7 Former Cruiserweights Who Should Return To WWE Raw
Their knees may be knackered, but these old pros can still fly surprisingly high!
In June of this year, WWE announced that they were bringing back the cruiserweight division exclusively to Monday Night Raw. It was another in a long list of examples of WWE catering to their hardcore fans.
WWE's initial cruiserweight division ran from 2002 to 2007 and was often a bright spot on otherwise poor shows, a favourite of so-called 'internet fans'. Even if they never had the power of creative behind him, the cruisers were usually good for an entertaining match.
The final months of the division were far from glorious, with comedy relief Hornswoggle crowned the final champ and interest low. Of course now we have a brand new Cruiserweight Title for the division to fight over, with TJ Perkins crowned the initial titleholder after winning the well-received Cruiserweight Classic tournament.
It's not just the new crop of cruisers that are going to fight for it, though, with CWC competitor Brian Kendrick confirmed to make a full-time return to the division and fellow CWC competitor and former WWE Cruiserweight Champion Tajiri strongly rumoured to join him. They aren't the only ones who could make a return, with a host of former cruiserweights waiting in the wings.
Some guys, like Chavo Guerrero (currently named in a concussion lawsuit against WWE) and Jamie Noble (retired and working backstage as a producer), definitely won't be on our screens anytime soon. The following seven guys, however, have plenty of potential, should WWE want to shore up the ranks with established veterans.
7. Daivari
We'll start off with one that I'm sure will not be the most popular choice.
Daivari is best remembered for his time managing the likes of The Great Khali, Kurt Angle and Mark Henry, which he did to great success. Once his managerial run ended, Daivari floundered, becoming an also-ran in the cruiserweight division before moving to Raw and getting completely lost in the shuffle, taking up a permanent residence on weekend show Heat.
This did not sit well with Daivari, who was used to being involved in major angles with the likes of The Undertaker, John Cena and Shawn Michaels. It's fair to say that he wasn't bothered too much when he was released in October '07, resurfacing in TNA a short while later as Sheik Abdul Bashir. His TNA run was mixed and since he left the company in 2009 he has predominantly been active on the indie scene and even worked for Lucha Underground briefly.
Daivari is only 32-years-old, is in great shape and, what's more, his younger brother Ariya just competed in the Cruiserweight Classic. Perhaps the two could join the Raw ranks as a cruiserweight tag team, before inevitably splitting and working a short programme with each other? Many didn't appreciate Daivari's low-flying, kick/punch style but the man is experienced, looks the part and has a readymade storyline/role should he join.