The Cruiserweights roll into Royal Rumble Weekend!

While NXT Cruiserweight Champion, Angel Garza, will have his hands full at Worlds Collide, more contenders build up speed on the Road to WrestleMania!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Ariya Daivari VS Tyler Breeze; Breeze wins.
• THE Brian Kendrick VS Danny Burch; Kendrick wins.
• Lio Rush VS Tony Nese; Nese wins, by count-out.

PLAY BY PLAY

Aiden English rejoins commentary!

Tom Philips is still out, so Jon Quasto joins the Drama King in calling the action for the fastest moving hour in WWE programming!

Ariya Daivari VS Tyler Breeze!

The Persian Lion wants to keep 205 Live the way it was, and has appointed himself a gatekeeper of sorts against this new wave of talent. But can Daivari Dinero cash in on Prince Pretty as we approach the Road to WrestleMania?

The bell rings and Daivari rushes Breeze! But Breeze is ready, blocking punches to give punches! Daivari kicks low then runs but into a dropkick! Fans fire up as Breeze goes after Daivari in a corner. Breeze rains down punches and gets all the way to 9, before giving 10 some extra heat! Daivari falls down and out of the ring and leans onto the announce desk. Breeze fetches Daivari to club him down hard. Fans fire up with Breeze as he puts Daivari into the ring. Daivari stomps Breeze down and hard! Daivari walks off his frustrations before bumping Breeze off buckles. Daivari mocks the fans before throwing more punches on Breeze. Daivari whips Breeze corner to corner but Breeze reverses to enziguri! Daivari stumbles into the corner and Breeze goes after him with shoulders.

The ref has Breeze back out, so Breeze whips. Daivari reverses but Breeze goes up and out to enziguri Daivari down! But Daivari counters the shoulder with a kick! Daivari runs to dropkick Breeze off the apron! The ref reprimands Daivari but Daivari tells him to shut up. Daivari soaks up the heat from Dallas as he goes out to fetch Breeze. Daivari puts Breeze in and then bring him back up to put on the ropes for a neckbreaker! Breeze writhes as Daivari gets in and covers, TWO! Daivari keeps his cool and drags Breeze up to CHOP! Breeze is stinging in the corner but Daivari comes over. Breeze CHOPS back, and CHOPS again! Breeze runs but into a big back elbow! Cover, TWO! Breeze gasps for air but Daivari is on him with a chinlock. Daivari grinds Breeze down into the mat and shouts at Dallas, “This is MY show!”

Breeze endures as fans rally up for him. Breeze fights his way up and jawbreakers free! Daivari staggers but so does Breeze. Daivari runs in but is sent way out! Breeze rests while the ring count begins, but Breeze won’t leave it at this, either. Breeze heads over but Daivari shoulders back in. Daivari drags Breeze up for another neckbreaker then rains down angry right hands, and even lefts! Daivari fires up but the fans boo and jeer. Daivari circles Breeze and brings him up for a neckbreaker stretch! Breeze endures being bent back and he starts to fade. Fans rally up and Breeze gets a second wind to fight up and turn the neckbreaker around to a backslide! Cover, TWO, and Breeze runs, DOUBLE CROSSBODIES! Both men wipe out and hit the mat. The standing count begins but Breeze sits up at 2. Daivari follows at 4 only to get forearms from Breeze! Mule kick and run to a dropkick!

Breeze runs at Daivari in the corner for a big forearm smash! Breeze whips, Daivari reverses but Breeze kicks back to LARIAT Daivari down! Cover, TWO! Daivari survives but Breeze snarls. Breeze stalks Daivari as he stands, hooks on, but Daivari powers him back. Daivari fires off fast hands over and over and over, but the ref backs him off at the count of 4. Breeze gets away but Daivari runs in corner to corner, only for Breeze to trip him up! Breeze’s catapult sends Daivari into buckles! But then Daivari BOOTS back! Daivari hops up, leaps, SUPER MODEL KICK! Cover, TWO!! Daivari survives and shocks Breeze! Breeze stalks Daivari again, underhooks and turns him, but still no Unprettier. Daivari back suplexes, Breeze lands on his feet to get him in a buckle. Underhooks, UNPRETTIER! Cover, ROPEBREAK!

So close and yet so far, all because they were too close to the ropes. Breeze can’t believe he forgot that, but he drags Daivari back up. Breeze suplexes but Daivari blocks. Breeze clubs Daivari and back suplexes but Daivari fights free! Daivari swings, Breeze ducks but the Beauty Shot misses! Daivari hammerlocks, LION- No, school boy! Daivari slips out to sunset flip, but Breeze sits on it! Breeze wins!

Winner: Tyler Breeze, by pinfall

Daivari didn’t think about that one! Breeze may be new to 205 Live but he’s not new to wrestling. Breeze gets another win, will he turn these into golden opportunities down the line?

THE Brian Kendrick talks with Ariya Daivari backstage.

Obviously Daivari is frustrated after that loss, but after what Kendrick has been through, maybe these two can be “friends.” Just remember, Kendrick scratched Daivari’s back. Will Daivari scratch Kendrick’s back here tonight?

