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With five days until the WWE Royal Rumble, 205 Live still had tons to offer via their go-home show. Tonight's two matchups proved to show why the Purple Brand is a weekly can't miss event. Aiden English made his debut as a commentator tonight, swapping out with Percy Watson.
Humberto Carrillo returned tonight on 205 Live, this time as an official member. Though he didn't defeat Buddy Murphy last week, Carrillo put on an incredible show and nearly earned an upset victory against the champion. Tonight, he had a chance to pick up his first win as he faced Lucha House Party member Gran Metalik.
The main event featured the three challengers of Buddy Murphy at the Royal Rumble. The Juggernaut must defend the Cruiserweight Championship in a Fatal-4-Way on January 27th, but tonight, Hideo Itami, Akira Tozawa, and Kalisto would prove who was the best in an epic triple threat matchup.
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Gran Metalik vs Humberto Carrillo
Carrillo and Metalik shook hands before the match. The two men then locked up, with them at a stalemate early on. Metalik connected with the first shot, a chop to Carrillo's chest. Carrillo sent Metalik over with an arm drag, then went sky high with an arm-assisted top rope arm drag. Carrillo followed up with a dive over the top rope when Metalik rolled to the outside, leaving the King of the Ropes on the ground.
Back inside the ring, Carrillo nearly got the pin with a suplex. Metalik kicked out, then put his feet up to catch the new star who attempted a moonsault. Metalik followed up with a bulldog, but Carrillo kicked out. A dropkick from the middle rope would give Metalik another near fall.
Metalik kept Carrillo in the middle of the ring with a headlock but managed to fight out. Both men traded chops before Carrillo connected with an enzeguri. Metalik kicked out at two.
On the apron, both men went back and forth. Metalik sent Carrillo over the turnbuckle, but he landed on his feet on the other side of the apron. Carrillo brought Metalik down to the apron face first with a springboard bulldog.
Back inside the ring, Metalik kicked out of a pinning attempt following a high angle crossbody from Carrillo. The 205 rookie made it to the apron, but before he could attempt something, Metalik sent him down to the ground by leaping over the ropes and connecting with a hurricanrana.
Metalik rolled his opponent back inside the ring, then landed on top of him with a springboard Swanton Bomb, but Carrillo kicked out. Metalik took him up top and stunned him with a chop. Metalik continued to slap him, then went for a superplex, but was blocked. Carrillo sent him away, then hit a pinpoint missile dropkick.
Carrillo connected with the corner springboard moonsault for the win.
Results: Humberto Carrillo defeated Gran Metalik via pinfall.
After the match, Carrillo and Metalik shook hands in a show of respect for each other.
Backstage, Drake Maverick was gloating about bringing Carrillo onto 205 Live to Drew Gulak and Jack Gallagher. Both men left frustrated. Tony Nese demanded a rematch with Noam Dar now that their series was tied up at 1-1, and was looking for a rubber match. When Maverick only said he'd consider it, Nese threated to take out Dar on his own time.
Akira Tozawa cut a promo backstage with The Brian Kendrick and said he didn't travel across the world to be a joke on 205 Live. Kalisto and Lince Dorado were shown backstage, and Dorado said 2019 was the year of Lucha House Party. Kalisto said that if one of them win, they all win, and it seemed that they'd share the championship.
Prior to the match, WWE Cruiserweight Champion Buddy Murphy made his way ringside, hoping to get in the heads of all of his challengers.
Kalisto vs Akira Tozawa vs Hideo Itami
Hideo Itami attacked both Tozawa and Kalisto while they were distracted by Murphy. Tozawa was sent outside, allowing Kalisto and Itami to get some one-on-one time in the ring. Kalisto sent Itami outside with a top rope arm assisted arm drag. However, Tozawa quickly took him out with a top rope dropkick and a suicide dive to the outside.
Itami took out Tozawa when he began jaw jacking with Murphy. Itami sent Kalisto into the barricade, then focused on Tozawa inside the ring. Itami continued to beat down Tozawa and managed to keep the former US Champion Kalisto outside of the ring with his devastating kicks.
Eventually, Itami set his sights on Kalisto, delivering a deadly boot to his head while stuck on the barricade. Back inside, he continued to wear Tozawa down with a headlock. Tozawa fought out and caught a running Itami with a snap hurracanrana followed by a belly to back suplex. When Kalisto attempted to springboard in, a dropkick from Tozawa sent him crashing to the mat.
A running forearm from Tozawa sent Kalisto to the outside, and a clothesline from Itami almost cost Tozawa the match. Kalisto broke up the pin, barely, and all three men were left lying in the middle of the mat.
All competitors began getting up at the same time, trading some stiff and strong strikes. Tozawa won the three-way trade with two jabs, rocking both Itami and Kalisto. In the corner, Itami hung Tozawa up on the ropes, but Kalisto connected with a running enzeguri, leaving him gasping atop the turnbuckle.
Kalisto went for the superplex but was blocked by Itami. Tozawa joined Kalisto in an attempt to hit a double superplex. Murphy interfered here, sending all three men down to the mat with the tower of doom.
The champion then beat all three men down in an effort to remind them who they're dealing with at the Royal Rumble. Kalisto and Tozawa, back to their feet, rocked Murphy with multiple kicks and tandem superkicks, followed by a Salida del Sol from Kalisto and a suicide dive from Tozawa.
Kalisto took out Tozawa with a dive on the outside, but as he climbed up on the apron, Hideo Itami connected with a boot. A falcon arrow to Tozawa back on the inside nearly gave him the win, but the former Cruiserweight Champion kicked out.
Tozawa and Itami traded strikes again, with Tozawa getting the better of him, connecting with his striking combination. He couldn't capitalize, however, as a springboard crossbody from Kalisto took him down. In the corner, Kalisto set Tozawa up for another move off the top. Itami prevented the superplex, but Kalisto sent him over the top ropes.
Kalisto went up top, but Tozawa blocked the super hurracanrana. He went for the Senton, only for Kalisto to roll out of the way. Itami hit Kalisto with the hesitation dropkick and finished Tozawa with the GTS '18.
Results: Hideo Itami defeated Akira Tozawa via pinfall.
Murphy backed up the ramp while Itami, with Ariya Daivari, stood tall in the ring.
