This week, 205 Live focuses on WrestleMania and the time after with a pretty solid show from top to bottom. Lince Dorado of Lucha House Party takes on Hideo Itami, TJP faces Cruiserweight Classic competitor Kenneth Johnson, and Mustafa Ali battles Drew Gulak with the winner heading to WrestleMania.
Lince Dorado (w/Kalisto & Gran Metalik) vs. Hideo Itami (w/Akira Tozawa)
Over the past few weeks, a couple of teams have been forming. One team sees former Cruiserweight Champion Akira Tozawa teaming up with fellow Japanese Superstar Hideo Itami. The other team, called Lucha House Party, consists of all of the Cruiserweight Division’s luchadores: Lince Dorado, Gran Metalik, and another former Cruiserweight Champion, Kalisto. Both teams competed in a two-on-two tag match but things ended a little heated when Dorado approached Itami for targeting Metalik’s tweaked knee.
Itami gets dumped outside the ring next to Gran Metalik and Kalisto. Itami decides that this is a good time to push Metalik away from him, and Metalik responds by driving him into the ring apron. The referee calls for the disqualification and the teams calm down before anything gets out of control. Winner (via disqualification): Hideo Itami
TJP vs. Kenneth Johnson
Before this match begins, TJP cuts a selfie promo saying that since he won the Cruiserweight Classic two years ago, he should be next in line for the Cruiserweight Championship after WrestleMania. That does not make a whole lot of sense, but he at least has a chance to build some momentum for himself tonight against Kenneth Johnson. Johnson might be familiar to longtime fans of the Cruiserweights since he competed in the Cruiserweight Classic as well.
Johnson gets in some offense, but TJP’s aggression is too much as he targets Johnson’s knee. After the Detonation Kick, TJP locks in his patented kneebar for good measure, picking up a dominant victory. Winner (via submission): TJP
Match Announced for Next Week
Even though the Cruiserweight Championship Tournament is only two matches from being over, General Manager Drake Maverick wants to think ahead. The newly crowned champion is going to need challengers, so Maverick announces a #1 Contender’s match for next week. Akira Tozawa, Kalisto, TJP, and Buddy Murphy will compete in a Fatal Four-Way match to be declared the #1 Contender after WrestleMania.
Mustafa Ali vs. Drew Gulak – Cruiserweight Championship Tournament (Semifinals)
Cedric Alexander is guaranteed to compete for the vacated Cruiserweight title at WrestleMania, but he still needs an opponent. Mustafa Ali and Drew Gulak have been battling since the dawn of 205 Live and have grown as wrestlers through their encounters. Ali has been spending the tournament fighting for the people and his message, while Gulak has adopted a more aggressive attitude with the sole purpose of winning.
So far in the Cruiserweight Championship Tournament, Mustafa Ali has defeated Gentleman Jack Gallagher and former NXT Tag Team Champion Buddy Murphy. Drew Gulak has surpassed his former tag partner Tony Nese and United Kingdom Superstar Mark Andrews.
Most of the fight is spent outside the ring, involving a ton of brutal bumps to the floor. Ali barely escapes a count-out loss but heads right into the Dragon Sleeper. Ali manages to counter it into a tornado DDT, followed up by his signature 0-5-4 Splash to secure his spot at WrestleMania. Winner: Mustafa Ali | Eliminated: Drew Gulak
