The finals of WWE 205 Live’s #1 Contender’s Tournament will take place on next week’s episode of 205 Live.
Tony Nese and Cedric Alexander will meet in the ring to determine the number one contender for the Cruiserweight Championship. The winner will then face the current champion Buddy Murphy at WrestleMania 35 on 7 April.
In the semifinals, Alexander defeated Oney Lorcan meanwhile Nese faced Drew Gulak and won.
If Cedric Alexander wins the tournament he would a get a chance for having a second reign for the Cruiserweight title. Cedric first won the then-vacated title at WrestleMania 34 on April 8, 2018 by defeating Mustafa Ali in a tournament final.
Buddy Murphy has been champion since October 6 when he won the title at the Super Show-Down event in Melbourne, Australia from Cedric Alexander. Murphy has held the title for 157 days at the time of this writing. Murphy has been appearing only in video promos on 205 Live and hasn’t made a ring appearance in a few weeks.
Last night, Buddy Murphy promised that he would make an important announcement regarding his “immediate future with WWE.”
Well, the WWE Cruiserweight Champion kept his word, releasing a further statement via his Twitter account. He would reveal that he will be taking some time off from 205 Live and that he will not be on “205live for the foreseeable future!”
He explained that he would be returning to his hometown in Melbourne, Australia for the next few weeks, adding that he will be “watching closely” as 205 Live’s tournament to determine a number one contender continues.
“Since my arrival to 205Live I have loved every moment! Going from nothing to something was a incredible achievement for myself! That being said I would like to officially announce that I will not be on 205live for the foreseeable future!
The champ is going on a well deserved vacation back to ‘My hometown of Melbourne, Australia!, For the next few weeks! Cause the champ does what he wants! When he wants
I’ll be watching closely to see who advances in the ‘Buddy Murphy Classic’ – Who wants to try and stop the unstoppable!?
205 Live are currently running a single-elimination tournament in the run-up to WrestleMania 35. The winner of the tournament will get the opportunity to face Buddy Murphy for the Cruiserweight Championship on the “Grandest Stage Of Them All.”
Buddy Murphy has remained at the top of WWE’s cruiserweight division as he has successfully retained the title in his latest title defense. He beat Akira Tozawa at the WWE Elimination Chamber pay-per-view event at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas on the WWE Network
Time will tell whether WWE continues this feud or goes into a different direction heading into the Fastlane show that takes place next month.
Murphy has held the title since he was able to beat Cedric Alexander to win the title at WWE Super Show-Down pay-per-view event at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne, Australia. As a result of this win, it marks the first reign as WWE Cruiserweight Champion for Murphy and his first title win on the main roster.
Tozawa earned this championship match when he defeated Cedric Alexander, Lio Rush, and Humberto Carrillo in a fatal four-way elimination match n the February 5, 2019 episode of 205 Live on WWE’s streaming service.
What are your thoughts on Murphy retaining the title? Was this the right call by WWE officials? Sound off in the comment section.
A title match is set for the kickoff pre-show of this weekend’s (Sun. February 17, 2019) WWE Elimination Chamber pay-per-view (PPV). The show goes down from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. WWE announced that the Cruiserweight Championship bout between defending champion Buddy Murphy and Akira Tozawa will take place on the kickoff pre-show.
The WWE’s one-hour pre-show kicks off at 6:00 P.M. ET. Also on the main card is an Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Championship. Daniel Bryan defends his title against Samoa Joe, Randy Orton, AJ Styles, Jeff Hardy, and Kofi Kingston. In the other Elimination Chamber match of the night, the first-ever WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions will be crowned.
The teams of Nia Jax and Tamina, Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan, Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose, Billy Kay and Peyton Royce, Bayley and Sasha Banks, and Carmella and Naomi will compete for the honor.
