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#1 WWE Cruiserweight Classic Tournament (2016)
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In 2016, WWE embarked on bringing the most exceptional wrestlers weighing in at 205 lbs or lower in the world. From the UK to Japan, stars from NJPW, Progress and the independent wrestling scene made their first appearances for the company in the Cruiserweight Classic.
They all looked to display what made them the most sought-after competitors in the wrestling business, and accomplished just that.
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There were stars from the past like Tajiri and The Brian Kendrick making their return to WWE. The latter told an astounding story of a veteran looking to show that he still has it. His storytelling was top notch and elevated even more by the great commentary from Mauro Ranallo and Daniel Bryan.
The tournament featured and introduced 205 Live mainstays and future WWE Cruiserweight Champions like Akira Tozawa, Tony Nese and Drew Gulak. It also highlighted future NXT Champions such as Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano. The DIY tag team partners put on the most emotional first round matchup that foreshadowed their all-time classic rivalry.
The Cruiserweight Classic also marked the WWE debuts for Zack Sabre Jr. and Kota Ibushi. The NJPW star put on a Match of the Year candidate against Cedric Alexander that showed why he is one of the best wrestlers in the world regardless of weight and earned his opponent a contract with the company. Mustafa Ali, Noam Dar and Fabian Aichner all impressed, earning WWE contracts as well.
The final four came down to Sabre Jr., Ibushi, Gran Metalik and TJ Perkins. The semifinals were two terrific encounters with Metallik defeating ZSJ and TJP submitting Ibushi. Before the finals, Triple H announced that the winner of the tournament not only won a trophy, but also the WWE Cruiserweight Championship that would be defended on RAW.
In a thrilling final contest, TJ Perkins submitted Gran Metallik to win the WWE Cruiserweight Championship. The scene was dramatic and emotional as Perkins was showered with confetti and raised the gold to the Full Sail crowd. This capped a truly ground-breaking tournament.
There is no shortage of awesome tournaments throughout wrestling history. However, not many could claim to be introducing as many stars and moments that would shape how a company is viewed today. Despite how the company has treated its Cruiserweight division and championship, the Cruiserweight Classic is the most memorable tournament in WWE history.
