The Cruiserweight Division’s top four battle in an epic tag team main event! Will the Heart & Soul combined be able to stop the unstoppable Body Guys?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Noam Dar VS Mike Kanellis w/ Maria Kanellis; Dar wins.
• Hideo Itami VS Levy Cruise; Itami wins.
• Cedric Alexander & Mustafa Ali VS Buddy Murphy & Tony Nese; Alexander & Ali win.

PLAY BY PLAY

Drake Maverick presents “one of the most compelling line-ups” in 205 Live history!

First is a first-time-ever match up. It’s the Scottish Supernova going against The Lover and Fighter as Noam Dar takes on Mike Kanellis. Dar wants to rebound after Buddy Murphy helped Tony Nese get one over on him, while Mike still wants to establish himself in singles competition. Then there’s Hideo Itami, who makes a return after the brutal Falls Count Anywhere match with Mustafa Ali. Who will suffer the wrath of the Don from Nihon?

Then in the main event, the very same Mustafa Ali who defeated Itami teams with his long-standing rival and friend, Cedric Alexander, against the #BodyGuys, Buddy Murphy & Tony Nese. “The bad blood between these two teams is real.” Both Heart and Soul of the Cruiserweight Division want after the Juggernaut’s Cruiserweight Championship, but Murphy has already beaten them both to take and keep the title. Nese has helped Murphy as a strong wing man, but will they be strong enough to defeat Ali and Alexander combined?

Noam Dar VS Mike Kanellis w/ Maria Kanellis!

The Scottish Supernova has had a rocky up-and-down ride since returning to 205 Live. He defeats TJP quicker than a hiccup but then gets beat up and down by the Body Guys. Meanwhile, Mr. & Mrs. Burning Love have been teaming with TJP to toy with Lucha House Party. Who will strengthen themselves in singles competition in snowy Minneapolis?

The bell rings and Dar circles with Mike. They tie up and Mike puts Dar in a corner. Mike messes with Dar’s hair, then blows a kiss to the First Lady, Maria. Dar waves to Maria mostly to taunt Mike. He and Mike circle again as Maria joins commentary, at the expense of Nigel’s chair. Maria is thankful for Nigel’s chivalry while Dar gets Mike’s arm. Dar wrenches the wrist but Mike throws a hand. Dar ducks and gets a waistlock. Mike standing switches but Dar elbows out. Things speed up and Dar sweeps the leg! Mike bails out while Dar waves at Maria again. Dar fetches Mike but Mike body shots low. Mike goes to bounce Dar off the desk but Dar turns it around to send Mike’s face into the desk cover. Maria distracts, and Mike attacks!

Mike rains down rights and lefts, then checks on Maria. She’s okay so Mike snap suplexes Dar to the floor! Mike drags Dar up and in, then covers. TWO, and Mike grows frustrated. Mike drives his knee into Dar’s back then wraps on a chinlock. Dar endures as fans rally up. Dar gets up and fights back but Mike knees low. Mike whips but Dar reverses. Dar ducks the crossbody and Mike hits the mat! Dar whips Mike but Mike reverses. Mike misses, Dar dropkicks him back! Dar runs in at Mike for throat chops, a headbutt and an uppercut! Mike crawls to a corner and Maria grows concerned. Dar hits a forearm smash, but Mike resists the suplex. Dar runs into a spinebuster! But here come Lucha House Party!

Mike and Maria are upset to see Lince Dorado and Gran Metalik live it up on the stage. They throw fans T-shirts while twirling the matracas, and the referee doesn’t see Kalisto swing kick Mike! Mike staggers into Nova Rolla! Cover, Dar wins!

Winner: Noam Dar, by pinfall

Maria freaks out, but all is fair in love and war. The LHP help Dar get one over on Mr. & Mrs. Kanellis, but will they and TJP regroup for revenge?

Akira Tozawa trains with THE Brian Kendrick.

