The "WWE Cruiserweight Classic" is about to enter the home stretch now as it begins its quarterfinal round this week. Only eight wrestlers—the so-called Elite Eight—are left to duke it out with one another, but at this point, most of those who are left in the competition are already winners, as a lot of them will be ported over to "WWE RAW" soon to be a part of its cruiserweight division.
This week, as the amount of wrestling action winds down in the "WWE Cruiserweight Classic," the match time limits have been bumped up to 30 minutes from 20 as we have two matches per episode. The tournament finale in two weeks will have the two semifinal match and the finals live, in perhaps a longer special.
Gran Metalik (Mexico) def. Akira Tozawa (Japan)
This match was one of those "WWE Cruiserweight Classic" bouts that could have gone to either man, just due to their equal reputation around the world. Having Gran Metalik enter the final four, however, seemed like a better idea as he is the best representative of Mexico's native lucha libre wrestling style in the whole tournament.
Akira Tozawa is a great wrestler, no doubt about it, but he's overshadowed by his countryman in this whole tournament. I doubt we'll be seeing the last of him in either the WWE or a future "WWE Cruiserweight Classic," however.
Kota Ibushi (Japan) def. Brian Kendrick (USA)
Although fans were firmly behind former WWE star Brian Kendrick, I knew his time was quickly coming to an end. He was inserted in the "WWE Cruiserweight Classic" as a veteran to put younger, hungrier, more deserving talent, and he performed his role well. We saw an evolved Brian Kendrick; where he was eager to fly around in his younger days, now he's a grizzled, gritty veteran who's determined to win through any way possible.
There was no doubting the outcome of this match, however. Kota Ibushi, arguably the "WWE Cruiserweight Classic"'s biggest star, is destined to make it to the finals, so for all of Kendrick's "by-any-means-possible" determination, he just won't be able to top the Golden Star.
Next week on the "WWE Cruiserweight Classic," it's TJ Perkins from the Philippines vs. Rich Swann from the U.S., as well as Zack Sabre, Jr. from the UK and Noam Dar from Scotland. We don't want this tournament to end at all.
