This week’s 205 Live doesn’t start with the traditional intro video from General Manager (what with him most likely busy being an Author of Pain etc!), but Vic Joseph reminds the WWE Universe of Cedric Alexander’s Cruiserweight Championship Defense against Buddy Murphy at the Super Showdown in Australia. Before that, Alexander still has unfinished business with Drew Gulak & Co. Joseph is joined by Percy Watson and Nigel McGuinness on commentary.
Gran Metalik vs Tony Nese
After Gran Metalik makes his way to the ring, Kayla Braxton is backstage asking for comments from Metalik’s opponent, Tony Nese. Nese is a tad too focused on his match to deal with Braxton, but his tag team partner Buddy Murphy handles proceedings. Naturally, Murphy discusses how he will beat Alexander on October 6th in front of his “home crowd” to become the Cruiserweight Champion.
With the regular shenanigans that ensue when these teams come together, all non-wrestling parties are sent backstage, allowing Nese and Metalik to wrestle without any distractions.
It’s no secret that Metalik has athletic prowess, but Nese does his best to remind us, and his opponent, of his own agility. Nese is able to hang with Metalik early on, often mirroring his offense. Metalik’s lucha style gains the upper hand, however, as he manages to throw Nese out the ring, and subsequently dropkick a returning Nese off the apron.
Attempting a leaping hurricanrana, the powerful Nese catches Metalik and swings him head first into the fan barrier, leveling the playing field with his superlative strength. The Premier Athlete brings the action down to a speed he can manage back inside the ring. Unfortunately, his power slam is reversed into a tornado DDT. This rocks Nese’s foundations as he is unable to fight off Metalik’s frequent attacks.
The familiarity bred between these teams over past weeks comes to the fore as Nese scouts a handstand springboard with a spinning heel kick. As is the theme throughout this match, traditional lucha wrestling trumps Nese’s power game, with the Lucha House Party member vaulting the ropes and delivering a hurricanrana off the apron.
Metalik takes things to an extreme level as he attempts a moonsault from the turnbuckle to Nese on the floor. But Nese raises his feet, which are planted directly into Metalik’s face. Nese capitalizes on this sudden grasp of momentum by sliding back inside, running the ropes, and nailing Metalik with a Fosbury Flop. He rolls Metalik inside and lands a remarkable 450 Splash, but somehow Metalik kicks out at two.
A frustrated Nese props Metalik in the corner for a “Running Nese”, but a superkick from the lucha star stops him in his tracks. Metalik follows up with a modified TKO, but he too cannot finish the match despite a high impact move.
Nese soon after attempts a superplex, but Metalik throws Nese onto the ropes. As you would expect from the King of the Ropes, Nese is launched into the middle of the ring with a hurricanrana. Metalik walks along the top rope and finishes Nese off with a diving elbow.
Winner: Gran Metalik
Well! This was a surprise. The opening matches on 205 Live are normally decent fare, but this was a surprisingly very high-quality match to “jerk the curtain”. Nese and Metalik worked incredibly well together, with the former’s athleticism being often equal to the latter’s throughout.
We see footage of Hideo Itami from last week’s 205 Live as he systematically decimated his opponent Michael Blaise, only to be distracted by a returning Mustafa Ali. Back to this week, and Maverick is speaking to a referee about taking precautions regarding Cedric Alexander’s potential actions later on.
Up steps Mustafa Ali who, like all of us watching, wishes that Maverick was still in his delightful Authors of Pain attire. Maverick shrugs this off, voicing his disappointment at Ali rushing the ring last week before he is medically cleared. Maverick reminds Ali that he won’t step inside the ring until he says so. Ali walks away looking not too happy with Maverick…
Noam Dar vs Brian Kelly
Noam Dar looks ready to face off against Kelly, but Lio Rush’s music plays almost immediately. Wearing street clothes (if you count wearing a blazer over a bare chest as street attire), Rush joins the commentary team.
While Dar thwarts Kelly’s offense with apparent ease in the ring, Lio Rush bemoans not being booked for a match at Summerslam, among other gripes he has with 205 Live management.
Back in the ring, and Dar is making easy work of Kelly. He takes time to eyeball Rush before sprinting over to Kelly and punting his feet out from under him. Once back on his feet, Kelly falls victim to Dar’s running shin kick. Dar covers Kelly for the victory.
