News Analysis: Chavo’s Failure = WWE Opportunity

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Well, with Chavo Classic being fired today, according to all of the most reliable wrestling news sites, WWE has a golden opportunity to do something with the Cruiserweight Division (and with TNA getting national TV exposure, what better timing to try and beat the X Division folks at their own game?). But will they take advantage?

Who are the cruisers currently on the SD roster (220lbs or less)?

Akio
Billy Kidman
Chavo Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Sho Funaki
Jacqueline
Jamie Noble
Nunzio
Paul London
Rey Mysterio
Rob Van Dam
Scotty 2 Hotty
Shannon Moore
Spike Dudley
Ultimo Dragon

That’s 15 cruiserweights, 13 when you eliminate Eddie and RVD who are obviously being pushed as heavyweights. Now let’s talk characters/gimmicks.

Akio – the quiet Asian
Billy Kidman – 7-time CW Champion
Chavo Guerrero – arrogant Latino
Sho Funaki – formerly EVIL, now silly announcer
Jacqueline – one of 3 female CW Champions, only one in WWE history
Jamie Noble – the rednecked messiah
Nunzio – full-blooded Italian ringleader
Paul London – relatively unknown, exciting cruiserweight
Rey Mysterio – masked Mexican high-flyer
Scotty 2 Hotty – dancin’ fool
Shannon Moore – takes a good beating, comes back for moore
Spike Dudley – tough underdog
Ultimo Dragon – innovative Japanese all-time great

Not too bad when you think about it. Unfortunately, though… you have to think about it. What WWE has the chance to do starting at tonight’s TV tapings is give us less to think about, and more to entice us to tune into the upcoming Great American Bash pay-per-view or a mid-July free episode of SD that they’d like to give a big-time feel to (I’d suggest SummerSlam, but who are we kidding: there won’t be room for a prominent CW Title match at the August event).

I don’t have all the answers, and I’m sure there’s complicated, behind-the-scenes issues of which I’m not aware. But answer me this: is setting up a Cruiserweight Title Tournament for the vacant belt, along with a complete set of brackets, ample promo/interview time for the competitors, and of course, pre-match “Tale of the Tape” THAT BAD of an idea? Sick of tournaments? Then come up with a fun, new gimmick match for the Finals. Or dust off the TLC match, of course.

As long as Rey or Chavo doesn’t win the thing, I can see this really pushing a new star to the top of the midcard, and hey — it’ll increase merchandise sales and shut some of those crybaby Internet fans up… what’s not to like?

Hopefully this is something that the good folks over at Smackdown Creative are putting together as we speak. I would even forgive them if they felt the only way to get this type of tournament over is to bring back Jeff Hardy or X-Pac, sign short-term deals with some crazy high-flyers like Juvi or Teddy Hart, or even let RVD be a part of it. They could do a lot worse….

Matthew Michaels is editor emeritus of Pulse Wrestling, and has been since the site launched.