successful 2016. As one half of Moustache Mountain he performed around the country as a firm fan favourite, in the latter part of the year he finally joined forces with ‘British Strong Style’ and became one of the top heels in PROGRESS. His style and work in the ring are similar to WWE Crusierweight star Jack Gallagher and I fully expect Tyler to work as a charismatic good guy who will be extremely well liked by the fans inside the Empress Ballroom. I’m expecting Tyler to lose in the semi-final against longtime friend and tag team partner Trent Seven.

Projection: Loss to Trent Seven in Semi-final

How does @Tyler_Bate plan to surprise the @WWEUniverse in the @WWEUKCT? He speaks out in this EXCLUSIVE Q&A! https://t.co/gwLWe4i717 pic.twitter.com/t1nCGkbJtV

— WWE UK Championship (@WWEUKCT) January 6, 2017

Mark Andrews

Known as ‘Mandrews’ during his stint in TNA, Mark Andrews is easily the most world renowned of all of the performers in the competition. He has been a mainstay in PROGRESS since its inception and has worked for companies such as PCW, ATTACK! Pro, wXw and Chikara.

Andrews is an extremely talented in ring worker and he easily has a shot at taking the title this weekend. He was a late addition to the tournament having recently cut ties with TNA and for that reason I am expecting that he will eventually lose to Pete Dunne in the semi-final.

Projection: Loss to Dunne in Semi-final

Will #MarkAndrews' unique set of skills catapult him to the top of the @WWEUKCT? #OneLifeOneShot #WWEUKCT https://t.co/wCuDmmCpvX pic.twitter.com/a8xMU1TfC2

— WWE UK Championship (@WWEUKCT) January 8, 2017

DISCUSSION: Who do you see winning the tournament?

– The official theme song for WWE TLC is “Ready For War” by Adelitas Way.

– WWE actually issued a poll this week asking fans about other possible match-ups for Goldberg. The options were John Cena, The Undertaker, Rusev, Roman Reigns or Bray Wyatt. Taker is leading the poll with over 40% of the vote while Cena and Reigns are tied at 20%.

– Brie Bella used her baby bump to thank The Bella Twins’ 100,000 YouTube subscribers yesterday but as seen below, Nikki Bella enlisted the help of a few SmackDown Superstars for her “thank you” video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0rDtUV543w

– Jack Gallagher talks to Dasha Fuentes after his WWE 205 Live win over Ariya Daivari in this new web-exclusive video. Gallagher calls his journey the “pursuit of excellence” and says no matter what you should always do three things – treat your opponent with respect, fight as if The Queen is watching and try to win like a gentleman if possible.

Last night was the debut episode of 205 Live on the WWE Network. 205 Live is a show dedicated to Cruiserweight wrestling. The debut episode introduced the WWE Universe to new Superstars like the Bollywood Boyz and Jack Gallagher. It also featured a Cruiserweight Championship match with Brian Kendrick defending his title against Rich Swann. It was a decent show and if you are a wrestling fan, a good wrestling show is few and far between nowadays. Rich Swann wound up capturing the Cruiserweight Championship last night and we will see how that story progresses on Monday Night Raw.

The vast majority of people that tune into Monday Night Raw every week didn’t watch 205 Live last night. These are the people that do not visit websites like this or tune into every single show every week.  The WWE is putting out so much content right now that is almost impossible to keep up, unless you are an absolute diehard wrestling fan. Monday Night Raw is three hours and with the edition of 205 Live, Smackdown is essentially three hours now. That is six hours of wrestling in two days and then the next night there is NXT. If you are a fan of other promotions, Lucha Underground also airs on Wednesday nights and then TNA Impact is on the following night. Even if you are strictly a fan of WWE programming, the brand split has introduced more PPVs and there is just a ton of content to sift through. Talking Smack was a popular show that aired immediately after Smackdown. It has now been pushed back an hour to account for 205 Live.

There is so much WWE programming that 205 Live may get lost in the shuffle. The success of 205 Live depends on Monday Night Raw. Since the debut of the Cruiserweight division, it has been an afterthought. Every Cruiserweight match has been short and there has been virtually no character development for any of the Cruiserweights featured on the show every Monday. It has been a bunch of random six-man tag matches and Brian Kendrick battling with TJ Perkins.

