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Csonka’s WWE Cruiserweight Classic Review 8.24.16
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Csonka’s WWE Cruiserweight Classic Review 8.24.16
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Rich Swann defeated Lince Dorado @ 8:20 via pin [***½]
– Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Drew Gulak @ 8:30 via pin [****]
– TJ Perkins defeated Johnny Gargano @ 12:31 via submission [***¾]
– We get a video package, recapping the previous events of the tournament.
– Bryan and Mauro welcome us to the show, and we then get a video package for Rich Swann vs. Lince Dorado.
Rich Swann vs. Lince Dorado: They went fast paced early, going back and froth with counters and pinging combos. Swann wanted to dance, but Dorado cut him off and did the Alex Wright dance. Dorado then sent Swann to the floor with a missile dropkick and then hit a top rope high cross to the floor; it looked really nice. Swann fought back, working a wacky ass version of a stretch muffler. The crowd loves Swann, again singing and cheering for him. They both fired up and traded strikes and kicks Dorado countered a RANA and then hit both hit bicycle kicks for the double down. They slowly traded rights from their knees, working to the feet and continuing with crazy fists. Dorado scored with a knee, an enziguri and then a high cross for a near fall. Swann tried to fight off a German, landed on his feet and then scored with a DDT for a near fall. Swann went for his standing 450, but ate knees and a roll up got 2 for Dorado. They worked through a series of countered and strikes, and then the reverse RANA by Dorado got another near fall. Dorado up top to try and put Swann away, MISSED the shooting star press, and Swann then went up top and hit the Phoenix splash to score the win and advance. That was a very good match to start off the show, I like both guys and hated to see one lose, but I love that Swann is moving on. He’s very good, has great charisma, but I think we haven’t seen the best from him yet.
– We see highlights from Takeover, where the Revival injured the knee of Johnny Gargano. We then see Gargano getting taped up backstage, which shows how far ahead they set this up. Ciampa was at his side, but didn’t exactly look happy, shooting Gargano the stink eye. Slow burn that turn boys.
– We get a video package for Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Drew Gulak.
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Drew Gulak: Gulak didn’t want to shake hands, setting him as the here here. They worked some fast paced grappling to begin, with Gulak showing great aggression. We got some really nice counter work with both men working the straightjacket. Nice and smooth work so far, which is no surprise since they have worked together before. Gulak then worked a grounded abdominal stretch, slapping the piss out of ZSJ. Gulak headed up top but ZSJ caught his clothesline attempt into an arm bar, which was slick. Gulak seamlessly escaped and worked into a Gory special, and trying to rip off ZSJ’s arms. Gulak is one step ahead so far; taking ZSJ to the mat and working a neck crank, but ZSJ escaped right into an octopus hold. The transition work here is flawless as they are continually escaping. ZSJ escaped the electric chair and worked a hanging kimura, but Gulak powered out and slammed ZSJ into the ropes. ZSJ started to find more success with his counter game and hit the PK for a near fall. They then slapped the shit out of each other with no remorse. Gulak countered the leapfrog into the sunset flip for a near fall. Gulak then went for the dragon sleeper, but ZSJ countered into the bridging pin for the win. This was a tremendous technical display with the crowd reacting very well to everything they did, and resulting in an excellent effort that shows that the grappling style doesn’t have to be slow or boring. Both men showed great aggression and also provided a completely different match than the opener, while also showing how to make the absolute best of their time.
– We head to our main event, and get a video package for TJ Perkins vs. Johnny Gargano.
TJ Perkins vs. Johnny Gargano: Nice back and forth, with Perkins getting a Muta lock early and playing into the taped up knee of Gargano. They set up the leg work with the video package that tied Gargano’s injury to the Takeover show, which was some excellent planning and gave the story an immediate story. Gargano was able to send Perkins to the floor and hit a suicide dive, but was favoring the leg after the landing. Gargano tried to work some submissions, but some great counter work from Perkins led to a Romero special. After the escape they went into some back and forth, until Perkins hit the head scissors and grounded Gargano, even dabbing. A kick from Gargano stopped that, and then hit the apron spear, but was slow to follow up, as he started to favor the knee again. Perkins countered the law dart, they traded kicks and Perkins hit a sitout powerbomb. Perkins went for a springboard dropkick to the apron, but ate a superkick. Gargano then hit a cannonball, but his legs ht the timekeeper’s table, again playing into the established knee injury. Back in Perkins hit the pop up kick and a lung blower for a near fall. They traded strikes center ring, Perkins then hit the springboard dropkick but when he went up top he got cut off. Gargano went for the lawn dart, but his leg gave out on him as he collapsed to the mat. Perkins went for the knee bar, they traded submissions and Gargano scored with a cradle for a near fall. Gargano is doing a great job of selling the knee, but Perkins hasn’t invested in working it. Gargano countered Perkins off the top, sending him to the buckle and hit the lawn dart for the near fall. Gargano had trouble hitting the superkick, Perkins hit a dropkick to the knee by Gargano hit a desperation superkicks. Gargano was again slow to follow up, Perkins then rolled and scored with the knee bar and Gargano fought, but had to tap. They did a really good job here, with Gargano playing the resilient face that just couldn’t overcome. The only real downfall was that while Gargano was selling the knee issue, Perkins never really invested the time to take full advantage of the story they were given. The story was good, but would have hit the next level if Gargano had to fight thought more than the established injury, as Perkins cutting him off and trying to break him down (doing anything he could to advance) would have greatly added to what they did. But to their credit, they did a great job of working a match that was different from the previous two, which highlights the styles and makes the show even better. Gargano is going to be such a great and sympathetic face for NXT/WWE.
– The final eight are: Gran Metalik, Kota Ibushi, Akira Tozawa, Noam Dar, The Brian Kendrick, Rich Swann, Zack Sabre Jr., and TJ Perkins.
– Week One Winners: Gran Metalik, Ho Ho Lun, Cedric Alexander, Kota Ibushi
– Week Two Winners: Tajiri, TJ Perkins, Lince Dorado, Akira Tozawa
– Week Three Winners: The Brian Kendrick, Drew Gulak, Zack Sabre Jr., Tony Nese
– Week Four Winners: Rich Swann, Noam Dar, Jack Gallagher, Johnny Gargano
– Week Five Winners: Gran Metalik, Kota Ibushi
– Week Six Winners: Akira Tozawa, Noam Dar, The Brian Kendrick
– Week Seven Winners: Rich Swann, Zack Sabre Jr., TJ Perkins
– End scene.
– Thanks for reading.
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”