The Stamina Monster has the punch pads up and wants The Man with a Plan to show some fire. Kendrick just turns it into paddy cake, until Tozawa bops him in the face. He needs to show fire! Kendrick starts to give it, and Tozawa likes what he sees. Kendrick ducks one bop, but then gets the other. So Kendrick grabs the pad and punches and punches and punches! Okay, that’s more like it. Can these two bring that fire and melt the cruel winter of the Submission Commission? Speaking of…

Drew Gulak & Jack Gallagher speak.

“The Brian Kendrick.” There was a time they considered him an ally and a friend. But then something changed. Kendrick became a “pitiful, loathsome, cumberground–” Wait, cumberground? It means “someone or something so useless, they just take up space.” That’s perfect! Kendrick the cumberground. But Gulak would feel that way if he looked like a homeless Leonardo DiCaprio. And worse yet, he’s sided with Tozawa?! Gulak & Gallagher will do Kendrick a favor by putting him out of his misery. Next week will be Kendrick VS Gulak, and Gulak vows to make Kendrick tap out. Will Gulak keep his vow? Or will The Man with a Plan have a plan for that?

Hideo Itami VS Levy Cruise!

The Innovator of the GTS returns! He was on the losing end of that instant classic Falls Count Anywhere match with The Beacon of Light, but he’s back to 100% and ready to continue where he left off. Will young local Levy show Itami the respect he demands?

The bell rings and Itami boots Levy right in the face! Itami shouts “Respect Me!” but fans just boo instead. Itami drags Levy up and whips him for a kitchen sink knee. Then a kick to the back! Itami still wants respect but he doesn’t get it from the fans. So he suplexes Levy up to hang him out to dry on the ropes. Itami climbs up and hits the guillotine knee drop! Levy is knocked for a loop but Itami gives him a strike fest. Levy staggers back and Itami lines it up, hesitation dropkick! Itami refuses to end it, until he hits the GTS MK II! Cover, Itami wins!

Winner: Hideo Itami, by pinfall

Itami is all smiles as he goes back for more! He rains rights down and fans boo and jeer more. But wait, here comes Ariya Daivari! It’s been a long time since we’ve seen the Persian Lion, and he walks out in front of his hometown crowd! Daivari stares daggers at Itami from behind those designer shades. He takes off the fancy shirt and glasses, to go after Levy! Fans boo all over again as poor Levy takes stomps and punches. Daivari sets Levy up for Itami, to boot! And Daivari tells Itami that he DOES respect him. Daivari offers a handshake, and Itami takes it. Will this alliance of Privilege and Pain force 205 Live to respect them?

TJP argues with Drake Maverick.

The FilAm Flash is the best technical wrestler in WWE today, and was the first (New Era) Cruiserweight Champion. So then why isn’t TJP the #1 contender?! Maverick thinks hard on that one, it’s gonna be hard to counter that. Oh right, it’s because TJP lost to Gran Metalik. But TJP beat him in the Cruiserweight Classic! Two years ago… TJP has beaten all these “darlings” at least once. Again, two years ago. Then maybe it’s not wins or losses, maybe it’s Maverick’s “problems” on Raw. Oh is TJP going there? How mature.

But then in come Mike & Maria Kanellis. They need TJP to help them against LHP. No, TJP swept those three and took all their masks. Now it’s time for bigger and better. May Maria remind TJP of the favor they did for him in even getting involved with the luchadores? So TJP may want to move on, but too bad. They’re in this together now. Okay, fine. And Maverick likes this, too. He’ll consider this match. Now please, just go. Consider it? No, Maria wants a very special match. She wants to humiliate LHP in a match they specialize in. She wants a Tornado Tag Match. Maverick does like that, too. The match is made! Now seriously, go. Appreciate it. With the restraints of tagging thrown out, will Lucha House Party overcome the scheming of The First Lady?

Cedric Alexander & Mustafa Ali VS Buddy Murphy & Tony Nese!

