WWE Big 3: Lorcan, Gallagher, Gulak 10/20-10/26

NXT 10/23/19

Jack Gallagher vs. Angel Garza

ER: This was a fun style clash, even though Gallagher is seemingly the only cruiserweight they don't allow to work long singles and tag matches. Tony Nese is out here getting 15 minutes and Gallagher fights to go past 5. This does not go past 5, but it has a ton of stuff you won't see in anyone else's match and that's why we value the Gentleman! He has a nice set of offense but doesn't use it all in every match. You'd think most guys would be trying to fit as much of their offense as possible into their monthly 4 minutes, but I've never seen Gallagher do the same combination of his signature stuff in any match. He always approaches things fresh, and that's a big reason I look forward to seeing him every time. They do a real cool timing spot where Garza starts removing his tearaways, Gallagher interrupts him but Garza pulls away and leaves his pants in Gallagher's hands the way a lizard would escape from a cat, and by the time Gallagher looks back up he's getting dropkicked in the face. They do a series of rolling crucifixes which is a variation I haven't really seen, and they made it looks so trippy and giddy that it felt right out of a fun Rollerball Rocco match. We get a cool sequence where Gallagher bumps big to the floor and rolls back in shaken, but recovers in time to hit his big headbutt. His headbutt is one of those moves that doesn't show up in all of his matches, and I like the ways he brings it back. I would have liked this to be twice as long, but this was fun as hell.


205 Live 10/25/19

Oney Lorcan vs. Lio Rush

ER: This was not as exhilarating as Rush's comeback match against Lorcan, but it's clear that these two are a great match for each other. They make ideal dance partners, and when you combine that with both guys having fun offense that they always execute well. Rush has a bunch of bouncy complicated moves that could potentially leave opponents looking dumb while waiting around it, but he has a cool Rey Mysterio way of getting guys logically into position for illogical offense. His bottom rope bouncing cutter should be silly, but it always looks cool. He and Lorcan each take turns pinballing across the ring: Rush takes a running knee to the gut, Lorcan gets hit with a torpedo of a suicide dive, Rush gets snapped in half by Lorcan's awesome blockbuster, and I just love the way these two take the other's offense. They're giving Rush some pretty decisive wins, and I would have liked to see a little more of Lorcan here - I would have liked to see more match period - but that Rush frog splash lands so hard that it definitely should have gotten the 3.


Smackdown 10/25/19

Drew Gulak vs. Kalisto

ER: Well this move to Smackdown has not been great for Gulak. This is a fun match while it lasts, but just when it looked like Gulak was about to break out some mean offense, Braun interrupts and allows Kalisto to finish him. Then Braun powerslams Gulak pretty unceremoniously. I would take Gulak teaming with Tony Nese for 15 minute matches over this. Having to see some associated Nese is better than this.