10 Former Cruiserweight Champions: Where Are They Now?
Where in the world is Juventud Guerrera?
Raw’s revived Cruiserweight Division finally has a start date. It was announced on Monday night that Cruiserweight wrestling would officially return to WWE on 19th September, with NXT’s Rich Swann joining the returning Brian Kendrick and indie workers TJ Perkins and Noam Dar as the division’s initial foundations.
Four names isn’t enough to build a division, however, and WWE are expected to dip into the Cruiserweight Classic talent pool to fill it out. CWC standout Cedric Alexander is allegedly on his way, and rumours suggest Gran Metalik and Akira Tozawa could also join him. The tournament has been a roaring success on the WWE Network, and if the wrestlers are given the same ring time on Raw, fans are in for a treat.
A new Cruiserweight Championship will surely follow, because what else would the wrestlers have to fight for otherwise? The old Cruiserweight Title has been out of commission since September 2007, and while once one of WCW’s most esteemed belts, it was close to worthless at the end of its lifespan. Hornswoggle went down as the final champion, which kinda says it all…
A number of colourful characters have held the Cruiserweight Title over the years: some good, some bad, and some downright bizarre. As the division gears-up for a return, here are 10 former WCW and WWE Cruiserweight Champions and their current goings-on.
10. Juventud Guerrera
Juventud Guerrera was a cornerstone of WCW’s Cruiserweight division, and one of the most exciting wrestlers in the company. In his prime, Juventud was one of only a handful of luchadors to successfully adapt to the American style in the 1990’s, and he amassed an impressive five Cruiserweight Title reigns throughout his career.
One of many lucha libre guys to lose his mask while working in WCW, Juvi floated around after leaving the company in 2000, and eventually signed for WWE in 2005. As part of the highly-questionable Mexicools stable, Guerrera brought some much-needed excitement to the company’s lagging Cruiserweight division, but was eventually released in 2006.
Blighted by personal problems throughout his career, Guerrera was his own worst enemy at times. He was arrested for DUI in 1999, and his 2000 WCW dismissal came following a PCP-induced binge that saw him attack a couple of police officers. Likewise, his WWE release was related to backstage issues and continued use of banned moves, including the 450 Splash: a move he’d once botched and broken several bones in Paul London’s face with.
Today, Juventud continues working for smaller independent promotions, but is primarily focused on ventures outside of wrestling. Guerrera recently embarked upon a music career as a producer, DJ, and video director, and is currently working on his television show: TV Show La Arena.