WWE Cruiserweight Classic

US television program
(Redirected from Cruiserweight Classic)

The Cruiserweight Classic (also the Global Cruiserweight Series) was a professional wrestling tournament. It was a WWE Network event produced by WWE. All wrestlers were billed at a weight of 205 lbs or less. It would make the first WWE Cruiserweight Champion.[a]Tournament qualifying matches took place in various promotions of the independent circuit such as Revolution Pro Wrestling, Progress Wrestling, and Evolve. It took place on June 23, July 13, August 26, and September 14, 2016. The winner was T. J. Perkins.

Cruiserweight Classic
Information
PromotionWWE
Date
  • June 23, 2016
  • July 14, 2016
  • August 26, 2016
  • September 14, 2016
VenueNXT Arena at Full Sail University
CityWinter Park, Florida

Participants

change
Wrestler Weight (in pounds)
Akira Tozawa 156
Alejandro Saez 205
Anthony Bennett 147
Ariya Daivari 180
The Brian Kendrick 157
Cedric Alexander 200
Clément Petiot 199
Da Mack 160
Damian Slater 193
Drew Gulak 193
Fabian Aichner 203
Gran Metalik 175
Gurv Sihra 159
Harv Sihra 144
Ho Ho Lun 155
Jack Gallagher 167
Jason Lee 154
Johnny Gargano 170
Kenneth Johnson 156
Kota Ibushi 189
Lince Dorado 168
Mustafa Ali[Note 1] 182
Noam Dar 178
Raul Mendoza 178
Rich Swann 165
Sean Maluta 191
T. J. Perkins 167
Yoshihiro Tajiri 189
Tommaso Ciampa 195
Tony Nese 196
Tyson Dux 193
Zack Sabre Jr. 181
  1. This competitor is a replacement for another participant who was taken out of the tournament

Alternates

change

In the event an official participant had suffered an injury or did not make the 205 lbs weight limit, they would have been replaced by one of the following participants:

Wrestler Weight (in pounds)
Aaron Solow 182
Jesse Sorensen 184
Jesus Yurnet 182
Kai Katana 197
Vandal Ortagun 155

Replaced

change

These participants were taken out of the tournament for a specific reason and therefore were replaced by another competitor.

Wrestler Weight (in pounds)
(max. 205)
Progression in the tournament Reason Replacing wrestler
Zumbi 167 Replaced before the official start of the tournament Visa issues[1] Mustafa Ali

Results

change

Tournament bracket

change

The following time limits were in place:

  • Round one: 20 minutes
  • Round two: 20 minutes
  • Quarterfinals: 30 minutes
  • Semifinals: 30 minutes
  • Final: Unlimited
 
Round of 32
Taped June 23
Round of 16
Taped July 14
Quarterfinals
Taped August 26
Semifinals
Live on September 14
Final
Live on September 14
 
                  
 
July 20 –
 
 
Kenneth Johnson09:46[2]
 
August 17 –
 
Akira TozawaPin
 
Akira TozawaPin
 
August 3 –
 
Jack Gallagher11:38[6]
 
Jack GallagherPin
 
August 31 -
 
Fabian Aichner06:45[3]
 
Akira TozawaPin
 
July 20 –
 
Gran Metalik15:49[9]
 
Yoshihiro TajiriPin
 
August 10 –
 
Damian Slater05:28[2]
 
Yoshihiro TajiriPin
 
July 13 –
 
Gran Metalik10:53[7]
 
Alejandro SaezPin
 
September 14 –
 
Gran Metalik04:04[4]
 
Gran MetalikPin
 
July 27 –
 
Zack Sabre Jr.13:13[11]
 
Harv SihraSub
 
August 24 –
 
Drew Gulak05:18[5]
 
Drew GulakPin
 
July 27 –
 
Zack Sabre Jr.08:27[8]
 
Zack Sabre Jr.Sub
 
September 7 -
 
Tyson Dux08:28[5]
 
Zack Sabre Jr.Sub
 
August 3 –
 
Noam Dar15:46[10]
 
Noam DarSub
 
August 17 –
 
Gurv Sihra05:26[3]
 
Noam DarSub
 
July 13 –
 
Ho Ho Lun07:02[6]
 
Ariya DaivariPin
 
September 14 –
 
Ho Ho Lun05:03[4]
 
Gran MetalikSub
 
July 27 –
 
T. J. Perkins 17:47[11]
 
Raul MendozaSub
 
August 17 –
 
Brian Kendrick07:35[5]
 
