WWE 205 Live results: Strong prevails in hard-fought battle with Anthony

Andre Chase def. Malik Blade

Malik Blade and Andre Chase each entered combat on lengthy losing streaks, but Chase finally made good on his promise to deliver a “teachable moment.”

Blade caught fire in the early goings, using his speed and a series of dropkicks to stagger his foe, but Chase quickly struck back with a spinning neckbreaker and began to slow the pace.

After a rally by Blade, Chase kicked out of a picture-perfect crossbody just in the nick of time and followed up by dropping his opponent face-first onto the canvas to earn the much-needed 1-2-3.

Indi Hartwell def. Valentina Feroz

Valentina Feroz has turned heads with a 4-1 record on the revamped 205 Live and has quickly established herself as one of the more popular competitors in the NXT Arena, but former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion Indi Hartwell arguably represented her toughest challenge to date.

Hartwell took advantage of her size advantage by flinging Feroz around the squared circle in the early goings, even capitalizing on a brief distraction by Persia Pirotta at ringside.

Feroz fired back with a series of stiff kicks, but after she failed to cinch in an armbar, Hartwell responded by planting her with a thunderous spinebuster to clinch the victory.

Roderick Strong def. Draco Anthony

Flanked by Diamond Mine, Malcolm Bivens made no bones about it: NXT Cruiserweight Champion Roderick Strong is ready and willing to take on all comers, whether they’re grizzled veterans or fresh-faced rookies and regardless of whether they meet the 205-pound threshold or eclipse it by several hundred pounds.

Case in point, Strong was opposed by the debuting Draco Anthony, who looked wise beyond his years, matching the savvy champion hold-for-hold out of the starting blocks.

Anthony brought the WWE Universe to a fever pitch when he blitzed Strong with a series of wicked strikes and chucked him across the ring, but Strong halted the rookie’s charge when he tattooed him with a jumping knee for the win.