WWE Cruiserweight Classic Results from 9/14/2016

Show starts with a highlights package narrated by Triple H looking at the final four participants.

Mauro and Bryan open the show, putting over the likes of Tiger Mask and Dynamite Kid, saying that again the cruiserweight are putting it all out there tonight. Bryan also mentions the New Japan Super J Cup tournaments of the 1990s. They go over the two semifinal matches tonight.
They show another video package where the four semifinalists talk about the significance of the tournament. Highlights are shown of all four men. All say they’re here to win.
Gran Metalik defeated Zack Sabre Jr. in the first semifinal

Very good match. Metalik is explosive but also showed off some great mat skills as well. Sabre did really well even though you’d think there would be a styles clash, but there wasn’t. The last few minutes were really great.

Gran Metalik wastes no time with a giant flying senton to the floor. Sabre catches him jumping off the apron with a kick, then kicks his arm. He focuses on Metalik’s neck, twisting his head with his feet and employing his mat-based grappling.

Metalik comes back with some fierce offense but Sabre catches him in a springboard and tries to go for a submission, but Metalik gets to the ropes. Metalik mounts his own offense, superkicking Sabre, hitting a standing shooting star press.

Sabre manages to get back in here with a guillotine choke but Metalik is able to transition to a Boston crab. Sabre cuts him off and hits a penalty kick for a near fall. Fans are getting into Sabre and not so much into Metalik at this point in the match.

Sabre Jr. locks in the octopus stretch. Metalik gets off his knees and gets to the ropes. Metalik cuts off Sabre, who gets crotched, then gives him a big hurricanrana off the top rope.

Metalik went for a dive but Sabre caught him in a triangle. Metalik escaped. Sabre charged out of the corner but walked right into the Metalik driver as Gran Metalik gets the win, advancing to the finals.
Metalik is awarded a medal by William Regal as he is interviewed, being asked about how he is preparing for the finals since he doesn’t know who his opponent is. Metalik gives a response in Spanish, but also thanks the fans.

Both TJ Perkins and Kota Ibushi are shown preparing for their match.
Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano are interviewed. When asked about his knee injury, Gargano says he’s 100% cleared and ready to rock and roll. Ciampa says no disrespect to Noam Dar or Cedric Alexander, but they only have one thing in mind – the Revival. They’re scared, that’s why they play the numbers game but they’re coming for the NXT tag team titles.
TJ Perkins defeated Kota Ibushi in the second semifinal match

Excellent match, about on par with the Alexander/Ibushi match from a few weeks ago. Just tremendous mat work and back and forth striking and wrestling. The last few minutes were insane.

They start off with some mat work early. TJP tries for a kneebar but Ibushi quickly escapes. Ibushi targets TJ Perkins with a dropkicks that sends him to the floor. Kota tries for the Golden triangle moonsault, but TJ kicks him and sends him reeling back to the floor.

After teasing a count out loss, Kota gets back in and soon after wipes out TJP with the Golden triangle moonsault. Ibushi went for a moonsault, but TJP manages to get the knees up and works on a leg submission, but not for long as Ibushi escapes.

Ibushi catches TJP on the apron with a series of kicks to the chest. He tries for the deadlift German suplex but Ibushi but TJP escapes. TJP went for something off the top rope but Kota cut him off with a big pele kick. Ibushi went for the last ride powerbomb, but TJP countered with a DDT and the dodon.

Ibushi again went for the pele kick but TJP sunk in the kneebar again.Ibushi escaped and they had a strikefest. Ibushi hit the last ride powerbomb but TJP kicked out in a big spot, since that’s been his finisher the entire time he’s been here. Fans started to chant “this is awesome”.

Ibushi went for the Phoenix splash but TJP dodged at the last minute. Ibushi came back with a ganso bomb but TJP still kicked out. Ibushi drilled him with a kick and went for the last ride powerbomb but TJP transitioned into the kneebar again. He added a crossface and after struggling, Ibushi tapped.
TJP gets the other medal. It’s he and Gran Metalik in the finals. His goal has always been to win one, then win one more. Now he just has to win one more.