In order for 205 Live to last, the WWE needs to build up the Cruiserweight division on Raw. They need to explain who these people are and give the general audience a reason to care. Last night, Rich Swann had an excellent vignette that aired before his title match with Brian Kendrick. Swann also delivered an emotional speech after his victory and dedicated the match to his late mother. The WWE needs to show that vignette and that promo again on Raw. If Swann just comes out to the ring with the Cruiserweight Championship and starts dancing around the ring, 75% of the crowd will not care. Last night, the crowd actually got into a couple of matches on 205 Live. The Cruiserweight matches on Raw almost never generate a response. If they do, it is usually a “boring” chant. There are people that are simply not a fan of Cruiserweight wrestling and I understand that. However, Monday Night Raw is a three hour program and they need to devote some more time to the Cruiserweights in order for the division and 205 Live to be successful.

• WWE Smackdown & 205 Live Reaction (11/29)

WWE Smackdown (11/29)

This week’s episode of Smackdown kicked off with Renee Young in the ring. Alexa Bliss and Becky Lynch joined her in the ring for a contract signing for their Smackdown Women’s Championship match this Sunday at WWE TLC. Alexa Bliss told Renee Young to get out of the ring. Bliss also scolded Renee for her fashion choices. Becky Lynch then compared Alexa to her four year old cousin. Bliss continued to insult Becky Lynch and they both signed the contract. After they both signed it, they brawled in the ring. Lynch hit the Becksplex on Alexa Bliss. Alexa then fought back and shoved Becky through a table off of the turnbuckle.

Reaction: I thought this promo was really good. Becky Lynch can be a bit of adventure on the microphone but tonight she did a good job. Alexa Bliss is excellent on the microphone and her facial expressions are hilarious. I find this feud to be much more interesting than the one between Charlotte and Sasha Banks on Raw.

.@AlexaBliss_WWE blocks @BeckyLynchWWE's #Bexploder, and sends the Champ crashing through the table! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/gbOh4XYeVU

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

Dolph Ziggler & Kalisto vs Baron Corbin & The Miz

Corbin dominated the match early and threw Ziggler out of the ring. The Miz was then tagged in and he immediately grabbed a ladder from under the ring. Ziggler got up and connected with a DDT on The Miz outside the ring. Ziggler then hit Corbin with a Superkick. Back in the ring, Ziggler tagged in Kalisto. The Miz hit Kalisto with a boot to the face and dove outside the ring onto Ziggler. Miz then launched Ziggler into the barricade surroinding the ring.

Kalisto then dove onto Corbin outside the ring. Ziggler hit a Superkick on The Miz as he was lying on the ring apron. Maryse shoved the ladder into Ziggler’s face. Kalisto landed the Salida del Sol on The Miz in the ring. Before the referee could count to three, Baron Corbin nailed Kalisto in the back with a chair. The referee then disqualified The Miz and Baron Corbin.

Winners via DQ: Dolph Ziggler & Kalisto

Reaction: This was a quick match but it served a purpose. Ziggler will be facing The Miz in a ladder match for the IC Title on Sunday. Corbin will be squaring off with Kalisto in a chairs match at TLC. Both the ladder and a chair came into play during this match. I like it when things make sense, don’t you?

.@BaronCorbinWWE, you can't do that until Sunday at #WWETLC! @HEELZiggler & @KalistoWWE win by DQ! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/IDPvwvv19j

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

American Alpha were interviewed backstage about their match tonight versus Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton. Gable and Jordan stated that they will prove again tonight why they are the best team in the WWE.

Bray Wyatt, Randy Orton and Luke Harper were then shown backstage. Orton interrupted Wyatt and questioned Luke Harper. Orton asked Harper if he was going to do what needs to be done tonight against Kane. Harper looked aggravated and Wyatt instructed Harper to go send Kane back to hell. There is obviously some friction between Harper and Orton. I do not believe that Harper is completely sold on Orton joining the Wyatt Family.

