It’s gone by so fast hasn’t it? We’re just two matches away from determining the final four in the first annual Cruiserweight Classic. The four competitors are all talented enough for the two remaining spots, but only two of them will join Kota Ibushi and Gran Metalik in the semifinals.
Zack Sabre Jr. def. Noam Dar
Wow…what a match. The contest had so many things going for it. First of all, this is the perfect example of having a great match without all the high risk moves. These two barely left their feet the entire contest. They relied on solid mat wrestling, gut-wrenching submissions, and stiff looking strikes and it worked to a tee.
All kinds of psychology was also on display. Sabre and Dar each zeroed in on a body part and made that a constant theme of the match, and it wasn’t without purpose. A lot of the time we see wrestlers work a body part without an end goal in mind. These two were each working toward their finishing submissions.
On top of that was the story that the two men have known each other for years. That’s another storyline that is used quite often, but rarely reflected in the match. The frequent reversals were so fluid, that it seemed they both knew exactly what the other would do next. And that is how two guys who know each other so well should match up.
And just a GREAT moment after the match. Unable to even stand up, the two men share a hug in the middle of the ring. Awesome.
Rating: A
T.J. Perkins def. Rich Swan
The “dab off” in the early stages of the match was a fun moment and probably got one of the bigger crowd reactions of the night. I’m all for those comedic, light-hearted moments as long as they don’t become too much.
But of course the big story of the match was Swan’s IMPECCABLE selling of the left leg. It was a constant theme throughout the near 20 minute match that he refused to let us forget. The injury forced him to bust out new moves that we haven’t seen from him all tournament and his typical offense had much less behind it.
Even at the one moment in the contest where I thought he was going to lose it, he made up for it. Swan head kicked Perkins with the injured leg, which is obviously not good. But, could not make the cover immediately after because of what the move took out of him. This was one one of the better selling jobs I have seen in awhile.
I also liked Perkins pulling a Shawn Michaels when he retired Ric Flair at Wrestlemania 24, going for the immediate hug after winning the match. The moment made the supposed friendship between the two seem more legitimate.
Rating: A-
The final four is now set and these 2 matches could not have done a better job of getting me excited for next week’s live finale. Two great matches that really excelled in old-school psychology and selling, not exactly what’d you’d expect from a bunch of Cruiserweights.
Main Photo: WWE.com
