- Last week on 205 Live, we continue to promote the upcoming Championship Match between Cedric Alexander and Buddy Murphy... Hideo Itami pinned Akira Tozawa when the Japanese Powers Exploded... Drew Gulak continues to run through the Lucha House Party, this time tapping out Gran Metalik... TJP is teasing wanting to leave 205 Live (insert smart-ass comment here) for greener pastures like Smackdown Live.
- Presented LIVE on the WWE Network from North Carolina State University. Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness, and Percy Watson are calling the action, unless otherwise noted.
- Highlights of last week's Main Event between Hideo Itami and Akira Tozawa. Itami sent out a tweet that simply reads "I DESERVE RESECT."
- Mustafa Ali and Tony Nese are standing by with comments on the upcoming title match.
- Dasha Fuentes is backstage for words from Drake Maverick to hype the match. She asks him about TJP's comments. Maverick says to get where you want to be is to prove it in the ring, not on social media. He puts over Alexander's work ethic to become Cruiserweight Champion and Buddy Murphy steam-rolling his way into no longer being the best kept secret in WWE.
Back inside, Murphy with kicks to the spine for two. Murphy sends Alexander from corner-to-corner. He's toned it down, but Alexander's vocal selling still reminds me of Lex Luger. Murphy with a snap mare and more kicks to the back for two. Alexander comes off the ropes with a forearm, followed by a European uppercut. He escapes a suplex attempt, hitting a spinning heel kick to the midsection. Murphy counters the springboard clothesline with a jumping heel kick for two. Murphy with running knees into the back. He tries it again but Alexander surprises him with a Super-Kick. They get to their feet, trading forearms. Alexander blocks a boot and hits a rolling elbow strike. Murphy tries to hold him back but gets hit with a spinning heel kick. He tries to escape to the floor but Alexander follows him out with a tope con hilo. Alexander rolls him back into the ring and springs off the top rope with a clothesline for two. Murphy catches Alexander coming through the ropes with a pump kick and hits his own tope con hilo, almost clipping himself on the table in the process.
Murphy rolls Alexander back into the ring and runs into a Michinoku Driver for a near-fall. Murphy dead-weights Alexander to block the Lumbar Check attempt. He flips through a second attempt and nails a charging Alexander with a boot to the face. He hits a running kick to the face and takes Alexander over with a running suplex for two. Murphy teases it from the apron to the floor but Alexander blocks. He rocks Murphy with a jumping roundhouse kick and spikes him on the apron with the flat-liner. Both men are laid out on the outside, but miracle of miracles, both beat the count back into the ring. Alexander gets the better of the forearm exchange and springs off the ropes, only to get caught in a Gory Special turned into a DDT for another near-fall. Both men crawl into opposite corners of the ring to regain their vertical base. They meet in the middle trading blows. Alexander with a flurry of strikes interrupted with a step-up enzuigiri. They trade more hard strikes until Murphy hits a jumping knee for two. Alexander counters Murphy's Law with a victory roll for two. Alexander blocks a boot and hits a Powerbomb for two. He pulls Alexander in with another knee strike for two. Whip to the ropes and Alexander springs off the ropes with the roundhouse kick, followed by the Neuralizer. Lumbar Check connects, and Alexander retains at 20:06. This took a while to get going, but it turned into a hell of a match. ****1/4
Final Thoughts: A wrestling heavy episode, including the highly anticipated (among the 17 205 Live fans) match between Alexander and Murphy. It's a Main Event worth checking out, making it a must-see episode. I'm not in love with the Gallagher and Kendrick tag team, or maybe they don't have the chemistry with the Luchadores that could translate into great matches.