Tonight’s episode of the WWE Cruiserweight Classic is the second part of Round 2. Last week opened Round 2 with two incredible matches between Tajiri and Gran Metalik as well as Kota Ibushi and Cedric Alexander. Tonight features three bouts that are sure to be nothing short of great. Akira Tozawa takes on Jack Gallagher, Brian Kendrick faces Tony Nese, and Noam Dar will battle against Hoho Lun.
Akira Tozawa (Japan) vs. Jack Gallagher (England)
Akira Tozawa had an amazing match in the first round against Detroit’s Kenneth Johnson, and took him to the limit. His move set is full of impact and velocity, and he claims to have the best German suplex in the industry. Tozawa might want to talk to Hoho Lun and Brock Lesnar about that.
Jack Gallagher is more of a technician than most other tournament competitors, and he showed plenty of his mat skills in the first round against Italy’s Fabian Achner. Gallagher is one of the most technically proficient wrestlers in the tournament, along with Drew Gulak and Zack Sabre Jr..
Gallagher focuses on taking out the leg of Tozawa throughout the entire match, hopefully limiting his kick heavy move set. However, Tozawa is able to fight through the pain and delivers a very impressive deadlift German suplex on Jack Gallagher to advance to the Top 8. In the Quarterfinals, Tozawa will face Mexico’s Gran Metalik, who defeated WWE veteran Tajiri last week. Winner: Akira Tozawa | Eliminated: Jack Gallagher
Noam Dar (Scotland & Israel) vs. Hoho Lun (China)
Noam Dar, the youngest competitor in the Cruiserweight Classic, had a great showing in the first round where he proved that although he is the youngest, he is not to be overlooked. Dar defeated Gurv Sihra (one half of the Bollywood Boys) with a kneebar, a move you do not see too often in WWE matches.
Hoho Lun has a background in Judo and wrestling, which gives him a move set that is quite unique compared to the more “traditional” styles we have seen in the rest of the tournament. Hoho Lun defeated Ariya Daivari with several kicks to the head and finishing him off with a German suplex, which could provide for an interesting matchup against Akira Tozawa one day.
After working Hoho Lun’s knee for the entire match, Noam Dar locks in his patented kneebar to tap out the Chinese upstart. Dar advances to the Top 8, where he will either face Zack Sabre Jr. or Drew Gulak. Winner (via submission): Noam Dar | Eliminated: Hoho Lun
Brian Kendrick (United States) vs. Tony Nese (United States)
“The Premiere Athlete,” Tony Nese, has an impressive combination of strength and agility in his move set which has helped him so far in the tournament. In the first round, Nese soundly defeated the “hair-odynamic” Anthony Bennett, while almost injuring him in the process. This strength, agility, and brutality gives Nese a good shot at winning this tournament.
Brian Kendrick has been wrestling full time since 1999, and has had quite the career inside and outside of WWE. 37 years old and trained by Shawn Michaels, Kendrick is the most experienced (since Tajiri has been eliminated) and perhaps knowledgeable wrestler in the rest of the tournament. Kendrick has said that he needs to win this tournament to revitalize his wrestling career, or else it was all for nothing.
Tony Nese puts on one hell of a match, and looks to finish Kendrick off with the 450 Splash. Kendrick just rolls out of the way, and immediately locks in the Bully Choke (the same move that put Raul Mendoza away in the first round) to submit Tony Nese, and barely make his way into the third round. Kendrick will have his hands full in his next Cruiserweight Classic match, where he will take on the Golden Star, Kota Ibushi. Winner (via submission): Brian Kendrick | Eliminated: Tony Nese
Next week will complete the second round, with Lince Dorado vs. Rich Swann, Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Drew Gulak, and Johnny Gargano vs. TJ Perkins.
