Tonight features the beginning of the third round, or the quarterfinals, of the inaugural WWE Cruiserweight Classic. Ever since the Cruiserweight Classic started, every night seems to get better and better. Round Two had some of the best wrestling of 2016, with classic matches from every single competitor in the tournament. With every new round, these cruiserweights are going to have to up their game more and more to make it to the finals. With that in mind, this could somehow be better than the second round.
Akira Tozawa (Japan) vs. Gran Metalik (Mexico)
Both Akira Tozawa and Gran Metalik have been amazing in the Cruiserweight Classic, with two victories in the books each. Gran Metalik defeated Chile’s (not to be confused with Chili’s) Alejandro Saez and the Japanese WWE veteran, Tajiri. Akira Tozawa defeated American Kenneth Johnson, and the gentlemanly Englishman, Jack Gallagher. Metalik might have more of an advantage since Tozawa is the second Japanese wrestler in a row that he is facing. This is the first time, however, that Tozawa is facing someone with a lucha libre background in the Cruiserweight Classic.
Metalik manages to kick out of a pinfall after two devastating German suplexes from Tozawa, then hits the Metalik Driver on Tozawa to advance to the final four. Metalik will face either Zack Sabre Jr. or Noam Dar. Winner: Gran Metalik | Eliminated: Akira Tozawa
Even though Tozawa is out of the Cruiserweight Classic, hopefully this is not the last time that we see him in a WWE ring. Before the match started, he said that his dream was to be in WWE, and if he joins the Monday Night Raw Cruiserweight Division, that very well might be the case. Tozawa may not be like traditional WWE Superstars, but he will bring a great deal of excitement and great wrestling to Monday nights.
Brian Kendrick (United States) vs. Kota Ibushi (Japan)
Kota Ibushi is probably the odds-on favorite to win the Cruiserweight Classic. Brian Kendrick is a seasoned veteran, but most people did not expect Kendrick to make it to the quarterfinals.
Brian Kendrick defeated Raul Mendoza in the first round, then advanced to the second round where he defeated “The Premier Athlete,” Tony Nese. Kota Ibushi has always been the talk of the night when he was on, defeating Sean Maluta and Cedric Alexander in the first and second rounds, consecutively.
Daniel Bryan has done a great job at talking up both of these competitors throughout the tournament. Bryan has called Ibushi the hardest hitting wrestler he has ever been in the ring with, regardless of weight class. Remember, Daniel Bryan has had several matches against Sheamus. Brian Kendrick might not be the most agile or powerful, but he has had the smartest style of wrestling so far. Bryan has said openly time and time again that he wants Brian Kendrick to win, since they started their wrestling careers together and have a long friendship.
Kota Ibushi and Brian Kendrick put on another classic, which should not be surprising. Kendrick knew that he had the athletic disadvantage, so he focused on the surgically repaired neck of Ibushi. Even though that evened the playing field, The Golden Star was able to overcome. Ibushi rolls Kendrick over during the Bully Choke to turn it into a pinfall, and after Kendrick kicks out, Ibushi hits the Golden Star powerbomb to advance to the final four. Kota Ibushi will take on either TJ Perkins or Rich Swann in the semifinals. Hopefully this is not the last we will see of Brian Kendrick, and perhaps he will be on Monday Night Raw on September 19 with all of the other cruiserweights. Winner: Kota Ibushi | Eliminated: Brian Kendrick
Next week, England’s technical wizard, Zack Sabre Jr., takes on the youngest competitor in the Cruiserweight Classic: Scotland’s Noam Dar. To finish out the quarterfinals, the arrogant TJ Perkins will face NXT’s high octane Rich Swann. It is pretty hard to follow up two and a half rounds of classic matches, but these four competitors have a great shot at doing it.
