One of the hottest acts for WWE this summer was the Cruiserweight Classic. The Classic features some of the best cruiserweight talents from all around the world. Zack Sabre Jr. and Kota Ibushi are the more familiar names, that are in the tournament. The hardcore fan may be familiar with some of the names, but for fans that aren’t familiar, they were put on notice quickly. The diversity of the talent ranged from countries to veteran experience. Former WWE talent such as Tajiri and Brian Kendrick made appearances in the Classic.
The quality and quantity of the Cruiserweight Classic is well done. Most matches are given a lengthy time, and the matches are entertaining. With a different style and the matches are fast paced, it’s a different experience for sure. The Cruiserweight Classic is a show many fans look forward to, and that is the reason why. It's action packed from start to finish.
With Raw debuting the Cruiserweight Division soon, the Classic serves as a taste of what’s to come for the new era of WWE. While there is one winner, truth is we will see some of these special talents again. This allows more opportunities for current WWE talent too, such as Neville. It is indeed an exciting time and the Cruiserweight Classic is one of the reasons why. If you haven’t checked out the show yet on WWE Network you are seriously missing out. But fear not friend, I got you covered in this top five. Perhaps I could change your mind?
1: Offers a different style of wrestling
I love a good technical wrestling match, but I like the high flying action too. With the cruiserweights, you get the best of both worlds. As a cruiserweight, it opens up a new spectrum of wrestling that perhaps fans aren’t used to. Rey Mysterio is one of the greatest cruiserweights of all time; he was able to hang with the much bigger guys later on in his career.
Anyone on the main roster that could give you an idea of a cruiserweight would be Neville. Neville wows fans when he makes appearances on Raw and he would fit in well with the cruiserweights and would give him direction on the main roster.
2: Exposes a new crop of talent
There are so many wrestlers on the indies and the Cruiserweight Classic gives them a chance for major exposure. Some of the names are familiar, as they have either competed in WWE previously, are from Ring of Honor or New Japan Pro Wrestling. Many of these guys have wrestled all around the world and made a name for themselves hence the familiarity.
The great thing about the promotions is that their content is available online and they also have TV deals. This talent represents the future and if the Cruiserweight Classic is anything to go by, well the future is certainly bright.
3: Cedric Alexander v. Kota Ibushi
Many people are talking about Tommaso Ciampa v. Johnny Gargano as one of the best matches of the Cruiserweight Classic. While that was a great match with a big story, my favorite match was Alexander v. Ibushi. This was the best of ROH v. the best of NJPW. The two men are talented in many different ways and gave their all in the ring.
The heart and tenacity of Alexander stood out in this match, earning respect from even Triple H by the time the match was over. Alexander should definitely be in WWE’s Cruiserweight Division when it’s all said and done. Ibushi is one of the favorites to win the tournament, and his talent and athleticism shows you why.
4: The story is told in the ring
While there are exceptions to this, mostly this is just a series of matches to advance in the tournament. In the Cruiserweight Classic, this is all that is needed. The video packages get you familiar with the talent, and it’s on with the show. The talent gives their all in the ring in a quest for a chance and opportunity to succeed on a global platform such as WWE.
With Mauro Ranallo and Daniel Bryan commentating, they are the perfect mix to help guide fans during the matchups. Both men are very knowledgeable about the talent and that helps the fans understand the story in the ring. Actions speak louder than words and it rings true in the Classic.
5: Glimpse of the Cruiserweight Division
As I said before, the Cruiserweight Classic offers a glimpse into the Cruiserweight Division that will be on Raw. And by the looks of it, the fans are in for a real treat if they receive ample time to deliver in a match. Raw is three hours long and that is plenty of time to dedicate fifteen minutes to a cruiserweight bout.
WWE is showing consistency with the new era, and this is no exception to that rule. The cruiserweights are fun and offer something different to the table. If WWE can keep it up past the Cruiserweight Classic, then the Cruiserweight Division will be successful this time around.
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