WWE Cruiserweight Classic Results
Winter Park, Florida (Full Sail University)
July 20, 2016
Announcers: Mauro Ranallo & Daniel Bryan
Report by: Nick Bryant of Wrestleview.com
Week two of the CWC kicks off with Mauro and Daniel Bryan briefly talking about Daniel Bryan’s new role as Smackdown! GM Corey Graves recaps last week’s first show.
CWC First Round
“Japanese Buzzsaw” Yoshihiro Tajiri vs. “World Beater” Damian Slater
Tajiri is a former ECW TV and Tag Team Champion and a former WWE Cruiserweight and Tag Team Champion as well. He has been a star in both America and Japan since the mid 90’s. Slater is an Australian wrestler that was actually partially trained by CWC competitor TJ Perkins as well as Japanese star Ikuto Hidaka. He has a bit of experience in Japan. They exchange holds early with Slater taking the advantage showing off some beautiful mat wrestling. Tajiri took over the match with a series of nasty kicks and then locks in a modified Kimura behind the back of Slater. Slater gets to the ropes to break the hold and eventually comes back with a 360 Enziguri knocking Tajiri to the floor. Slater hits a Slingshot Corkscrew Plancha onto the floor and back in the ring connects with a Tornado DDT followed by a Running Knee for a nearfall. Slater attempts a Half Crab but Tajiri kicks him off. Tajiri hits a series of kicks but then as he goes for a roundhouse kick Slater catches his leg and sweeps his other leg. Slater charges at Tajiri in the corner but Tajiri catches him in the Tarantula! Tajiri misses the Buzzsaw Kick but then comes back with the Handspring Back Elbow followed by the Buzzsaw Kick for the pin.
Winner: Tajiri via pinfall (Buzzsaw Kick)
CWC First Round
TJ Perkins vs. Da Mack
Perkins is a longtime wrestler all over the world including several years in TNA, Mexico, and Japan. He was actually the youngest member of the New Japan Dojo ever. In TNA he was a former X-Division Title as Manik/Suicide. He was trained by a local lucha school in Los Angeles but gained further training from the New Japan Dojo (including from Antonio Inoki) as well as the legendary Negro Casas in Mexico. He was actually training at the New Japan Dojo in L.A. at the same time as Bryan Danielson and Shinsuke Nakamura. Da Mack is not “The Mack” from Lucha Underground but instead a Germany wrestler that likens himself to the “Michael Jackson of wrestling.” His gimmick is that of a dancer but a little toned down compared to others like Alex Wright or Disco Inerno. Perkins shows off his Negro Casas training early with beautiful counters and reversals. TJP hits a gorgeous Handstand into a Spinning Head Scissors and even dabs as he has Mack in a headscissors on the mat. Perkins hits a second Spinning Headscissors but as he went for a third Mack cartwheels out of it. Mack takes advantage of the match with a dropkick and series of chops and slaps. TJ slides through the legs of a charging Mack and then rolls him up into a Crab and transitions into the Mexican Rocking Horse. As Mack rolled to the floor to escape TJ was going to go for a dive but Mack moves out of the way and then slams TJP onto the apron. Mack follows up with a Somersault Plancha over the top and then back in the ring he dances while putting the boots to TJP. TJP comes back with the Hanging Octopus transitioned into a Muta Lock. Mack comes back with a Springbaord Somersault Cannonball off the top and following a series of counters on each other Makc hits a gorgeous Springboard Spinning Enziguri. Mack seems to have injured his knee on the landing and TJP takes advantage of it with a Wrecking Ball Dropkick. Perkins misses a 450 Splash and then Mack attempts a Spinning Headscissors only for TJP to slam him to the mat and then hit the Detonation Kick followed by a Kneebar on that injured knee of Mack for the submission.
