There was a tremendous buzz among wrestling fans when the WWE announced the Cruiserweight Classic, a 32-man competition pitting wrestlers from around the world -- most of whom had no prior relationship or contract with the WWE -- against one another in a single-elimination tournament until only one wrestler was left standing.
When the field for this tournament was revealed, the excitement grew as some of the brightest stars of the independent wrestling world elected to compete, setting a high bar as far as expectations are concerned once things officially kicked off.
From the pre-launch "Bracketology" special to the very first episode, it was immediately clear that the presentation for this event, both visually and stylistically, was going to be very different from anything else that the WWE had produced before. The setup at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida, where NXT's weekly episodes are typically filmed, was completely transformed in terms of lighting and presentation, and, as a final touch to give the CWC broadcast true gravitas and substance, paired Daniel Bryan and Mauro Ranallo as the commentary team.
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Click to enlarge (Courtesy of WWE.com)
With 75 percent of the field already on the sideline, the picture of how this tournament is playing out is getting clearer. There have been surprises galore in the first two rounds of the tournament; Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa, who went quite the journey in August as they faced each other in one of the standout matches of the first round and then vied for the NXT tag team championships together in Brooklyn, are both out despite being among the early favorites.
There are two weeks of quarterfinal action to come, followed by a two-hour live finale encompassing the semifinals and finals on Sept. 14. Even when this contest is over, it won't be the last we'll see of many of the CWC's competitors -- they'll soon find themselves on Raw, which is launching a cruiserweight division. Gargano, Ciampa and Cedric Alexander have already been announced to compete in that division, with the rumored inclusions of quarterfinalists Rich Swann, Noam Dar, Brian Kendrick and T.J. Perkins, with more sure to follow.
Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let's take a look back at how each of the final eight wrestlers arrived in the quarterfinals -- and a look forward to what we can expect over the next three weeks.
Brian Kendrick vs. Kota Ibushi
Brian Kendrick (USA)
Rd. of 32: Defeated Raul Mendoza (Mexico) by submission (Bully choke)
Rd. of 16: Defeated Tony Nese (USA) by submission (Bully choke)
Kota Ibushi (Japan)
Rd. of 32: Defeated Sean Maluta (American Samoa) by pinfall (Golden Star powerbomb)
Rd. of 16: Defeated Cedric Alexander (USA) by pinfall (Golden Star powerbomb)
Brian Kendrick, along with Tajiri, were the only two previously established WWE-level competitors entered into the Cruiserweight Classic. At 37-years-old, Kendrick was also one of the oldest competitors in the field. And despite his previous experience and a lengthy list of accomplishments, like being half of the longest reigning WWE world tag team champions in SmackDown history, it appeared as though Kendrick was simply a convenient bracket-filler. It seemed especially convenient and fortuitous as he was already working at the WWE's Performance Center in Orlando as a trainer.
Opinions started to shift after Kendrick won his first round match, with elements of his new persona -- the bearded, grizzled-looking "Post-Apocalyptic scavenger" -- Kendrick scrapped for every inch and eventually lured Mendoza in with a feigned injury and locked on the Bully choke for the submission victory. He similarly won his second match against Tony Nese via an "any means necessary" approach, though it took the briefest of lulls in which Nese went for a 450° splash and missed for Kendrick to get the victory. The win over Nese was of particular surprise for some, including myself, because Nese had one of the most prototypical "WWE-ready" looks of anyone in this field; don't be surprised if you Nese in the mix once the cruiserweights debut on Raw.
Kota Ibushi was one of the favorites coming into this tournament, and he stole many of the headlines when the full roster of 32 for this tournament was announced. He's one of the most high-profile independent stars to never had any interaction with the WWE throughout his career, and fans and prognosticators alike wondered if his appearance in the crowd at NXT TakeOver: Dallas and subsequent inclusion in this tournament meant he would join the likes of an ever-growing wave of Japanese talent to sign a WWE contract.
To this point, he's publicly denied signing a WWE contract, but regardless of his status at this moment he's already showed plenty of reasons why he should be a WWE superstar with two of the best matches in the CWC so far. His opening round matchup with Sean Maluta, which closed out the very first episode of the CWC, has since been overshadowed by his own and other performances in the tournament -- but it was certainly a tone-setter for the way things played out going forward. It was just as much about it being a standout performance by Maluta, but Ibushi gave a taste of why he's been a superstar in promotions like DDT and New Japan Pro Wrestling for so long.
Ibushi's second-round matchup with Alexander has been the standard-bearer thus far, going far beyond the scope of just the CWC in getting tabbed as one of the best matches of the year, anywhere. There were crisp aerial maneuvers to both the inside and outside, and killer-looking strikes from both men, to say nothing of the multitude of counters and escalating series of near-falls -- and that only begins to tell the story. While a 20-minute time limit could have restricted the creativity as far as a match of this profile is concerned, the pacing and storytelling in the ring stretched that time to its limits, and the commentary by Bryan and Ranallo really brought it home. While they've enhanced the presentation throughout, nowhere was their storytelling on commentary more valuable than in narrating this particular classic. If you haven't watched any of this tournament, I implore you to seek out this match in the fifth episode of the series and, once it's done, watch all of the aftermath with Alexander and the crowd.