"Harper … go send @KaneWWE back to HELL!" – @WWEBrayWyatt #SDLive #WyattFamily pic.twitter.com/GLnJn5MvrR

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

Carmella came down to the ring for a match but that never happened. Carmella gave a special message to John Cena. Carmella apologized for what she will do to his girlfriend, Nikki Bella at TLC. Carmella claimed that she was going to rearranged Nikki’s “Bella twins” and her face as well. Nikki Bella came sprinting from backstage and attacked Carmella. The referee seperated them and that allowed Carmella to haul off and slap Nikki in the face. Nikki then got up and continued the assault on Carmella.

"@JohnCena, I want to publicly apologize for what I'm going to do to your girlfriend [at #WWETLC]." – @CarmellaWWE #SDLive pic.twitter.com/lNqKBBw8PB

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

Ambrose Asylum w/ Dean Ambrose

Dean Ambrose introduced James Ellsworth as his first guest on the Ambrose Asylum. An “Ellsworth!” chant broke out amongst the crowd. Ambrose poked fun at Ellsworth’s old wrestling boots. Ellsworth thanked Ambrose for helping him become an official WWE Superstar. Ellsworth stated that if Ambrose ever needed anything he would do it. Ambrose asked Ellsworth to wash his car, do his laundry and pick him up a six-pack and some candy for later.

Ambrose asked Ellsworth who he will be rooting for this Sunday at TLC. Ellsworth stated that it would be an honor to wrestle Dean Ambrose for the WWE World Championship. AJ Styles interrupted the party and stood on the announce table. Styles poked fun at Ellsworth and called him a dummy. Ambrose stated that Styles had then lost to a dummy three times.

Styles got in the ring and claimed that he was tired of Ambrose making him out to be a joke. Styles demanded respect and claimed that he was going to beat the hell out of Ambrose at TLC. Styles dared Ellsworth to show up during his match againt Ambrose at TLC. Ambrose claimed that Styles was weak mentally. Ambrose stated that this Sunday the fun and games were over. Ambrose went on to state that he will recapture the WWE World Championship at TLC.

Styles pushed Ellsworth into Ambrose who fell into a ladder. AJ then whipped Ellsworth into a table and smashed Dean Ambrose with the steel steps. Styles returned to the ring and beatdown Ellsworth. Styles hit Ellsworth with a ladder and then tossed him out of the ring. Ellsworth’s feet got caught up in the bottom rope and Styles hit him with a steel chair. AJ then hit the Styles Clash on Ellsworth off of the steps onto the floor outside the ring.

Reaction: Finally, Styles got the upper hand on Ellsworth and Ambrose. I find Ellsworth to be very entertaining but I’m not really interested in seeing him in the WWE World Championship picture. Having said that, this was a very good promo. There has only been one match in the first hour and fifteen minutes of tonight’s Smackdown. Usually that would annoy me but tonight’s promos have all ended in brawls.

"@AJStylesOrg has just delivered the MOTHER OF ALL #StylesClashes to @RealEllsworth!" – @MauroRanallo#SDLive #WWETLC pic.twitter.com/KKihIY7zO4

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

Luke Harper vs Kane

Kane and Harper tied up to begin the match. Kane shoved Harper down and Harper got back up and they locked up again. Harper bounced off of the ropes and hit a couple of shoulder blocks but Kane was not phased. Kane then leveled Harper. Luke Harper got back up and hit Kane with a series of uppercuts. Kane once again shrugged them off and came right back at Harper. Smackdown went to a commercial break with Luke Harper outside the ring with a shocked look on his face.

When Smackdown returned, Harper was in control of the match and had a Chinlock applied to Kane in the center of the ring. Kane battled out of the Chinlock and hit a Jawbreaker. Kane went for a Chokeslam but Harper blocked it and kicked Kane in the head. Harper went for a pinfall but Kane kicked out at two. Kane fought back and connected with a DDT on Harper. Kane followed it up with a Sidewalk Slam and went for a pin but Harper kicked out. Harper battled back and hit Kane with a Dropkick to the ribs. Kane was affected and hunched over in the corner. Harper leaped on him twice and connected with a couple of shots to the ribs. Harper then then climbed to the second turnbuckle and hit Kane with a couple of punches.

