It’s time for more action from the WWE NXT Cruiserweight division, as they take the spotlight on 205 Live. This past week on NXT, another major name entered the fray as Trey Baxter faced KUSHIDA. However tonight, we will be seeing the eccentric Jiro Ikeman take on the often overly serious Tony Nese, and Grayson Waller will take on fellow newcomer Asher Hale.
Grayson Waller & Asher Hale Have A Technical Brawl
Waller would start the match with some testing kicks, as we’d settle into a match with the largest crowd 205 Live has ever had in the Capitol Wrestling Center. Hale was taken down by the cocky Waller, who talked trash instead of following up and lost control. Waller & Hale would spawl for control, with Waller nearly ending up in a triangle choke as Hale outdid him on the mat.
Hale would call Waller from the mat, and dodged a boot into a roll up before being slapped across the face. Waller took some high knee strikes, before coming back with a sweep kick sending Hale to the outside. Hale would avoid a baseball slide and be sent head first into the mat, before quickly retaking control with a diving knee off the apron.
Back in the ring, Hale would go to the top rope and Waller ran into the ropes before being slammed into the mat. On commentary, Nigel McGuniness would try to get Vic Joseph in trouble before Waller hit a springboard elbow drop for a two count. Hale was hung in the tree of woe, and Waller did some front handsprings… before choking Hale with his boot.
Waller would hit a leg lariat to take Hale down, but only fired him up as Hale kicked him into the corner. Hale hit a springboard forearm out of the corner and an axe kick to the back of the head for a two count.
Waller countered a tornado DDT and got a choke over the ropes before rolling into the ring and ending up in a sleeper hold. Hale would be driven into the ropes as Waller slipped to the outside, before rolling up through the ropes for a stunner to set up the curb stomp for the win.
Matches like this are the reason why 205 Live is perhaps the best in-ring show in WWE today. This wouldn’t be out of place in the NJPW Juniors division or a high end indy show in terms of pure work rate. Hale & Waller both bring fast paced but MMA influenced styles to the ring, and meshed absolutely perfect here. The future is bright for the NXT Cruiserweight division with names like these. Match Rating: 4/5 (****)
Tony Nese Thinks Ikeman Jiro Is An Embarrassment
Jiro would have his wrist snatched in the middle of the ring, and was able to counter with an ankle pick, but Nese was able to get free. Nese went for a headlock, but Jiro pushed him off and sprung off the mat off a kip up. He’d be yanked back down by his hair, before Nese hit a spinning mid kick, and Jiro bounced right back up.
Nese was getting frustrated, and Jiro would take him to the mat for a crucifix pin getting a two count. Jiro hit the Blazer Palm Strike, and might have knocked Nese out. Nese came back with a throat thrust, sending Jiro to the outside before Nese put his jacket on to mock Jiro. He’d hit a Jiro style palm strike for a one count before applying the bodyscissor hold.
Jiro got free and countered the Torture Rack, and pulled the jacket over the face of Nese before hitting a spin kick. He’d hit an atomic drop and a shotei to the back of the head, before countering a sunset flip into a unique pinfall attempt. Nese was down, and Jiro hit the Swanton Bomb for a two count.
Jiro went up top again but took a gamiguri before Nese looked for a superplex. Nese blocked a diving sunset flip and hit the roundhouse kick for a two count. Jiro slipped outside and hit a headscissor takedown off the apron, before Nese hit a shotei and frankensteiner back in the ring. Nese hit the running hotshot but missed the springboard moonsault, before Jiro hit the Ikeman Slash for the win.
This was a proper test of Ikeman Jiro in the ring, as he went hold for hold with a former Cruiserweight Champion. He was able to blend his gimmick in without focusing on comedy, and delivered a great performance. Nese is one of the best on the roster to showcase new talents against, and had some close falls, but ultimately fell once again. Match Rating: 3.5/5 (*** 1/2)
Should Ikeman Jiro or Grayson Waller answer a future open challenge from KUSHIDA? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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