2 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE 205 Live (Jan 10)

2. Sean A-Palling

In fairness to the weak The Brian Kendrick Vs. Sean Maluta match, it at least attempted to craft a story. Kendrick announced beforehand that he would dispatch his opponent far quicker - in “thirty seconds” - than rival Tajiri did the previous week.

The execution betrayed the concept; Maluta, unfortunately, just isn’t anywhere near Kendrick’s level. When Kendrick reacted to one of Maluta’s comebacks with the whites of his eyes peeled back in fear, his facial expression was jarring. Maluta’s rolling thunder was telegraphed with so little poise that it was impossible to believe the man could inspire terror. It was an opportunity for Maluta to show that he was worth more than his lowly jobber status - but he lived down to it in a match which suffered from a lack of credibility, heat and excitement.

Kendrick’s pre-match promo was similarly dubious. He referred to Tajiri as a “sneaky snake and a snaky sneak,” confirming that WWE hasn’t really moved on from Gorilla Monsoon’s unseemly-in-retrospect Pearl Harbour references, Shinsuke Nakamura be damned.

Austin Aries at least provided some comedy at the (merciful) finish. Checking his watch, he adjudged the near five minute match as lasting “twenty nine and a half seconds”.