9. Odd Circumstances Surround Cruiserweight Title Revival
The WCW Cruiserweight Title became a hot commodity in 1996. The belt had actually been created years earlier in 1991, with Brian Pillman being the first recognised champion. In September, '92, the strap was vacated, and it wouldn't make a comeback for close to 4 years. Even though the title would go on become a crucial part of broadcasts, it had a very unique reintroduction. Stunningly, the first WCW Cruiserweight Champion of 1996 didn't even win the title on a WCW show. Shinjiro Otani defeated 'Wild Pegasus' (Chris Benoit) on a New Japan Pro Wrestling card on March 20th to bag the gold. The match was a tournament final, but it's nonetheless remarkable that it took place outside of North America. Even stranger was that Benoit was renamed for the bout, going under the 'Pegasus' gimmick he had used in Japan previously. In May, on an episode of WCW Worldwide, Dean Malenko won the title from Otani. This is where most fans begin to trace the excellence that the Cruiserweight Title became renowned for. Later challengers to Malenko in the division, such as Rey Mysterio and Ultimo Dragon, helped establish the title once more.
