In an attempt to get inside Austin Aries’ head, TJ Perkins spit in his own hand before the customary Cruiserweight handshake. Unfazed – and with the WWE Universe behind him – Aries slapped Perkins hand away and the bitter contest was underway. Immediately employing his newfound aggression, TJP struck hard and fast, but Aries – the No. 1 contender to the WWE Cruiserweight Championship – quickly battled back and took control of the match.
With laser focus on taking out Perkins, Aries had an answer for much of The Duke of Dab’s flashy in-ring style in the early moments of the battle. Nevertheless, the Superstars battled back and forth, with Perkins enjoying an extended advantage, keeping Aries grounded and enraging him with his patented dab.
As Aries built momentum and looked to move toward victory, a miscalculation off the top rope led A-Double to tweak his knee. Perkins capitalized, targeting the knee and nearly securing victory with a Knee Bar, barely broken by Aries reaching the ropes.
Once again taking control, Aries attempted a 450 Splash and the Last Chancery, but TJP showed his incredible resilience reaching the ropes to break a pinfall and the submission hold, respectively. Playing possum on the outside, Perkins surprised his opponent back inside the ring and nearly executed the Detonation Kick. Unfortunately for The Duke of Dab, Aries countered and nailed the Discus Fivearm for the win.
The celebration was cut short when WWE Cruiserweight Champion Neville attacked his WWE Payback challenger. As The King of the Cruiserweights struck, Aries was ready and locked the champion in the Last Chancery. However, showing that the new Neville/Perkins alliance was strong – The Duke of Dab joined in the assault, allowing Neville to lay waste to Aries and send a clear message to both A-Double and the entire Cruiserweight division.