Elimination Chamber Card
Main Card:
Elimination Chamber Match for the WWE Championship: (C) Daniel Bryan vs. Samoa Joe vs. Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Kofi Kingston
WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships: (C) Shane McMahon & The Miz vs. The Usos
WWE Women’s Tag Team Title Elimination Chamber Match: Nia Jax & Tamina vs. Sarah Logan & Liv Morgan vs. Sonya Deville & Mandy Rose, Billie Kay & Peyton Royce, Bayley & Sasha Banks, Carmella & Naomi
WWE RAW Women’s Championship: (C) Ronda Rousey vs. Ruby Riott
Handicap Match: Bobby Lashley & Lio Rush vs. Finn Balor
No DQ Match: Braun Strowman vs. Baron Corbin
Pre-show:
WWE Cruiserweight Championship: (C) Buddy Murphy vs. Akira Tozawa
Tonight’s episodes of Smackdown and 205 Live will emanate from the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, AL. The Cruiserweight division will return to the WWE Network on Tuesday nights at 10 PM tonight.
Smackdown 1/15 Preview
Rey Mysterio vs Andrade “Cien” Almas
Excluding non-televised events, these two have met twice before. Almas pinned Mysterio in a tag match last week. Mysterio defeated Almas, however, on the November 6, 2018, edition of Smackdown from Manchester.
These two have a chance to steal the show as they go one-on-one again tonight.
Carmella vs Sonya Deville
Says the chick who got eliminated by her “day one” at #WWEEvolution. ?
Why don’t you put your hair up and square up with me this Tuesday on #SDLive? Unless you’re gonna be too embarrassed when you lose to the chick with the dance breaks.. ? https://t.co/sDEaUR7Qej
Deville is upset that Carmella was given a spot in the triple threat match to declare a new #1 contender for the Smackdown women’s title last week. These two then went back and forth on Twitter in the days leading up to tonight’s show.
How Vicious is the New Daniel Bryan?
Daniel Bryan has promised to show AJ Styles just how vicious he can be when they clash at the Rumble. He might decide to give him a sneak preview tonight, however. Bryan might also decide to bring up some environmentally destructive things the live audience does on a regular basis.
Asuka vs Becky Lynch Segment
Becky Lynch won a triple threat match last week to earn the right to challenge for the smack down women’s championship at the Royal Rumble this year. New champion, Asuka, is not about to back down, however. With two weeks left until the Rumble, Lynch, and Asuka will be in the same building tonight.
205 Live 1/15 Preview
Buddy Murphy Open Challenge (non-title)
Cruiserweight Champion Buddy Murphy plans to hold an Open Challenge tonight. His title won’t be on the line, however. Who will answer Murphy’s call?
Murphy will also have to worry about his upcoming title match at the Rumble against Akira Tozawa, Kalisto, and Hideo Itami.
It’s natural for the new year to cause a person to reflect on their past 365 days. Social media tends to be littered with these kinds of retrospective thoughts, mixed with an eye towards the future.
205 Live superstar, and current Cruiserweight champion, Buddy Murphy, did exactly that.
Taking to his Twitter account, Murphy looked back on his personal journey for 2018 and expressed that if it wasn’t for 205 Live, he probably would have been wished the best in his future endeavors by WWE.
2018
“As everyone expresses their feelings on 2018 I thought I would do the same. I’m a realistic man & my 2018 probably would have been/should of been my release if it wasn’t for a opportunity in 205 Live.
I gave myself the nickname of the “Best Kept Secret” so I could die on my own sword. Which came with a lot of pressure as if I didn’t deliver then I’m just another guy who says he’s the “Best” – I took my opportunity I’m 205Live & ran with it!
Every time I perform I leave it all out in the ring! I’m lucky to have some of the best athletes in the world on the 205 Live roster that make it very easy for me to want to go “Kill it” every night! 2018 closes – 2019 begins!
WWE Cruiserweight Champion Buddy Murphy continues to make the media rounds to talk about a wide range of topics including his win over Cedric Alexander at WWE Super Show-Down on Saturday in his hometown of Melbourne, Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on the WWE Network.
While speaking with Fox Sports Australia, he was asked if he was nervous to wrestle in front of a bigger crowd, which was the biggest thus far in his pro wrestling career.
Murphy stated that a lot of people asked this question which he always says that he wasn’t nervous once he realized that he shouldn’t be due to the fact that this is where he believes he belongs.