Kane fought out of the corner by hitting a Powerbomb on Harper. Kane once again went for the Chokeslam but Harper grabbed the rope. Harper connected with a Sidewalk Slam of his own but Kane kicked out once again. Kane slammed Harper to the mat and climbed to the top rope. Kane went for a Clothesline off of the top rope but Harper ducked it and drilled Kane with a Superkick. Kane once again powered out of the pinfall at two. Harper then climbed to the top rope but Kane got up and punched him in the face. Kane then joined Harper on the turnbuckle and connected with a massive Superplex to Harper.

Both men slowly got back to their feet and began to trade punches. Kane blocked a punch by Harper and grabbed his throat. Kane then connected with a Chokeslam and picked up the victory.

Winner: Kane

Reaction: When you think of Kane versus Luke Harper it doesn’t sound like it would be a good match. This match was actually quite good. The announcers made a comment after the match that Bray Wyatt will not be happy with Luke Harper following this loss to Kane. I’m intrigued with the Wyatt Family storyline right now. It appears that Harper may be on his way out and Orton will be replacing him. I’m curious if this will wind up with Orton turning his back on Bray after he has already destroyed the Wyatt Family from the inside. I do not really know where they are going with this and that is a good thing. Luke Harper has always been one of the more underrated Superstars on the roster. I wouldn’t mind seeing him in the Intercontinental Championship picture and having a single’s run of his own. Harper can work well with almost any male Superstar on the Smackdown roster. I think if you put him up against someone like Baron Corbin they would put on some very physical and entertaining matches.

#CHOKESLAM by @KaneWWE!!! ONE TWO THREE!! #SDLive @LukeHarperWWE pic.twitter.com/46nPuNNTqZ

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

Smackdown Tag Team #1 Contenders Match: Randy Orton & Bray Wyatt vs American Alpha

Randy Orton and Jason Jordan started out the match. Jordan went on the offensive to start things off. The WWE cut to Slater and Rhyno watching the match from backstage. This was humorous because the television screen they were watching was black for a second and essentially Slater and Rhyno were staring at nothing.

Bray Wyatt entered the match and Jordan went to jump onto him but Wyatt ducked and Jordan went flying into the ropes. Bray tagged in Orton and he continued the assault on Jordan. Gable tagged himself in and immediately connected with a Crossbody off the top rope on Orton. Gable climbed to the top rope again but Wyatt knocked him to the outside of the ring and Smackdown went to a commercial break.

When Smackdown returned, Wyatt and Gable were in the ring. Wyatt hit Gable with a DDT on the ring apron. Wyatt then went for a pin but Gable kicked out at two. Orton then entered the match and applied a Chinlock to Gable. Orton hit a Powerslam on Gable and once again went for a pinfall but it was unsuccessful. Orton tagged in Wyatt and Gable connected with a Dropkick then sent Bray to the mat. Gable tried to tag in Jordan but Bray got up and punched Jordan off of the ring apron.

Bray mounted Gable on the mat and punched him in the face several times. Orton was tagged back in and propped Gable up on the top rope. Orton connected with a Superplex on Gable. Jason Jordan and Bray Wyatt were then tagged in. Jordan leveled Wyatt with an overhead Belly to Belly Suplex. Chad Gable hit Orton with a Cannonball off of the ring apron. Back in the ring, Jordan hit a German Suplex on Bray Wyatt.

The lights then went out and Luke Harper was ringside. Bray went for the Sister Abigail but Gable prevented it. American Alpha then went for the Grand Amplitude but Orton hit Gable with an RKO out of nowhere. Jordan went to hit Bray with a Spear but Harper pulled Bray out of the way. Wyatt then hit the Sister Abigail on Jordan for the victory. Wyatt and Orton will now face Slater and Rhyno at TLC this Sunday. Slater and Rhyno were interviewed backstage but AJ Styles interrupted. Styles stated that nobody cared about the Tag Team titles. Ambrose then appeared out of nowhere and attacked Styles and Smackdown went off the air.

Reaction: This was a very solid match to close out a good episode of Smackdown. It appears that Harper and Orton are back to getting along for now. Tonight’s episode was promo-heavy but they all were effective. TLC is shaping up to be an exciting show and I cannot wait to watch it on Sunday.

