The hottest feud in the Cruiserweight Division is about to have an explosive sequel for the Summer! Will it be the Beacon of Light, Mustafa Ali, or the Aussie Juggernaut, Buddy Murphy, that survives their No Disqualifications Match? Plus, more action from the Man of the Hour, Lio Rush, and word on Alexander VS Itami!

All images courtesy of the WWE’s official Twitter

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• TJP VS ???; Noam Dar wins.
• Akira Tozawa VS Jason Strife; Tozawa wins.
• No Disqualifications: Mustafa Ali VS Buddy Murphy; Ali wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

Drake Maverick reviews last week’s 205 Live.

The Cruiserweight Champion, Cedric Alexander, wants challengers, no matter who they are. Alexander specifically named Hideo Itami, but that led to a confrontation backstage. These two were kept from going to blows, and Maverick gives credit where credit is due. Therefore, Alexander will defend his title against Itami next week!

As for this week, two top Cruiserweight superstars get to settle their rivalry in the main event. It’ll be Ali and Murphy, No Disqualifications! The series is tied, who will win the rubber match? Plus, the self-centered “Cruiser Great” has been wanting competition for himself, and Maverick has heard him out. TJP will face an opponent of Maverick’s choosing, will the FilAm Flash be prepared for anything?

TJP VS ???

Is it TAPOUT TIME for @megatjp's opponent? Let's see, shall we… #205Live pic.twitter.com/s3Z24fDvU0

— 205Live (@WWE205Live) July 4, 2018

The inaugural (New Era) Cruiserweight Champion has complained about the lower level opponents he’s been facing. TJP knows Maverick is giving him a mystery opponent of the GM’s choosing. Good job, that’s what a GM is supposed to do. Also, all those other opponents were of Maverick’s choosing, too, so it’s nothing new. Maverick did promise to give TJP what he wants tonight, but TJP notices three obvious things. One: this isn’t the main event. Two: this is not for the title. Three: TJP is standing here in the middle of “West Flippin’ Nowhere”, Omaha, Nebraska, “a dump of a town”. TJP tells the fans not to boo, even they know Nebraska sucks. This is where fun and excitement come to die.

But all that aside, TJP is here, waiting for his opponent. He’ll give the “incompetent” GM a chance. Maybe he really will give TJP what he wants: an opponent worthy of being in the ring with “the greatest technical wrestler in the game”. And so, who is stepping up to #TapOutTime? It’s NOAM DAR!

HE'S BAAACCCCKKKKKKK!!!!!

Welcome back to #205Live, @NoamDar! pic.twitter.com/8kIadfRcXs

— WWE (@WWE) July 4, 2018

The Scottish Supernova returns to the Cruiserweight Division, but TJP doesn’t seem that impressed by the new #1 Contender to the United Kingdom Championship. Will TJP come to take Dar seriously after their match?

Both men are ready to fight even before the bell. They back off long enough for the bell to ring, and TJP rushes Dar. Dar ducks to chop, headbutt and uppercut back! Dar sweeps the legs, then takes off his jacket to put pinkies up. TJP crawls and staggers, but Dar hist the Nova Rolla Knee! Cover, Dar wins!!

Winner: Noam Dar, by pinfall

Incredible! Not only does the Supernova make a surprise return, he wins in fast fashion! Maverick likes what he sees from the Scottish superstar, too. Is Dar on his way to becoming both United Kingdom and Cruiserweight Champion?

… and just like that, @NoamDar is victorious in his #205Live return! #WelcomeBackNoam @WWENetwork @megatjp pic.twitter.com/z6enWFgcnZ

— WWE (@WWE) July 4, 2018

Buddy Murphy speaks.

“I’ve proven there’s no Cruiserweight like me.” He is truly the Juggernaut of 205 Live, and if it wasn’t for Mustafa Ali, he’d probably be champion by now. But in No Disqaulifications, there will be no rules keeping Murphy from hospitalizing Ali once and for all. And after that, it doesn’t matter who is champion, Murphy will be waiting.

Backstage interview with TJP.

But he refuses. He’s been known to be a sore loser before, perhaps this is a hint at that again. When will TJP get what he really wants: a win that matters.

Akira Tozawa VS Jason Strife!

The Stamina Monster is feeling great after winning against The Premier Athlete last week. Can he keep his roll going this week? However, before the match can begin, the Man of the Hour, Lio Rush, appears!

Good to see you, @itsLioRush…

Is the #ManOfTheHour scouting @TozawaAkira for competition? #205Live pic.twitter.com/QUB4PSTuNZ

— 205Live (@WWE205Live) July 4, 2018

This isn’t at all expected, but the 23 year old piece of gold swaggers his way out to ringside. Is he scouting his competition?