Murphy was also asked about which brand he thinks is the best in the WWE, which he responded 205 Live that features all cruiserweight stars. “This is what we do. Not just me, all of 205 Live. We are the best brand in the WWE and I think tonight we proved that. We had 70,000 people out there who now know that.”
Since Triple H took over the creative 205 Live earlier this year, fans have been more prone to praise the show and tune in. WWE continues to make changes in order to improve and draw more viewers for the 205 Live brand, which appears to be working.
Buddy Murphy was able to beat Cedric Alexander to win the title at Saturday’s (October 6, 2018) WWE Super Show-Down pay-per-view event at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne, Australia on the WWE Network.
As a result of this win, it marks the first reign as WWE Cruiserweight Champion for Murphy and his first title win on the main roster.
Murphy recently spoke with Mirror Sport about his achievement and how his time in NXT was dark. However, he was able to get through it and come out on the other side.
After having a successful stint in NXT that included a run as an NXT Tag Team Champion, he was not used for a lengthy amount of time in a major way. However, Murphy reinvented himself when placed on the 205 Live brand that features all cruiserweight stars. “Going through NXT and being lost in the dark, so to speak, not really having a direction or seeing a light at the end of the tunnel,” Murphy stated. “[Super Show-Down] was the light at the end of the tunnel, and [it] doesn’t get much better than that.”
Obviously, this feud will continue as Alexander is owed a rematch for the strap against Murphy and it could come on an upcoming episode of 205 Live or the next main roster pay-per-view event for the company, which is Crown Jewel that takes place next month in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The title reign of Cedric Alexander as WWE Cruiserweight Champion has come to an end and a new era under Buddy Murphy has begun. Murphy was able to beat Alexander to win the title at Saturday’s (October 6, 2018) WWE Super Show-Down pay-per-view event at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne, Australia on the WWE Network. This marks the first reign as WWE Cruiserweight Champion for Murphy and his first title win on the main roster. Alexander held the title for over days after winning it when he beat Mustafa Ali in a tournament final to win the vacant championship that was part of the WrestleMania 34 pre-show on April 8, 2018. This feud will continue as Alexander is owed a rematch for the strap against Murphy and it could come as soon as an upcoming episode of 205 Live or the next main roster pay-per-view event for the company, which is Crown Jewel. The WWE Crown Jewel pay-per-view event takes place on November 2nd, 2018 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the King Fahd International Stadium and will air on the WWE Network.
205 Live last night took place inside the Cajundome in Lafayette, LA. 3 matches took place last night, including a tag-team main event featuring the Cruiserweight Champion Cedric Alexander.
At the end of the night, General Manager Drake Maverick announced a Cruiserweight Championship match for next week.
205 Live Results 9/11
Buddy Murphy defeated Gran Metalik
Murphy will challenge for the Cruiserweight Championship at Super Show-Down. The Australian will likely have the large crowd inside Melbourne Cricket Grounds cheering for him that night. As for Gran Metalik, he came into this one having just defeated Murphy’s training partner, Tony Nese last week.
Gran Metalik was looking good until Murphy kicked out of the Metalik Driver. He then came down awkwardly on his knee. Murphy took the opening and hit a knee to the face, followed by Murphy’s Law for the win.
highlights of Hideo Itami beating Mustafa Ali last month were shown. The commentators speculated on if Ali came back from injury too soon.
Mustafa Ali defeated Michael Thompson
Before the match, Hideo Itami came out and said he’ll be watching this match closely. Ali won without much difficulty, hitting the 054 for the win.
After the match, Ali dared Itami to get in the ring but his rival didn’t take him up on the opportunity.
In the back, Noam Dar and Lio Rush cut promos on each other. They’ll face each other next week.
Jack Gallagher and Drew Gulak defeated Cedric Alexander and Akira Tozawa
The odds were even this week as Brian Kendrick is out with an injury and Alexander had Tozawa watching his back.
It would be Gallagher and Gulak who would pick up the victory this week, however. Gulak got Tozawa to tap in the middle of the ring to the Gu-Lock.