Winners & #1 Contenders For The Smackdown Tag Team Championships: Randy Orton & Bray Wyatt

#SisterAbigail!! The #WyattFamily is going to #WWETLC to face @HeathSlaterOMRB and @Rhyno313!! #1Contender pic.twitter.com/telCi0c0T9

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

205 Live (11/29)

Austin Aries and Corey Graves joined Mauro Ranallo on commentary. All of the Superstars on 205 Live were on the entrance ramp and they were introduced to the WWE Universe. A vignette for the Bollywood Boyz was then shown.

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/803797913251917824

Bollywood Boyz vs Drew Gulak & Tony Nese

Harv and Gurv Sihra started out the match on the offensive. Tony Nese was laid out by both of them but was able battle back and tag in Gulak. For the next few minutes, Gulak dominated the match. Nese was tagged back in and he continued the assault on the Bollywood Boyz. Gulak got back into the match and maintained control of the match.

Nese got back in the match and he applied a Chinlock to one of the Bollywood Boyz. Harv battled out of the Chinlock and connected with a Neckbreaker. Harv tagged in Gurv and he hut Gulak with several chops and a kick to the face. The Bollywood Boyz hit a double Superkick on Drew Gulak for the pinfall victory.

Winners: The Bollywood Boyz

Reaction: Not the best way to start off the debut episode of 205 Live. There were some cool spots in this match but overall it was very clunky.

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/803800282756878338

TJ Perkins and Brian Kendrick had a confrontation. Perkins stated that he is still owed a rematch and that he wants Kendrick to retain the Cruiserweight Championship tonight. Perkins wants Kendrick to keep the belt so he can get his rematch and take the title away from him.

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/803801771600580608

Ariya Daivari vs Jack Gallagher

Gallagher started out this match extremely cocky and applied a few submission holds to Daivari while posing for the crowd. Daivari battled back and but Gallagher escaped his Headlock. Gallagher did a handstand on the top turnbuckle and then took Daivari down. Gallagher then tied Daivari up in a knot in the center of the ring and taunted him from the corner. Gallagher then hit him with a running kick and Daivari escaped the knot.

Daivari connected with a Neckbreaker on Gallagher and slapped him in the face a couple of times. Daivari applied a Chinlock but Gallagher fought out of it and connected with a couple of Dropkicks. Gallagher then headbutted Daivari and hit him with a Dropkick in the corner for the victory.

Winner: Jack Gallagher

Reaction: This match was bizarre and entertaining. Jack Gallagher may look ridiculous but he is fun to watch. The main positive to take from this match is that Gallagher was able to get the crowd into it. That is something that has escaped the Cruiserweight division when it is featured on Monday Night Raw.

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/803803266274369537

Cruiserweight Championship Match: Brian Kendrick (c) vs Rich Swann

Kendrick started off the match in control. Swann battled back and hit a Dropkick. Kendrick kicked out of a pinfall and Swann applied a Chinlock. Kendrick reversed the Chinlock into a German Suplex. Kendrick attacked Swann in the corner but Swann fought back and connected with several chops to the chest of Kendrick.

Swann landed a Tiger Bomb on Kendrick and Kendrick rolled out of the ring. Swann followed him out of the ring and hit a Summersault Clothesline off of the barricade. The action returned to the ring and Kendrick connected with another German Suplex. Kendrick then hit a Neckbreaker and Swann’s head hit the top turnbuckle. Swann then fell out of the ring and to the floor.

Swann was able to get back in the ring before the referee counted him out. Kendrick immediately hit him with a Suplex. Kendrick went for the Captain’s Hook but Swann blocked it. Swann then connected with a Michinoku Driver on Kendrick. Swann followed it up with a kick to the face of Kendrick. Swann went for the Standing 450 but Kendrick got his knees up and then locked in the Captain’s Hook.

Swann was able to reach the bottom rope and the crowd cheered him on. Both men were on the top turnbuckle and Kendrick bit Swann’s wrist and hit Sliced Bread. Swann kicked out and the crowd started to chant “this is awesome!”. Swannt connected with three spinning heel kicks in a row and pinned Kendrick for the victory.

After the match, Swann thanked his mother that has passed away and dedicated the match to her. Kendrick was also interviewed on the entrance ramp. Kendrick blamed the loss on TJ Perkins for playing mind games with him earlier in the night. Kendrick also stated that the WWE Universe should not get used to Swann as the Cruiserweight Champion. Kendrick vowed to get his title back and walked away.

