After Enzo Amore was fired for sexual assault allegations, 205 Live was in need of a shakeup without its Cruiserweight Champion. This week, the future of the Cruiserweight specific show is laid out all the way to WrestleMania. The new General Manager is revealed and his plan includes a new tournament. Tonight’s episode kicks off that tournament with two huge matches: Cedric Alexander vs. Gran Metalik and TJP vs. Tyler Bate.
Announcing 205 Live’s New General Manager
To kick off this week’s episode of 205 Live, SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan appears on the stage to introduce the man who will “usher in a new era” for the Cruiserweight-focused show: Drake Maverick. Maverick is most well-known for his time on Impact Wrestling as Rockstar Spud alongside Ethan Carter III, who is signed to NXT.
Maverick’s first order of business is to address the vacated Cruiserweight Championship. Maverick announces a 16-man, single-elimination tournament that will culminate at WrestleMania. The first two matches of the tournament take place tonight, with Cedric Alexander taking on Gran Metalik and TJP taking on the first-ever United Kingdom Champion, Tyler Bate. If this tournament is anything like the Cruiserweight Classic from 2016, it is sure to be a treat.
Cedric Alexander vs. Gran Metalik – WWE Cruiserweight Championship Tournament (Round One)
To kick off the tournament are two standouts from the Cruiserweight Classic. Cedric Alexander got eliminated early on in the initial tournament but his performance against Kota Ibushi led to a very vocal crowd begging for him to be signed. His opponent, Gran Metalik, advanced all the way to the finals where he eventually lost to TJP.
Metalik looks to hit a moonsault, but Alexander counters with two feet to the jaw. Alexander follows through and hits the Lumbar Check, becoming the first Superstar to advance in the Cruiserweight Championship Tournament. Winner: Cedric Alexander | Eliminated: Gran Metalik
TJP vs. Tyler Bate – WWE Cruiserweight Championship Tournament (Round One)
This is another huge match in the first round of the WWE Cruiserweight Championship Tournament. In one corner is TJP, the man to win the only Cruiserweight Classic and the first man to have held the revived Cruiserweight Championship. In the other corner is Tyler Bate, the first-ever WWE United Kingdom Champion and the youngest person in WWE history to hold a title. Not only is Bate part of this tournament, but he also faces Roderick Strong on NXT this week to see who will challenge Pete Dunne for the UK Championship next.
TJP returned to 205 Live a few weeks ago, but he has spent his entire time back suffering numerous losses. He lost singles matches and he was the reason that Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari also lost a 6-man tag team match last week. While TJP is relatively young, he wrestled his first match about twenty years ago, before Bate was even born.
For those who don’t know Tyler Bate, he is a very technically gifted wrestler who has a hybrid style combining the WWE Cruiserweight style with moves from the old school era. Bate made his first impression in front of the WWE Universe in the inaugural United Kingdom Championship Tournament, defeating Pete Dunne in the finals to capture the gold. At NXT TakeOver: Chicago, Bate lost the title to Dunne in the best match of 2017.
Bate looks to hit the Tyler Driver ’97, but ring positioning gives TJP the ability to hold onto the top turnbuckle. TJP then turns the predicament into a roll-up then pulls Bate’s trunks for extra leverage, stealing the win and advancing in the Cruiserweight Championship Tournament. Winner: TJP | Eliminated: Tyler Bate
Announcements
Two more matches for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship Tournament will take place next week and Drake Maverick announces the competitors. First, two luchadores will go head-to-head when Kalisto takes on the recently returned Lince Dorado. The second matchup features Hideo Itami taking on a huge surprise opponent in NXT’s Roderick Strong. On NXT this week, Strong faces Tyler Bate in a #1 Contender’s Match to determine who will face Pete Dunne next for the United Kingdom Championship.
