TJ Perkins tries to match his agility with the speed and strength of "The Premier Athlete" Tony Nese.

TOLEDO, Ohio – “The Premier Athlete” Tony Nese is undoubtedly one of the Cruiserweight division’s rising stars and earned an impressive victory against Mustafa Ali last week on WWE 205 Live. Harnessing his uncanny agility and power, Nese certainly has a physical advantage over many Superstars in the division. However, he faced his biggest challenge in singles competition to date – inaugural Cruiserweight Champion TJ Perkins.

Early in the contest, Perkins relied on his speed to avoid strikes from Nese. TJP enjoyed an advantage until The Premier Athlete’s astute ring awareness kicked in and he used his natural strength to take control of the contest. Despite some flurries of offense from Perkins, Nese dominated much of the contest. However, one slight slip by Nese allowed the former Cruiserweight Champion to capitalize and secure the win.

After the contest, an irate Nese attacked Perkins, throwing him into the turnbuckle with a German suplex, then adding an exclamation point with an impactful running knee strike.