In the back, Drake Maverick announced that next week Drew Gulak will face Cedric Alexander for the Cruiserweight Championship.
After having a successful stint in NXT that included a run as an NXT Tag Team Champion, Buddy Murphy reinvented himself when placed on the 205 Live brand that features all cruiserweight stars.
Murphy spoke with news.com.au to talk about various topics including his decision to pitch himself as a cruiserweight wrestler to WWE officials. He pointed out that after having some success in NXT, he found himself lurking in the shadows and not really doing much, which led to him making the decision to create an opportunity. Thus, this led to him dropping 25 pounds and got an opportunity where he went to try to create a brand. “I always watched 205 Live on the sidelines. It’s more my style, I like the quick and innovative moves. I just thought the brand was going to thrive and I wanted to be a part of it. I pitched the move [to WWE] and I kind of took it upon myself. When I first said it they said no, but I dropped the weight myself and gave them no excuse.”
Murphy is slated to challenge Cedric Alexander for the Cruiserweight Title at the WWE Super Show-Down event. When asked about it, he stated that wrestling in front of his home city is the equivalent of WrestleMania for him as it doesn’t get much better than that. The WWE Super Show-Down pay-per-view event takes place on Saturday, October 6, 2018 from Melbourne, Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) stadium.
205 Live last night took place inside Little Caesar’s Arena in Detroit Michigan. Three matches took place on the show and several challengers made a play to get a crack at Cedric Alexander’s Cruiserweight Championship.
205 Live 9/4 Results
Gran Metalik defeated Tony Nese
Metalik defeated Nese with an elbow off the top rope. A needed win for the Lucha House Party after Kalisto dropped last week’s main event to Nese’s training partner, Buddy Murphy.
The rest of the Lucha House Party members came out to celebrate after Metalik’s win.
Backstage:
Mustafa Ali and Drake Maverick had a talk in the back. Ali made fun of Maverick’s AOP gear from Monday night. Maverick told Ali he’s not ready to return from injury yet but Ali disagreed.
Noam Dar defeated Brian Kelly
Before this match could get started, Lio Rush’s music hit and he sauntered his way down to the ring area. Dar still won the squash match with little trouble. He finished him off with a running leg lariat.
Rush got up on the commentary booth after the match and clapped for Dar. The Scottish Supernova invited the 23-year-old piece of gold into the ring but Rush declined.
Cedric Alexander defeated TJP
Even though Cedric Alexander’s next title defense is scheduled to be against Buddy Murphy at Super Show-down on October 6th, he’s still got unfinished business with several on the roster.
Alexander attempted to call-out Gulak for his frequent attacks but TJP came out instead. TJP said he wasn’t very good at waiting in line. They agreed to a non-title match, which Alexander won via Lumbar-Check.
After the match, Drew Gulak finally came out to answer Alexander’s call-out. While Alexander was paying attention to him, however, Jack Gallagher attacked him from behind. Gulak locked in the Gu-Lock. Maverick came out and forced Gulak and Gallagher to leave the ring area as the show came to a close.
It’s been announced that Cedric Alexander will defend his Cruiserweight Championship against Buddy Murphy at WWE Super Show-Down.
WWE Super Show-Down is set to take place on October 6th, in Melbourne, Australia on the WWE Network. The following matches have been confirmed for Super Show-Down:
WWE Title Match
Samoa Joe vs. AJ Styles
#1 Contenders Match
The Miz vs. Daniel Bryan
WWE Cruiserweight Title Match
Buddy Murphy vs. Cedric Alexander
Triple H vs. The Undertaker
John Cena and Bobby Lashley vs. Elias and Kevin Owens
The Shield vs. Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre
The Bella Twins and RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey vs. The Riott Squad
Cedric Alexander is now the second longest reigning Cruiserweight Champion in the title’s short lineage. He is currently at 101 days as champion, 96 days short of Neville’s 197-day record.
Last night on 205 Live, General Manager Drake Maverick made an announcement regarding who Alexander’s next title defense will be against. Maverick announced a #1 contenders match for next week featuring 4 of the division’s top-ranked competitors.