Winner: Noam Dar
As Dar celebrates in the ring, Rush stands atop the commentary table and arrogantly stares down the next target in his self-professed ascent through the ranks of 205 Live.
Maverick catches up with Cedric Alexander backstage, asking him to not take things too far as he looks to exact revenge upon Gulak. Alexander shrugs off the potential of any issue and makes his way to the ring.
Nigel McGuinness announces that next week will see Buddy Murphy take on tonight’s impressive Gran Metalik in singles action. That should be great fun if this week’s outing is anything to go by!
Cedric Alexander makes his way to the ring, looking to call out Drew Gulak. Alexander takes the mic and promises to keep this short and sweet, as he is a man of very few words. *We know, Cedric, we know*. He states that if Drew Gulak has any credibility left, he should come out to the ring right now. After a no-show from Gulak, TJP’s music hits.
A confused Alexander looks on. TJP says he is impatient waiting in line for a shot at the Cruiserweight Championship, the title which TJP says was meant for him. He says that he would be happy to tap Alexander out, making him the next in line for a title opportunity.
Before things can kick off, Maverick comes out and reminds everyone that he makes the matches on 205 Live. Despite this going against General Manager code, Maverick knows a marquee match when he sees it, and announces Cedric Alexander vs TJP for right now.
Cedric Alexander vs TJP
Referee Mike Keota comes out from the back and rings the bell. Both men struggle to gain the upper hand early on, but Alexander lands a handstand springboard enziguri. TJP nurses his head as he rolls outside, but Alexander jumps through the ropes and continues to deal with TJP. Upon the apron, however, TJP capitalizes with a DDT.
TJP makes his way back into the ring with an impressive leap into an octopus stretch. But Alexander is able to counter it, and once again sends TJP outside. The technically superior TJP regains momentum with an abdominal stretch in among the ropes. The referee breaks it up, and the action breaks down into an exchange of chops and kicks. In quick succession, however, Alexander punts the middle turnbuckle where TJP’s face was resting and follows up with a Flatliner.
Despite Alexander seemingly on top in this match, TJP is able to frequently counter to devastating effect, this time-wrenching Alexander’s elbow back the wrong way. TJP continues his assault on Alexander’s arm.
Alexander fights back with a flying clothesline, but the impact does more damage to his other arm. This doesn’t stop him from delivering a devastating suplex-cum-Lumbar Check combination. TJP is able to kick out at two.
The action has picked up in pace considerably now. Alexander tries another jumping clothesline, but TJP catches his arm and then transitions into his inverted kneebar submission finisher. Alexander is able to grab the bottom rope after a brief panic.
A slugfest ensues, but Alexander is able to fight off TJP’s technical advances with another modified Lumbar Check for the victory.
Winner: Cedric Alexander
Almost immediately, Drew Gulak’s music plays, and out comes the Philadelphia Stretcher. Gulak officially accepts Alexander’s challenge to a face-off. As Gulak slowly stalks Alexander, Jack Gallagher attacks the champion from behind. Gulak takes advantage of this, coming in and choking Alexander out with the Gulock. 205 Live goes off air as Gulak trash talks a prone Alexander.
TJP hinted at something like this happening in his pre-match promo; calling Gulak an opportunist. While it came as no surprise, it was still another impactful message delivered by Gulak. The match itself between TJP and Alexander was admittedly clumsy in parts, but I am more than happy with TJP being utilized in conjunction with his talent. The vultures circling Alexander are increasing in number by the week, and begs the question: How long will the Age of Alexander last?
Check out this week’s very special “Ricky & Clive Wrestling Show” on the Social Suplex Podcast Network. Ricky and Clive are joined by Kyle Moores, Karl Ervin, and Rance Morris of Outsiders Edge to conclude our collaborative wrestling awards panel show (part 1 available here). In this half, we each pick our Best and Worst Males, Females, Tag Teams, Stables, and PPVs from WWE, NJPW, ROH, Impact, and All In. As is the Ricky & Clive tradition, we finish the show with a quiz.
Have a look at all of my 205 Live reviews to date.
And last, but by no means least, I talked all things with Lords of Pain Radio’s very own “Implications” on last week’s “Perfect 10 Wrestling“!
