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On Sunday, Buddy Murphy continued his run as Cruiserweight Champion, bringing down Akira Tozawa with a powerful Murphy's Law. Both men put on an incredible bout, featuring some fantastic action like a top rope powerbomb countered into a hurricanrana. Tozawa definitely took Murphy to his limit, but just like the champion has said, you can't stop the unstoppable.
As far as his next challenger at WrestleMania, Drake Maverick decided to bring back the Cruiserweight Championship Tournament idea that was seen last year during the show's rebirth. Over the next several weeks, we'll see cruiserweights face off in a tournament to decide who should be the #1 Contender to the Juggernaut's title.
Tonight, several cruiserweights look to prove why they deserve to be involved in the upcoming tournament. Humberto Carrillo was placed in another match with a former Cruiserweight Champion, TJP, who now has another chance to prove why he deserves to be champion again. Also in the main event, Mike Kanellis will attempt to pick up a victory over former Cruiserweight Champion and the 205 Live MVP of 2018, Cedric Alexander.
TJP vs Humberto Carrillo
The 205 Live veteran looked to stop the young upstart Carrillo on his path to the Cruiserweight Championship but struggled to keep up with Carrillo's speed and unorthodox style early on. He had TJP down on his knee on the outside, and went for a dive, but was stopped by Drew Gullak and Jack Gallagher, who has been training him in the art of mat wrestling, hoping to prevent him from working in the air.
Because of this, TJP got the upper hand. While Carrillo managed to bring him down to the ground, a tilt-a-whirl head scissors takedown brought Carrillo down. Carrillo fought back, and, much to the chagrin of Gullak and Gallagher, dropped TJP with a high angle crossbody from the top rope. However, a springboard maneuver allowed TJP to counter, dropping him face first into the mat and attacked Carrillo's shoulder.
TJP slammed Carrillo near the ropes and dove onto him with a tope atomico. Back on their feet, TJP focussed on the shoulder and elbow, connecting with a dropkick to the arm and upper body. Carrillo was locked up with a rear chin lock but managed to fight out. He sent TJP into the corner, but the former champion avoided a shoulder block, sending Carrillo shoulder first into the ring post.
He was then hung up in the tree of woe where TJP connected with a hesitation dropkick. Back in the middle of the ring, TJP went for the pin, but Carrillo broke out. TJP continued to focus on the left arm, adding some grotesque body manipulation to an armbar.
Carrillo escaped and went for another dive from up top. TJP avoided the sunset flip but was taken out by a leaping roundhouse kick. TJP went outside to recover but was met with another dive from Carrillo, again angering Gulak and Gallagher. Carrillo moved towards the top. TJP again avoided a dive. Carrillo's powerful legs brought TJP down with another kick, then brought all of his weight down on him with a rolling moonsault.
TJP kicked out and interrupted Carrillo's next attempt at a dive. TJP locked Carrillo up with an STF. Gulak and Gallagher encouraged Carrillo to fight towards the ropes. TJP's hold was finally broken, and he brought Carrillo to the apron. Carrillo fought him off, stunning him with a right hand and a springboard dropkick.
Carrillo finally put away TJP with the corner springboard moonsault.
Results: Humberto Carrillo defeated TJP via pinfall.
Gulak and Gallagher celebrated with Carrillo in the ring, calling him an incredibly talented star.
Tony Nese talked about his win over Noam Dar last week. Dar said that he's figured out how to break through the barrier blocking his full potential.
Nese said that he was sending a message to his friend Buddy Murphy. He'll win the tournament and win the Cruiserweight Championship at WrestleMania.
Ariya Daivari washed his hands of Hideo Itami a while back. Daivari said that he was overlooked, working as a bodyguard for Itami and "wannabe wrestlers" in the past. Now, Daivari hoped to prove the WWE Universe wrong as he has his eyes on championship gold.
Ariya Daivari vs Johnny Lyons
Lyons was driven into the corner where Daivari beat him down with fists and boots to his face. Daivari sent him into the other corner, but Lyons countered, connecting with a dropkick. It didn't phase Daivari much, as he dropped Lyons with a brutal kick to the face.
Daivari brought Lyons into the middle of the ring and leveled him with a hellacious hammerlock lariat.
Finally, he forced Lyons to tap out to the Million Dollar Dream, applying body scissors as they went to the ground.
Results: Ariya Daivari defeated Johnny Lyons via submission.
Backstage, Buddy Murphy gave Drake Maverick props for using the tournament to give him a worthy competitor. Murphy said that he broke the Heart of 205 Live in Mustafa Ali, and ended the savior of 205, Cedric Alexander.
Murphy continued to list his accomplishments, going over his Royal Rumble match and the most recent title defense against Akira Tozawa. Murphy said that, like every night, it ended with his hand held high.
