10 Best Wrestling Matches Involving WWE's Cruiserweight Classic Participants
From brutal indy slugfests, to exhilarating Lucha Libre spotfests.
After months of speculation, all 32 participants for WWE’s forthcoming Cruiserweight Classic tournament have finally been released. Ranging from indy darlings to relative unknowns (and Tajiri… who saw that coming?!) it’s not only one of the most impressive tournament lineups in recent memory, but one of the most diverse.
It would’ve been easy for WWE to stuff the tournament with current roster members and alumni, but that's now what's happened. From Hong Kong to Mexico and Scotland to Japan, almost every corner of the globe is represented, making for a global celebration of all things Cruiserweight.
Some of the competitors come with big reputations and extensive, well-known resumés: some aren’t quite as well-known, but their bodies of work are no less impressive.
Fans will understandably want to research and familiarise themselves with these performers ahead of the tournament’s 23rd June kick-off, and here are 10 great places to start...
10. Jack Gallagher Vs. Johnny Kidd (PROGRESS Chapter 27 (27th Mar, 2016))
“The Extraordinary Gentleman” Jack Gallagher is a true throwback. Working in the classic British World of Sport style, he eschews flips and flashiness in-favour of a clean, clinical, and controlled mat-based assault.
Here he is squaring-off against one of the foremost purveyors of that style, Johnny Kidd.
Bringing a staggering 38 years of experience to the table, Kidd is a British wrestling legend. To watch him trade holds and swap positions with Gallagher feels like a true “passing of the torch,” and Kidd couldn’t have passed it to a more fitting recipient. If sleek, technical grappling is your thing, you’ll love this.