The bell rings and Tozawa ignores Lio to huricanrana Strife! Strife springs up but Tozawa chops him. Tozawa chops again, then fakes the chop to hit the jab. Tozawa fires up the fans and even Lio has to admit that was good. Fans “AH! AH!” along as Tozawa stomps a mudhole into Strife. Tozawa backs off at 4, then brings Strife up for a whip. Strife sunset flips but Tozawa rolls through to Penalty Kick and back senton! Strife rolls away while Lio again nods Tozawa is doing well. Tozawa brings Strife up but Strife hits a leaping knee!

Strife runs in for a forearm, then whips Tozawa corner to corner. Tozawa reverses and grabs at Strife. The referee calls for the break, and Strife hits back with an elbow. Tozawa goes down, and Strife goes up. Strife moonsaults but flops! Tozawa hits a screaming Shining Wizard, then rallies the fans with “AH! AH!” Lio likes that, too, as Tozawa kicks, swings, slips under and kicks again. Strife goes down, Tozawa goes up. And with Lio watching, SUPER Senton!

What goes ⬆️, must come ⬇️! The winning streak continues for @TozawaAkira! #205Live pic.twitter.com/kQpcsDfEEB

— WWE (@WWE) July 4, 2018

Cover, Tozawa wins!

Winner: Akira Tozawa, by pinfall

The former champion impresses the new kid on the block. Tozawa has a win streak forming, but will the Man of the Hour be the one to end it?

Lio speaks.

From on top of the announce desk, Lio says “Wow! That was incredible.” He’s a fan of Tozawa now. Tozawa is so good, he’s extremely good. Lio sees why he’s a former champion. But he’s standing here and asking himself, “What is it that you’ve really done since then?” The answer is that Tozawa’s just been waiting for an opportunity. It’s sad, really. Embarrassing, even. Tozawa should be ashamed. There’s a difference between Tozawa and Lio Rush. That difference is that Lio doesn’t wait for anything. He’s too quick, and too good, to wait. Lio calls his shots, so when Tozawa is done waiting, he steps to the 23 year old piece of gold, with The Man of the Hour, and #FeelTheRush. Bold words for the bold young man, but will he be able to back it all up with action?

Is @TozawaAkira ready to #FeelTheRush? Time will tell… @itsLioRush #205Live pic.twitter.com/kKrdSUC95w

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) July 4, 2018

Mustafa Ali speaks.

Buddy Murphy is big, strong, and throws people around like rag dolls. And more importantly, he’s dangerous. No Disqualifications allows Murphy to be more dangerous than ever before. “But that’s what makes me different.” Others run from danger while Ali runs towards it. Ali knows the rules will be bent, stretched and even broken, but that’s okay, because Ali will prove the Juggernaut is still human after all.

Cedric Alexander speaks.

“Hideo Itami has been walking around here like he’s entitled to being champion just because of what he’s done in the past.” The Soul of 205 Live wants Itami to understand that he has been working way too hard for way too long to earn the Cruiserweight title. It’s not about what Itami thinks he deserves, it’s about Alexander adding the Japanese legend to his own legacy. Will the #AgeofAlexander survive when the Don from Nihon comes for his throne?

Ask and you shall receive! @CedricAlexander will defend his #Cruiserweight Title against @HideoItami NEXT WEEK on #205Live! @WWENetwork pic.twitter.com/cmCbK2XhMT

— WWE Network (@WWENetwork) July 4, 2018

No Disqualifications: Mustafa Ali VS Buddy Murphy!

Finally we will settle the score between the Beacon of Light and the Daredevil from Down Under. When there is nothing holding them back, what will these two do to each other in order to win? Or rather, what won’t they do?

Murphy rushes the ring, but Ali dropkicks him away! Ali then climbs up, and leaps with a senton!

Oh… OKAY, Mustafa!@MustafaAliWWE isn't wasting ANY TIME getting his hands on @WWE_Murphy! #205Live pic.twitter.com/x8sVgRQz9x

— WWE (@WWE) July 4, 2018

This match hasn’t even officially started, but it’s off to an insane start! Ali staggers over to Murphy and throws him into barriers. He puts Murphy back in the ring, but the referee keeps them back to ring the bell. Now that the match is truly on, Ali goes after Murphy’s legs. Murphy kicks Ali away then rolls out of the ring. Ali pursues, but gets tossed over the announce desk! Murphy takes his time fetching Ali, and rocks him with an elbow against the barriers. He keeps going, bouncing Ali’s face off the announce desk. Ali hits back with an elbow of his own. They go around the corner, but Murphy kicks and elbows back. Ali chops, then chops again.

