WWE 205 Live Recap (1/2): Fatal-Four Way For WWE Royal Rumble Title Shot

Welcome to our live coverage of WWE 205 Live. We will be providing live ongoing coverage of tonight's show, while you all can chime in with your thoughts in the "Comments" section below.

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A tribute image to "Mean" Gene Okerlund is shown. (R.I.P. Gene.)

Show opens with general manager Drake Maverick wishing us a happy 2019, and preps us for the first 205 Live of the year in a prerecorded message. Maverick hypes up the evenings two Fatal-Four way qualifier matchups. Kalisto takes on Lio Rush, and Akira Tozawa faces Drew Gulak.

205 Live Intro.

Vic Joseph, Percy Watson, and Nigel McGuinness welcome us to the most exciting hour on television. The Lucha House Party is on their way to the ring to support Kalisto in his qualifier against Lio Rush. The man of the hour is out second.

Kalisto versus Lio Rush Fatal-Four Way Qualifier

Kalisto gets the crowd to do a Lucha chants before the action begins. Rush attempts a kick but Kalisto catches it. Each man shows off his athleticism and speed with multiple dodges and counters. Rush slaps Kalisto, which pisses the luchadore off. He chases Rush around the ring, eventually catching him and rolling him up in the ring for an early cover. Rush escapes, tosses Kalisto to the outside. Suicide dive through the bottom rope from Rush! He throws him back in the ring immediately and starts wearing him down with fists. Kalisto lands an open-palmed chop, but Rush responds with a snap-suplex to stay in control. Rush wears Kalisto down in the center of the ring with a neck-crank.

Kalisto escapes the hold and rolls Rush up again...another kickout. Big boot from Rush knocks Kalisto to his back. Rush continues to target Kalisto's head and neck, tossing him to the outside right in front of Lince Dorado and Gran Metalik. They cheer their fellow luchadore to get back in the ring. Kalisto does...attempts a comeback...but Rush cuts him off with a flying elbow. Rush locks in a modified cobra-clutch, but Kalisto gets to his feet and finally mounts some offense, landing a combination, followed by a kick to Rush's head that sends him to ringside. Springboard dive attack from Kalisto!

Back in the ring Rush lands a series of roundhouse kicks. Rush climbs for the frog splash, but Kalisto kicks out Rush's leg, dropping him on his crotch. Kalisto climbs for a superplex...Rush blocks it nearly knocking Kalisto off. Kalisto lands another kick, he picks up Rush for a fallaway slam from the top....KALISTO BACKFLIPS HOLDING RUSH SLAMMING HIM HARD TO THE MAT. The cover...Rush kicks out! Kalisto goes for the Salida del sol...Rush counters with a swinging neck spike...and nearly wins the match. Both men trade blows in the center...springboard spinning shoulder block from Kalisto...Rush fires back with a pump-kick! He picks up Kalisto in a firemans carry...and drops Kalisto over the top! Ref counts...Kalisto gets in right at 9! Rush is livid! He quickly climbs for the final hour frog splash...Lince Dorado and Gran Metalik distract him with their party spinners. Rush jumps off the top and kicks the spinner out of Dorado's hand. Rush then dropkicks Dorado into Metalik! Dorado nearly costs Kalisto the match by charging into the ring...but Metalik grabs his friends leg so Kalisto doesn't get disqualified. Rush keeps taunting the Lucha House Party...he picks up Kalist...SALIDA DEL SOL! Got em!

Kalisto wins by pinfall and advances to the Royal Rumble Fatal-Four Way Title Match

Kalisto celebrates with the Dorado and Metalik. Commentary team officially adds him to the Rumble title match.

Flashback to the brutal tag match between Brian Kendrick and Akira Tozawa against Drew Gulak and Jack Gallagher. Tozawa and Kendrick would win after a sliced bread from the top rope.

Backstage Gulak is being interviewed with Jack Gallagher at his side. He says that Tozawa and Kendrick were lucky because the match they had was a street fight, and tonight, Tozawa faces him in a straight up wrestling match. He promises...as he always does...that Tozawa will tap out.

Elsewhere backstage, Akira Tozawa is sparring with Brian Kendrick, preparing for the main event...which is next!

Commercial for Royal Rumble.

Back from break...Drake Maverick addresses the WWE Universe once again. He says that he's been scouting talent all over the globe to raise the competition for 205 Live, and expects the current roster to step up their game. He promises that 2019 will showcase the best cruiserweight wrestling in the world.

