The second episode of the Cruiserweight Classic came out this week and featured four more first round match ups featuring the likes of TJ Perkins, Akira Tozawa and former WWE Superstar Tajiri. This episode carried on from where the last episode left off, with more fast paced technical matches which left us wanting more.
We got our first look at a few of the wrestlers on show, and true to the tournament, a few of the lesser knows performers who have really impressed. With two more episodes of first round matches left after this show, the Cruiserweight Classic is really heating up.
Trending
New Champs in WWE! More RIGHT HERE
#5 A novel concept that’s working well
The Cruiserweight Classic is vastly different from anything that WWE has tried in the past, getting 32 of the best cruiserweights from the indies from 16 countries to battle it out. The matches have been fast paced and exciting and have paired some of the hottest acts in the indies with a bunch of really talented newcomers.
Every match from the first two episodes have been compelling and the CWC is differentiated from the rest of WWE’s programming in every way from the set, graphics and lighting to the pace and style of the matches and to the fact that’s its presented as an athletic competition rather than entertainment.
And it’s working really well. It is showing the potential for similar projects in the future.
#4 Tajiri returned to a warm welcome and Damian Slater impressed
The ‘Japanese Buzzsaw’ Tajiri came out for his match against Damian Slater to a huge ovation from the crowd. Tajiri spent a number of years with the WWE in the 2000’s and is a former 3-time cruiserweight champion, a former light heavyweight champion, and a 2-time champion.
Even though he’s lost his speed due to his age, Tajiri can still go in the ring.
His trump card was his devastating arsenal of kicks that Slater had no answer for and he even pulled off the Tarantula, a crowd favourite before finishing Slater off with a patented Buzzsaw Kick.
Damian Slater ,on the other hand, wasn’t name a lot of people were familiar with before the CWC, but the ‘World Beater’ looked mighty impressive in defeat and pulled off a few impressive moves of his own.
He has a silky smoothness in the ring that cannot be taught and will have hoped to have impressed enough to earn a developmental contract for himself.
#3 TJ Perkins and Da Mack steal the show
WWE should sign TJ Perkins as soon as possible. The LA native representing the Phillipines, wasn’t one of the biggest names coming into the CWC, but all eyes are on him after his victory against Da Mack.
Both Perkins and Da Mack have buckets of charisma and ability and their match was one of the best of the tournament so far. While the young German still needs a polish to his rough-round-the-edges style, TJ Perkins is ready to step into Raw’s Cruiserweight Division and set it on fire.
In TJ’s own words, it’s easy for him to make it look easy. Perkins’ in-ring style mixes high-flying moves with more technical moves like Indian Deathlocks and other submission moves. Within minutes of the match beginning, TJ had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand and ended the match to a standing ovation from the fans in attendance. Sign him up now WWE!
#2 Mustafa Ali has that special something
Mustafa Ali came out for his match against Lince Dorado to the chorus of boo’s reserved for foreign heels. Even though he’s from Chicago, WWE decided to get him to represent his Pakistani heritage and true to age old WWE style, he played the heel.
However, the crowd really warmed upto Mustafa Ali by the end of the match and the youngster really impressed with his arsenal of aerial maneuvers including an incredible running shining wizard of the apron and a rolling springboard neckbreaker.
Unfortunately for Ali, his strength also turned out to be downfall, when Lince Doarado capitalized of a missed reverse 450 splash to pick up the win. Mustafa Ali looks the the kind of wrestler WWE would sign for NXT. He’s young and his style can be moulded, but he comes with precocious natural ability.
#1 The main event was a little disjointed
Akira Tozawa came into the tournament with a lot of hype behind him, but the Dragon Gate star’s match against Kenneth Johnson did not live upto the hype.
The match began at a slow and awkward pace with the pair’s styles not gelling very well. It wasn’t a bad match by any means and definitely picked up near the end, but the battle between TJ Perkins and Da Mack earlier on in the show was a tough act to follow.
The match had its fair share of memorable spots including the one where Tozawa and Johnson traded knife edge chops till Tozawa got fed up and just punched his opponent in the mouth. Tozawa brought with him, his international experience and arsenal of strikes and suplexes which were enough to overcome Kenneth Johnson in the end.