Noam Dar and Cedric Alexander talk about their match against DIY (the new tag name for Gargano and Ciampa). Dar says they just need to be on the same page for the 1-2-3. Cedric says they know they’re the best two cruisers around, and tonight they’re going to show that they are the best in the world.
Sasha Banks, Kalisto, Rich Swann, Jack Gallagher and Bayley were all shown in the crowd.
Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa defeat Cedric Alexander & Noam Dar

Crowd chanted “All these guys” as the match started. Both teams started out strong, with the highlight being Cedric wiping out Ciampa with a running senton to the floor. He looks like he’s lost even more weight since this tournament has started.

Dar is caught in the electric chair position as he’s wiped out by a Gargano superkick. When Cedric enters the right, Gargano gives him a spear through the middle rope. Cedric springs back with a giant Michinoku driver for a near fall. Great series of moves that wipes everyone out.

Action gets crazy as everyone goes 90 miles an hour. Alexander nearly got a near fall but a replay showed Ciampa just barely got his shoulder up. DIY isolate Dar and get the win with stereo superkicks
DIY motion they want the NXT tag titles after the match.

Mauro and Bryan bring in William Regal as he talks about his involvement in this tournament. He said Triple H picked him to find the best, and he exceeded their expectations. He mentions how he was trained by the likes of Rollerball Rocco and Marty Jones and saw Tiger Mask before he was Tiger Mask. He puts over the cruiserweights of the new millennium, saying they’re strikers, submission artists, grapplers and more. They bring in Corey Graves, who talks for a moment about Kota Ibushi and Brian Kendrick.

Before the main event starts, Triple H comes out and says tonight history will be made. Right now you see two of the best in the world. But we’re not looking for two – we’re looking for one, THE one. We are looking for the one will be known as the best in the world. We are looking for the one who will win the Cruiserweight Classic. But even more importantly than that, we are looking for the one who will be the new cruiserweight champion. Triple H reveals the new title and shakes both men’s hands as the match will now not only be for the trophy, but for the revitalized Cruiserweight championship…
TJ Perkins defeated Gran Metalik to become CWC Champion and the new WWE Cruiserweight Champion

Great match. Not as good as TJP/Ibushi but a really fun final match in a tournament full of fun matches. Dorada did some of his craziest stuff he has been known for in the past and TJP is probably the best all around guy that’s been signed for this division.

Fans are totally into Metalik early. The two do some good back and forth until TJP sinks in a Muta lock. Metalik gets to the ropes. TJP went to go for a springboard but Metalik dropkicks him face first on the apron then wipes him out with a tope suicida.

More fast paced back and forth until Dorada did a crazy flying hurricanrana, jumping off the ring, catching TJP on the apron and sending him out to the floor. Metalik followed with a crazy step up senton and landed flat on the floor as TJP really didn’t grab him. Ouch.

Metalik missed the standing shooting star press and TJP countered by sinking in a kneebar. Lots of back and forth action. TJP hit the dodon and sunk in the kneebar again. Dorada tried to get to the ropes but TJP dragged him back in. As Metalik tried to get to the ropes again, TJP tried to drag him back in but Metalik countered with a roll up for the near fall.

Metalik hit the Metalik Driver, but Metalik hurt the knee and took time to cover TJP, who kicked out. He made a comeback and tried to go to the top rope but Metalik cut him off and tried for the Metalik driver but TJP countered with the kneebar again. Metalik struggled and eventually submitted, making TJ Perkins the CWC champion and the new Cruiserweight champion.

Triple H put the new belt around Perkins as he went and shook hands with Metalik.

TJ says he wears a key around his keychain back to a place he couldn’t go back to, but now he is no longer is wearing it as it is a place he never has to go back to. During that time he searched for something like this, and means the world for him to inspire someone else. This is bigger than me, this is not one person. This is 32 people, all of them. Tonight, at the end of this, all of them are his heroes. This is for everyone.

Credit: f4wonline.com