Next week, Mustafa Ali, TJP, Hideo Itami, and Drew Gulak will meet in a fatal 4-way match. The winner will earn a title shot against Cedric Alexander.
205 Live Title Picture
Alexander won the title by defeating Mustafa Ali in the finals of a tournament to declare a new champion. The title had been vacated after Enzo Amore was released from the company. Alexander defeated Mustafa Ali on the WrestleMania 34 Kickoff show.
Since then, Alexander has defended the title against Kalisto, Buddy Murphy, and most recently, Hideo Itami.
205 Live 7/17 Results
TJP defeated Noam Dar
This was a rematch from two weeks ago when Dar defeated TJP in under 30 seconds.
Drew Gulak defeated Danny Garcia
After the match, Gulak stated his case for a Cruiserweight title shot.
Danny Garcia wrestles indies in the Toronto area.
Lio Rush defeated Akira Tozawa
Rush wins his first real test since debuting on 205 Live.
Rush pulled Tozawa off the top rope as he was going for his Senton. This allowed Rush to hit his frog-splash for the win.
It’s no secret that Buddy Murphy’s physique for the cruiserweight division was no easy feat. The former Aussie Rules football player took the time to reveal his training regiment in order to be eligible for 205 Live for Muscle and Fitness.
1) Step Up the Cardio
“At high school, I was always a very good runner. As a team, we came third in Australia for the 100m sprint, and second in the relay. I was really into athletics.”
“Intense cardio such as sprinting is a great way to increase your resting metabolic rate, meaning that your body is burning more fuel even during recovery periods.”
2) Put Cardio First
“I always do cardio before a workout. Attacking cardio before hitting the weights increases your core temperature and provides greater oxygenated blood circulation, serving the muscles better. Further benefits of doing cardio before weights include stretching the muscles prior to lifting heavier loads, setting your body up for a more productive workout.”
3) Turn Obstacles into Challenges
“Traveling from town-to-town and wrestling 200 matches per year puts a lot of obstacles in the way of staying motivated and finding the right place to train. Like many of us busy gym-goers, I could easily call it a day when the going gets tough, but I instead turn these obstacles into challenges.”
“As soon as I put my bags down in the hotel, I’ll do a search on my phone to find which local gyms are in my area. One of my favorite things about traveling is experimenting with different workouts in different gyms. If I can’t get to a Gold’s Gym and I’m stuck in a small hotel gym and it’s only got a medicine ball and a treadmill, how am I going to make sure I get a decent workout from this environment? I love that challenge.”
4) Eat Right in the Wrong Places
“It’s inevitable that we are all going to find ourselves in a gas station or a fast food restaurant at some point during our training. Hectic lifestyles dictate that we can’t always control where we eat, but we can still control what we order.”
“When I started cutting weight, I was still at home so in the initial stages I made sure to be low on calories by measuring everything out. Now that I’m back on the road with WWE and everything is so hectic I can’t travel around with scales to weigh food, so I keep it simple. If I go to Denny’s for example, I’ll order egg whites and vegetables. You just have to go with whatever is the healthiest option.”
5) Cut Out the Junk to Optimize Hormone Levels
“I felt better than ever and it turns out that this wasn’t just because of the reduced calories.”
6) Be “All In”
“You should never do anything half-heartedly.” “Whether it’s training or pro wrestling, it has to be a lifestyle and not a hobby. And that goes for anything that you want to do in life, if you truly want to be successful at it.”
7) Keep Challenging Yourself
“I’ve knuckled down and really focused on being part of 205 Live! and now that I am here, it’s like there is light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve taken [WWE] by storm and made a name for myself, and it’s only a matter of time before I win the title.”
Current WWE Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler is slated to make his next title defense against Seth Rollins in a 30-minute Iron Man match at the upcoming Extreme Rules pay-per-view event that takes place on Sunday, July 15, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the PPG Paints Arena and will air on the WWE Network.
