WWE 205 Live Recap (2/26): First-Round Tournament Matches, Kalisto Vs Nese, Gulak Vs Kendrick

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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General Manager Drake Maverick addresses the WWE Universe in what of his traditional prerecorded vignettes, and gives a rundown of the opening tournament matches to determine who faces Buddy Murphy at WrestleMania for the cruiserweight championship. First round bouts for tonight: Tony Nese against Kalisto, and Brian Kendrick versus Drew Gulak in the evening's main event. The long-building rivalry between Kendrick and Gulak is highlighted, which stemmed from Gulak booting Kendrick out of his faction.

205 Live Intro.

Commentators Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness, and Aiden English welcome us to the show. Kalisto is on his way to the ring for his first round match against Tony Nese. An earlier promo is played, where Kalisto, along with Lince Dorado, tell Nese that WrestleMania is his destiny.

Kalisto versus Tony Nese in the first round of the championship tournament

Tie-up. Nese pushes Kalisto into the turnbuckle and the ref breaks the hold. Second tie-up Nese wins, slamming Kalisto to the mat with a waist-lock. Kalisto breaks from Nese's grip with a hammerlock but Nese takes back control with an arm-drag. He stays connected, cranking at the arm.

Cruiserweight champion Buddy Murphy is shown backstage watching the match.

Nese taunts Kalisto, but the luchador lights up his chest with an open palm strike, then uses the ropes to take Nese down with an arm-drag of his own. Both men show off their incredible athleticism. Kalisto hits a dropkick that sends Nese to ringside. Suicide dive from Kalisto! He tosses Nese back into the ring...springboard crossbody with cover...Nese kicks out. Nese slows Kalisto down a kick to the gut...Kalisto responds by sending Nese to the outside once again. He goes for another suicide dive but Nese avoids it. Fun sequence of counters...Nese with a big back body drop and Kalisto hits the arena floor hard.

Now in control, Nese targets Kalisto's ribs, slamming him into the barricade and wearing him down with strikes. Nese rolls in to break the count and continue his attack. Kalisto lands a few strikes of his own, but Nese catches a frankensteiner attempt and whips him hard into the barricade again. Back in the ring Nese goes for a pinfall...Kalisto gets a shoulder up. Kalisto with a headscissor...he nails Nese with an enziguri from the apron. He climbs...sit-down rana! Kalisto back to his feet...tornado DDT! He goes for the pin...Nese kicks out. Basement frankensteiner from Kalisto. Nese kicks out again.

Kalisto tries to get a Lucha chant started. He charges Nese in the corner but Nese is ready and drops him stomach first onto the turnbuckles. He puts Kalisto on the top rope for a back body drop but Kalisto knocks him off....Nese fires right back with his signature palm strike! Nese attempts the back body drop from the top rope once again, but Kalisto blocks it. He teases a top rope Salida del Sol...NESE GERMAN SUPLEXES HIM FROM THE TOP. Nese climbs...450 misses! Kalisto bounces up...450 from Kalisto lands! Nese gets his foot on the ropes! Salida del Sol attempt, Nese blocks it and nails a huge forearm. Kalisto falls into the corner...Nese goes for the running knee but Kalisto moves...head kick from Kalisto. He goes for his finisher a third-time but Nese has it scouted. Superkick from Kalisto! He moves quickly towards Nese but Nese uses his feet and sends Kalisto into the turnbuckles. Quick series of roll-ups..Nese uses his strength and slams Kalisto head first into the bottom turnbuckle. Running knee...and that's it.

Tony Nese wins by pinfall and advances to the next round of the championship tournament

Backstage Jack Gallagher is sitting with Humberto Carrillo, showing him highlights of his matchup from last week. Gallagher criticizes Carrillo for taking too many high-risks. "Why take that chance when you can inflict just as much damage with a perfectly applied wristlock?" asks Gallagher. Gallagher tells Carrillo he's not mad...just disappointed. He tells him to join him at ringside to watch Gulak's bout against Kendrick. Although hesitant at first, Carrillo follows Gallagher out

Gulak and Kendrick are shown warming up as we go to break.

Commentary recaps last week's main event between Mike Kanellis and Cedric Alexander, which ended in slight controversy after Kanellis thought he had the match won when the referee counted three. Somehow, Alexander got his shoulder up just in time, and would go on to win the bout after hitting the Lumbar Check.

Back to the show...Mike and Maria Kanellis are speaking with Drake Maverick about the controversial finish. Maverick says that the referee's decision was correct, but that Kanellis should be happy with his performance, because it has earned him an opportunity to compete next week. Both Mike and Maria are pleased, and step away.

Drew Gulak is on his way to the ring, which means it's main event time! Brian Kendrick is out next.

Drew Gulak versus Brian Kendrick in the first round of the championship tournament

Aggressive tie-up. Gulak with headlock takedown but Kendrick locks his legs on Gulak's neck to break the hold immediately. Nice chain-wrestling but neither man is able to gain the advantage. Gulak locks Kendrick up with multiple submissions, but is not able to keep Kendrick down for long. Referee separates the men.

Kendrick wins the second exchange and takes Gulak down with a submission of his own. Gulak uses his expertise to reverse the pressure but Kendrick takes back control with a headlock. Referee separates them again.

Gulak avoids a lariat from Kendrick and hits a big German suplex. He transitions right into a submission but Kendrick rolls him up! Gulak escapes. Kendrick goes for a crucifix pin but Gulak shifts his weight and locks in a single-leg crab. Another nice back and forth...Gulak with a stiff clothesline, and follows that up with a stiff chop. Kendrick surprises Gulak with an arm-drag...he locks in an armbar right in the center! After a few moments Gulak is able to break the hold.

Back on their feet...both men start trading strikes. Kendrick goes for a bulldog but Gulak uses Kendrick's momentum against him and sends him flying to the mat. Tilt-a-whirl attempt from Gulak but Kendrick rolls him up again! Gulak escapes. Big crescent kick from Kendrick, followed by a back body drop. He cranks at Gulak's neck with another headlock. Gulak fires back with a series of shoulder blocks. Trap legged German from Gulak nearly wins him the match but Kendrick just gets a shoulder up. Gulak comes off the ropes...Kendrick meets him with a big elbow. Dragon suplex from Kendrick, but Gulak gets right to his feet and decapitates Kendrick with a standing lariat. Both men are down.

Kendrick with a jawbreaker...he goes for Sliced-Bread but Gulak blocks it and goes for the Gu-Lock! Kendrick blocks that and puts him in the Bully choke! Gulak tries to get to the ropes but Kendrick pulls him back. Gulak eventually escapes...he picks Kendrick up...powerbomb. Cover...Kendrick kicks out. Back on their feet...Kendrick lands a combo of kicks. Sliced bread attempt but Gulak shoves Kendrick off. Kendrick off the ropes...Gulak catches him in the Gu-Lock!!! Kendrick tries to break the hold but he can't...and passes out. The ref calls for the bell.

Drew Gulak wins by referee stoppage and advances to the next round in the championship tournament

Kendrick looks displeased at himself, while Gulak stares at the WreslteMania sign. Commentary tells us that Oney Lorcan against Humberto Carrillo and Cedric Alexander versus Akira Tozawa will be next week's tournament matches.

That's the show friends.