Murphy kicks back, then goes to bump Ali off the steps. Ali blocks and bumps Murphy off the steps instead, then has fans clear out for him. He puts Murphy against barriers and clotheslines him into the crowd! Ali uses the barriers to springboard for a crossbody! He takes Murphy down, and the fans fire up. Ali drags Murphy up but Murphy hits back with another elbow. Murphy sits Ali up for a kick to the back. Murphy drags Ali back to ringside, but Ali tosses him over. Ali rocks Murphy back, then lines up the shot. Ali walks the tightrope, only to get tossed onto the ramp! Murphy catches his breath while Ali writhes on the steel.

Murphy brings Ali up and wants to suplex him back onto the steel, but Ali resists. Ali turns it around, but now Murphy resists. Murphy turns it back around to snap suplex Ali back onto the steel! It wasn’t without a drawback as Murphy hits his own back on the steel. But Murphy gets Ali up and into the ring, covers, TWO. Murphy keeps on Ali’s back with a knee and a chinlock to stretch him back. Fans rally while Ali endures the back pain. Ali works his way up but Murphy brings him back down. Ali tries again, and stands up. He gets to the ropes, but Murphy doesn’t have to let go because of No DQ. Murphy drags Ali back, then down to the mat. Ali endures as fans rally up again. Murphy wants Ali to quit but Ali won’t. Ali powers up again, and jawbreakers Murphy back.

Murphy kicks Ali in the back, then catches his breath in a corner. Ali writhes more, but Murphy returns to wrench the arm and whip him corner to corner. Ali hits buckles hard and falls to the mat. Murphy taunts Ali, “I can do this all day.” Ali grits his teeth, and hits back, but it doesn’t do a thing to Murphy. Murphy rocks Ali with one big right, then more rights in a corner. He stomps away without having to stop, but then he decides to swagger about. He drags Ali up and whips him corner to corner again, then toss Ali with a back drop. Ali writhes, Murphy covers, TWO. Murphy smirks, he’s not at all concerned.

Murphy rams knees into Ali’s back again, then drags Ali up. He hits Ali in the back with a forearm, then whips corner to corner again. He sends Ali flying with another back drop, but again takes his time with the cover. TWO, but Murphy is still smirking. Murphy stalks Ali, and Ali hits back. Those hits do nothing, but Murphy’s right rocks Ali again. Murphy chops and punches, then even kicks Ali. Murphy toys with Ali, daring the “Heart” to do something. He whips Ali corner to corner one more time, but Ali kicks him away! Ali gives an uppercut, then a boot. Fans fire up as Ali trips up Murphy, to catapult him onto the post. Ali builds speed, flapjack dropkick brings Murphy down!

Murphy gets to a corner, and Ali comes back with chops. Ali whips corner to corner, Murphy reverses but Ali slides to a stop. Murphy runs in but Ali slips out to the apron. Ali roundhouse kicks Murphy back, then takes aim. He slignshots in, but the facebuster is countered. Murphy goes to throw Ali out, but Ali throws Murphy out. Ali somersaults for a draping X-Factor! Cover, TWO! Ali grows frustrated now as both men slowly crawl away from each other. Fans rally up, and Ali stands first. Ali goes over to Murphy, but Murphy yanks him out of the ring. Ali drags Murphy down, but Murphy shoves him into the announce desk. Murphy rushes Ali but Ali sends his face into the announce desk. Murphy staggers away, and Ali goes over, but Murphy bounces Ali’s face off the steel steps.

The referee checks on Ali, but Murphy checks for what’s under the ring. Murphy settles on the bottom half of the steel steps. He puts that in the ring, then brings Ali back over. Ali blocks the steel step bump to bounce Murphy off the desk again. Ali stalks Murphy, but then gets an idea. Fans like that, because it involves the desk! Ali clears the top, but Murphy has gotten inside the ring. Murphy baseball slides the steps into Ali! Then he FLIES!

.@WWE_Murphy is STEPPIN' UP right now! #205Live @MustafaAliWWE pic.twitter.com/NYOSI2f1lp

— WWE (@WWE) July 4, 2018

Direct hit, and both men go down! Fans love it as they chant “Holy sh*t!” Murphy puts Ali in the ring, covers, TWO! So close, but this still isn’t over. Murphy stands up, and stomps on Ali’s bad back. He repositions the steel steps in the corner now, even though he’s really only using one arm. Murphy returns to Ali, and aims at the steps, for a big hip toss onto the steel! Fans want “One More Time!” so Murphy drags Ali up again. Murphy throws Ali again, and Ali again bounces off the steel! Cover, TWO! Ali’s heart might be getting his body in trouble, though, because Murphy wants to go “One More Time!” He brings Ali up, but Ali turns it around. Murphy stops himself short of the steel, but Ali comes back to headscissor Murphy into them!

