WWE 205 Live Results: January 30th, 2018

With the announcement of a new General Manager inked in for tonight, not to mention a vacant Cruiserweight Championship, this week's 205 Live may have been the single most anticipated episode in its short history.

Add to that the fact that WWE announced on Twitter that former United Kingdom Champion Tyler Bate would be debuting and it made it must-see television!

But in a week where we've had NXT TakeOver, Royal Rumble, RAW and SmackDown Live all before it, was it all worth the wait for the Philadelphia crowd?

---

This week's edition kicked off with the announcement of the first ever 205 Live General Manager as SmackDown Live's General Manager, Daniel Bryan, introduced the world to the new man in charge, Drake Maverick - formerly known as Rockstar Spud!

Maverick addressed the crowd to say the division needed a new Champion, and that would be determined via a 16-man tournament with the culmination of the tournament being at the grandest stage of them all - WrestleMania!

He then said we wouldn't have to wait until WrestleMania for the tournament to start, introducing tonight's two first-round matches - the first of them would kick off immediately!

Cedric Alexander vs Gran Metalik

Well, many would say Cedric Alexander is the heir to the throne on 205 Live, being in line for a shot at the Championship at the Royal Rumble - a match which didn't happen due to Enzo Amore being released and, consequently, stripped of the championship.

However, the former number one contender would face stiff competition to progress to the next round...

Now, this was an absolute barnstormer of a match - as you'd expect from these two incredible talents.

Alexander and Metalik put on a highly competitive match with Alexander taking to the skies early with an incredible tope suicida.

Metalik returned the favour, with a springboard edition of the movie, prompting "205" chants from the crowd.

Even with a short spell of momentum from the masked man, where he even almost got Alexander up for the Metalik Driver, Alexander quickly turned the tables again and looked like the undoubted favourite to progress in the tournament.

The nature of this match, though, was incredibly even and Metalik managed to turn it around yet again! This incredible reversal that would reverse his fortunes.

Metalik managed to fight out of what would have been the end in a Lumbar check and deliver a DDT, but only managed a two count.

It was so close but yet so far for Metalik as he went to the top rope to be caught off a moonsault by Cedric, who managed to hit the Lumbar Check and stamp his ticket to the next round!

---

Ahead of his match tonight, we saw a highlight reel from the first-ever United Kingdom Champion Tyler Bate, who took on the first ever Cruiserweight Champion in TJP!

We then saw some footage of various 205 Live Superstars talking about the new general manager Drake Maverick, starting with Jack Gallagher talking about his fellow countryman being in charge and going to WrestleMania.

"A better 205 Live!"

We then cut to Drake Maverick backstage talking about the tournament culminating at WrestleMania to a production assistant before being interrupted by Drew Gulak!

Drew Gulak presented Maverick with a bunch of roses, and Maverick gave the flowers to the production assistant after Drew left.

We then saw Mustafa Ali sitting down and speaking to the camera about his incredible match last week with Cedric Alexander. He said they tore the house down, had "this is awesome chants" and it was all great.. .and then he lost the match. Ali said that part wasn't awesome but it's okay as the new tournament meant that last week was just the wake up call he needed to punch his ticket to WrestleMania.

TJP is then interviewed backstage but barely says anything as he is interrupted by Drake Maverick. The new GM introduces himself to TJP and talks about how the CWC was a long time ago.

Maverick told TJP that he faces a very hungry man tonight in the first-ever United Kingdom Champion Tyler Bate, and asked what TJP would show up, the one from CWC or the one who whines and complains when he doesn't get his way?

We then got our last video package, Akira Tozawa in full Vince McMahon mode, strutting down the corridor and saying he was disappointed not to get the job as General Manager, but that he can instead focus on winning the Cruiserweight Championship again.

TJP vs Tyler Bate

Well, this match, arguably, could have been much further into the competition than round one, but what a way to kick off what seems to be a completely revamped 205 Live!

The first ever Cruiserweight Champion against the first-ever United Kingdom Champion; the winner of the Cruiserweight Classic against the winner of the United Kingdom Tournament.

This match completely surpassed all expectation. An incredibly technical encounter by two men who can pretty much do it all in the ring - and, boy, they showed it here.

Hold for hold, blow for blow. We saw everything, flips, strong style, incredible storytelling.

TJP showed some early innovation. Something that sometimes seems to get forgotten with some wonderful holds and going to work on Bate's knee early on.

And Tyler Bate showed yet again why he is one of the most exciting young wrestlers in the world today with some incredible athleticism.

The 20-year-old showed his maturity in the ring yet again with some wonderful submission moves too - especially against a man known for precisely that.

TJP and Bate exchanged holds and told a beautiful story in the ring throughout as TJP continuously worked on Bate's knee in some weird and wonderful ways.

A succession of submissions and some crucial blows to Bate's knee meant he struggled to gather momentum, but he still pulled some beautiful moves out of the bag.

But no longer had TJP kicked out than Bate got up and immediately fell and held his knee.

TJP managed to lock in the knee bar, but Bate made it to the ropes.

Even after the former Cruiserweight Champion held on to his leg, Bate managed to mount some momentum and even took TJP for a ride, spinning with him on his shoulders for no less than 20 rotations, but again, the knee injury meant Bate couldn't capitalise.

Bate went for the Tyler Driver 97, but TJP caught him for the Knee Bar. Bate rolled through for a count of two.

But it all got too much for the Englishman when TJP managed to get the Knee Bar locked in for a final time after Bate tried an incredibly high-risk move from the top. TJP avoided and got the first ever United Kingdom Champion in his clutches.

It looked all but over.

But Bate again made it to the ropes. Again went for the Tyler Driver 97...

But TJP grabbed the ropes for a reversal, then rolled up Bate and grabbed the tights for extra leverage, winning by any means possible to continue on the journey to reclaiming his Championship at WrestleMania.

---

Two more HUGE matches were confirmed for next week's round one matches.

An incredible 205 Live to kick off what seems to be a new era for the Cruiserweight Division, and a job well done by Drake Maverick!