Quarterfinals matchup: Despite tours of Japan with several different companies, Kendrick has never previously been in the ring with Ibushi. While Kendrick's road to redemption has been one of the more compelling stories throughout this tournament, Ibushi was one of the favorites when this tournament began and continues to be one at this late stage. This is far and away the highest-profile contest that Kendrick has been involved in since leaving the WWE, and if Ibushi's résumé is any indication, this could be one of the highlights of the round.
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Noam Dar
Zack Sabre Jr. (England)
Rd. of 32: Defeated Tyson Dux (Canada) by submission (Omoplata)
Rd. of 16: Defeated Drew Gulak (USA) by pinfall (Prawn hold roll-up)
Noam Dar (Scotland)
Rd. of 32: Defeated Gurv Sihra (India) by submission (Kneebar)
Rd. of 16: Defeated Ho Ho Lun (Hong Kong, China) by submission (Kneebar)
Many of the competitors in the CWC base their offense around high-flying aerial maneuvers, but that's absolutely not the case when you're talking about the two men from the United Kingdom who are set to square off in the quarterfinals.
Zack Sabre Jr. is recognized worldwide to have assumed the mantle of the greatest technical wrestler in the world from Bryan, with the ability to pull off some of the most mind-blowing reversals with ease and versions of high-difficulty submission maneuvers unlike anyone else in the business. Most of his early career was been spent in the biggest independent companies in the UK, but trips to the United States have become more frequent, especially of late. He's held titles in a number of companies and is the current world champion in cult indy favorite Pro Wrestling Guerilla.
On his path to the final eight, Sabre Jr. faced a pair of similar wrestlers. First up was veteran Canadian Tyson Dux, who had a competitive match with the Brit as they traded strikes and submissions. Sabre Jr. locked on a painful looking Omoplata submission and cranked Dux's fingers back until he submitted. In the round of 16, Sabre Jr. took on a man he's quite familiar with in Drew Gulak. The pair have both spent significant time in Evolve, an independent organization that's established a relationship with the WWE, and this match was the fifth time the pair was in the ring together. After Gulak's side won the first three showdowns, Sabre Jr. has won the most recent two showdowns, including a technical masterpiece here in the CWC. This time it wasn't a submission, but rather a crafty roll-up pinfall that fueled Sabre Jr. to victory.
EXCLUSIVE: As the #CWC rolls on, @zacksabrejr is prepared to fight his closest friends the hardest! @WWE_CWC https://t.co/ft6tQcWHb8
- WWE (@WWE) August 25, 2016
Noam Dar was one of the youngest entrants into the CWC, and traveled quite a road to get to this point. The Israeli-born, Scottish-raised 23-year-old has wrestled the vast majority of his career within the friendly confines of the UK, but he's gained quite the reputation in taking on and keeping up with some of the best the industry has to offer.
He took out half of the Bollywood Boyz in defeating Gurv Sihra with a kneebar, then turned around and saddled Hong Kong upstart Ho Ho Lun with the same fate in the second round. Now he takes on a longtime friend in Sabre Jr. who can match him shot-for-shot on the mat in a showdown that should be the most compelling, as it has history. It follows the Gargano-Ciampa matchup in terms of recent history, but is likely the second-most compelling matchup thus far in terms of history outside of this tournament
Quarterfinals matchup: There's only a record of three previous showdowns between these two friends. In Dec. 2012 -- in another tournament no less, for the British National championship in IPW:UK -- Sabre Jr. won their first round showdown. Dar has victories in their only other two recorded showdowns -- a four way-match in Feb. 2012 in PCW, and in a one-on-one match at PWE Rise of the Elite in Cumnock, Scotland just a few months after Dar's 18th birthday. That match had about 100 people in attendance, so there's little doubt this one will get a few more viewers -- and by the end, these friends might steal the show in this round. Sabre Jr. is a favorite in this tournament for a reason, but his somewhat nebulous contract status might throw the result here into some question.
T.J. Perkins vs. Rich Swann
T.J. Perkins (Philippines)
Rd. of 32: Defeated Da Mack (Germany) by submission (Flying kneebar)
Rd. of 16: Defeated Johnny Gargano (USA) by submission (TJP clutch)
Rich Swann (USA)
Rd. of 32: Defeated Jason Lee (Hong Kong, China) by pinfall (Standing 450° splash)
Rd. of 16: Defeated Lince Dorado (Puerto Rico) by pinfall (Phoenix splash)
T.J. Perkins pulled off one of the more surprising upsets of the tournament in his second round victory over Gargano, and he'll take on another crowd favorite in the quarterfinals in Rich Swann. It might be unusual to call a 31-year-old a journeyman, but when you start a wrestling career at the age of 15, that career's taken up more than half of your life and seems appropriate.