WWE has posted this video of Ziggler sending a message to Rollins prior to their match at Extreme Rules, which you can watch here:
WWE 205 Live Superstar Buddy Murphy has achieved a big milestone as a member of the main roster with the sports entertainment company as he noted on his official Twitter account that he is celebrating his five-year anniversary with WWE. He sent out the following:
It’s belated, but July 8th marked 5 years since my first day here with @WWE – People thought I would fail & be back home in 6 months! Well… I just worked at #WWEMSGpic.twitter.com/oZIEBdlBfA
— Buddy “Bloody” Matthews (@SNM_Buddy) July 9, 2018
What are your thoughts on this feud between Dolph Ziggler and Seth Rollins? Sound off in the comment section.
Last night on 205 Live, General Manager Drake Maverick scheduled Cedric Alexander’s next Cruiserweight title defense.
2 weeks ago, Hideo Itami defeated Buddy Murphy and Mustafa Ali in a triple threat match. Maverick has now scheduled the Itami versus Alexander match for next week.
This week on 205 Live, Mustafa Ali and Buddy Murphy would meet in a no disqualification match. The winner of the match is likely in a position to challenge the winner of Hideo Itami vs Cedric Alexander title match next week.
205 Live Results 7/3/18
Century Link Center Omaha, NE
1. Noam Dar defeated TJP
TJP has been asking Drake Maverick to give him better competition for several weeks now. Maverick told him he had picked his opponent for this week himself. TJP questioned whether Maverick should actually be doing this every week, seeing as he is the GM of the brand.
Noam Dar was the surprise opponent. The returning Scottish SuperNova made short work of TJP.
2. Akira Tozawa defeated Jason Strife
Lio Rush came out to do guest commentary during this match.
This was the 3rd straight victory for Tozawa on 205 Live. He defeated Tony Nese last week and another local talent 2 weeks before that. His last loss was to Drew Gulak on an episode of Main Event from June 4th, 2018.
After the match, Lio Rush said, unlike Tozawa he doesn’t wait for anything.
Rush then challenged Tozawa to a future match.
3. Mustafa Ali defeated Buddy Murphy (no disqualification match)
Ali started the match off with a diving senton to the outside on top of Murphy and things just kind of went from there.
Some of the big spots included Ali giving Murphy a Spanish fly from the guardrail on top of an announce table. Ali also gave Murphy a super-plex from the top an over-turned set of steel steps. Murphy also used the steps to jump over the ring ropes onto Ali.
The finish of the match began when Ali got tied up in the ring ropes and Murphy delivered several running knees to his face. After untying Ali, Murphy went for the pin but only got a close 2-count. Ali then fought back and gave Murphy a tornado DDT off the steel steps and got the 3-count for the win.
The commentators suggested Ali will be watching next week’s title match closely.
Tonight’s episode of 205 Live will emanate from Century Link Center in Omaha, NE. The featured main event will see Buddy Murphy take on his rival, Mustafa Ali in a no disqualification match.
205 Live General Manager, Drake Maverick, announced the match last week on social media.
Aside from the main event, the only other known segment for the show features 205 Live newcomer, Lio Rush.
Rush defeated Dewey James in his debut last week. He was also joined backstage by one of his more famous fans, Danielle Fishel.
Fishel had also followed Rush’s career when he competed at PWG shows.
All we know is Rush is in the city and will be on 205 Live. It’s not clear if he will be wrestling in another squash match or just appearing on the show, however.
Buddy Murphy vs Mustafa Ali NO DQ Match
Tonight’s main event will feature 2 of the top ranked cruiserweights on the brand.
Both Murphy and Ali were in-line for another shot at Cedric Alexander but Hideo Itami won a 3-way match to move to the top of the contenders.
Both Murphy and Ali have been as close to cruiserweight gold as possible without having won the title.
Murphy is 5-2 in single’s matches in the cruiserweight division. His only losses have been to Ali and Cedric Alexander. He’s another 1-1 in multi-person matches.
Ali and Murphy are 1-1-1 against each other in single’s action.
Ali is 6-3-1 in 2018 single’s matches. He’s another 1-6 in multi-person matches.
