Akira Tozawa clashes with Buddy Murphy for the first time ever on Raw.

The sky is the limit for Buddy Murphy, but the former Cruiserweight Champion might have a line of his own. In Murphy’s latest consecutive Raw victory, he knocked off fellow former titleholder Akira Tozawa in a fast, furious and pretty extraordinary match. Tozawa more or less decimated Murphy, only to very, very narrowly get caught with Murphy’s Law — though it was more what Murphy did before and after his match that might signify where he’s going long term.

Murphy vs. Tozawa was bookended by a pair of trips to Aleister Black’s door, the first of which saw Murphy loudly knock in what appeared to be an attempt to provoke Black into a fight. “All talk,” he replied when Black was a beat too late to the door. But when Murphy made a return trip, he didn’t even get a chance to knock. The door swung open to reveal The Dutch Destroyer, very much ready to throw down. Nothing came of the confrontation except for a staredown, but there’s no disputing after these past two weeks that Buddy Murphy is up for a good fight. Whether he's ready for that fight is another matter entirely.