After breaking in at the NJPW L.A. dojo along with the likes of Bryan and several other wrestling stalwarts, Perkins became the youngest non-Japanese wrestler to appear for the venerated Japanese wrestling company. He's had a lengthy run with TNA, both under a mask and without one, and also spent time with Ring of Honor, PWG, Evolve and a wide variety of other independent companies. The major hook for Perkins' run thus far was his long wait to truly break through, and a brief spell of homelessness that led him to question his career choice -- and while the WWE has really latched onto that angle, it doesn't always fit the character he portrays snugly.
In the ring, Perkins has elements of brashness and bravado to him, though they've largely been suppressed to a degree thus far in the tournament. It remains to be seen how close to the dark side he'll get while he's still in the tournament, but he's already showing that he can bring it up a few notches in ways that could prove to be quite value once he reaches the main roster.
Perkins pulled off a fairly straightforward submission win over Da Mack, but his match with Gargano told an incredible story in the ring. It bears mentioning, because of the general lack of attention to these kinds of details in the wrestling business these days, but the through line for Gargano and Ciampa between the CWC and NXT was astounding. The CWC showdown they had with one another tied into their run towards the NXT tag team titles, and the effects of that match -- Gargano's bum knee -- helped build a believable narrative; not bad for a match that was taped days before NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II even happened.
As previously mentioned, Swann has been one of the biggest crowd-pleasers both through the action in the ring and his charismatic personality. His unbelievable high-flying ability -- Swann pulled off a 450° splash from a standing start on the ground to finish Jason Lee, and a Phoenix splash to knock off his friend Lince Dorado in another second-round classic -- has only served to augment his appeal. His theme song is catchy and easy to sing along to -- another big plus for the Full Sail crowd that loves to participate in call-and-answer chants.
Quarterfinals matchup: Despite extended periods of time spent in the same parts of the country, and some crossover in the same wrestling companies at certain points, only two recorded matches between Perkins and Swann exist. Their first meeting in Oct. 2013, saw Swann beat Perkins at a small show in Stockton, California. A year-and-a-half later, Swann teamed up with Richochet and the man now know as Apollo Crews and beat a tag team composed of Perkins, Brian Cage and Caleb Konley. It's hard to tell who the fans will support between this pair, and even harder to determine who'll come out with the edge -- so I won't. This could be the match with the highest stakes of any third-round match, simply because the result is seemingly so hard to determine before they actually climb into the ring.
Akira Tozawa vs. Gran Metalik
Akira Tozawa (Japan)
Rd. of 32: Defeated Kenneth Johnson (USA) by pinfall (Bridging German suplex)
Rd. of 16: Defeated Jack Gallagher (England) by pinfall (Bridging German suplex)
Gran Metalik (Mexico)
Rd. of 32: Defeated Alejandro Saez (Chile) by pinfall (Metalik Screwdriver)
Rd. of 16: Defeated Tajiri (Japan) by pinfall (Metalik Screwdriver)
The quarterfinal showdown between Akira Tozawa and Gran Metalik is getting somewhat overshadowed by the three other matches on tap, but make no mistake -- their contrasting styles should make for an excellent contest to determine the fourth and final wrestler heading to the live finale.
Tozawa's first round match with Kenneth Johnson showed his ability to hit suplexes from almost any angle, but his second round showdown with Jack Gallagher really helped show the range that Tozawa can emote and broadcast out to fans despite a limited vocabulary of spoken English. In playing the fool to some of Gallagher's most ambitious maneuvers, Tozawa made getting tied up in a pretzel to the point where he wasn't being touched and couldn't move look somehow believable. As he had to sell the pain of a leg getting worked on, his ginger movements in the ring and pained expression told a colorful story.
Gran Metalik, on the other hand, used his high-flying maneuvers and devastating-looking finisher to wow the audience -- partially because he's just that good at it, but also because he doesn't have the benefit of using facial expressions under his mask.
Metalik's first round match with Alejandro Saez, the largest competitor in the CWC field, was an under-the-radar success and showed just how easily Metalik can tailor his style to suit his opponent. His second round match with Tajiri was every bit as brutal as you might expect, with strikes and kicks in both directions. Gran Metalik's tight-rope walking before executing high-risk maneuvers looked dangerous and new, and helped get the crowd get pumped ahead of a match in Ibushi vs. Alexander where they were every bit as necessary as any other element in the match.
Quarterfinals matchup: Despite both competitors spending an extensive amount of time wrestling in Japan, their paths never crossed; Tozawa did all his wrestling in his home country with Dragon Gate, while Metalik's trips under the name Mascara Dorada were almost exclusively with New Japan. The thing I'm most curious to see is if they'll carry forward the injury angles from the Round of 16; if that's the case, then there's a chance to continue to weave a complex and comprehensive story tying the competitors together in far more ways than simply being in the same bracket of 32.