WWE 205 Live results: April 23, 2019: A new challenger emerges

Drew Gulak aims to teach Humberto Carrillo the way to a better WWE 205 Live through technical and ground-based offense in a singles contest.

Annoyed with the state of WWE 205 Live, Drew Gulak told the WWE Universe that the WWE Cruiserweight Championship would eventually be his, but he had unsettled business with his former student Humberto Carrillo. Feeling betrayed by Carrillo and Gentleman Jack Gallagher, Gulak was determined to teach the Mexican Superstar a lesson he would never forget.

Delivering a message on Instagram, Gentleman Jack told Gulak that Drew may not have respected the British Superstar as an ally, but he will as an adversary.

As the bout between Gulak and Carrillo got underway, The Philadelphia Stretcher immediately put the Mexican high-flyer on the defensive with deliberate takedowns followed by obnoxious taunts.

As Carrillo relied on high-risk maneuvers, Gulak found an opening to knock his former student off the ropes and immediately unleash a relentless front of strikes and joint manipulation. Even as Carrillo attempted to battle back, he was quickly sent back down to the mat to be twisted into various submission holds.

Fighting through the pain, Carrillo battled back, once again channeling his speed to swing momentum in his favor and score a handful of near-falls. Carrillo came within an eyelash of securing victory when he connected with a picture-perfect missile dropkick.

Exhausted, both Superstars traded strikes, but as Carrillo leapt off the ropes for a springboard kick, Gulak caught his leg and applied an ankle lock, forcing The Mexican Superstar to desperately kick his way free. Gulak attempted a superplex, but Carrillo countered one last time and executed the Aztec Press to secure a hard-fought victory.

With both Superstars fresh off huge victories, Oney Lorcan and Ariya Daivari collide to determine who challenge WWE Cruiserweight Champion Tony Nese.

Following an impressive victory against Cedric Alexander, Oney Lorcan shifted his focus to Ariya Daivari. The Persian Lion has enjoyed a string of wins in 2019, including a Fatal 4-Way Match last week. As a result, both Superstars were set to collide to determine the next challenger for WWE Cruiserweight Champion Tony Nese.

Just as the match was about to begin, the champion made his way to the ring to watch the action. Despite the presence of The Premier Athlete, both Lorcan and Daivari shifted their focus to the task at hand.

Lorcan asserted his strength advantage with a strong headlock followed by a series of fast-paced moves before delivering a sequence of atomic drops, dumping Daivari to the outside. However, as Lorcan prepared to dive through the ropes, The Persian Lion attacked, stopping his opponent’s momentum and taking the fight back inside the squared circle.

Feeling a surge of adrenaline, Lorcan took down his opponent with a suplex before delivering vicious a series of American Uppercuts, massive chops and a dropkick before flattening Daivari on the outside. Although Daivari countered the Half and Half, Lorcan took his opponent out of midair with a perfectly timed uppercut. Taking down Daivari once more with a blockbuster, Lorcan again attempted the Half and Half but was countered once more. The counter allowed Daivari to again apply the Million Dollar Dream, but Lorcan remained in the fight, taking down The Persian Lion with another uppercut.

With victory in sight, Lorcan attempted a Half and Half from the top rope. Once again, Daivari showed his resilience and countered but could not follow up with a successful splash. As Lorcan charged into the corner, Daivari laid in wait before delivering a superkick that led to a Persian Lion Splash. Wasting no time following up, Daivari executed the Hammerlock Lariat and scored the pinfall, earning his opportunity to challenge the champion.

After the match, Tony Nese applauded Daivari before extending his hand in a show of respect. Daivari kept his eyes on the Cruiserweight Championship, but Nese remained confident in the face of his new challenger.