Other Cruiserweight Developments
Current speculation is that Drew Gulak’s brother, Rory Gulak, may have signed a deal with WWE. Rory was one of 40 hopefuls who attended tryouts at the Performance Center last week. He would later Tweet out the following comments:
“Did I die and go to wrestling heaven? Extremely thankful and grateful to be apart of something as amazing as this tryout. Cant say thanks enough to everyone for their time and helping me get this far. One step closer to reuniting The Amazing Gulaks”
205 Live General Manager, Drake Maverick, opened up last night’s episode of 205 Live by announcing Hideo Itami was suspended. Itami attacked Mustafa Ali and Buddy Murphy last week during their main event match and would miss last night’s show as a result.
Maverick would later book Itami, Ali, and Murphy to face each other in a triple threat match next week. The winner could move into a spot to challenge for Cedric Alexander’s Cruiserweight Championship soon.
Throughout last night’s episode of 205 Live, both Buddy Murphy and Mustafa Ali asked Maverick for a match with Itami. Maverick decided then to give them both what they want. Now, all three will meet in a triple threat match next week.
Also this week on 205 Live, the Lucha House Party picked up a win over Jack Gallagher, Brian Kendrick, and Drew Gulak. Mustafa Ali also picked up a win over Tony Nese and Akira Tozawa picked up a win over a local competitor. Tozawa and Itami’s tag-team appears broken up permanently. We still don’t know when the brand plans to introduce tag-team titles but they continue to book tag matches on the show. There are also no plans for a cruiserweight match on the Money in the Bank PPV this weekend.
205 Live this week featured two matches in the cruiserweight division. The brand continues to build towards as the introduction of cruiserweight tag-team championships, although it is still not clear when those will be unveiled.
Jack Gallagher and the Brian Kendrick are in the middle of a rivalry with the members of the Lucha House Party over tag-team bragging rights currently. The team of Akira Tozawa and Hideo Itami had previously been teaming together but that after a couple of losses and the shoving match, the team appears to have disbanded.
Kendrick would face Lince Dorado from the Lucha House Party in single’s action this week. Meanwhile, at the top of the cruiserweight rankings, Buddy Murphy and Mustafa Ali would face off in last night’s main event.
205 Live 6/5/18 Results
1) Lince Dorado defeated the Brian Kendrick
In the first match of the night, Lince Dorado hit a springboard cutter on Kendrick for the victory.
With Gallagher absent this week (was at a wedding), Drew Gulak accompanied Kendrick to the ring. Gulak has been vocally critical of the Lucha House Party and their high-flying tactics.
Following the match, Gulak attacked Dorado but was chased away by the other members of the Lucha House Party.
It was later revealed that the Lucha House Party will face Drew Gulak, Jack Gallagher, and the Brian Kendrick in a trios match next week.
2) TJP defeated Brian Keith
This was a squash match for TJP. Early in the match, he went to the outside and grabbed a mic. He expressed his dismay that he hasn’t been given tougher competition all the while putting his opponent in submission holds. He insinuated another GM might appreciate his talent better. Keith eventually tapped out while in a sharpshooter.
Lio Rush is Coming to 205 Live
Highly touted cruiserweight prospect, Lio Rush, is coming to 205 Live. The small but entertaining Rush barely wrestled in NXT during his short stay with the brand.
3) Buddy Murphy and Mustafa Ali Goes to a No-Contest
After a long match, it seemed as though Ali was in a position to avenge his recent loss to Murphy but Hideo Itami’s interference caused the match to be thrown out.
Itami took out both competitors before yelling for no one in particular to respect him. Perhaps, Itami is looking to be added to the cruiserweight title picture as well and this is why he interfered in last night’s main event.
WWE sent out a video on their official Twitter account of 205 Live General Manager Drake Maverick announcing two big matches for Tuesday’s episode of the show in Corpus Christi, TX at the American Bank Center on the WWE Network.
Those matches are Brian Kendrick taking on Lince Dorado in a singles match as well as Musta Ali versus Buddy Murphy, who just lost to WWE Cruiserweight Champion Cedric Alexander on last week’s episode.
