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Buddy Murphy and Tony Nese continued to dominate the Cruiserweight Division last week. The powerhouses aimed to hold their control tonight as they face two of 205 Live's most popular stars Cedric Alender and Mustafa Ali.
Hideo Itami also returned to action this week after being away from the Purple Brand for more than a month following his loss to Ali. Itami looked to return to winning ways tonight. Plus Noam Dar attempted to take down Mike Kanellis after being cheated out of his match against Tony Nese last week.
Mike Kanellis w/Maria vs Noam Dar
Last week, Mike Kanellis helped TJP beat down Lucha House Party after Gran Metalik defeated the CruiserGreat in the main event. The couple laughed at the recap footage but were cut short of their celebration by Noam Dar. Maria joined the commentary team for this match.
Noam Dar sent Mike Kanellis to the ground with a penalty kick to the shin, forcing him to go outside. However, a distraction from Maria would get her husband back in the game. Kanellis quickly lost his advantage as Dar sped up, avoiding a pair of clotheslines and sending Kanellis into the corner with a dropkick.
Dar was dropped with a big Double-A spinebuster from Kanellis but was distracted by Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado at the top of the ramp. As the ref was turned around, Kalisto connected with an enziguri, sending Kanellis into the Nova Roller.
Results: Noam Dar defeated Mike Kanellis via pinfall.
Noam Dar has picked up some big wins since his return to 205 Live, and a win over Mike Kanellis definitely will draw the attention of 205 Live GM Drake Maverick.
Backstage, Akira Tozawa was training with The Brian Kendrick as they continued to work on their teamwork. Drew Gulak and Jack Gallagher then cut a promo on their former friend, with Gulak calling Kendrick a homeless Leonardo Dicaprio. Gulak will face Kendrick next week.
Tony Nese and Cruiserweight Champion Buddy Murphy were shown backstage going over their game plan for the main event.
Hideo Itami has been absent from 205 Live since getting crushed by a 450 Splash from Mustafa Ali in a Falls Count Anywhere match over a month ago. The lethal striker had some time to recuperate and hopes to move back up the ranks on the Cruiserweight Division.
Hideo Itami vs Levy Cruise (local competitor)
Levi Cruise had the poor luck of facing a returning Hideo Itami, who had a lot to prove tonight. Itami started off with a running big boot, dropping Cruise immediately. Itami then doubled Cruise over with a knee, following up by hanging up Cruise on the top ropes.
Itami dropped his knee over the hanging head of Cruise and probably could've ended the bout there. However, he wanted to punish his opponent more, sending him into the corner with his striking combination followed by the shotgun dropkick.
Itami finally ended the match with the GTS '18.
Results: Hideo Itami defeated Levy Cruise via pinfall.
After the match, Itami continued to beat down Cruise but was interrupted by the returning Ariya Daivari. Though, to the surprise of some, he joined Itami in beating down Cruise, then told Itami that he respected him. The two men shook hands, and a new, and possibly deadly partnership was formed.
Backstage, TJP was attempting to prove why he deserved a Cruiserweight Championship match soon. TJP then attempted to end the partnership with Mike and Maria Kanellis, but the couple talked him into sticking around to finish off Lucha House Party. Maria demanded a tornado tag team match between Mike Kanellis, TJP, and Lucha House Party.
Drake Maverick was happy to oblige, setting up next week's main event bout.
Mustafa Ali and Cedric Alexander have both had some serious issues with Buddy Murphy and Tony Nese over the past few months. Alexander lost his championship to Murphy, then lost to Tony Nese in his next match. Ali has been working to take the Cruiserweight Championship all year, bringing him into epic feuds with both Murphy and Nese throughout 2018. However, since whoever picked up the pinfall tonight would probably get a shot at the belt, would these two friends be able to work together, or would greed drive them apart?
Murphy and Nese exclaimed that 205 Live was theirs to control and twist in their own way last week. A win over two of the roster's best talents would definitely prove just how dominant they really are.
Mustafa Ali & Cedric Alexander vs Tony Nese & Buddy Murphy
Nese and Alexander began the match. Alexander has rarely lost since the beginning of the year, but Nese is one of the men to hold a victory over the Soul of 205.
Nese and Alexander traded some of their feature spots, but Alexander finally caught Nese with the handstand head scissor takedown, followed by a dropkick. Alexander locked eyes with Murphy, then went for a pin. Nese kicked out and Ali tagged in.
Nese sent Ali into the corner, allowing Murphy to tag in. Ali tried to drop Murphy with a strong right, but Murphy shook it off. Ali sent Murphy back with a dropkick, then tagged in Alexander. Murphy immediately tagged out.
Alexander was all over Nese at this point, catching him with multiple kicks, sending the Premier Athlete into a daze. However, Murphy tagged in as Alexander went into the ropes, allowing him to nearly knock him out with a deadly high knee to the jaw.
Murphy drove Alexander's face into the turnbuckle, then tagged Nese in. Nese sent Alexander over with snapmare and penalty kick to the back, then locked him down with body scissors. Nese tagged Murphy in, but Alexander escaped a double back suplex and tagged Ali in.
Ali flew in with a high angle cross body, bringing down both of his opponents. With Nese sent outside, Ali drove Murphy down with the rolling X-Factor facebuster and the sit out powerbomb. Murphy kicked out at two.
Murphy caught Ali when he went for the flying tornado DDT, striking him with a back elbow as the Heart of 205 Live tried to escape. A boot from Murphy sent him tumbling outside. Murphy tagged in Nese who worked over the damaged Ali with some brutal kicks.
Nese tagged Murphy back in, and the Cruiserweight Champion kept Ali in the middle of the ring, cutting him off from his corner. The strong kicks and right hands from Murphy almost ended Ali, but the Heart of 205 Live turned a Murphy's Law attempt into a roll-up.
Murphy kicked out then turned Ali inside out with a clothesline. Murphy tagged in Nese. However, as Murphy went to attack Ali, Ali avoided, then sent Nese into Murphy, setting up a chance to tag.
Murphy yanked Alexander off the apron before Ali could make the tag, allowing Nese to level him with a running forearm. Murphy tagged back in and punished Ali with his kicking combination.
Ali avoided the final punt kick, dropping Murphy with the spinning wheel kick. Ali finally tagged out as Murphy got to Nese. Alexander dazed Nese with a spinning back elbow, knocked Murphy off the apron, then drove Nese face first into the mat with the springboard flatliner.
Murphy tried to distract the Soul of 205 Live but was met by a boot from the former champion. However, that gave Nese enough time to catch Alexander with an uppercut mid springboard. Alexander escaped a tag team maneuver from the Premier Athlete and the Juggernaut.
Alexander and Ali went for some kind of move from the top with Buddy Murphy, but Murphy and Ali dropped outside. Alexander flew outside to hit Nese with a dive.
Back inside, Murphy dropped Ali with the rising knee. Ali escaped Murphy's Law and made it to his corner. Alexander tagged in while Ali connected with the leaping tornado DDT. Alexander finished Murphy off with the Lumbar Check.
Results: Cedric Alexander & Mustafa Ali defeated Buddy Murphy & Tony Nese via pinfall.
Cedric Alexander and Mustafa Ali celebrated in the middle of the ring, as it seems that the tension between them has completely faded. Murphy looked on in frustration as the show ended.
