Ranking Every CWC Round 1 Match From Worst To Best
1. Johnny Gargano Vs. Tommaso Ciampa
Result: Gargano rolls Ciampa up with a Crucifix to score the sneaky pin (10:55).
Rating: No other match in the first round was as hyped as this one, evidenced by the extensive time devoted to the pre-match video package and backstage confrontation.
It took a few minutes to truly get going, but it was ultimately arguably the most intense CWC fight so far, and certainly the best.
The storytelling and psychology here was top-notch (especially Ciampa hesitating to strike his partner after pulling his knee pad down).
The back-and-forth nature of the match was terrific, either man could've won, and the "This is awesome!" chants were thoroughly justified. Plus, the post-match hugging-it-out felt genuine as hell. Bravo. 8/10
What were your favourite matches from CWC Round 1? Anything you hated or were disappointed by? Shout it out in the comments!