THE Brian Kendrick VS Danny Burch!

Speaking of that favor, the Man with a Plan now takes on The Govnah in what will surely be a gritty grudge match from the luchador sneak attack. Will Kendrick be able to do this on his own? Or will Burch again be on the receiving end of chicanery?

The bell rings and the two go right at each other! Burch dropkicks then throws hands! He puts Kendrick in the corner with buckle bumps, then the same in another! Burch throws European Uppercuts and bumps Kendrick off more couples before stomping a mudhole in. The ref backs Burch off at 4 but Burch watches Kendrick crawl. Burch drags Kendrick back into the ring to club him hard on the back! And then throw more EuroUppers. Burch brings Kendrick around to scoop and slam Kendrick down! Fans cheer as Burch throws up deuces. Burch drags Kendrick up but Kendrick knees and elbows back. Kendrick runs but gets run over by an elbow! Burch drags Kendrick back up for more EuroUppers, then whips him to the ropes. Kendrick ducks but comes back to get a Thesz Press and fast hands!

Burch gets up and fans fire up as he stalks Kendrick to a corner. Burch again brings Kendrick up but Kendrick rams shoulders into him! Kendrick headlocks but Burch powers out. Kendrick gets body checked to the mat! Burch brings Kendrick up to whip again, but Kendrick reverses, only to get picked out of the air! Fans fire up more for Burch but Kendrick gets out of the ring. Burch hurries after Kendrick and to the steel steps. Burch blocks the step bump to give it back to Kendrick! That was one, as Burch counts, and he refreshes the ring count. Burch brings Kendrick around the way to the other steel steps, and bumps him off those! That’s two, but Kendrick hits back to Russian Leg Sweep Burch into the post! Kendrick gets away again and the ring count continues to climb. It passes 5 then 6, 7 and 8, but Burch is in at 9.5! But into the CAPTAIN’S HOOK!

The submission is clamped on tight even as Burch moves around. Burch reaches, fans rally, and Burch powers his way up and out of the hold! Burch back suplexes and tosses Kendrick, but Kendrick is back up to CLOBBER Burch! Kendrick clamps the Captain’s Hook back on and cranks as hard as he can on the neck! Burch endures again, reaches again, and fans rally again! Burch uses that energy to power his way up again and rams Kendrick into buckles. But Kendrick stays hooked on! Burch snapmares free and throws big hands on Kendrick! Burch fires off forearms and EuroUppers, then whips. Burch runs Kendrick over with elbows and then more EuroUppers! Fans fire up as Burch goes corner to corner and corner clotheslines to a sharp enziguri!

Burch hops up and leaps, missile dropkick hits! Cover, TWO! Kendrick survives and Dallas can’t believe it! Burch can’t believe it, either, but he won’t give up. Fans rally once more and Burch feeds off that energy. Burch stalks up behind Kendrick and slashes the throat. Burch brings Kendrick around, suplexes, but Kendrick slips out to waistlock. Burch standing switches to German Suplex! Cover, ONE but Burch still has the waistlock. He makes it a wristlock to ripcord and HEADBUTT! Cover, ROPEBREAK! Burch feels just like Breeze a match ago. Kendrick slowly rises but on the outside. Burch comes over, the ref tries to hold him back, and Kendrick gets away with a thumb to the eye! Burch staggers around and Kendrick takes him down with a calf kick! Kendrick cravats and goes up the corner, but no Sliced Bread just yet! Burch LARIATS!

Fans fire up once again, but here comes Daivari! Burch swings on him, but then Kendrick dumps Burch over. Burch sunset flips through that, but Daivari helps Kendrick stay up! Kendrick has the cover, Kendrick wins!!

Winner: THE Brian Kendrick, by pinfall

Reciprocity complete, Daivari just returned the favor! The Man with a Plan steals one from Burch, and then he hugs it out with his new “friend.” But will these two 205 OG’s be able to keep this up with the new wave swelling?

Lio Rush VS Tony Nese!

The Man of the Hour and the Premier Athlete missed out on being in Worlds Collide’s Fatal 4 Way championship match, but there’s always tomorrow! Er, well, Worlds Collide is tomorrow, so there’s always the day after tomorrow. Wait that’s the Royal Rumble. Well whatever day it’ll be, there will come a day when Lio and Nese can get at the gold again. Who gets ahead of the other in this race to the Cruiserweight Championship on the Road to WrestleMania?

The bell rings and Lio circles with Nese. They both tell the other to run their mouth, and then Nese flexes on Lio. Nese shoves Lio but Lio pushes back. Nese swings but Lio ducks and trips him up to cover, ONE! Lio speeds things up, redirects on a dime and rolls, only to get run over by Nese! Nese talks trash but gets a kangaroo kick for it! Lio goes Matrix to mule kick and enziguri Nese down! Lio flexes back to then put Nese in a corner. Lio fires off stomps and punches but Nese turns things around. Nese walks into Lio’s boot and Lio hops up. Nese mule kicks the legs out! Lio adjusts but then gets YANKED off the ropes! Nese rains down angry left hands and fires up. Dallas boos him instead. Nese brings Lio up to whip and run him over again! Cover, TWO!

