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Tonight's 205 Live started off with a recap of last week's results which saw Kalisto and Roderick Strong progress to round two of the Cruiserweight Championship tournament after winning their round one matches against Lince Dorado and Hideo Itami respectively as well as a recap of the two scheduled matches for the night Akira Tozawa versus Mark Andrews and Drew Gulak versus Tony Nese.
Akira Tozawa vs Mark Andrews
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In a backstage interview, Mark Andrews spoke about his excitement at coming from the UK to compete on 205 Live, cutting a promo about high-fiving and stage-diving his way to WrestleMania to become the new Cruiserweight Champion.
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Tozawa and Andrews started off in a very technical manner with the Welshman and the former Cruiserweight Champion exchanging holds, eventually seeing Andrews put Tozawa in an innovative octopus stretch before the pace went up a whole other notch. Andrews continued with his dominant start, with a dropkick on a seated Tozawa before the pair exchanged some chops, and Tozawa floored Andrews with a jab after feinting in a move that saw Andrews try to block then lower his guard.
Tozawa took over and slowed the pace right down yet again with some rest moves. The pair then exchanged jabs, forearms, chops and everything possible in a very physical exchange before Andrews innovatively used the ropes to do a 619-esque kick to Tozawa's midriff.
Andrews showed more of what we expect from the Welshman with a beautiful springboard crossbody, but it wasn't enough.
Tozawa then hit Andrews with a shining wizard but, rather than go for the pin, went to the top rope. Andrews escaped, but Tozawa was quick to react with a tope suicida, then dragging the UK Tournament competitor back in the ring.
Andrews hit an incredible northern lights suplex before hitting what was essentially a standing corkscrew moonsault on Tozawa, but only managing a two count.
The pair looked out on their feet, and Andrews hit the Slumdog Millionaire, but Tozawa somehow managed to kick out at two. The pair exchanged some high flying aggression with Andrews going for a shooting star press, Tozawa rolled out the way, Andrews landed on his feet and Tozawa hit him with a running kick...
But Andrews got the roll-up victory and progresses to round two of the Cruiserweight Championship Tournament!
Mark Andrews defeated Akira Tozawa
We then went backstage for an interview with Gentleman Jack Gallagher where he spoke about being "delighted" at facing Mustafa Ali on 205 Live next week.
Drake Maverick interrupted to tell Jack Gallagher that, while his suit is very nice, he better sort himself out and turn up in appropriate wrestling attire next week.
Next week's second match is confirmed too as another fresh face will debut on 205 Live. Ariya Daivari will take on NXT's Buddy Murphy!
WWE then showed a package to introduce the best-kept secret...
Drew Gulak vs Tony Nese
Well, exactly one year to the day since Kevin Owens turned on Chris Jericho in the Festival of Friendship, two former friends go head-to-head for a shot at the Cruiserweight Championship. Gulak and Nese started off their first-round match with some impressive mat skills.
Drew Gulak showed off his incredible grappling techniques by locking up Nese on the canvas with the pair exchanging some stretches and, essentially, tying each other in knots.
The match then began to get physical with the pair exchanging some strikes before taking it to the outside, where Nese laid out Gulak with a vicious forearm, before Gulak pulled out a backdrop on the ground before rolling back in to try win by count-out - but the Premier Athlete managed to break the count at eight.
He rolled back into trouble though as Gulak went back into submission mode in his fight for a better 205 Live.
While slower paced than the first match, this was a technical wrestling masterclass with some well-placed rough edges. Nese went for a pumphandle slam but Gulak reversed it, throwing Nese to the ropes and the pair clashed, with both falling to the mat.
We had more strikes, more forearms before the biggest plot twist of the night - Drew Gulak leaving his feet! We saw a dropkick from the man who preaches of a no-fly zone. Gulak then grabbed Nese by the throat and mercilessly beat him before hitting the electric chair drop.
Just the two count, though, but Gulak locks in another innovative submission maneovre, wrapping himself around the Premier Athlete, but Nese lifts Gulak from vertical suplex position to the apron, knocks him off and goes flying!
Nese shoved Gulak back into the ring, went to the top but no-one was home. Gulak went for a dragon sleeper, Nese countered into a pumphandle slam which he finished with a driver and pinned Gulak but just the two count again.
Nese got in some offence of his own, it looked like a pin but Nese deadlifts Gulak and gives him a buckle bomb to the bottom buckle. He went for the running knee but Gulak shows incredible ring awareness to escape.
Nese then delivered a slap of his own, put Gulak back in the ring but didn't make it in himself as Gulak wiped him out, with Nese hitting the announce table hard.
Drew Gulak said he'll finish what he started and drove Tony Nese into the announce table twice, throws Nese back into the ring and turns him inside out with a clothesline.
Gulak seems to snap, relentlessly beats Nese before locking in the Dragon Sleeper. The referee deems Nese unfit to continue and stops the match.
Drew Gulak progresses, but he's a very different Drew Gulak from the one who started the match! A new, aggressive Gulak progresses to round two.
