CWC: The Cruiserweight Classic Review – Episode 1 & 2
Hello everyone, my name is Claritza. I recently started watching the CWC tournament from the beginning again, so I asked Justin if I could review the event for the website before the live “Final Four” event where the winner will be crowned. I thought it would be cool to watch and review the tournament since I’ll be attending the live show for final matches of the tournament. I hope this allows anyone who hasn’t watched any of the tournament a reason to watch it before the final show.
A little background on myself: Yes, I am a girl and no I didn’t just pick up on wrestling because of Total Divas or because of shirtless hot guys, the hot shirtless guys are just a major plus. My parents are avid WWE fans, so I’ve been watching wrestling my whole life Any-who, for me this is the very first time I am watching a lot of these wrestlers in action so this is my very first impression on every single one of these competitors, which I feel a lot of other people can relate to.
Episode 1
Gran Metalik – Lucha Libre Style
vs
Alejandro Saez – Striking Style
For the CWC, they did not establish heels or faces, but quite frankly they don’t need to. During this match Saez tried to play the heel role, though in this tournament wrestling is the major focus of the matches. However, the heel and face dynamic does help for the storytelling aspect of wrestling matches, so it makes sense. For the first match of the CWC they delivered showing off their high flying abilities. Gran Metalik is a great high flyer who knows how to use every part in the ring, especially the ring ropes, to his advantage. Metalik shined more in this match. He just has such a smooth way of delivering high flying moves. Not to take anything away from Saez, he did a nice shooting star press to Metalik from the ring to the floor. In the end though, Gran Metalik was victorious and advanced to the second round.
Match rating: 3/5
HoHo Lun – High Flying Style
vs
Ariya Daivari – High Flying Style
As I mentioned earlier, they didn’t establish heels or faces in this tournament, but certain people will try to get a reaction from the crowd so they can have an edge. Daivari did just that. At the beginning of every match, the two wrestlers shake hands as a show of respect and basically in a mutual agreement to have a good match. Daivari, in a heelish manner, didn’t shake Lun’s hand – thus getting himself a crowd reaction. Hoho has a very underdog look, so far he has a good reaction from the crowd. Daivari being the bigger guy is taking control of most of the match and just giving him a ground and pound beating. As you know, one mistake can and will cost you a match, which happened to Ariya Daivari when he went up to the top rope to deliver a frog splash, Lun moved out the way. Hoho then gave him a a knee to the back of the neck, a superkick to the side of the head, and to top it off a german suplex. Hoho Lun has now advanced to the second round.
Match rating: 3/5
Clement Petiot – Technical Style
vs
Cedric Alexander – High Flying Style
Let me just start off by saying Cedric Alexander is just such a smooth and amazing wrestler. He reverses wrestling moves so swiftly and makes it look easy. Petiot eventually got the upper hand in the match-up, he began to wear Cedric down with powerful moves. Petiot delivered a nice clothesline that turned Cedric inside out. They went a little back and forth, but eventually Cedric got the upper hand delivering double knees to the back of Clement.
Match rating: 3.5/5
Sean Maluta – High Flying Style
vs
Kota Ibushi – Strong Style
When I look at Kota Ibushi, his presences just screams wrestler. In this match Maluta brought everything he had, and then some against Kota, including a highflying maneuver that nearly took himself out. Kota did some outstanding moves and makes them look phenomenal. The pele kick Kota delivered to Maluta while he was on the top rope was a thing of beauty. Ibushi is just a special attraction all in his own and can make someone with not that much experience like a guy like Sean Maluta and make them look good. Maluta did some good moves, including a beautiful superkick. Kota did pick up the win with the last ride powerbomb.
Match rating: 3.8/5
Episode 2
Tajiri – Strong Style
vs
Damian Slater -Techinical Style
Slater was put to the test having a match against the veteran Tajiri. This match was very mat based, nothing too flashy but just hard hitting moves. When it comes to being techinical Slater is smooth. Slater didn’t let Tajiri pick up too much momentum, which was a smart game plan because once Tajiri did pick up momentum it was lights out. Tajiri picked up the win with a buzzsaw kick to the head.
Match rating: 3/5
TJ Perkins – Technical Style
vs
Da Mack – High Flying Style
This match was just fun to watch. TJ Perkins is a joy to watch in the ring. Perkins knows what he’s doing, still has fun, and shows you moves you’ve never seen before. Both of the men brought their best. Mack did some high flying moves, but in one move he tweaked his knee a little. Thus allowing Perkins to get the upper hand and defeating him with a knee bar.
Match rating: 3.8/5
Mustafa Ali – High Flying Style
vs
Lince Dorado – Lucha Libre Style
This match was good from start to finish. Ali impressed me a lot. He did an absolutely beautiful Spanish Fly, though it did not get him the win. Lince is your typical Lucha Libre wrestler, he leaves you in awe and has you asking yourself how he’s capable of moving the way he does. Lince did some great high flying moves, but ended the match with a shooting star press gaining him the victory.
Match rating: 4/5
Akira Tozawa – Techincal Style
vs
Kenneth Johnson – High Flying Style
In the beginning of the match, people might call it boring, they did multiple reversals of basic locks but in my opinion it was the best way to pace the match from the beginning. Johnson and Tozawa went back and forth with chest chops where Tozawa pulled out a beautiful fake out punch. Johnson really left his heart in the ring, answering everything Akira threw at him including an outstanding rolling elbow. It was a hard fought battle, but Akira came out of nowhere with a German suplex and then doing another German with a bridge for the victory. This match was beautifully paced, starting off slow but once it picked up, it didn’t slow back down.
Match rating: 4/5
Thats my quick review of the first two episodes of the CWC tournament. Expect reviews for the rest of the tournament before next weeks final show. Leave your opinions on these matches below and let me know which match was your favourite.
