The two major feuds of the cruiserweight division hit major checkpoints on the latest 205 Live.
Akira Tozawa won what seemed to be the finale of his months-long feud with "The" Brian Kendrick. Feuds lasting this long are few and far between, but with only one title to contest in the division, it allowed these two to tell a fully-formed story. While it would've been nice to see this match in two weeks on the Extreme Rules kick-off show (it already had the Street Fight moniker), the final images of the feud were a satisfying payoff.
In order to secure victory, Tozawa had to pull off a major move, a senton (with incredible height) off the ringpost onto Kendrick, who was laying on a table on the floor. Tozawa couldn't muster much more of a pin than to just collapse on Kendrick, but it was enough to get the win.
The two just laid on the mat for minutes following the finish, showing the toll this match, and the feud as a whole, took on them. Tozawa came out of this feud feeling deserving of inclusion in the title picture. Kendrick, although the loser, came out appearing more dangerous and with additional character depth.
While Tozawa and Kendrick wowed with their effort inside the ring, Neville and Austin Aries, two weeks out from their third meeting for the Cruiserweight championship, were better-served to stay outside the ring. In fact, they were even better for being in two separate locations "via satellite."
After an appearance on the previous night's Monday Night Raw that saw Neville pick up a submission win over Tony Nese, and Neville kind of doing the same (making Nese tap out in a post-match attack), it raised concerns that the remainder of the time until their Extreme Rules submission match would follow the same script: Aries/Jack Gallagher/both would take on Neville/T.J. Perkins/both. Interference or a post-match run-in would give Neville/Perkins a momentary advantage, but Aries/Gallagher would make the save and leave the faces standing tall and the heels on the retreat.
Not to be cynical, but it was nice to see these two doing something else. They've done excellent work throughout the feud with their verbal altercations, as both play their roles well.
Their "face-to-face" started with the two mostly just bickering back and forth about the legitimacy of Neville's WrestleMania win, and the intentions behind his disqualification in the rematch at Payback. But the intensity turned up, and Aries' tone began to shift to make it appear he realized this would be his last shot at Neville's title. And it gave the stipulation of a submission match more weight.
"I'm going to take my hobbled leg, and I'm going to take all this anger I have for these past opportunities that I've let slip through my fingers, and I'm going to inflict pain on you," Aries said, threatening to go through his "catalog of submission holds," but promising to finish him with the Last Chancery.
Neville, as throughout his heel run, used a slower cadence with his speaking, along with a sneer and utter disgust to accentuate his words. Pure heel.
"What a cute little fairy tale," Neville spat back. "Regardless of whatever little narrative you want to tell yourself, you're in no condition to step in the ring with the 'King of the Cruiserweights.' I am undeniable. I am unstoppable and I am dangerous."
"You want my advice? Walk away now. Because I will not, I repeat, not be held responsible for what happens at Extreme Rules."
That sounds like the introduction to the final chapter of this feud.
Hits and misses
Welcome back Cedric Alexander. It seems likely he'll jump back into a program with Noam Dar, but he effectively re-introduced himself with just a handful of moves: Thunderous back elbow, big punch, springboard clothesline and the Lumbar Check.
Rich Swann has some of the most creative and impactful offense in WWE right now, but he's been saddled with uninspiring feuds. Not sure where you go with him.
I really liked Ariya Daivari's shirt this week. But it cost $1,500, or 15 times as much as all of my shirts combined.
You used to be able to tell a "Street Fight" match because wrestlers would come in wearing jeans. Now Kendrick and Tozawa were in their wrestling gear? Then again, Dean Ambrose's in-ring gear is jeans and a tank top.
Corey Graves showed again why he's already at the peak of the announcing game, reiterating that Kendrick was using lessons he had previously given to Tozawa. His presence gives another layer to in-match storytelling.