WWE 205 Live Results: December 12th, 2018
Buddy Murphy will defend his Cruiserweight Championship against Cedric Alexander at WWE TLC. On this week's episode of 205 live, both champion and challenger would have to face off against two of the brand's best talents.
Originally, the Juggernaut was supposed to face the Scottish Supernova Noam Dar. However, it was revealed that he wasn't cleared to compete tonight. Therefore, Murphy would face off against The King of The Ropes and possibly one of the best luchadors around today, Gran Metalik.
Cedric Alexander would be placed in a match with his longtime rival Tony Nese. The Premier Athlete has been a thorn in the side of the former champion and even received his second loss of the year at the hands of Nese. Tonight, Nese looked to derail the Age of Alexander and any momentum he'd built up before facing off against Murphy this Sunday.
Cruiserweight Champion Buddy Murphy vs Gran Metalik
Metalik was caught by Murphy early, yanking him down to the mat arm first, locking in a shoulder lock. Metalik escaped, and the two began a run of impressive chain wrestling. Murphy was forced into the corner, with Metalik gaining the upper hand.
Metalik avoided a back suplex, sending Murphy to the outside with a hurricanrana, and followed it up with a senton over the top ropes. The two cruiserweights worked around the outside, and Metalik leaped from the barricade to Murphy with another hurricanrana. Back inside, Metalik got a two-count.
Murphy took back over, bringing Metalik to the top rope. The King of the Ropes fought him off and went for the Blockbuster. The Juggernaut caught him in mid-air, holding him for a few seconds before bringing him down with a running suplex.
Murphy dumped Metalik to the outside, expecting a ten count from the ref. Metalik beat the count at eight. Murphy rocked the luchador's jaw with a vicious right hook, then locked him down in the middle of the ring.
Murphy sent Metalik to the outside as he broke away, but Metalik caught himself on the apron, connecting with an enziguri to the champion's head. He then dropped onto Murphy with a springboard crossbody, followed by a springboard back elbow, finishing up with a middle rope dropkick. Murphy kicked out at two.
Metalik set up for the Metalik Driver, but Murphy escaped and connected with most of his patented combination. Metalik avoided, landing a superkick and going for the Driver again. Murphy escaped again, connecting with a brutal knee strike. Murphy went for another running knee, but Metalik finally countered into the Metalik Driver.
Murphy kicked out at two and rolled to the outside when Metalik went up top. The champion then drove Metalik face first into the table, followed by a back suplex to the apron. Murphy finished the run with a top rope meteora, nearly finishing off Metalik, but the King of the Ropes kicked out at two.
Murphy attempted a suplex, but Metalik countered into a small package. Murphy lifted his feet up as Metalik went for the moonsault, and followed up with a deadlift sit out powerbomb. Metalik, somehow, broke out.
Metalik was forced to his knees by Murphy who rocked him with a sickening knee strike. Finally, Murphy connected with Murphy's Law for the win.
Results: Buddy Murphy defeated Gran Metalik via pinfall.
Gran Metalik put on an incredible fight tonight, but the sheer power of the Juggernaut was simply too much to overcome. Murphy won his match and hoped that his partner Tony Nese would do his job, ending Alexander's latest streak ahead of his title defense on December 16th.
The commentary team went over the beatdown The Brian Kendrick and Akira Tozawa received from Drew Gulak and Jack Gallagher last week. The duo looked forward to their Street Fight against the antagonistic team, and Kendrick wanted to show that he was a changed person.
Tozawa said that he was a changed man indeed, but he still looked the same, and he had a plan to fix that. Tozawa then "fired" Drake Maverick for losing the Raw Tag Titles on Monday Night Raw.
Gulak and Gallagher retorted with a promo of their own, saying that they haven't gone far enough in their punishment of Kendrick and Tozawa. Next week, Gulak looks to rid himself of Kendrick for good.
It was announced that Lio Rush would return to 205 Live next week. The Man of the Hour hasn't been seen on the Purple Brand since suffering his first loss at the hands of Cedric Alexander a month ago.
Backstage, Ariya Daivari said that he's tired of 205 Live not being as hard hitting as it should be. Hideo Itami congratulated him on his squash match from the week prior, and Daivari called him one of the last real men in professional wrestling.
Tony Nese vs Cedric Alexander
Nese has been in Alexander's head recently, and the former champion needed to get past him to move on to the title match on Sunday.
A "Let's go Cedric" chant rained down upon the ring as the two men attempted to feel each other out. A hair pull from Nese allowed him to get the early advantage, but Alexander's speed got him back in the game.
Alexander sent Nese flying with his handspring headscissors, but Nese landed on his feet. The two men traded shots and spots, but a dropkick from Alexander stopped Nese dead in his tracks. Alexander chased Nese around with stiff chops to the chest, then sent Nese over the ropes with a fireman's carry. Alexander went for a dive, but Nese rolled back inside.
Alexander caught himself and went for the springboard clothesline. However, Nese caught him with a running uppercut, stunning the former champion. The Soul of 205 Live was tested by Nese, as he was repeatedly slung into the turnbuckle. Nese then caught his opponent with a punch to the throat, followed by slingshotting him onto the top rope, finishing up with the springboard moonsault.
Alexander kicked out at two, and Nese quickly locked in the body scissors. A rough clothesline from Nese kept Alexander from picking up momentum after escaping, and the Premier Athlete locked him back into a rear chin lock. Alexander escaped again and baited Nese into trying to counter the springboard clothesline.
Alexander then planted Nese with the springboard flatliner. With the momentum finally back on his side, Alexander caught Nese with multiple clotheslines, a dropkick to the knees that sent Nese into the turnbuckle, and a kick to the jaw.
Alexander finally connected with the springboard clothesline, but Nese kicked out. Alexander picked up Nese and prevented him from mounting some offense, catching him in the back of the head with a kick.
Alexander went for the Lumbar Check, but Nese held onto the ropes. Nese then dropped Alexander with the fireman's carry gutbuster, followed by an elbow and a running forearm smash. Alexander kicked out at two.
Alexander fought back and went for the Neuralizer, but Nese countered into a Samoan Drop. Nese then sent Alexander outside, connecting with the Fosbury Flop to the floor.
Back inside, Nese nearly pinned Alexander, who kicked out and drove Nese down with the Michinoku Driver. Nese kicked out, and Alexander went for the Lumbar Check again. Nese blocked it but was caught by a kick from Alexander. Nese blocked it again but was met by a Neuralizer, followed by a Lumbar Check.
Results: Cedric Alexander defeated Tony Nese via pinfall.
Less than a week to go before his championship rematch, Cedric Alexander finally redeemed one of his two losses of 2018. Alexander looked to knock off the other on Sunday. Murphy stood at the top of the ramp and dropped the title before rushing the ring.
Alexander got the best of the Juggernaut, who went to the outside. Murphy was met by a flying Alexander, who sent Murphy reeling to the back.
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Kishan Prasad