Ali is the Heart and Alexander is the Soul, but Nese has the abs and Murphy has the gold. If either Ali and Alexander want to get at the Juggernaut, they’ll have to go through him and the Premier Athlete to do it! Can they be more unstoppable than the unstoppable?

The teams sort out and it will be Nese starting against Alexander. They circle and tie up, and Nese puts Alexander in a corner. Nese breaks to flex in Alexander’s face. Alexander shoves Nese and the two go again. Alexander gets a wristlock but Nese pulls hair. Nese reverses to the wristlock, but Alexander rolls and handsprings to get the leg takedown. Alexander flexes, then speeds things up. He slides under Nese and gets a waistlock, but Nese resists. Alexander whips Nese but runs into a back elbow. Nese springboards back but lands on his feet as Alexander evades. Alexander runs out but Nese goes Matrix to evade. Nese mule kicks but Alexander blocks it. Alexander spins Nese, rolls under and handsprings back to headscissor Nese down! Then he adds the dropkick! Fans fire up with Alexander as he stares Murphy down. Alexander covers, TWO!

Tag to Ali, and Alexander whips Nese. Ali goes the other way as Alexander dropkicks Nese’s legs out, to come in with his own basement dropkick! Cover, TWO! Ali keeps on Nese with a facelock but Nese powers him all the way to the Body Guys corner. Murphy tags in, and rocks Ali with a right. Murphy stomps Ali down then taunts Alexander. Ali stands up and chops Murphy, but Murphy isn’t bothered. Murphy shoves Ali but Ali headscissors him down! Ali then flapjack dropkicks Murphy back down, and hot tags Alexander! Alexander jumps in but Murphy hurries to tag Nese. Nese takes Alexander’s forearms and back kick. Murphy distracts Alexander, but Alexander still dropkicks Nese’s legs out.

Alexander goes to the apron to kick Nese back, then drags him to a cover. TWO, but Alexander keeps on Nese with European Uppercuts. Murphy tags in when Alexander isn’t looking, so Alexander chops Nese. Alexander runs but Nese forces him to jump over, and Murphy blasts Alexander with the knee trigger! Cover, TWO! Alexander lives but Murphy keeps his cool. Murphy stomps Alexander, then drives a knee into his back. Murphy pretends he can’t hear the fans boo as he drags Alexander up and around. He puts Alexander in the corner and tags in Nese. Nese stomps and snapmares Alexander to kick him in the back and wrap on the body scissors. Fans rally up as Alexander endures the squeeze. Alexander fights back with elbows, and he gets free! He hurries for Ali but Nese wrangles him away. Nese puts him back in the corner and tags Murphy.

The Body Guys double back suplexes but Alexander slips out! Alexander pushes Murphy into Nese and they both go down! Hot tag to Ali! Ali climbs up and leaps onto both Body Guys! He rallies on Murphy, whips but Murphy reverses. Ali slides to a stop, slips out and roundhouses Murphy away. Slingshot x-factor! Then Ali hops up again, flying sunset flip! Roll through, sit-out powerbomb! Cover, TWO!! Ali feels as close as he did at Survivor Series, but he keeps on Murphy. Murphy yanks Ali into buckles! Fans duel as Ali gets up and elbows Murphy away. Ali hops up and goes for the tornado, but Murphy blocks it with power! Murphy suplexes but Ali slips out. Murphy boots Ali and Nese holds the ropes open, Ali ends up tumbling out to the floor! The referee reprimands Nese, but Nese tags in and fetches Ali.

Nese takes a moment to flex, then rams Ali into the apron. He puts Ali in and covers, TWO! Nese keeps his cool as he gets between Ali and Alexander. He stomps Ali out, then tags Murphy. Murphy scrapes his feet on Ali’s face then kicks him stiff in the back. Cover, TWO! Murphy stays on Ali while grinning at Alexander. Murphy rocks Ali with a right, then he stomps away. He wrenches Ali’s arm but Ali small packages! TWO and Murphy clobbers Ali with a clothesline! Murphy takes a moment to gloat before he covers, TWO! Ali lives but Murphy tags in Nese. The Body Guys drag Ali up and whip him into the corner. Nese whips Murphy in but Ali puts Murphy on the apron. Nese runs in but Ali sends him into Murphy! The Body Guys tumble out and Ali heads for Alexander!

