205 Live is set for take-off and Austin Aries is no longer on the commentary team but his music hits and he makes his way to the ring.
Aries says he has secured his greatest interview to date, his guest: Austin Aries. He asks what made him decide to leave the announcers booth and punch Neville in the face. He takes his glasses off and thanks Aries for the question. He says he did what he did last night because he could. He’s been at the announcers table for 3 months because he had a “broken eye hole”. He says he learned a long time ago that you find the toughest guy around and punch him in the face if you want respect.
Aries says without a shadow of a doubt, Neville is the King of the Cruiserweights and he is in a league of his own. That was, until he got here. Aries then asks what is in the future for Austin, to which he says he is no longer the expert journalist, now the in-ring expert has arrived in 205 Live. Neville’s music hits.
Neville stands on the stage and says he thought what happened last night was a momentary lapse in judgement but Aries has clearly gone off the deep end. He says Aries hid behind the announce table and now he thinks he’s on his level. Aries says he doesn’t think he’s on Neville’s level because he’s on the A level, whereas he’s on the AA level. Neville says Aries isn’t even close to him and asks him to reconsider this career move. He tells him to return to the announce table and make his pathetic jokes, where he belongs. Aries says he doesn’t need a table to make jokes, so Neville can come to the ring and he’ll tell him about the King who got sucker punched two nights in a row.
Neville says he’d love nothing more than to come to the ring and shut down this little comeback tour. However Aries is not worthy of him. He says Aries has made a lot of enemies in the 205 Live locker room, jumping straight to the head of the line. Neville says he won’t fight him but there’s a lot of guys who will. Austin says that’s fine by him, he’ll take on everyone and anyone who wants a piece of him. Sounds like Aries will be running the 205 gauntlet in order to prove himself worthy.
“If you want to make a statement, you walk up to the toughest man in the room and punch him in the face!” – @AustinAries #205Live pic.twitter.com/TzAIXX4oC9
— 205Live (@WWE205Live) March 8, 2017
We cut backstage to see Rich Swann trying to teach Jack Gallagher to dance. Noam Dar walks in and calls them cute. He asks if either of them had anything to do with the flowers Alicia Fox received last week. Rich points out that he took credit for the flowers, and Dar says of course he did. He tells them to watch out for him tonight.
Noam Dar & Ariya Daivari Vs. Jack Gallagher & Rich Swann
The match starts with Daivari and Swann. Ariya slams Swann to the mat but the former Champion responds with a headscissors takedown. Swann looks for a superkick but Daivari holds onto the ropes, then Swann catches him with a dropkick.
Swann attacks Dar, knocking him from the apron, then runs into a boot from Daivari in the corner. Swann lands an enziguiri on Daivari on the top rope, then looks for a hurricanrana but Dar holds Daivari on the top rope. Dar tags into the match and beats on Swann. Daivari tags back in and chops Swann in the corner. Swann is whipped hard into the corner, then Dar tags back in.
The action is fast and furious as @GottaGetSwann & @GentlemanJackG face @AriyaDaivari411 & @NoamDar in tag team action! #205Live @AliciaFoxy pic.twitter.com/P8DCO4KnOD
— WWE (@WWE) March 8, 2017
Swann jumps for a tag to Jack but Daivari catches him in mid-air and lands a spinebuster. Daivari locks in a headlock and grounds Swann. Eventually Rich fights out and lands a roundhouse to take Ariya out. Swann crawls to Gallagher and makes the tag.
Jack dropkick’s Daivari twice, then hits a mule kick from the corner. Dar distracts Jack, allowing Daivari to attack Gallagher from behind. Jack makes the tag to Swann. Jack hits a big headbutt on Daivari and Swann connects with a superkick to Dar. Gallagher hits the corner dropkick on Daivari and Swann lands the Phoenix Splash on Dar for the win.
Winners: Jack Gallagher & Rich Swann
After the match a man comes walking down the ramp with a red heart box. Dar quickly grabs the mic and says the guy is late. He hands her the chocolates and says she is sweeter than all the chocolate in the world. They hug.
Later tonight, Austin Aries makes his 205 Live debut against Tony Nese.
