WWE 205 Live results: Akira Tozawa vs. TJP

The Big Takeaway — 

Titus O’Neil played babyface by cheering on Akira Tozawa and believing in him, while Cedric Alexander’s never-ending issues with Noam Dar continued.

Austin Aries said that he’s out of action due to neck and leg problems that weren’t fully explained, and Jack Gallagher saved him from an attack by Tony Nese.

Show Recap —

Akira Tozawa taped up and Titus O’Neil said it’s time for cha-cha-cha-ching! O’Neil said he’s pulled some strings and got Tozawa in the main event tonight against TJP. O’Neil cut Tozawa off and said it will be raining yen.

Corey Graves introduced Vic Joseph as his new commentary partner and we were told that Austin Aries will talk to the fans tonight. Cedric Alexander came out with his rather slick rash guard and we got a recap of last night’s awful Facetime stuff with Alicia Fox.

Ariya Daivari entered and was basically playing his brother’s Lucha Underground character.

Cedric Alexander defeated Ariya Daivari

Alexander and Daivari started off with a striking stalemate. Alexander landed a big apron punch, but he got tripped up and ate the buckle. Daivari locked on a chinlock before turning it into a flying neckbreaker for two.

Alexander landed some nasty chops and uppercuts before eating a big knee that got two. Alexander hit the leg-catching spinning back elbow and a springboard Hart Attack for a near fall — with the ref’s hand briefly slapping down for three.

Noam Dar came down with Alicia Fox on the tron via Facetime. Alexander is one of WWE’s smarter babyfaces and chose to beat up Dar. He then finished Daivari with a Lumbar Check. Fox called him a loser and Alexander teased destroying the phone, but he instead just hung up the call. Thank goodness.

Austin Aries made his way to the ring and we got a recap of his losses to Neville. Aries said he’s glad to be back in New Orleans, but he works hard to be a champion and is disappointed. He said that when it counted most, he didn’t get the job done, but that’s okay, everyone’s been there. You just get up and keep going.

He mentioned that there are rumors that he’s stepping away. He said that due to his knee and neck, he isn’t medically cleared. Tony Nese came out in a ridiculous looking neon green pair of trunks and tattered vest. They went back and forth before Jack Gallagher came out to help Aries. He told some jokes before beating up Nese with his umbrella.

Rich Swann told TJP that he looked good against Neville, but he took too many shortcuts. He wants TJ Perkins to be back and take care of business since TJP doesn’t.

A Mustafa Ali video package showed him looking outstanding before a Drew Gulak video aired that buried dives. Ali will face Gulak next week and Nese will face Gallagher as well.

TJP was out first for the main event, followed by Tozawa. 

Akira Tozawa defeated TJP

TJP went for a sunset flip, but he ate a buzzsaw kick for two. O’Neil was backstage actually watching a TV in a way that a human being could view it. TJP choked Tozawa and raked his face. He got two off of a back springboard forearm.

TJP grounded him with a modified standing Indian deathlock before working on the arm. Tozawa recovered enough to send TJP to the floor and hit a suicide dive headbutt variant. TJP landed the double chickenwing gutbuster for two before locking on the kneebar.

Tozawa got a cradle, then ate a jumping spin kick before spiking TJP with a Saito suplex. He landed the senton off the top to win the match. O’Neil sung that it’s raining yen before Neville gave him the evil eye and said he’s spouting drivel and setting Tozawa up to fail.

Neville said that Tozawa isn’t on the Neville level, and O’Neil said that the Titus Brand is about the future and Tozawa is the future of 205 Live.

This was a damn good babyface manager promo by O’Neil.