Drew Gulak is on his way to the ring. (Jack Gallagher is not with him.) Akira Tozawa is out second. (No Brian Kendrick.) Backstage, Buddy Murphy is watching with Tony Nese. Commentary confirms that Drake Maverick barred each man's partner from ringside.

Drew Gulak versus Akira Tozawa Fatal-Four Way Qualifier

Tie-up. Tozawa locks in a headscissor, but Gulak smoothly transitions into one of his own. They break the hold and stare down.

Second tie-up. Gulak snags on a headlock, but Tozawa reciprocates and falls to the mat to increase the pressure. Gulak gets back to his feet and overpowers the smaller Tozawa, bouncing off the ropes and landing a shoulder bump. Gulak with a sunset-flip pin but Tozawa gets right to his feet and goes for a penalty kick...Gulak dodges. Another staredown.

Instead of a tie-up, Gulak rakes the eyes and pushes Tozawa into the corner, unloading fists and kicks upon him. Tozawa fires back with a big powerslam, and a standing screaming senton! Gulak rolls to the outside...baiting Tozawa to chase him. Gulak catches him with a suplex attempt, but Tozawa blocks it! Gulak tries to climb back into the ring but Tozawa grabs his feet...Gulak pushes Tozawa hard into the barricade! Gulak now has the advantage. He slams Tozawa onto the arena floor before tossing him back into the ring.

Gulak methodically targets Tozawa's back, wearing him down with submissions and stretches. Another big powerslam from Gulak, who transitions immediately into a camel-clutch. Tozawa gets to his feet, landing a series of strikes...Gulak catches him in a powerbomb attempt...he goes to drop him over the rope but Tozawa frankensteiners him over! Suicide dive attempt from Tozawa...but Gulak runs into the ring before he can go over. Tozawa surprises Gulak with another frankensteiner! Cover...Gulak escapes. Tozawa knocks Gulak down again...he climbs for the top rope senton...Gulak rolls to the apron. They trade strikes...Gulak gets caught in the ropes. TOZAWA LANDS THE TOP ROPE SENTON ON GULAK...BUT HE CAN'T GO FOR THE COVER BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE TO HIS BACK! Both men are down.

Tozawa goes for a shining wizard...Gulak catches Tozawa again and powerbombs him into the turnbuckle. He goes for the Gu-lock...Tozawa rolls him up! Two count! Standing lariat from Gulak nearly decapitates Tozawa. Pinfall attempt...Tozawa escapes. Tozawa dodges an attack...middle rope sunset-flip but Gulak rolls through...POWERBOMB FROM GULAK. Tozawa kicks out again! Both men trade blows in the center of the ring. Tozawa wins the exchange with two running elbows. He goes for a third but Gulak lands a big boot! Tozawa hits his own big boot! He comes off the ropes and locks Gulak in an octopus stretch! Gulak turns it into the Brock-Lock! (Wow!) Tozawa is in a lot of pain, but eventually gets to the ropes. Gulak lands a combination on Tozawa. Tozawa fires back...big backdrop. He climbs for the senton...GULAK CATCHES HIM IN THE GU-LOCK. HE'S RIGHT IN THE CENTER....TOZAWA ROLLS TO THE OUTSIDE BREAKING THE HOLD.

Tozawa and Gulak lay into each other on the outside. They try and get back in the ring, but Tozawa boots Gulak off the apron! Suicide dive lands from Tozawa! He throws Gulak back in...climbs for the senton...Gulak pushes his leg and crotch drops Tozawa! Gulak with a big slap, he climbs for a superplex attempt. Tozawa blocks it...Gulak climbs to the top rope...headbutt from Tozawa. Gulak lands right in the finisher zone...TOZAWA LANDS THE SENTON. That'll do it.

Akira Tozawa wins by pinfall and advances to the Royal Rumble Fatal-Four Way title match

Brian Kendrick comes out to celebrate with Tozawa. Commentary team adds Tozawa to the match graphic for the Royal Rumble. Its currently Buddy Murphy defending against Kalisto and Akira Tozawa.

The champ is still backstage...looking unimpressed after

Cedric Alexander versus Hideo Itami is announced for the final spot. Alexander cuts a promo saying that their encounter next week will end the same way it did the first time...with Itami on his back, and Alexander's hand being raised.

Itami is also backstage along with Ariya Daivari. Daivari speaks, saying that this isn't the same Hideo Itami he's used to. Itami says something in Japanese. It sounds menancing.

That's the show friends.