The WWE Global Cruiserweight show

[Johnny Sorrow]

 

 

Gallagher is fantastic. He does what Sabre does a hundred times better, and knows how to be a pro wrestler.

How much of these guys have you seen outside of the Cruiserweight Classic? That is a pretty bold statement that just isn't true and I love both guys.

It doesn't matter. I'm the audience that needs to be impressed and Sabre thus far has been awful and Gallagher has been great.

And apparently Sabre has been told to work as a heel from management so that might work cause he's completely hateable.

[Grimmas]

 

 

Gallagher is fantastic. He does what Sabre does a hundred times better, and knows how to be a pro wrestler.

How much of these guys have you seen outside of the Cruiserweight Classic? That is a pretty bold statement that just isn't true and I love both guys.

It doesn't matter. I'm the audience that needs to be impressed and Sabre thus far has been awful and Gallagher has been great.

And apparently Sabre has been told to work as a heel from management so that might work cause he's completely hateable.

 

After seeing one match of these guys you can not say that one is a hundred times better than the other.

[Russellmania]

the CWC was my first exposure to either guy and if I had to base my opinion of both guys off of just these two matches then I am in total agreement that Gallagher seems like a much better pro wrestler than ZSJ. Gallagher did a similar schtick but with a lot more personality and connected with the crowd much better, not to mention just having a flat-out much better match than ZSJ.

 

Now with that said, I'm not so ignorant as to think you can draw a conclusion about either guy based off seeing one match so I'm not going to be so dense as to claim that one guy is a hundred times better than the other. I haven't seen much of ZSJ, but based on how beloved he is and how many MOTYCs he's been in over the last couple years then I don't think it would be going out on a limb to assume that he's much better than his CWC match would have me think. In my only exposure to him, though, he didn't really do anything for me while Gallagher blew me away.

[jcmmnx]

ZSJ gave off a total cocky prick heel vibe to me. I think it's a good call having him work heel.

[...TG]

So Metalik-Tajiri was awesome. A lot more mat-based than you'd think, aside from one nutty rope walk-flip plancha from Metalik. Hope the rumors of Tajiri coming back full-time are true, because he can still go.

[El Dragon]

*looks at his av, nodding in approval*

 

I could watch those guys have a best of 29. Great matchup. Tajiri is at his best when reminding you he can mix in the Lucha with everything else.

[sek69]

To me, the CWC has been a success just for the reunion of Regal and Tajiri on Twitter.

[El Dragon]

Tajiri/Metalik was the best match of the 2nd round round for about half an hour.

[...TG]

We get a genuine MOTYC in Ibushi-Cedric Alexander. The hot crowd really helped, but that was really dramatic, and the nearfalls towards the end felt earned, not gratuitous. And a really sweet moment post match with Ced weeping while the crowd chanting "Please sign Cedric". HHH coming out to give Ced a hug and raise his hand could have been eye-rolling, but it was a nice moment. Great, great hour of TV by WWE here.

[jcmmnx]

Awesome show to start round two. Tajiri and Kendrick better be signed when this is over.

[C.S.]

Great show this week!

 

- Tajiri vs. Metalik wasn't quite as good as I hoped it would be, but it was still good, and it picked up steam toward the end. I was a bit sad to see Tajiri lose, but he had to put the younger talent over, especially someone with as much promise and upside as Metalik.

 

- Kota Ibushi vs. Cedric Alexander was fantastic, especially in the last 5-10 minute. Kota won, as expected, but this was a star-making match for Alexander. I loved it when they cut back at the end to an emotional Alexander, the fans thanking him, and Triple H endorsing him.

 

Anyone else notice that Mauro referred it as "the state of Mexico" during the Metalik match?

 

BTW, damn it, Metal-eek or Muh-tah-leek? They still can't make up their minds!

[Johnny Sorrow]

Think people at ROH are thinking "Shit. We totally fucked up with Cedric." right about now?

[Johnny Sorrow]

 

 

 

 

Gallagher is fantastic. He does what Sabre does a hundred times better, and knows how to be a pro wrestler.

How much of these guys have you seen outside of the Cruiserweight Classic? That is a pretty bold statement that just isn't true and I love both guys.

