205 Live opens with a recap of last night’s monumental match in which Akira Tozawa became WWE Cruiserweight Champion!
The announcers welcome us to the show and out comes Cedric Alexander and Gran Metalik for some tag team action! Their opponents, Tony Nese and Drew Gulak are out next. Gulak gets on the mic and says Nese, The Premier Athlete of 205 Live, should be the face of the show thanks to his physique and after defeating both Cedric and Metalik. The fans boo.
Cedric Alexander & Gran Metalik Vs. Tony Nese & Drew Gulak
Nese and Alexander get off to a fast start with multiple pin attempts before Nese bails out of the ring for Gulak to take over. Metalik with a number of impressive ropes off the ropes to keep Gulak down.
Gulak is able to work his way back into the match against Metalik and tags in Nese. More rope walking into a missile dropkick, goes for another top rope aerial, Nese rolls to the outside, Metalik walks out to the ropes and hits a huge moonsault to the floor! Nese and Metalik have amazing chemistry.
.@WWEGranMetalik definitely feels at home on the top rope! #205Live @TonyNese @DrewGulak @CedricAlexander @WWENetwork pic.twitter.com/TvuAd8zJUq
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) August 16, 2017
The action gets back in the ring, Metalik and Nese caught up on the top ropes, big hurricanrana by Metalik from the top rope! The crowd is into this one. Alexander gets into the match and drops Gulak with a multiple kicks, big elbow, but Nese is able to put down Cedric. Alexander clobbers Nese with a springboard clothesline then hits the Lumbar Check on Gulak for the win.
Winners: Cedric Alexander & Gran Metalik
We see Noam Dar, Ariya Daivari, and Lince Dorado backstage. Dar says “ding dong the King is…” and the camera turns to show Neville standing looking mad as hell. All three of them leave and Neville grabs a chair and throws it while roaring.
Tonight would be the WRONG night to get on the former #Cruiserweight Champion’s bad side… #205Live @WWENetwork @WWENeville pic.twitter.com/xiLb2Db0c8
— WWE (@WWE) August 16, 2017
Titus O’Neil is backstage, very animated on the phone, and the celebration is still to come!
The Brian Kendrick Vs. Mustafa Ali
Kendrick is very distracted as Ali gets a quick 2-count on him. “Keep your eyes on me!” yells Ali as Kendrick attempts to fight his way back into the match. Kendrick is a bit slow as Ali is able to take advantage, Kendrick keeps getting in one strike, then looks around the ring.
Rolling reverse cutter by Ali, pin, two-count. Kendrick dropped again, Ali looking to finish him off as he climbs up the ropes, Kendrick manages to kick him down, Ali landing face first on the turnbuckle.
Kendrick locks in the Captain’s Hook in the middle of the ring, Ali tries to crawl to the bottom rope and finally gets to it. Big boot sends Ali to the floor, Kendrick chases him and throws Ali right into the side of the ring.
.@mrbriankendrick has the #CaptainsHook LOCKED IN, will @MustafaAliWWE TAP?!? #205Live @WWENetwork @WWE205Live pic.twitter.com/bbPQHpKY9a
— WWE Network (@WWENetwork) August 16, 2017
Kendrick sticks Ali’s foot in the side of steel steps and goes to kick his leg before Jack shows up and attacks Kendrick with knees and punches to the stomach. Kendrick runs away to the crowd before falling to the floor, Gallagher looks angrily at Kendrick.
Winner Via Disqualification: The Brian Kendrick
Dasha Fuentes is backstage with Rich Swann and she asks if he’s excited to face TJP again tonight considering what happened last week. Swann says last week TJP rubbed his loss in his face, and tonight he looks forward to returning the favour. Ariya Daivari walks up and says TJP is out and he is Swann’s opponent for tonight. Swann asks what happened to Perkins and Daivari says he doesn’t know or care.
We get a commercial for NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III, which we will have all the coverage of this Saturday!
