Drake Maverick opened 205 Live with a video package highlighting the three important changes the show has seen over the past few weeks.
First, Cedric Alexander lost the Cruiserweight Championship to Buddy Murphy. Next, Mike Kanellis debuted on 205 Live last week. Finally, Cedric Alexander was beaten by the Premier Athlete, Tony Nese, possibly finally taking Alexander out of the title picture.
TJP, Gran Metalik, Lio Rush, Tony Nese, and Cedric Alexander faced each other in the main event, attempting to prove that they deserve to face Buddy Murphy for the Cruiserweight Championship.
Also tonight, Drew Gulak looked to finally rid himself of Akira Tozawa. After kicking Brian Kendrick to the curb, Gulak and Jack Gallagher revealed that Tozawa was next in their effort to create a better 205 Live.
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Drew Gulak vs Akira Tozawa
Drew Gulak was accompanied to the ring by Gentleman Jack Gallagher as a replay was shown of the Kendrick beatdown two weeks ago.
Tozawa kept the crowd loud with a chant, which broke one of Gulak's many rules for 205 Live; No Chanting. Gulak took Tozawa down with a snapmare into a headlock. Tozawa fought out but was met with a knee to the gut. Gulak attempted a suplex, but Tozawa escaped then sent Gulak flying with a hurricanrana.
Gulak managed to attempt a roll-up, only for Tozawa to escape, kicking him in the jaw before dropping his weight across Gulak's sternum with the running senton splash.
Tozawa kept the pressure on Gulak, dropping him with his punching combination before locking him in the octopus stretch.
Gulak finally forced himself out, damaging Tozawa's spine with a backbreaker, then launching him overhead with a fallaway slam.
The Submission Specialist locked Tozawa into a leglock while tearing at Tozawa's nose and mouth. Gulak then put Tozawa in the Gory Special. Tozawa escaped over Gulak's back, striking Gulak with a big boot. Tozawa attempted to follow up but was met with a powerbomb for his trouble. Tozawa kicked out at two.
Gulak kept Tozawa on the mat with a headlock while biting his ear, something the ref didn't notice. Tozawa escaped, then caught Gulak with a kicking combination, finishing up with a spinning kick. The former Cruiserweight Champion took to the top rope, knocking Gulak down with a missile dropkick and a shining wizard, forcing Gulak to retreat to the outside.
Gallagher went to his friend's aid, but both men were met by a suicide dive from Tozawa for their trouble. With Gallagher back in the ring unable to move, Tozawa looked to finish the bout with the top rope Senton Splash, only for Gallagher to knock him off, with Tozawa bouncing off the turnbuckle head first.
Results: Akira Tozawa defeated Drew Gulak via DQ.
Brian Kendrick made the save, sending Gulak flying to the outside with a clothesline. The former Cruiserweight Champion locked Jack Gallagher in the Captain's Hook, but Gulak pulled Gallagher out.
Tozawa didn't know how to respond to Kendrick's help but eventually accepted his hand.
Backstage, Buddy Murphy and Tony Nese met with 205 Live General Manager Drake Maverick. Buddy Murphy asked what Maverick planned to do now that he and Nese were the only two men to pin Cedric Alexander in 2018.
Maria & Mike Kanellis cut a promo saying that the attack last week against Lince Dorado was nothing personal. Next week, Kanellis will make his official in-ring debut, facing off against Lince Dorado in a one-on-one match.
Hideo Itami cut a promo on Mustafa Ali, saying that the Heart of 205 Live should've simply walked away.
In their Falls Count Anywhere match next week, he plans on ending Ali's career.
Ali returned with a message of his own, saying that it's time to take a new road. On this road, there are no twists or turns. It's a straight path that runs into him.
"Wherever you go, I go," said Ali. "On this road, where you lay is where I stand, because on this road Hideo...it's Falls Count Anywhere! See you down the road."
TPJ vs Gran Metalik vs Lio Rush vs Tony Nese vs Cedric Alexander
TJP entered first, wearing a Lucha House Party shirt while holding the mask of Kalisto. Kalisto's friend Gran Metalik entered next, accompanied by Kalisto and Lince Dorado up to the ramp before leaving Metalik to prove himself in the Fatal-5-Way.