Winner & New Cruiserweight Champion: Rich Swann

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/803809979639558144

Reaction: 205 Live started off slow but picked up momentum and wound up being a pretty decent show. I thought the match between Kendrick and Swann was very good. I hope that the Cruiserweight division gets some more time on Monday Night Raw as a result of this show but I doubt that will be the case. Overall, both Smackdown and 205 Live were good shows tonight.

What did you think of this week’s episodes of Smackdown and 205 Live? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Free Match Thursday this week sees new WWE signee Jack Gallagher taking on Pete Dunne in a CWC Qualifying match. Gallagher performed his final date for PROGRESS at this past Sunday’s Chapter 36 at the 02 Academy in Brixton.

Pete Dunne also appeared at Chapter 36 and won the PROGRESS Tag Team Titles alongside his British Strong Style partner; Trent Seven.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7FxUgEHxB8

Here are the results from PROGRESS Chapter 36, emanating from the 02 Academy in Brixton, London:

TOMORROW! Near on 2400 fans watching Progress at @O2academybrix. Be there – final tickets at https://t.co/k90J5rA7DT pic.twitter.com/DLJDVclLHi

— PROGRESS Wrestling (@ThisIs_Progress) September 24, 2016

Rampage Brown b. Joe Coffey – Rampage hit a Piledriver to become the first ever ATLAS Champion

Jinny, Alex Windsor & Dahlia Black b.Pollyanna, Laura DiMatteo & Nixon Newell – Jinny pinned Di Matteo following an X-Factor style Facebuster from the second rope

Pastor William Eaver vs Sebastian – This bout went to a no-contest when Sebastian was legitimately knocked out by a Lariat in the opening seconds of the match. Later in the night it was confirmed that he was on his feet and generally ok.

British Strong Style (Trent Seven & Pete Dunne) b. The London Riots – BSS took the win to become the new PROGRESS Tag Team Champions 

Paul Robinson b. Chuck Mambo – In an impromptu bout, Robinson took the win via pinfall

Zack Sabre Jr b. Tomasso Ciampa – In a fantastic 2 out of 3 falls match ZSJ took the third fall and the win via submission, the first two falls occurred simultaneously when both men’s shoulders where on the mat

The Origin b. FSU, Damon Moser & Jack Gallagher – Gallagher took the pinfall in his final performance for the company before joining RAW and the Cruiserweight Division full time, he received a standing ovation from the crowd following the match.

Mark Haskins b. Tommy End & Marty Scurll – Haskins took the submission win over Scurll after Jimmy Havoc interfered to a HUGE reaction from the Brixton crowd, this was also Tommy End’s final independent date and company owner Jim Smallman brought Gallagher and Ciampa out at the end for a curtain call.

https://twitter.com/MartyScurll/status/780004335136702468

It was also announced that PROGRESS would be returning the the Brixton Academy in September 2017

Here are the results from Night 1 of the SMASH vs PROGRESS events emanating from Toronto:

– Mark Andrews b. Scotty O’Shea

– Mike Rollins b. Jack Gallagher

– The London Riots (James Davis & Rob Lynch) b. The Overdogs (John Greed & Sebastian Suave)

Smash Wrestling Title #1 Contendership Ladder Match
-Kevin Bennett b. Facade

– Evil Uno b. El Ligero

– Zack Sabre Jr. b. TARIK

Smash Wrestling Title Match
– Mark Haskins (c) b. Brent Banks

TONIGHT! #SmashVsProgress #N1 with a GREAT card! Info: https://t.co/7bKY388m85 pic.twitter.com/lvAlfd3rNQ

— PROGRESS Wrestling (@ThisIs_Progress) September 17, 2016

– Ticket sales for last week’s WWE live event from Shanghai, China were disappointing, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio. The Manila, Philippines show drew well. You can see video and results from the WWE Shanghai show here.

– WWE officials have high expectations for Cruiserweight Classic competitor Jack Gallagher, who has been signed for the new RAW cruiserweight division.