Ariya Daivari Vs. Rich Swann
Daivari controlled things early on before Swann able to get some momentum. Daivari attempts to head to the floor, Swann with a moonsault off the apron to the floor, landing on his feet. He jumps at Daivari, who tosses him up in the air and Swann lands head first on the apron.
Can you handle this, @AriyaDaivariWWE? #205Live @GottaGetSwann @WWENetwork pic.twitter.com/6CovnRtpSl
— 205Live (@WWE205Live) August 16, 2017
The action heads back into the ring with Daivari locking in a full nelson on Swann. Swann able to recover, multiple kicks, goes for a pin, two-count. Daivari gets a handful of hair, drops Swann, Daivari up to the top rope with a splash and completely misses. Swann with a nice spinning kick and heads up to the top rope. Suddenly, TJP’s music hits and completely distracts Swann, TJP is on crutches and a huge knee brace and Daivari is able to take advantage to get the win.
Winner: Ariya Daivari
Fancy seeing you here, @megatjp…#205Live @GottaGetSwann @AriyaDaivariWWE @WWENetwork pic.twitter.com/yjXLQhQg7Y
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) August 16, 2017
After the match Swann holds his neck and stares at TJP, who just stares back.
We see The Brian Kendrick walking backstage with his bags, he’s looking everywhere for Jack Gallagher. He rambles that he can’t do this anymore, this his to stop. He says Gallagher is doing things his way, so maybe he’ll trying doing things Jack’s way, so next week he wants a duel! Kendrick storms off wide-eyed.
Titus O’Neil comes out, stands at a podium, and starts to introduce Akira Tozawa, bringing the lights down and giving him a drumroll. Tozawa comes out holding the Cruiserweight Championship and wearing a nice grey suit. The crowd give him a nice chant.
Well-deserved!
Your NEW #Cruiserweight Champion @TozawaAkira is ready to celebrate his victory! #205Live #AndNew @TitusONeilWWE pic.twitter.com/yzBeGp9MXj
— WWE (@WWE) August 16, 2017
Titus says that last night was an amazing night and Akira made the so-called King say bye-bye to his title. Tozawa takes the microphone and thanks the fans for their chants. He says this is a very important moment for him and O’Neil grabs a bottle of champagne behind him. Tozawa says this was his dream for many years and just then Titus pops open the bottle and catches Tozawa with some of the champagne.
O’Neil says he has congratulated Tozawa for what he did but he wants to thank him. He says at one point people thought that Tozawa becoming a WWE Superstar was a ridiculous dream but they also thought Titus Worldwide was a terrible idea. And yet here they both are. Tozawa and Titus start dancing and chanting but out comes the former Champion, Neville!
Neville looks haggered and like he hasn’t slept. He says he brought honor and dignity to that title. He made that title and in one day Tozawa has made a mockery of everything he achieved. Well in less than a week, at SummerSlam, all of that will be rectified. Neville stares at the SummerSlam countdown clock. He says this is his gift to Tozawa; the countdown to his demise. He has one hundred and fourteen hours left with his Championship. So he suggests Tozawa savour every second with that title because once it ends, so does Tozawa.
Is this the countdown to “@TozawaAkira‘s demise” or @TozawaAkira‘s victory?#SummerSlam is just around this corner… @WWENeville #205Live pic.twitter.com/UGdYKQOeVw
— WWE (@WWE) August 16, 2017
Titus says Neville looks horrible and he sees what he’s trying to do, there’s not going to be a fight. He says Tozawa is the new Champion and he fights on his own terms. Titus turns to the crowd and Neville storms the ring but before can even enter Tozawa dropkicks him. Tozawa goes out and throws Neville into the barricade then again. Crazy bumps from Neville. They brawl into the ring and then Tozawa knocks him outside and hits a suicide dive! Tozawa holds his title atop Titus’ shoulders as Neville retreats holding his jaw.
Absolutely incredible from Neville, he’s a fantastic heel and his look tonight just puts so much more emphasis on the title. That’s how every Superstar should feel about the belts. That’s it for this week’s 205 Live, let us know what you thought in the comments and I will see you back here on Saturday night for NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III!