WWE Extreme Rules 2019: 5 Finishes for Drew Gulak vs Tony Nese for the Cruiserweight Championship
Former allies turned bitter enemies. It's a tale as old as time. The Cruiserweight Champion Drew Gulak will defend his title against the Premier Athlete, Tony Nese, at WWE Extreme Rules. Since his return to 205 Live last month, Gulak has been a whole new monster, revealing a more sinister side than we'd previously seen.
And even though he used this newfound aggression to rise to the top of the cruiserweight division, he didn't beat Nese to win the title. Therefore, the former champion believes he still has to prove himself.
Gulak and Nese have been at each other's throats since the Zo Train dissolved back in 2018. Since then, both men have been obstacles for one another, as we've seen them knock each other out of championship tournaments twice now. The second time saw Nese win the tournament, defeating Buddy Murphy for the Cruiserweight Championship at WrestleMania.
For months, Gulak felt that he was robbed of his Wrestlemania moment by Nese and that he was the rightful champion all along. At Stomping Grounds, he finally captured the title, pinning Akira Tozawa in a triple threat match. At Extreme Rules, he'll finally get the chance to prove, once and for all, that he's better than Tony Nese.
#5 Tony Nese goes to sleep
The Premier Athlete and the Submission Specialist have had a long and storied rivalry, spanning back to 2017 during their time together in the group known as the "Zo Train." However, when that stable ended, the two former allies were forced to face off in the first round of the Cruiserweight Championship Tournament.
With a chance to prove themselves in a new, competitive 205 Live, the two men went at it. Tony Nese had a chance to show off his hard-hitting high-flying style, while Drew Gulak proved why he was one of the best technical wrestlers on the roster. No one expected this match to be the war that it was, but the performance of both men solidified them as two of 205 Live's best athletes.
In the end, Gulak advanced, putting Nese to sleep with the Gu-Lock. This match was where he really let loose, unleashing his frustration and beating his former friend into near unconsciousness. Near the end of the match, Gulak could have easily pinned Nese, but wanted to send a message, locking in the Dragon Sleeper. In this match, Nese was completely outclassed.
Though Nese has beaten Gulak twice since then, going back and watching the matches will reveal that Gulak wasn't the devilish psychopath that he is now or was in their first bout. Now, with the gold around his waist, and his abandonment of the "Make 205 Live Great Again" campaign, the champion is totally focused. And just like their tournament match last year, he'll be looking to make a statement to prove he's a deserving champion. What better way to do this than to put the former champion to sleep?