It doesn't matter. I'm the audience that needs to be impressed and Sabre thus far has been awful and Gallagher has been great.

And apparently Sabre has been told to work as a heel from management so that might work cause he's completely hateable.

After seeing one match of these guys you can not say that one is a hundred times better than the other.

I can actually say whatever I want since I made it clear that this is what I've seen from them. Based on that, and nearly four decades of watching this shit I can clearly see that Gallagher is by far a better Professional Wrestler than Sabre is. Gallagher does the same style Sabre does and he's entertaining and has charisma. Sabre looks like Chris Adams with a giant head and an eating disorder.

 

Edit: Oh and fuck Ibushi, doing a flip after that match. That's some Teddy Hart bullshit right there .

[Matt D]

I only caught Metalik vs Tajiri (and thought Tajiri looked really great), but one of my favorite things in this tournament has been the post match selling as they raise the hands. It feels so different from the instruction given to the main roster. I'm not spoiled, but part of me has hopes up far, far too high for Gallagher vs Metalik in round 3. I'm half inclined to spoil myself so I'm not let down when they put Tozawa over him Jack instead.

[JKWebb]

I really like the post-match selling when they raise their hands as well. I thought last night's show was the best hour presented so far. I really enjoyed Tajiri and Metalik, and I was pondering the thought that it might be my favorite match thus far in the CWC. Then, Ibushi vs. Alexander happened, and they completely tore the house down. The chant to sign Alexander and Trips showing up at the end will be an unforgettable moment. I would say it is probably a top 5 match for WWE this year (for me). Great show last night!

[C.S.]

My thoughts on next week's announced matches:

 

Note: I have not read spoilers, so if you have, please keep them a surprise for the rest of us who are enjoying watching these matches "live" without knowing the outcomes in advance. Thank you.

 

Jack Gallagher vs. Akira Tozawa: I have a sinking feeling that Tozawa will win this. Maybe "sinking feeling" is not fair, because he's one of the better people in the tournament. He's not quite on the top tier but very slightly below that - and still very much a high-quality performer. Jack Gallagher, though, is something really special. I want him to go as far as he possibly can. I hope WWE sees him the same way and not just as "the third Vaudevillain." (You know this is what will happen as soon as Simon Botch gets himself fired.)

 

Tony Nese vs. THE Brian Kendrick: Kendrick was so good - surprisingly so - in the first round that it will be such a shame if he loses here. But I realize the point of these old veterans is to put over younger talent, and I understand and accept that. With Nese's physique and great moveset, WWE probably sees dollar signs in him (he just needs a character and personality). Anthony Bennett carried Nese to a good match in the first round. I'm sure Kendrick can do the same and make himself look good in defeat (assuming that's what happens).

 

Ho Ho Lun vs. Noam Dar: Based on the comments in this thread, these are probably two of the least interesting people in the entire tournament. I'll cop to not minding Lun though. I like his Hong Kong background and the fact that he's being credited as bringing wrestling to his country by opening a school and federation there. There's an interesting story to be told with that. Plus, his name is Ho Ho Lun, which is so fucking awesome and chantable. Noam Dar does nothing for me whatsoever, to the point where I'd rank him #32 out of 32 in this tournament. Too harsh? Maybe. But I just don't care about this guy at all. First Israeli-born competitor in the WWE? Don't care. Scottish accent? Don't care. Jetlag? Too bad. Still, he'll probably win again - just like he stole his match in the first round - because someone high up obviously does care.

[Robert S]

I actually prefered Tajiri vs. Metalik, Ibushi vs. Alexander was too spotastic / near fall-tastic for my taste.

[sek69]

Was surprised to see Cedric hit a Brainbuster, I guess the no head drop rule doesn't apply in the CWC?

[Robert S]

Ibushi's german suplex looked much more dangerous than the brainbuster.

[Tim Evans]

 

 

 

 

Gallagher is fantastic. He does what Sabre does a hundred times better, and knows how to be a pro wrestler.

How much of these guys have you seen outside of the Cruiserweight Classic? That is a pretty bold statement that just isn't true and I love both guys.

It doesn't matter. I'm the audience that needs to be impressed and Sabre thus far has been awful and Gallagher has been great.

