1. It’s the quarter finals of the inaugural Cruiserweight Classic, and we are down to our final 8. The tournament has been great thus far, and I would love to see a CWC every year.
2. Daniel and Mauro talk about the Elite Eight, and Bryan calls out TJ Miller and his old friend Brian Kendrick, who is facing Kota Ibushi in tonight’s main event.
3. Our first match of the night is Mexico’s master of the ropes Gran Metalik taking on Akira Tozawa from Japan, the man who took out the dapper Jack Gallagher in the last round.
4. Nice back and forth to start, with both wrestlers working a combination of chain wrestling and submissions, gradually picking up the pace as the match progressed. Great communication between two men who speak different languages, leading to a compelling story of warrior vs warrior.
5. It’s amusing to hear Daniel and Mauro talk up Tozawa’s endurance without pointing out that Metalik is a little chubby under the Lycra, not that it stops him pulling off some absolutely spectacular moves.
6. After a bunch of near falls and some moves that look like they really hurt, Metalik hits his springboard Tope, allowing him to take control until Tozawa reverses a moonsault. The crowd are on their feet as Metalik kicks out of a deadlift German suplex, then finally hits the Metalik Driver for the hard-fought win. Excellent match.
7. Our main event of the night is The Brian Kendrick vs tournament favorite Kota Ibushi, and I think this might be as far as Kendrick’s dream run goes. Daniel Bryan is justifiably nervous for his friend as we see the tale of the tape, and Ibushi is younger, taller and heavier than Kendrick.
8. Classic wrestling storytelling with Kendrick using every heel trick in the book to keep up with Ibushi, while the Golden Star wears Kendrick down with a combination of skill and super stiff strikes. Kendrick works Ibushi’s surgically repaired neck and hits sliced bread #2 for a long two count, but Ibushi takes control with a second rope German suplex into the ring.
9. The crowd are split between the competitors as Ibushi fights his way out of the bully choke, then takes a sick burning hammer from Kendrick in the middle of the ring. Amazing sequence of signature moves and counters, finished by the inevitable Golden Star powerbomb for the Ibushi win. Fantastic match, and surely Kendrick has earned a job in NXT…
10. Yet another great episode of the Cruiserweight Classic with moves you just don’t see in WWE. If you haven’t been watching the CWC, it isn’t too late to get on board
