Csonka’s WWE Cruiserweight Classic Review 7.13.16

Csonka’s WWE Cruiserweight Classic Review 7.13.16

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Gran Metalik defeated Alejandro Saez defeated @ 4:10 via pin [***]
– Ho Ho Lun defeated Ariya Daivari defeated @ 5:00 via pin [**]
– Cedric Alexander defeated Clement Petiot @ 6:00 via pin [***¼]
– Kota Ibushi defeated Sean Maluta defeated @ 9:40 via pin [***½]

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– We get a great opening video, showing off many of the past cruiserweights and smaller wrestler we loved, before showing off the next generation. Triple H does the intro, and it came off very well with a sense of importance and a nice link to the past.

– Our hosts are Mauro Ranallo and Daniel Bryan. They do what feels like a UFC introduction, with the focus on the announcers and the ring and arena as the background

– We then shoot to Corey Graves, who is in the bracket control center. We get brief videos packages on both Gran Metalik and Alejandro Saez.

– Prior to the matches, Mauro and Bryan do a brief talk and break down the stats (height, weight, style) of the competitors.

Gran Metalik vs. Alejandro Saez: As rumored, we’re going pure sport here, with the referee having them meet center ring, discussing the instructions, and then having them shake hands. Nice back and forth to begin, with Mauro and Bryan discussing that Metalik has the experience advantage, but that Saez had to drop a lot of weight to make the 205 limit. They even do things like speculate on how it may affect his performance. Metalik and Saez are working well together, with Bryan and Ranallo really adding great commentary and background to both guys. Metalik finally got some momentum going, sending Saez to the floor and then hitting a great step up dive. Metalik then hit a ropewalk splash for a near fall. Saez fought back, sent Metalik to the floor and then hit a shooting star press off the apron. Saez then missed a spiral tap when the returned to the ring, Metalik hit the Dorada driver for the win. That was a fun opening match, with both guys looking good overall in the short time frame and the commentary doing a great job of putting both guys over. Saez came off well in the short outing, even though he lost.

– Post match, they again took a page from combat sports, and had both men center ring so that Metalik could have his hand raised and officially be announced as the winner.

Ho Ho Lun vs. Ariya Daivari: Daivari refused to shake hands, setting him up as the heel with the crowd. Lun was a smaller and speedier wrestler, while Daivari wrestled a basic style. He tried to ground Lun, and ground him down with knees to he back and chinlocks and such. Daivari got a near fall off of a trouble in paradise style kick. Lun hit a spin kick and started to make a comeback, picking up the pace and then running into an elbow from Daivari. Daivari up top, missed the frog splash and Lun connected with a charging knee and superkick for a near fall. Lun then hit a brigading German for the win, which felt a bit anticlimactic after the comeback, knee kick combo. This was a perfectly solid, but unspectacular match. Daivari wasn’t as flashy, but was the more polished performer. Lun has a lot of potential, but needs work.

Clement Petiot vs. Cedric Alexander: Petiot shook hands, but pulled Cedric close and talked some shit. Cedric was on fire early, and the crowd loved him and was reacting big to his early stuff. Petiot, who was not happy with Cedric being liked and basically owning him early, cut him off with a knee strike and then took the heat, working chinlocks and hitting suplexes. Really nice aggression from Petiot, not being lazy with the heat; he gained some good hate and the crowd got behind Cedric well. They worked through a nice series of counters, and Cedric got decapitated with a lariat for a near fall. Cedric fought back with the lumbar check and picked up the win. That was a really nice effort from both, cleaner and smoother than the opener, with both guys impressing and the right guy winning. I am really happy to see Cedric here, the man felt he was wasted, left ROH, bet on himself and is getting a chance to prove himself.

Kota Ibushi vs. Sean Maluta: Maluta is related to Afa of the wild Samoans. We got a slower paced opening here, both guys working holds and working some nice back and forth. They hyped the kicks of both guys, which were highlighted early as important. Maluta went for a frog splash in the first two-minutes, which was a bad idea because he missed and ate a missile dropkick. Maluta made the comeback with the boot and MX (code breaker off the ropes) and sent Ibushi to the floor. Maluta went for a flip dove, and got a bit caught up but still sort of hit the move. That could have been bad. Maluta took control, working kicks and then grounding Ibushi. Maluta worked hard kicks, but Ibushi fired up and then hit a sweet dropkick. Rapid fire strikes by Ibushi and then the kick to the face and moonsault connected for a near fall. To the corner and they battled up top, Maluta tried to fight him off and knocked Ibushi to the mat, but Ibushi then hit a PELE and sent Maluta to the floor. Ibushi played to the crowd before hitting a moonsault to the floor. Ibushi got a near fall as they returned to the ring. Maluta then hit the superkick for a really good near fall, that came off well as commentary hyped that kick from Maluta the entire match. Kicks to the face by Maluta, but Ibushi hit a roundhouse kick and then finished with the sitout powerbomb to pick up the win. That was a very good main event, with the right guy winning and Maluta impressing overall (outside of almost dying that one time).

* End scene.

* Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

Overall the debut of the Cruiserweight Classic was a very good show. The presentation is very MMA/combat sports or even what Evolve wanted to be early on, and I really liked that. It had a great tone that separates it from the main product and even the NXT brand. The commentary especially is night and day from those shows; it’s so energetic and motivated with no agenda other than to put over the talent. There was also no fear of discussing the past of the competitors in order to provide good background and give you something to root for with each man. Combine the great presentation along with solid to very good wrestling and I am already a fan. I can’t wait for next week.