And apparently Sabre has been told to work as a heel from management so that might work cause he's completely hateable.

After seeing one match of these guys you can not say that one is a hundred times better than the other.

I can actually say whatever I want since I made it clear that this is what I've seen from them. Based on that, and nearly four decades of watching this shit I can clearly see that Gallagher is by far a better Professional Wrestler than Sabre is. Gallagher does the same style Sabre does and he's entertaining and has charisma. Sabre looks like Chris Adams with a giant head and an eating disorder.

 

Edit: Oh and fuck Ibushi, doing a flip after that match. That's some Teddy Hart bullshit right there .

 

Well, Teddy Hart was in the building( with Mr. Money) so I figured it was just a shout out to the man.

[PeteF3]

Was surprised to see Cedric hit a Brainbuster, I guess the no head drop rule doesn't apply in the CWC?

 

I'm pretty sure AJ Styles did a brainbuster a few weeks ago, which surprised me even more.

[SomethingSavage]

Uhh. Zayn and Owens also served up spot with a Brainbuster on the friggin' ring apron back at Battleground.

[Jimmy Redman]

So that was pretty fucking awesome.

 

I swear to God, Mauro Ranallo during the first match is the most 'Through the Looking Glass' I've felt as a smark watching WWE yet. Forget WWE channeling its inner smark, this was WWE channeling its inner Dylan Waco, going on about Tajiri/Finlay from SMASH and the Tajiri/Crazy feud, while Tajiri himself and Metalik work a match full of tricked out lucha matwork and struggle and shit. WWE is PWO. When Hunter came out at the end I half expected Mauro to start comparing him to various wrestlers.

 

So Tajiri and Metalik have that great, tight, different match and you think well, the standard has been set for the second round. And then HOLY FUCKING SHIT IBUSHI AND CEDRIC.

 

Before the match began I would have probably rolled my eyes at the idea of Cedric Alexander having this epic, match-of-his-life kickout-a-thon here, in the first week of the second round. To be honest I wouldn't have been able to tell Cedric apart from any number of the young, athletic flippydoes from the indies. By the time the match ended I was going fucking insane screaming at this dude to kickout. What a match. They had a nice little story going with Cedric wrestling his hero which had three acts to it - first he's overawed by wrestling his idol so he has to stay focused (he did), then his familiarity with Ibushi gives him an in-built scouting report that he can use to counter his stuff (he did), and finally it makes him determined to wrestle the match of his life and throw absolutely everything at this guy (he sure as hell did). There was a great sequence ending in some rollups early that felt like they went ten minutes without taking the pencil off the page. Some of these strikes were sickness, and Bryan spitting out expletives halfway through a sentence when they connected with one was awesome. The final moments were amazing, from THAT INSANE NEARFALL, to Cedric's reaction, to Ibushi finally catching him with the German and killing him. I liked how mirrored those two spots were - Cedric hit the brainbuster and the kick, and then Ibushi hit the German and kick, and because Ibushi is just that little bit better, he finished him off with the powerbomb as well. That was flippydoes done right, it was star making, and it was EXACTLY what the CWC needs to look like. A million thumbs up.

 

I so loved the post-match too. Cedric crying and the people giving him the big standing O, and "PLEASE SIGN CEDRIC" and then Papa Hunter coming out to basically say "Don't worry, I will." That was everything. I no longer regret voting for Hunter. That was one of the most enjoyable hours of wrestling you're likely to find.

[The Fray Movement]

Triple H

[WingedEagle]

I love Bryan on commentary here. He sounds genuinely excited and doesn't scream over what I'm watching. Perhaps not who you want calling a match that's been building for a while where there's a specific storyline to focus on, but he's a great fit on this show.

 

Cedric vs. Ibushi was a really good, fun match and easily the best of the tourney thus far. The standout highlight for me was Cedric's reaction after Ibushi kicked out following the brainbuster and high kick. The disbelief on his face is the kind of signature moment that is often missing from all but the biggest matches and will make this more memorable than a lot of other high profile matches this year. Absolutely loved and marked out for the post-match as well. Couldn't believe they left that in. It remains to be seen where they go with Cedric from here, but how do you not love the genuine emotion he showed? Not sure we get that more than a handful of times in any year.