Talk about IMPACT! #205Live @MustafaAliWWE @WWE_Murphy pic.twitter.com/zxguBBRLZk

— 205Live (@WWE205Live) July 4, 2018

Murphy staggers and falls, and Ali crawls over. Not to cover, but to position Murphy in the drop zone. Ali climbs up, bad back and all, but Murphy anchors his feet. Murphy grabs Ali’s hair to tuck him in, for a cheeky SUPERKICK! Then a powerbomb! But Murphy won’t allow for more than a ONE count before deadlifting Ali for a sit-out bomb! Cover, TWO!! Somehow Ali survives, and Murphy can’t believe it! Fans chant “We Want Tables!” but the Cruiserweight Juggernaut goes back to the steel steps. He resets them flat on the mat, then brings Ali over. Murphy bounces Ali’s face off the top a couple times, then turns him sideways. Murphy goes up to the top, but Ali trips him up! Ali uses the steps to smash Murphy over and over in the corner. Fans don’t want stairs, they want tables.

But Ali doesn’t listen, he climbs up and balances on the stairs. He brings Murphy up and now fans just hope they don’t die. SUPERPLEX off the steps!! Fans change their minds, they want “More Steps! More Steps!” That and they declare “This is Awesome!” Both men are down, barely stirring. Ali crawls over to Murphy, but Murphy rolls away to get out of the ring. Murphy crawls away on the ground, but Ali slowly pursues. They return to the announce desk, and Murphy flapjacks Ali onto it! The table stays standing, but fans are still getting what they want. Murphy climbs the barriers but Ali stops him! Murphy still shoves Ali away, but Ali uses the table to step stool back to Ali! SPANISH FLY!!

Trending in the United States: #205Live

And THIS is why!!!! @MustafaAliWWE @WWE_Murphy pic.twitter.com/PVuSVZnpSc

— WWE (@WWE) July 4, 2018

But the table still doesn’t give way! Ali and Murphy just writhe on the ground. The referee checks on them both while fans are stunned. Ali stands first, then puts Murphy back in the ring. Ali enters, but Murphy gets him with the running knee trigger! And now Ali ends up trapped in the ropes! Murphy sees it, as does Ali. Murphy grins, and gives the panicked Ali another knee trigger! And another! And another! The referee backs Murphy off to check on Ali, but fans want “One More Time!” Ali won’t quit, either. He grits his teeth, so Murphy pops him out of the ropes for an Aussie Kamigoye! Cover, TWO!? How does Ali have anything left? All fans know is that “This is Awesome!”

Murphy brings the steel steps over, but Ali rolls to avoid them falling on him. Murphy runs in but into a boot! He staggers onto the steps, and Ali runs up the steps to tornado satellite DDT Murphy off them! Cover, Ali wins!!

Winner: Mustafa Ali, by pinfall

Somehow, someway, the Heart of the Cruiserweight Division survives to win! Murphy was still bigger, stronger and meaner, but Ali proved he was tougher. Can Ali finally move beyond the Aussie Antagonist to again pursue the Cruiserweight Championship?

An INCREDIBLE performance from both Superstars, but, at the end of the day, the ❤️ of @MustafaAliWWE prevailed! #205Live @WWE_Murphy pic.twitter.com/f3LV3PHyJR

— WWE (@WWE) July 4, 2018

My Thoughts:

This is an odd 205 Live to critique. The majority of the quality was in that amazing No DQ main event, but the other matches did well enough in establishing things. Great to see Noam Dar back, as he only strengthens the crossover WWE is doing with the Cruiserweight and United Kingdom Divisions. Now obviously I don’t think WWE would give a UK Cruiserweight like Dar both titles, but it would be great if someone active in both Divisions was at least teased at making it possible. TJP goes back to sore loser mode, but he didn’t explode tonight. I wouldn’t mind if he demanded a rematch from Maverick, to then Heel it up and cheat. Tozawa gets an easy win on Jason Strife, and clearly he’ll be Lio’s first feud. They should do great because both guys are fast, and it will be all about speed there.

Good to hear that 205 Live will use the Cruiserweight Championship as their “go-home” to Extreme Rules next week. Until something happens where they get included on a main roster PPV or even an NXT TakeOver event, they need to make the most of big weeks for the WWE. Ali wins that amazing No DQ match, but that brings in to question what happens after Alexander-Itami. If Alexander wins, will we get a Wrestlemania rematch in time for Summerslam? Or if Itami wins, will the rematch clause complicate the timing of Ali’s title shot? Perhaps a triple threat that pushes the friends over the edge? It all sounds really fun to me, though, so I’d be happy with any of it.

My Score: 8/10