Brian KendrickSub
 
July 27 –
 
Tony Nese13:42[6]
 
Anthony BennettPin
 
August 31 -
 
Tony Nese06:34[5]
 
Brian KendrickPin
 
July 13 –
 
Kota Ibushi13:58[9]
 
Kota IbushiPin
 
August 10 –
 
Sean Maluta09:40[4]
 
Kota IbushiPin
 
July 13 –
 
Cedric Alexander15:00[7]
 
Cedric AlexanderPin
 
September 14 –
 
Clément Petiot05:58[4]
 
Kota Ibushi Sub
 
July 20 –
 
T. J. Perkins14:52[11]
 
T. J. PerkinsSub
 
August 24 –
 
Da Mack06:32[2]
 
T. J. PerkinsSub
 
August 3 -
 
Johnny Gargano12:18[8]
 
Johnny GarganoPin
 
September 7 -
 
Tommaso Ciampa10:47[3]
 
T. J. PerkinsSub
 
- July 20
 
Rich Swann17:03[10]
 
Mustafa Ali Pin
 
August 24 –
 
Lince Dorado05:55[2]
 
Lince DoradoPin
 
August 3 –
 
Rich Swann08:14[8]
 
Rich Swann Pin
 
 
Jason Lee03:47[3]
 

Finale

change
No. Results Stipulations Times[11]
1 The Bollywood Boyz (Gurv and Harv Sihra) defeated Ariya Daivari and Sean Maluta Tag team match 05:15
2 Gran Metalik defeated Zack Sabre Jr. Cruiserweight Classic tournament semi-final match 13:13
3 T. J. Perkins defeated Kota Ibushi by submission Cruiserweight Classic tournament semi-final match 14:52
4 #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) defeated Cedric Alexander and Noam Dar Tag team match 09:49
5 T. J. Perkins defeated Gran Metalik by submission Cruiserweight Classic tournament final match for the inaugural WWE Cruiserweight Championship 17:47
  • (c) – is the champion(s) going into the match

References

change
  1. Despite having the same name, this is a new championship with its own separate lineage from the previous WWE Cruiserweight Championship that was originally established in World Championship Wrestling and acquired by the WWE (at the time WWF) in 2001 and retired in 2007.
  1. Cite error: The named reference Zumbi was used but no text was provided for refs named (see the help page).
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Caldwell, James (2016-07-20). "7/20 WWE Cruiserweight Results – Caldwell's Week 2 Report on Akira Tozawa, Tajiri, TJP, excellent Dorado vs. Ali match". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2016-07-21.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Caldwell, James (2016-08-03). "8/3 WWE Cruiserweight Tournament Results – Caldwell's Report on Week 4 to conclude First Round, including Gargano vs. Ciampa". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Caldwell, James (2016-07-13). "7/13 WWE Cruiserweight Results – Caldwell's Week 1 Report on Ibushi, Cedric Alexander, more". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2016-07-14.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Caldwell, James (2016-07-27). "7/27 WWE Cruiserweight Results – Caldwell's Week 3 Report on Zack Sabre, Brian Kendrick, more in action". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Caldwell, James (2016-08-17). "8/17 WWE Cruiserweight Results – Caldwell's Report on stellar Kendrick vs. Nese and Gallagher vs. Tozawa Sweet 16 matches". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Caldwell, James (2016-08-10). "8/10 WWE Cruiserweight Tournament Results – Caldwell's Report on Ibushi vs. Alexander classic, Tajiri vs. Metalik in Sweet 16". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Caldwell, James (2016-08-24). "8/24 WWE Cruiserweight Tournament Week 7 – Caldwell's Report on Gargano vs. TJP, Sabre vs. Gulak, Swann vs. Dorado to finish Sweet 16". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2016-08-24.
  9. 9.0 9.1 Caldwell, James (2016-08-31). "8/31 WWE Cruiserweight Tournament Week 8 – Caldwell's Report on Ibushi vs. Kendrick, Tozawa vs. Metalik Elite 8 matches". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2016-08-31.
  10. 10.0 10.1 Caldwell, James (2016-09-07). "9/7 WWE Cruiserweight Tournament – Caldwell's Report on Sabre vs. Dar, Swann vs. Perkins to conclude Elite 8 Round". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Caldwell, James (2016-09-14). "9/14 WWE Cruiserweight Tourney Finals – CALDWELL'S Live Report". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2016-09-14.