– Renee Young wasn’t thrilled with the outcome of last night’s Backlash main event. It’s not secret that she’s in a relationship with Dean Ambrose. She had this to say about AJ Styles’ WWE World Championship win:

https://twitter.com/ReneeYoungWWE/status/775161357071216640

– The Bella Twins recently launched their Birdiebee lingerie brand. Birdbiee’s Instagram bio @BirdeeBrand describes itself as, “A pay it forward brand that represents feminine health & women’s empowerment. We make panties with a purpose.” Nikki and Brie took part in the company’s first video shoot last week.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BKFJXInBF3f/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BKFGqfCBYog/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BKFIJuuBdl3/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BKFLxfjh9GR/

The Canadian based SMASH Wrestling promotion will be hosting three supershows on September 16th/17th pitting their talent against the best of UK promotion PROGRESS. The cards for the three nights have been announced and will be as follows:

PROGRESS Vs SMASH “Uncensored” 9/16 in Toronto

Mark Haskins vs Maybach Beta

Mark Andrews vs Brent Banks

Jack Gallagher vs Evil Uno

Sebastian Suave vs Jewells Malone

Hardcore Match: The London Riots vs Façade & Space Monkey

Hardcore Match: Jesse Amato Vs Jaxon Jarvis

Full cards for @smashwrestling v PROGRESS announced. #Oshawa and #Toronto next weekend – can't wait! #ThisIsProgress pic.twitter.com/M4Y7QqH9MB

— PROGRESS Wrestling (@ThisIs_Progress) September 5, 2016

PROGRESS Vs SMASH Night 1 9/16 in Toronto

SMASH Wrestling Championship Match: Mark Haskins (c) vs Brent Banks

Zack Sabre Jr vs Tarik

El Ligero vs Evil Uno

Jack Gallagher vs Mike Rollins

Mark Andrews vs Scotty O’Shea

The London Riots (James Davis & Rob Lynch) Vs The Overdogs

Ladder Match: Façade Vs Kevin Bennett

Ooh. So #NXT cancelled their Sept dates!?!?… #SmashVsProgress on ??? ….NXT is terrified !!! ??? pic.twitter.com/GJy3AtQseU

— Smash Wrestling (@smashwrestling) September 2, 2016

PROGRESS Vs SMASH Night 2 9/18 in Toronto

Zack Sabre Jr vs Tyson Dux

Mark Haskins vs Mike Bailey

Mark Andrews vs Kevin Bennett

El Ligero vs Franky The Mobster

Jack Gallagher vs Sebastian Suave

Fans Bring the Keyboards Match: Brent Banks Vs Scotty O’Shea

The London Riots (James Davis & Rob Lynch) vs Super Smash Bros (Evil Uno & Stupefied) vs Well Oiled Machines (Mike Rollins & Pepper Parks)

Here are the results from PROGRESS Wrestling’s Chapter 35 event: ‘Writing Nirvana on Other People’s Bags’

TODAY! MUCH EXCITE! pic.twitter.com/MeGyvx6Svm

— PROGRESS Wrestling (@ThisIs_Progress) August 28, 2016

Pete Dunne & Trent Seven b. Damian Dunne & Tyler Bate – Pete Dunne and Trent Seven took the win via submission

Nixon Newell b. Alex Windsor – Nixon took the win via pinfall

Jack Gallagher b. El Ligero, Eddie Dennis & Zack Gibson – Gallagher took the win via Submission. After the bell Dave Mastiff distracted Dennis and Gallagher allowing Zack Gibson to attack both men with a car stereo

Atlas Championship Tournament Semi-Final: Joe Coffey b. Dave Mastiff – Coffey took the win via pinfall to advance to the Atlas Championship final

Shane Strickland (Lucha Underground’s Killshot) b. Will Ospreay – Strickland took the win via pinfall. After the match Ospreay stated that his schedule no longer works for PROGRESS and that he would be taking a long hiatus

Mark Haskins b. Mikey Whiplash – Haskins’ Championship opportunity at Chapter 36 was on the line in this match and he took the win via Submission

Atlas Championship Tournament Semi-Final: Rampage Brown b. T-Bone – Rampage took the win via pinfall to advance to the Atlas Tournament final

PROGRESS Championship Match: Marty Scurll b. Mark Andrews – Scurll took the win via Submission to retain his title and move on to a 3 Way Dance at Chapter 36 in Brixton against Mark Haskins and Tommy End