WWE: 15 Best Matches of 2016

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11. TJ Perkins vs Kota Ibushi – Cruiserweight Classic Semi-Finals

Make no mistake, Kota Ibushi is one of the best wrestlers in the world.  He’s a 14 year veteran of the sport and made his mark primarily in Japan.  So when he was added to the Cruiserweight Classic, many people speculated that he’d win.  After conflicting reports about a full-time WWE contract, Ibushi blasted through the first 2 round but then ran into the buzz saw that was TJ Perkins.

Ibushi and Perkins, the eventual tournament winner, delighted Full Sail University in this semi-final battle.  Having less than 15 minutes to work, the two cruisers managed to jam pack a lifetime’s worth of action into a small window of time.  Instead of having just a spot-fest the two engaged in a physical chess match with Perkins trying to take out the legs of Ibushi thus neutralizing his brutal kicks.  Ibushi on the other tried his best make TJ one-dimensional, attempting to ground the high-flier.  Both strategies were effective so what unfolded was technical mastery mixed with fast paced action and a molten-hot crowd.

Perkins commitment to the lower limbs of Ibushi finally paid off as he forced to the Japanese standout to tap from the TJP Clutch.  The two warriors got a massive standing ovation from the Full Sail crowd and Perkins used the momentum to win the tournament and the Cruiserweight belt.  A terrific match in a tournament that was was chalk full of them.  The best part?  It was only the second best match from The Cruiserweight Classic.  But I’ll get back to that later.