Tom Phillips is backstage with Brian Kendrick. Phillips asks if Kendrick is willing to fight Tozawa. Kendrick says at first he thought no because who is Tozawa to make demands of him. Then he realised Tozawa isn’t ready, he needs more lessons. Kendrick says if it’s a match he wants, Tozawa will get exactly what he wants.
Brian Kendrick comes down for a match with Akira Tozawa. Before getting into the ring though, he grabs the mic and says Tozawa wants a match with him Brian Kendrick, well he’s getting a match with Bryan Kendrick. Out comes a dude with a beard and purple trousers. Brian tells Tozawa that lesson #6 is always the read the fine print.
Lesson 6: Always read the FINE PRINT…@TozawaAkira will face #ABryanKendrick on #205Live on @WWENetwork! pic.twitter.com/3VwXNrT6en
— WWE (@WWE) March 8, 2017
Akira Tozawa Vs. A Bryan Kendrick
They shake hands as the bell rings. Tozawa blasts Kendrick at the start of the match, then unleashes some ground and pound. Kendrick looks for a sunset flip but Tozawa dropkicks him, lands the soccer ball kick and a senton.
The Brian Kendrick distracts Tozawa, allowing A Bryan Kendrick to clobber Akira. Tozawa ducks and avoids some grabs from Kendrick, then lands the snap German suplex for the win!
Winner: Akira Tozawa
After the match Tozawa stares a hole through The Brian Kendrick but the man with the plan waves at him and walks off.
Neville is interviewed backstage about what his thoughts are on Austin Aries’ upcoming debut. Neville says Austin is going to regret this career choice. He says we’ve been subjected to his lowest common denominator wisecracks for too long. Neville says that Tony Nese is no walk in the park and everyone wants the Championship. He says that at WrestleMania, only one man can stand across the ring from him, and whoever wants the opportunity will have their work cut out for them on next week’s 205 Live.
Austin Aries Vs. Tony Nese
Collar-and-elbow tie-up to start the match. Tony Nese showcases his strength with a slam on Aries, then kisses his bicep.
Aries slams Nese to the mat, then spins around his back several times before applying a headlock. Nese tries to whip him off but Aries slides to his knees, still holding the headlock. Nese elbows Aries and whips him into the corner but AA leaps over the Premiere Athlete and lands two arm drags. Nese gets his legs wrapped around Austin’s head but he does a handstand before jumping out and dropkicking Nese.
Aries and Nese exchange words and shoves. Nese flips Aries over the top rope and AA seemingly land awkwardly on his knee, then climbs back up onto the apron where he pokes the eye of Nese, then uses a bell clap to knock him down. Aries with a springboard senton for a near-fall.
Aries whips Nese into the corner, then hits a running uppercut and a snapmare. Aries leaps off the top rope with an elbow to the back of Nese. Aries looks for an O’Connor roll-up but Nese kicks out. Aries takes to the apron and lands a neckbreaker on Nese through the ropes. Austin goes to the top rope but gets crotched by Nese, who then kicks him off onto his shoulders and lands a gutbuster. Nese rains down right hands before getting a near-fall. Nese applies the body-scissors, grounding Aries.
Isn’t @AustinAries…. #GREAT?!? #205Live @WWENetwork @TonyNese pic.twitter.com/U2kpy40ODl
— 205Live (@WWE205Live) March 8, 2017
Austin bridges backwards into a pin attempt, forcing Nese to release the body scissors. Nese tosses Aries from the ring, then poses on the apron. Aries runs toward Nese, who does a cartwheel off of the apron and superkick’s Aries. Back inside the ring, Nese starts punching and slapping Aries, which fires AA up. Austin responds with some hard hits of his own, then a cartwheel and a series of clotheslines. Aries unleashes a huge chop to the chest, a gutbuster and an STO. Pendulum elbow from Aries.
Nese lifts Aries from the mat high into the air and lands a one-armed powerbomb for a near-fall. Aries knocks Nese to the outside and hits his unique missile suicide dive. Aries brings Nese back inside and hits a running spin forearm for the win!
Winner: Austin Aries
Aries celebrates after the match and that’s it for 205 Live! What did you think of tonight’s show? Let us know in the comments and I will see you back here next week for Monday Night Raw! Until then, safe travels!