Nese taunts Lio, “You’re not so fast when you’re running into brick walls, are ya?” Fans rally for Lio as Nese drags him up for a scoop slam. Nese heads to the corner and up top, but Lio hurries to the apron. Nese hops down but then Lio rolls into the ring. Lio PELES Nese between the ropes, then handspring kicks him down! Lio builds speed to LOW-PE! They both crash into the announce desk, but Lio is back in the ring right away! Dallas is all fired up again as Lio lets the ring count get Nese. The count reaches 4 but then Lio changes his mind. Lio fetches Nese into the ring but Nese hits back. Nese goes to bump Lio off the desk but Lio blocks that. Nese still throws big body shots, and whips Lio at steps. Lio goes up and over!

They both get in the ring, things speed up again, sunset flip but Nese slips through to mule KICK Lio down! Cover, TWO! Lio lives but Nese stomps him down. Nese scowls as he gives toying kicks. Nese whips Lio corner to corner and hard! Lio bounces off buckles and Nese just flexes again. Nese even encourages the boos and the jeers as he admires himself. Nese drags Lio up and whips him corner to corner again. Lio hits the buckles even harder than before! Lio ends up stuck between the ropes like that, and Nese taunts him more. Nese kicks Lio down but Dallas rallies up. Nese drags Lio back up but Lio throws body shots and haymakers. Lio gets going but Nese dropkicks Lio right down! Cover, TWO! Nese is right on Lio with body scissors!

Nese squeezes tight and Lio endures. Nese slaps Lio in the back of the head but Lio works on the hold. Fans rally for Lio as he pries the feet apart. Lio throws back elbows but Nese CHOPS. Lio CHOPS, Nese CHOPS, it’s a scrap on the mat! Lio gets free and rains down fists from all sides! Nese pushes Lio away and gets to his feet, only for Lio to give him a jawbreaker! Lio whips, Nese reverses to pump handle and lift, but LIo slips out of the scoop! Lio fires off fast hands then a boot! Lio hops up the ropes and leaps, but Nese catches him! Nese pops Lio up but Lio sunset flips! Nese slips out again but Lio ducks the mule kick to victory roll! Cover, ONE, and things speed up again. Springboard COME UP! Cover, TWO!! Nese survives but Lio won’t let this slow him down.

Lio heads to the top because he says it’s time. But Nese gets to the far corner, so Lio hops down. Lio stalks over but into an UPPERCUT! Nese grabs Lio for a bulldog hotshot! Premier Triangle Moonsault FLOPS! Lio gets up and whips Nese, but Nese holds ropes. Lio swings a kick but ends up in a pump handle, MICHINOKU DRIVER! Cover, TWO!! Lio still lives and Nese can’t believe it! Both men are down but Dallas is firing up again. Nese drags Lio around and pie faces him. “You got nothing!” Lio SLAPS Nese! And then throws hands! Lio backs Nese into a corner but the ref pulls him off. Nese comes back to mule kick, knee lift, and leg sweep! Nese flounders his way up the ropes and to the very top, but Lio trips him up!

Nese pushes Lio away but Lio sweeps the legs, back heel buzzsaw! Lio heads up top once again, but Nese SHORYUKENS! Lio flops to the apron and Nese goes to the other side. Nese climbs but Lio gets up to throw hands! Lio and Nese fight up top, fighting for control. Lio body shots and tries to dump Nese in but Nese throws body shots of his own. Both men hit each other, both men crash on the apron and fall to the floor! A ring count begins, and both men rise at 5. They stagger over, but Nese goes around to throw Lio over the desk! Nese gets in at 8, and then the count hits 10!! Nese wins!!

Winner: Tony Nese, by count-out

The Premier Athlete feels like he just won Worlds Collide! He gets one over on the Living Piece of Gold, but is Nese going to head for gold after Royal Rumble Weekend? Who will be the Cruiserweight Champion when we arrive on the other side of this weekend?

My Thoughts:

While nothing on 205 Live tonight had anything to do with the Royal Rumble, this was a good go-home for the weekend. Obviously this alliance of Daivari and Kendrick is growing stronger. Breeze gets a quick pin win on Daivari but then Daivari helps Kendrick do the same to Burch. I wouldn’t mind seeing that tag match, it’d give Breeze some grit. The possibility of No Disqualifications for a tag match would be pretty good, as Kendrick and Daivari are very familiar with that stuff in 205 Live. Then the main event, Lio VS Nese, that was really good. I’m glad Dallas was able to wake up again for that one, those two really do deserve full attention and energy. Nese winning with the count-out does great for keeping them relatively even. Whoever wins at Worlds Collide, Nese will make a great Heel to go against them, as he has for many of his rivalries. But it would be pretty great to have a fresh match-up of Nese and Swerve. There’s so much speed and sharp striking between the two, that’d be like 205 Live Strong Style.

My Score: 8.4/10