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Since its reintroduction in 2016 courtesy of the Cruiserweight Classic, WWE's Cruiserweight Division had seemingly been overlooked by the company who created it. Despite getting a show on the Network, the division never recaptured the success of the tournament that birthed it.
That is until Triple H got involved. Hunter reportedly took control of the Cruiserweights in early 2018, and the purple brand has been all the better for it. With the focus shifting more to in-ring action, rather than repeating the tropes of its older, more popular siblings, 205 Live has gained a bit of a cult following on the WWE Network.
The resurgence has even seen the return of some cruiserweights to main roster television -- a spot they had not been in since Enzo Amore was champ -- as well as featured matches on pay-per-view.
Although it was a behind-the-scenes move that changed the direction of the brand, it would not have worked without a strong talent pool. But which 205 acts outshone their peers, and stood out above the rest?
#5. Drew Gulak
A standout of the division before HHH's takeover, Gulak has remained a staple of the division afterward as well. His anti-High Flying gimmick has kept him near the top of 205 Live's heel depth chart.
Gulak found himself in the semifinals of the tournament prior to WrestleMania -- which was set up to determine who would challenge for the vacant Cruiserweight Championship -- losing to runner-up Mustafa Ali.
Gulak then entered an entertaining feud opposite Lucha House Party. During the rivalry, he struck up an alliance with The Brian Kendrick and Gentleman Jack Gallagher. He even took part in the 2nd WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament (despite not being from the UK), where he would lose to Gallagher.
The highlight of Drew's year came at SummerSlam, where he appeared on the pre-show. He challenged Cruiserweight Champion Cedric Alexander for the title at the event, losing in 10 minutes.
Although he would not capture a championship in 2018, Gulak was a constant highlight for the cruiserweight division, and proved a reliable performer when needed.
#4. Lucha House Party
The trio of luchadors known as Lucha House Party quickly became one of the cruiserweight division's hottest acts in the post-WrestleMania season. Kalisto, Gran Metalik, and Lince Dorado spent the majority of the summer locked in a feud with Drew Gulak, Jack Gallagher, and Brian Kendrick, with each side trading wins in a variety of different matches.
Their high-flying style, infectious charisma, and vast array of pinatas made Lucha House Party the cruiserweight equivalent to The New Day. That is, an eccentric, over-the-top gimmick that appeals mainly to kids, but has transcended into the wider wrestling fandom. In fact, the group got over so much, they found their way to the main roster, debuting on RAW just weeks prior to Survivor Series.
While the Lucha House Rules became a narrative mess on Monday nights, their promotion to the main roster is an accomplishment, and it's hard to argue that that the trio didn't find success in 2018.
#3. Cedric Alexander
In 2018, Cedric Alexander had himself one hell of a run. For the better part of the year, he was the face of the entire division. The Soul of 205 Live proved how he got the moniker at WrestleMania, where he finished off an impressive run in the Cruiserweight Championship Tournament by defeating Mustafa Ali.
The win marked the start of the Age of Alexander. During his 180 day reign as champion, Alexander defended his belt against the likes of Drew Gulak, Kalisto, Buddy Murphy, Hideo Itami, and Mustafa Ali. Nearly all of those defenses were critically praised, and his performances made every defense must-watch.
His title reign ended in fitting fashion, as he once again tore the house down in a losing effort against Buddy Murphy, at Super Show Down. After waiting for his rematch against Murphy, the pair capped off their trilogy of matches at TLC, where Alexander failed to recapture his title.
With several excellent matches, a long title reign, and high-profile rivalries, Alexander's 2018 was quite enjoyable.
#2. Buddy Murphy
At the start of the year, Buddy Murphy was one half of a long dormant tag team in NXT. By the end, he's the WWE Cruiserweight Champion, and one of the most unexpected success stories in the entire company.
Coming to 205 Live in the spring as a surprise entrant in the Cruiserweight Championship Tournament, Murphy would get to the quarterfinals before losing to Mustafa Ali. However, Murphy would quickly become a top star on the brand, as he won a Fatal-4-Way match before the end of the tournament, which guaranteed him a future shot at the eventual winner.
That win would set up Murphy as the top heel on the brand, as he would fail a weigh-in, thus postponing his match with Alexander. When he got his opportunity, though, he took it and ran. Despite not winning the title, Murphy and Alexander put on an incredible match, which silenced any of Murphy's doubters.
He would live up to his 'Best Kept Secret' tagline in more sensational matches against Alexander, and an incredible series of matches against Mustafa Ali. In fact, Murphy would have topped this list, if not for the latter.
#1. Mustafa Ali
The Heart of 205 Live was more than a nickname for Mustafa Ali. Despite failing to capture the Cruiserweight Championship, Ali proved to be one of the best in-ring performers on the brand, as well as one of its most popular. Starting the year as an underdog in the Cruiserweight Championship Tournament, Mustafa found himself at WrestleMania, in the tournament's finals against Cedric Alexander.
He then competed in a trilogy of non-title matches against Buddy Murphy, all of which were well received. His performances as the babyface in peril against Murphy's juggernaut heel made the former police officer arguably the most popular characters on the purple brand.
After winning a feud against Hideo Itami, Ali reignited his rivalry with Buddy Murphy, challenging him for the title at Survivor Series. Despite losing, Ali put on one of the best performances on the show, whipping a seemingly uninterested crowd into a frenzy by the end.
Possibly as a reward for his showing, Mustafa is now a member of the SmackDown Live roster. He made his debut against WWE Champion Daniel Bryan, and it appears he may start 2019 in a feud for the Championship, potentially with a match at the Royal Rumble.
Though he did not hold a title this year, 2018 was undoubtedly the Year of Mustafa Ali.