The champion finished by saying, regardless who ends up winning the tournament, they'll only be another stepping stone for himself as he continues to prove that he's the greatest cruiserweight of all time.
Mike Kanellis has yet to pick up a victory on 205 Live since October. Along with Maria, the couple hoped that 2019 would be their year. Kanellis had an interesting opportunity tonight. If he was able to defeat Cedric Alexander, it would certainly prove that not only did he deserve to be here, but he deserved to be a part of the upcoming tournament.
Alexander was a clear favorite in said tournament. The Soul of 205 had a stellar 2018 and looked to get back on track at WrestleMania. This was a must-win match for both men tonight.
Mike Kanellis w/Maria vs Cedric Alexander
Kanellis wrestled Alexander down to the mat early. Alexander muscled out, bringing him into the corner. Alexander fought out but was pulled off by the referee. They locked up again, and Kanellis trapped Alexander in a headlock. Alexander tried to shoot him off into the ropes, but Kanellis's grip was too strong, and he brought the former champion to the mat.
Alexander finally broke out, bringing a rebounding Kanellis down with an arm drag. Kanellis broke away from an armbar, chopping away at Alexander's chest. Alexander sent him into the corner with a standing dropkick. Several chops left Kanellis's chest beat red.
Alexander attempted a pin, only for his opponent to kick out at one. He sent Kanellis into the opposite corner, running after him. Kanellis sent him over the rope, then caught him right on the jaw with a right hand as he went for a springboard clothesline. Kanellis brought him into the middle of the ring, repeatedly elbowing him in the shoulder and neck while he was seated.
Kanellis screamed that he was the best of the world while working over Alexander, rocking Alexander with a running boot to the jaw. Kanellis choked Alexander out in the ropes, then jaw-jacked with the crowd. Back inside, Alexander connected with several European uppercuts. Another right hand, though, left Alexander in a daze, and he was sent face first into the turnbuckle. He kicked out at two.
Kanellis left Alexander gasping for air with a rear chin lock. A jawbreaker sent Kanellis away. Alexander stunned Kanellis with a boxing combination followed by a kick to the knee and a dropkick to the back of his head. Building momentum, he leveled Kanellis with a duo of clotheslines and a spinning back elbow. Alexander connected with the Neuralizer, leaving Kanellis seemingly unconscious in the corner.
Alexander went for a springboard clothesline, but his knee buckled before he could make the leap. As the ref looked him over, Kanellis repeatedly kicked his knee. Alexander countered a leglock with a roll-up. Kanellis kicked out and was met with a superkick, though Alexander fell back down from the pain. Alexander attempted to put Kanellis away with the Lumbar Check, but his knee wouldn't allow him to pick up the weight.
Alexander went for a second Neuralizer only to be countered by a superkick to the back. Kanellis slammed him in the middle of the ring with a Michinoku Driver. Alexander kicked out. Both men traded strikes until Kanellis sent Alexander into the corner. Kanellis brought Alexander down to the mat with the backpack stunner, but he kicked out again, frustrating Kanellis.
Alexander rolled him up. Kanellis escaped but Alexander avoided another kick, rolling him up again. Several pinfall attempts later, and Kanellis continued to kick out. Even after a Michinoku Driver from Alexander, it wasn't enough to put him away.
Out on the apron, Alexander was hung up on the corner. Kanellis attempted a suplex to the outside, only for Alexander to land on the apron. Both men dropped each other with a big boot, sending Kanellis crashing to the outside and Alexander laying on the apron. Alexander was first to his feet. As he went to pick up Kanellis, he was dropped on his back with a Double-A spinebuster on the steel ramp.
Kanellis was hoping for the count-out victory. Alexander, miraculously, got back inside before the ref hit ten. Kanellis put Alexander in the Boston Crab, but after nearly half a minute in the hold, Alexander reached the ropes. Alexander dumped Kanellis to the outside where he brought him down with a dive to the outside. He went attempted to get back in the ring, but Maria prevented it, allowing her husband to recover. A rolling cutter nearly put him away, but he kicked out right as the ref's hand hit the mat.
Alexander would eventually send Kanellis packing with the Lumbar Check.
Results: Cedric Alexander defeated Mike Kanellis via pinfall.
Kanellis rolled out to the ground and crawled over to the ramp as a frustrated Maria.
Backstage, Drake Maverick revealed the first four competitors to take part in the tournament, which begins next week. Kalisto, Tony Nese, The Brian Kendrick, and Drew Gulak were the first four chosen by the General Manager. Next week we'll kick off the tournament with two first-round matches.
Kalisto vs Tony Nese
The Brian Kendrick vs Drew Gulak
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