Ranking every WWE Cruiserweight Champion from worst to best

8. The Brian Kendrick

The Brian Kendrick is really one of the unsung heroes of the Cruiserweight division. He notably turned heel after he lost his first title shot at Clash of Champions 2016, headbutting T.J. Perkins to keep their feud going.

At Hell in a Cell, “The Man with a Plan” faked an injury to gain an advantage and become the new WWE Cruiserweight Champion. Kendrick only held the title for 30 days, but his character work made it a memorable reign.

7. Tony Nese

Tony Nese’s redemption was one of the best storylines heading into WrestleMania this year. “The Premier Athlete” won a tournament prior to the event to become the number one contender, earning a match with his partner—Buddy Murphy.

Afterward, Murphy attacked him, confirming Nese’s face turn and setting up a blow-off on “The Grandest Stage of Them All.” Tony beat his former friend in one of the better showings on the card. He retained the title two days later, in an even better match in the main event of the April 9 episode of 205 Live.

Nese’s reign only lasted 77 days and it was fairly uneventful. But it did go a long way to prove he is a hidden gem in a division full of talented wrestlers.

6. Rich Swann

Rich Swann was a fixture in the division after a strong performance in the Cruiserweight Classic. He defeated The Brian Kendrick on the premiere of 205 Live to become the third WWE Cruiserweight Champion.

Swann was a fun champion. The current member of the IMPACT roster has an infectious energy. It’s hard not to root for him because he is so good at hyping up a crowd. In fact, one could easily make the case that he had the potential to be the best babyface champion on the show.

While others had a better run with the WWE Cruiserweight Championship, Rich just had an it-factor that you can’t manufacture. If his tenure as the X Division Champion was anything to go on, he could’ve been a much bigger star with WWE.