Ranking Every WWE Cruiserweight Champion Since 2016

Speaking of Drew Gulak, he wound up being a better Cruiserweight champion than anyone could have ever anticipated.

Like Tony Nese, he too was as boring as could be when WWE re-launched their Cruiserweight division in 2016. His in-ring ability was never in doubt, but as a character (even during his PowerPoint presentation phase), he could never be taken seriously.

His brief sabbatical after WrestleMania 35 earlier this year was the best thing that could have happened to him. He came back more motivated than ever, and at Stomping Grounds, he pinned Akira Tozawa in a Triple Threat match to win his very first Cruiserweight Championship.

From there, Gulak adopted a shooter-esque gimmick and was booked to be the most dominant force on all of 205 Live. With wins over Tozawa, Nese, Oney Lorcan and Isaiah "Swerve" Scott, it looked like he'd never be beaten for that title.

There hasn't been a ton of buzz surrounding the Cruiserweights in 2019, but Gulak was largely responsible for keeping the brand afloat following the departures of Buddy Murphy, Cedric Alexander and Ali.

Due to how strongly Gulak had been protected throughout his reign as champ, Lio Rush beating him for the belt earlier this month felt like a truly special moment. Sadly, it was a mere four days after his move to SmackDown that he was reduced to jobber status by Braun Strowman.