Lio Rush came out next to a pretty big ovation from the Washington D.C. crowd. Next was the Premier Athlete, who seemed extra confident after defeating Cedric Alexander last week.
Finally, Cedric Alexander emerged, titleless and looking for redemption in tonight's main event. With a win tonight, Alexander would prove that he still belonged at the top of 205 Live.
Buddy Murphy watched backstage, checking out the competition.
Lio Rush bailed out immediately as TJP went after Gran Metalik, dragging him outside. Cedric Alexander threw Tony Nese outside.
Rush ran in to take on the former Cruiserweight Champion. Rush used his speed to outmaneuver Alexander, but the Soul of 205 Live was able to keep up with the Man of the Hour.
Rush finally landed the first blow with a hurricanrana, then goaded Alexander into chasing him outside, where Nese was waiting.
Inside the ring, Rush and Metalik went at it, with Metalik taking Rush down with a springboard cross body followed by a gutbuster and a dropkick from the second rope. Nese came in to capitalize on the situation, throwing out Metalik.
Nese's striking power stunned Lio Rush, but eventually, the 23-year-old piece of gold took over again, leaving himself standing alone in the ring. The crowd cheered for Rush.
TJP snuck in while Rush was distracted by Metalik, locking them both into submission holds, only to be broken up by Tony Nese.
Rush went to fight Nese, but the Premier Athlete took him down with a German Suplex while simultaneously pinning TJP. The CruiserGreat kicked out at two, leading to Nese shooting him into the turnbuckle for his trouble.
Nese worked the neck of Metalik, cranking it before planting him with a back suplex. Cedric Alexander attempted to get in, but Nese took him out and kept him away from the ring, then went back to work on Metalik.
Nese hung Metalik in the tree of woe, then repeatedly kicked the luchador in the face while getting in a workout. As he bragged about his abs, Alexander took him down with a schoolboy, getting a near fall. However, after kicking out, Nese leveled the former champ with a clothesline.
Metalik went for something off the ropes, but the spot was botched by him and Nese.
Nese set Metalik up in the fireman's carry position, but Metalik escaped, dropping Nese head first with a brainbuster.
Alexander then went in to take on Metalik. A high angle springboard clothesline would knock the LHP member outside.
Alexander then set his sights on Nese. TJP attempted to interject but was met with a kick to the jaw from Alexander. Alexander planted Nese with the springboard flatliner. Before he could capitalize with a pinfall, Lio Rush emerged, taking down the former champion. Rush and TJP then went at it as the crowd chanted for Rush.
TJP knocked Rush off the top rope, sending him crashing to the outside. Alexander and Metalik met TJP up top, attempting a superplex.
Nese pulled them both off. Metalik was up on Nese's shoulders but rolled Nese into a pin. While he rolled forward, TJP connected with a crossbody on Alexander but was countered into the Michinoku Driver. As TJP kicked out, Rush hit the Final Hour on Alexander.
After a few seconds, all men began trading signature maneuvers, ending with Alexander knocking Nese to the ground with a Neuralizer. Nese kicked out at two.
Alexander continued to target Nese and was met with a superkick from Metalik, who hit back with a soccer kick to Metalik's jaw. TJP threw Alexander outside and went for Metalik's mask.
Metalik escaped, taking out Alexander with a suicide dive, only to be met with a dropkick from TJP. Inside the ring, Tony Nese picked Rush up for a powerbomb, sending him crashing upon the other cruiserweights outside.
Nese dragged Rush inside, but the pin was broken up. Metalik dropped Nese with a facebuster, but before he could take Nese down with a top rope maneuver, was knocked off by TJP.
TJP locked in the TJP Clutch on Nese. When Alexander broke it up, he locked it on on Alexander.
Finally, Metalik took out TJP, interrupting the Clutch and knocking him down on the outside with a moonsault. Lio Rush kicked Nese in the temple, leaving him in a prime spot for the Final Hour.
Alexander interrupted, driving his knees into Rush's back with the Lumbar Check. Before he could pick up the victory, Tony Nese rolled him up for the win.
Tony Nese defeated Cedric Alexander via pinfall.
Cedric Alexander has lost his last three matches, with two of them going to Tony Nese. A stunned and dejected Cedric Alexander was left in the ring as Tony Nese bragged in front of the crowd. Buddy Murphy was seen in the back, nodding his head and smiling at the victory taken by his partner.