Ali sees Murphy coming and throws him back out, but Murphy trips Alexander up seconds before a tag! Alexander chases Murphy off but Nese runs Ali over with an elbow! Cover, TWO!! Nese drags Ali over and tags Murphy. The Body Guys stomp Ali out, and then Murphy stares Alexander down. Fans rally up for Ali but Murphy gives him the strike fest. Ali dodges the knee to heel kick Murphy down! Fans rally up as both men crawl for their corners. Hot tags to Nese and ALexander! The Soul of 205 Live rallies on Nese, and gives him the stiff back elbow. Alexander boots Murphy for good measure, then boots Nese down. Alexander springboards in, Complete Shot! Cover, TWO!! Alexander keeps his cool as he aims from the apron again.

Murphy runs over but Alexander boots him down! Alexander springboards but into Nese’s SHORYUKEN! Nese has Alexander in the corner and tags Murphy in. The Body Guys work together, Nese lifting Alexander in the Electric Chair. Murphy climbs but Alexander slips out and shoves Nese at him! Hot tag to Ali! Ali and Alexander work together now, climbing over Nese to go after Murphy. They stand on Nese as they stand up, but then Ali and Murphy slip!! An awful crash and burn for Ali and Murphy, so Alexander scrapes Nese out of the ring. Alexander builds speed and FLIES! Direct hit on Nese! All four men are down now, but fans are fired up.

Ali crawls over to regroup with Alexander, but Murphy has gotten into the ring. Ali goes in after him, but into a knee trigger! Murphy drags Ali up, pumphandle, but Ali pops out! Ali rolls Murphy, TWO! Ali leaps up, Alexander tags in, and Ali hits the tornado DDT! Alexander gives Murphy a Lumbar Check! Cover, Ali & Alexander win!

Winners: Cedric Alexander & Mustafa Ali, Alexander pinning

The Heart & Soul survive, and more importantly, Alexander pins the champion! Alexander has his contractually obligated rematch, and now he has major momentum going into it! Will the Age of Alexander be reborn on the foundation of the Juggernaut? Or will Murphy prove a tag team victory means nothing to a singles title?

My Thoughts:

A pretty solid episode with a great main event for 205 Live. The best element is the integration of stories between all the different superstars. Dar has help from Lucha House Party against Mike Kanellis, and that sets up a great Tornado Tag match for next week. I wonder if Dar will end up helping LHP back should Maria have something planned. Then I was really surprised to see Ariya Daivari return and be on Itami’s side. I’m still disappointed the Daivari Brothers haven’t both joined 205 Live. Perhaps elder Daivari doesn’t want to be full time. But Ariya and Itami as a team, I’m not sure it’s going to work out given how Itami treated Akira Tozawa. Speaking of, Tozawa and Kendrick are working well together now, but Kendrick and Gulak are in a single match next week, perhaps Gallagher and Tozawa get into it, too.

The tag team main event was great, and it really is a shame this wasn’t about tag titles. That moment Murphy and Ali fell off the top rope was definitely real, the double superplex was where they were going. But Alexander did good to improvise with Nese for the flying spot and even things out. Thankfully Ali and Murphy weren’t hurt too bad, at least I hope they weren’t. Alexander gets the pin to help him go strong into his rematch, but I wonder if something comes up to delay it, such as Murphy pointing out it was a tag match and maybe even working the fall into the story. It could make for an interesting dynamic if Alexander and Ali are given a shot at the same time for a Triple Threat title match, and see what happens when push comes to shove between the friends.

My Score: 8.4/10