This week’s edition of 205 Live starts with a video showing Buddy Murphy’s sneak attack on Cedric Alexander two months ago, and how those actions resulted in Murphy obtaining a Cruiserweight Championship opportunity in tonight’s main event. Spliced within the highlight package, a sit-down interview with Murphy has the Australian bemoan his lack of success in his five years in WWE to date. He states that it was up to him to make a statement; to become 205 Live’s Cruiserweight Champion. The video switches to current title holder, Alexander, who states that he has gone through considerable conditioning, coupled with his own weight cutting, to get to where he is today.
Vic Joseph welcomes us to the show with fellow announcers, Nigel McGuinness and Percy Watson.
Brian Kendrick & Jack Gallagher vs Kalisto & Lince Dorado
Drew Gulak returns to the announce table to call the action in the match between Gallagher & Kendrick and Kalisto & Dorado, stating that the former team has spurned his interest as of late. Gulak hands out literature to the commentary team, promoting a “Better 205 Live” and belittling the message that the Lucha House Party promote.
Kendrick and Dorado start the match with an exchange of lockups and pin attempts. The latter gains the initial upper hand over the former, frequently tagging in and out with his tag partner, him and Kalisto delivering tandem offense in between. Kendrick breaks free, introducing Gallagher into the match, who attempts to assert a more ground-based offense. However, the regular tags between Kalisto and Dorado, paired with the luchador offense, result in Gallagher himself desperately looking for a way out. Thankfully for the pair, Kendrick finally brings a more preferred smashmouth style into the match. Gallagher takes over and continues the onslaught by stretching Kalisto, using Kendrick to perform their own tandem offense.
Dorado’s time on the apron seems to have had his energy replenished as he borrows moves from his stablemate, Gran Metalik, to better both Kendrick and Gallagher. While running the ropes, Dorado ducks a Gallagher clothesline and dives out the ring straight onto Kendrick.
Drew Gulak says he has seen enough, presumably of the high flying style, and sweeps Dorado’s out from underneath him on the top rope. The referee misses the interference, allowing Kendrick to lock in the Captain’s Hook on Dorado for a quick submission victory.
Winners: Brian Kendrick & Jack Gallagher
It looks like we now have a clear indication that Gulak has aligned himself with Kendrick and Gallagher, something which has been heavily hinted at in previous weeks. This trio of Superstars with similar wrestling ideals could prove interesting in the future.
The commentary team reminds the 205 Live viewers of Hideo Itami’s defeat over former tag partner, Akira Tozawa, from last week. Itami has taken to social media over the last seven days, continuing his demand for respect.
We cut to Cedric Alexander and Buddy Murphy warming up backstage in anticipation of the Cruiserweight Title match tonight. Members of the 205 Live roster, Mustafa Ali then Tony Nese, give their predictions by way of a “selfie” video on who they think will win the match tonight. With Ali and Nese’s moral alignments firmly set in stone throughout their time on the Cruiserweight Division show, it comes as no surprise that Ali picked his friend, Alexander, while Nese sees no other outcome than a Murphy win.
Dasha Fuentes interviews Drake Maverick backstage, asking him for comment on TJP’s inflammatory comments against 205 Live on social media. Maverick retorts that wrestlers have to prove their worth in the ring, not on social media, using Cedric Alexander and Buddy Murphy as examples.
WWE Cruiserweight Division Championship Match:
Cedric Alexander vs Buddy Murphy
Once Murphy makes his way to the ring, Alexander comes out to a favorable hometown response from the North Carolina crowd. The match gets the “cut of the tape” treatment from the ring announcer, with Murphy receiving a chorus of jeers, what with his opponent. Alexander hailing from Charlotte.
Murphy offers a hand as the bell rings, but mocks Alexander by flicking sweat in his direction. A show of strength is fought between the two as wrist locks are aggressively applied then reversed. A stalemate is reached as neither man is able to move into second gear.
Alexander attempts some agility with a handstand head scissors takedown, but Murphy is able to flip out of the attack. Murphy replies in kind with similar offense, but Alexander escapes just as impressively, playing to the crowd.
Murphy seems to be the first victim in this game of chess as he is thrown out the ring but rapidly scurries back in before Alexander is able to take to the skies, stopping the champion in his tracks. The action moves to the corner and strikes are exchanged in close proximity. Outside the ring, as Murphy favors his jaw due to an Alexander elbow, Alexander flies over the top rope, crashing Murphy into the commentary table. Murphy is able to escape more serious damage, however, sweeping Alexander’s legs out and crashing him onto the commentary table, before launching him into the barricade.
He rolls Alexander into the ring and delivers a barrage of violent punts to the back of Alexander. He exacerbates the injury by adding a knee in the back, further torquing a rear chin-lock, The WWE Universe’s attempt to rally behind Alexander begins to pay dividends, as after a labored struggle to swing the momentum in his favor, the Champion begins to fight back. However, Murphy counters a springboard moonsault with a kick to the face. Alexander kicks out of a near fall, but the effort of which only puts more strain on his back.
Murphy’s gameplan is an intelligent one. With Alexander’s finishing move, the Lumbar Check, impacting his opponent’s back, Murphy’s continues an assault on Alexander’s own, which is becoming more endangered per strike, giving Murphy a genuine chance at taking ultimate control. However, Alexander’s resolve allows him his own series of high impact blows.
The two men have each other’s patented moves scouted, both halting any impetus with an exchange of hard-hitting punches or kicks, as well as impressive somersault dives to the outside.
The action slows back in the ring, with Alexander looking for his Lumbar Check, but is unable to move past the pain barrier. Murphy fights back with a running suplex, but this only results in a near fall. The Australian looks to end things once and for all with a running suplex on the apron this time, but Alexander musters up the wherewithal to wriggle out of the move and floor Alexander with a Flatliner on the apron instead. Both Superstars are sprawled on the outside, and only just make it back into the ring before they are both counted out.
Murphy has Alexander stretched on his shoulder and spins him around for a breathtaking DDT. Alexander kicks out at two, displaying a deep fortitude that shocks the commentary team. Murphy and Alexander gather themselves in opposite corners before both charge into the middle, unloading on each other with vicious strikes. Alexander rushes Murphy but receives a devastating knee to the face for his efforts. Alexander gets his shoulder up and no more before the referee counts to three.
Murphy crawls over and attempts a Murphy’s Law. Alexander escapes but receives a powerbomb when trying for hurricanrana. Alexander flips out backward from the folding press pin attempt and delivers his Neutraliser on two occasions. He sets up Murphy for the Lumbar Check, which he does at first time of asking. Alexander runs over for a successful three count and retains the Cruiserweight Championship.
Winner: Cedric Alexander
205 Live closes with a dejected Murphy, halfway up the ramp, looking on at a moment he feels should have been his, as Alexander holds his title aloft, celebrating with the fans at ringside.
What did you think of 205 Live this week? Feel free to drop your comments here or wherever you read this on social media. You can find me on Twitter and in Social Suplex’s Facebook group. You can read more of my columns right here.
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