WWE Cruiserweight Classic 2016: 8 Best Moments
WWE.com
2. “Please Sign Cedric”
Potentially the match of the Cruiserweight Classic saw Kota Ibushi defeat Cedric Alexander. There were plenty of emotions in this, with the wrestling moves performed being unique to even the cruiserweights. It displayed how talented both were, especially the former ROH star, who had a slightly lesser profile than his opponent.
Well, after the match, the crowd became so enamored with Alexander, that they chanted “please sign Cedric”. This led to Triple H surprisingly walking out of the curtain to congratulate Alexander on his performance, and give a nod, which could have been indicative of something.
Weeks later, the 27-year-old became official for the cruiserweight division.
This is arguably the top non-wrestling moment of the CWC. Emotions were higher than ever, leading to a longtime independent wrestling star getting a spotlight.
1. TJP’s Time to Shine
The Cruiserweight Classic became all about TJ Perkins, it just didn’t seem apparent at first.
Perkins had to run through the likes of Johnny Gargano and Rich Swann to make the semifinals. These two “WWE guys” had been favorites to make it far in the tournament, but got eliminated in the second round and quarterfinals, respectively. Both losses were handed by TJP attacking the leg, using ring psychology to take them out. He looked like a star throughout.
To make Perkins’ star shine brighter, he did the same to Kota Ibushi in the semis. The Golden Star had been seen as the favorite by many, so his defeat was shocking. It came from the man who seemed to upset everyone, too. However, it became part of the plan.
The finals would see Perkins defeat Gran Metalik in a fantastic match, becoming the first Cruiserweight Classic winner and Cruiserweight Champion. He gets to walk into Raw on Monday with the belt, standing out among the other nine wrestlers. How much better could it be than that?
Related Story: WWE CWC Finale Review
The goal of the Cruiserweight Classic seemed to become turning TJ Perkins into a star. He may not have been loved at first, but respect for what he did and his performances were too much to overlook. This choice couldn’t have been better.