10 Former Cruiserweight Champions: Where Are They Now?
6. Funaki
Funaki and his Kai En Tai partner TAKA Michinoku were primarily used as a low-tier comedy act (“Indeeeeeeeeeeeeed!”) throughout their WWE tenure, but Funaki was always entertaining. Whether working tag matches or taking-on daft gimmicks like “SmackDown’s #1 Announcer” and “Kung Fu Naki,” Funaki’s 12-year stint as a WWE wrestler ended in 2010, though he has continued making sporadic appearances since then.
His sole run as Cruiserweight Champion lasted just 70 days, but he was always a prominent part of the division throughout throughout his post-Kai En Tai career. Funaki became a constant presence in the title scene and received countless shots throughout his run, but never recovered the belt he lost to Chavo Guerrero in 2005.
Funaki worked for Japan’s Zero1 promotion shortly after his WWE release, and even made a single TNA appearance back in 2013. Oddly, he worked as a special referee in two Japanese WWE house shows in 2011 and 2013, and returned to television as Hideo Itami’s translator upon the former Kenta’s NXT signing.
Today, Funaki provides Japanese commentary for all WWE pay-per-views, and he can be found training youngsters at his own wrestling school when he’s not doing that.