Winner: Perkins via submission (Kneebar)
CWC First Round
“Prince” Mustafa Ali vs. “The Golden Lynx” Lince Dorado
Mustafa Ali is a local Midwestern Indy wrester while Lince Dorado was trained by Mike Quackenbush and Jorge “Skayde” River for CHIKARA. He has wrestled all over the world but is mostly known for his time in CHIKARA and for EVOLVE. Ali attacks Lince at the bell but Lince gets the advantage with a spinning headscissors. Lince attempts a springboard dropkick as Mustafa rolled to the floor, but Mustafa moves causing Lince to crash and born. Mustafa hits a Flying Knee off the apron and then rolls Lince back in the ring and covers him for a nearfall. Mustafa hits a Roundhouse Kick followed by a Rolling Neckbreaker for another nearfall. Mustafa hits a Backbreaker for another nearfall and attempts a Double Spring Moonsault, but Lince rolls out of the way and connects with a dropkick. Lince hits an Enziguri followed by a Springboard Hurricanrana. Mustafa rolls to the apron but eats a Springboard Dropkick from Lince! Lince then hits a gorgeous Spinning Headscissors on the apron sending Mustafa to the floor! Lince follows up with a gorgeous Asai Moonsault! Back in the ring Lince hits a Flying Cross Body for a nearfall. Mustafa comes back with a jawbreaker but eats an elbow and Leaping Roundouse from Lince! Lince then hits a Springboard Reverse Rana Driver! 1…2…NO Mustafa kicks out! Dorada lifts Mustafa up to the top and climbs up with him only for Mustafa to crotch him and then hit a Springboard Spanish Fly! 1…2…NO Lince kicks out! Mustafa attempts an Imploding 450 Splash but Lince rolls out of the way and then Lince hits the Shooting Star Press for the pin!
Winner: Dorado via pinfall (Shooting Star Press)
Main Event
CWC First Round
Akira Tozawa vs. Kenneth Johnson
Akira Tozawa was trained in Japan by the Dragon Gate Gym and has worked primarily in Japan for Dragon Gate and in America for PWG, EVOLVE and Dragon Gate USA. I don’t know much about Kenneth Johnson other than he is a high flyer from Detroit. Tozawa says his dream has always been to work for the WWE. Mauro says that Kenneth Johnson was trained by former WWE star Mr. Hughes and Daniel Bryan says that Kenneth Johnson had a horrible stutter when he went to a WWE tryout. He worked on it for six months and says that he can now speak for three minutes straight without stuttering. Bryan puts over Johnson’s work ethic as Tozawa takes the early advantage showing off his Japanese mat wrestling. Johnson exchanges holds with Tozawa to prove that he can hang with the Dragon Gate star. For the first several minutes the two exchanged holds and counters with neither man getting the advantage until Tozawa counters a Sunset Flip into a Shining Wizard for a nearfall. Tozawa and Johnson exchange chops until Tozawa punches Johnson in the face. Tozawa hits a Scoop Slam followed by a Sankaigan Zanjyu (Senton Backsplash) for another nearfall. Tozawa puts Johnson in an Abdominal Stretch and rains down elbows to the ribs. Tozawa hits a nasty Roaring Elbow and then bounces off the ropes only to run into a Leg Lariat from Johnson! Johnson goes for a Back Suplex but Tozawa lands on his feet and hits a roundhouse kick. Tozawa attempts a German Suplex but Johnson lands on his feet and then they both connect with clotheslines. They exchange forearms and elbows until Tozawa gets pissed and hits some disgusting forearms. He attempts a Roaring Elbow but Johnson counters into a Codebreaker for a nearfall. Johnson hits a Reverse Unprettier for another nearfall. Johnson attempts a Phoenix Splash off the middle rope but Tozawa rolls out of the way and attempts a Wheel Barrow Suplex. Johnson rolls Tozawa up out of nowhere but Tozawa comes right back with a sickening German Suplex! Tozawa then hits a Bridging Deadlift German Suplex for the pin!
Winner: Tozawa via pinfall (Bridging Deadlift German Suplex)
Quick Match Results
1) CWC First Round: Tajiri def. Damian Slater
2) CWC First Round: TJ Perkins def. Da Mack
3) CWC First Round: Lince Dorado def. Mustafa Ali
4) CWC First Round: Akira Tozawa def. Kenneth Johnson