“EXCLUSIVE: Per @WWEMaverick, tomorrow on #205Live we will witness two HUGE matchups in the form of @mrbriankendrick vs. @LuchadorLD and @MustafaAliWWE vs. @WWE_Murphy!”
WWE has recently confirmed that the next challenger for Cedric Alexander’s championship will be Buddy Murphy. The match will take place on the May 29th, 2018 edition of 205 Live.
The event is scheduled to take place from the PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina.
WWE Cruiserweight Championship Buddy Murphy vs Cedric Alexander
This is the match 205 Live has been building towards for weeks. Murphy had previously earned a title match but had it rescinded by General Manager, Drake Maverick after he failed to make weight.
Murphy had won a fatal 4-way match against Akira Tozawa, Kalisto, and TJP to earn the right to challenge Alexander before failing to make weight. Kalisto then won a gauntlet match to earn a Cruiserweight title match at the Greatest Royal Rumble.
After making weight, Murphy has won three straight on 205 live including a victory over Kalisto. His main event victory over Mustafa Ali this week avenged his only loss since arriving on 205 Live. Ali defeated Murphy in the semifinals of the recent cruiserweight tournament. Murphy explained the loss by stating he was still getting used to the weight cut at the time.
There is a new member of the cruiserweight division and his name is Buddy Murphy.
After Murphy’s inclusion on the roster was announced, a vignette of him training and weighing in was shown. 205 Live General Manager, Drake Maverick, was on hand to officially announce Murphy had made weight and would be entered into the cruiserweight championship tournament.
The 29-year-old Australian has been with the company since 2013 but has wrestled sparingly for NXT in recent years.
He is a former NXT tag-team champion along with partner, Wesley Blake. The team was accompanied to the ring by Murphy’s real-life fiancee, Alexa Bliss, before her main roster call-up in 2016.
Although Murphy has been competing on NXT house shows lately, he hasn’t been on NXT television since 2016.
NXT Tag Team Champion Buddy Murphy recently spoke with FOX Sports Australia to talk about becoming the first Australian to hold WWE gold. Below are some highlights:
Making History:
“Being the first Australian to ever actually hold a WWE promoted championship — it is a huge honor. It’s something that can never be taken away. Words can’t describe it.”
WWE Scouting Talent In Australia:
“We have so much talent down there so it would be silly not for them to look at Australia. We have myself and also Emma tearing it up here. I believe WWE will be going back down there to get some future superstars.”
Bonding With His Partner Wesley Blake:
“We started at the performance centre at the same time and from that day onwards we were joined at the hip. Wesley is my closest friend. You don’t need lots of friends you only need a couple of good ones. It was very natural for us to decide to become a tag team because we do everything together and I think that shows in the way we work. We have a very good style together and gel together.”
Last night, NXT held their fifth special event, entitled Rival. It was a night of change, as two titles changed hands and a new number one contender was crowned.
The jewel of the night was easily the main event, where fans saw Kevin Owens destroy his former friend Sami Zayn and snatch away the NXT Championship almost as quickly as he won it. The match started off well, with Owens initially playing the cowardly heel, leading to an impressive spot where Zayn leaped over the referee and top rope in order to take out Owens.
In all, the match was booked perfectly. There was some great in-ring psychology between the two, as Zayn injured his head at one point in the contest after performing a moonsault to the floor. While being checked out by the medical staff, Owens capitalized, hitting multiple powerbombs before the referee was forced to stop the contest. In the end, the juxtaposition of Owens laughing and celebrating his victory while Zayn lay motionless was the perfect way to pass the title to Owens while furthering the “broken friendship” storyline.
The other title change involved Sasha Banks finally capturing the NXT Womens Championship from Charlotte in a fatal four-way match. Anyone who’s seen Charlotte and Sasha compete over the past few months knew this wouldn’t disappoint and it certainly didn’t, as each competitor had some time to shine.
One of the more impressive moments was Charlotte performing a diving crossbody to take out all three of her opponents. Overall, it was nice to see Sasha pick up the victory, and ultimately the title, by pinning the champ in the middle of the ring.