10 Biggest Signings WWE Made In 2016

8. Akira Tozawa

Akira Tozawa
WWE.com

There is little doubt the Cruiserweight Classic was one of the best things to happen in WWE in 2016. Granted, they could be doing a better job of utilizing the subsequent division and each of its elite athletes, but they got a handful of tremendous talent out of that tournament. Perhaps the most notable signing of them all was Akira Tozawa.

Best known for his work in Dragon Gate USA and PWG, Tozawa has been revered for his exceptional in-ring ability for well over a decade, so his addition to the Cruiserweight Classic brackets was an exciting one. The tourney saw him contest excellent matches with the likes of Kenneth Johnson, Jack Gallagher, and Gran Metalik, so it came as little surprise when he was later announced as a member of the Cruiserweight-oriented 205 Live show on the WWE Network.

As of this writing, Tozawa has yet to debut on the program, and he should make an immediate impact upon his debut. Had he been signed five years ago when WWE wasn't chasing too many wrestlers his size, he may have been brought in as an enhancement talent. But as part of the relaunched Cruiserweight division, he will shine in no time.

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Contributor

Since 2008, Graham has been a diehard pro wrestling fan and, in 2010, he combined his passions for WWE and writing when he joined Bleacher Report. Equipped with a master's in journalism, Graham has contributed to WhatCulture, FanSided's Daily DDT, Sports Betting Dime, and GateHouse Media. Along the way, he has conducted interviews with wrestling superstars like Chris Jericho, Edge, Goldberg, Christian, Diamond Dallas Page, Jim Ross, Adam Cole, Tessa Blanchard, Ryback, and Nick Aldis among others.