Tag: Brian Kendrick

WWE CWC quarterfinal results: Kota Ibushi vs. Brian Kendrick; Gran Metalik vs. Akira Tozawa

Posted on by Bryan Rose

After the intros, it’s on to promos and action.

Gran Metallk says it’s a pleasure to represent Mexico in this tournament. He prides in trying to be as different as possible. His message to all of his fans is that he appreciates their support as they are his motivation. Tozawa says his biggest dream is to be in the WWE. He is the best in this tournament, and winning will be his first step in taking WWE by storm.

All quarterfinal matches have a 30 minute time limit.

CWC Quarterfinal: Gran Metalik def. Akira Tozawa

The last few minutes were pretty fun with the rest being good action. Tozawa has the charisma and ability to be here. I didn’t think Metallk looked as dynamic has he had in New Japan or CMLL, but he worked will with Tozawa here.

Metallk got the advantage early, working on Tozawa’s arm before wiping him out with a suicide dive on the outside. Metallik went for a handspring but Tozawa nailed him in the back with a dropkick and gave him a big boot to the floor. He had control for a while until Metallik started making a comeback which led to a back and forth affair. Metallk did a great step over senton dive to the floor, later crotching Tozawa on the ropes and hitting a hurricanrana from the middle rope.

Metalik floated over one German suplex, but Tozawa hit another and then went for a deadlift. It connected…but Metalik still kicked out! Tozawa went for another, but Metallik powered out and countered with the Metalik driver for the win.

**********

They replayed Brian Kendrick’s video, saying if he doesn’t win his dream is over. Ibushi says wrestling is not a job, it is something more important to him. In the first two rounds, he had showed the audience something he’d never seen before. He is going to win this tournament because he loves pro wrestling more than anyone else.

**********

CWC Quarterfinal: Kota Ibushi def. Brian Kendrick

Ibushi got the advantage early with a flurry of offense, sending Kendrick to the outside where he hit a giant Asai moonsault to the floor. Kendrick hit a neckbreaker on an exposed turnbuckle which was pretty unique and cool. Kendrick jumped him as he was getting into the ring. Ibushi made a brief comeback, but Kendrick wiped him out with a superkick. Mauro Ranallo and Daniel Bryan kept putting over that Ibushi has a surgically repaired neck.

Kendrick hit the sliced bread, but Ibushi kicked out. An Ibushi kick sent Brian to the apron. He then grabbed him, deadlifted him through the ropes and hit a German suplex in a great move sequence. Kendrick came back and after a few counters, he hit the bully choke but Ibushi escaped, only to walk into a BURNING HAMMER. Ibushi landed right on his neck on impact.

Kendrick hit the ropes but Ibushi cut him off, slamming him on his back. Ibushi went for the phoenix splash but Kendrick dodged and hit the bully choke. Ibushi countered with a roll up, kicked him in the head and hit the press powerbomb for the win.

This was a great match. Ibushi continues to be one of the most outstanding performers pretty much anywhere, and Kendrick didn’t look lost being in there with him. He looked to be in equal footing in some parts of this match with lots of great nearfalls and some pretty cool submissions to boot. The two shook hands and hugged after the match.

Fans chant “Thank you Brian” as he is visibly moved by their reaction. Bryan enters the ring and they both hug to close out the show.

**********

Next week, we’ll see who faces Ibushi and Metalik in the semifinals as Zack Sabre Jr. takes on Noam Dar and Rich Swann battles TJ Perkins.

WWE Cruiserweight Classic spoilers: The semifinals are set

Posted on by JJ Williams

Images by JJ Williams. Check out his Flickr album for more.

I’m here at Full Sail University in Winter Park, FL for the Cruiserweight Classic quarterfinals.

Dark Match —

– Hideo Itami defeated Curtis Alexander

Enhancement talent Curtis (not Cedric) Alexander did a lot of comedy and they had a fun match. Hideo Itami clobbered him with a GTS for the win.

Cruiserweight Classic Taping —

Quarterfinal matches were announced as having a 30-minute time limit.

– Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Noam Dar to advance to the semifinals

Great match, started slow with a lot of grappling. Crowd was pro-Zack Sabre Jr. and got very into it during the second half of the match. Intense leg work by Noam Dar on ZSJ. They traded submissions and the crowd was going crazy by the end when Sabre had an arm submission locked in with added punches.

– Gran Metalik defeated Akira Tozawa to advance to the semifinals

Another great match, they exchanged chops and dives to get the place going. Huge top rope rana for a near fall by Gran Metalik and a delayed German suplex by Akira Tozawa for his own near fall. Crowd was going wild for the finish, which was a Falcon Arrow by Metalik

– Cedric Alexander defeated Oney Lorcan

This was seemingly a showcase match for Cedric Alexander to prepare for his Raw debut. Crowd wasn’t making noise early on even though the work was good. A handspring spin kick by Alexander got the people going. Oney Lorcan hit a huge uppercut. 

Alexander finally hit the lumbar check for the win. Post-match, he looked in the camera and said “I ain’t going nowhere!”

– Drew Gulak & Tony Nese defeated Kenneth Johnson & Lince Dorado

Tony Nese hit a 450 on Kenneth Johnson in a showcase match for Nese and Drew Gulak.

– TJ Perkins defeated Rich Swann to advance to the semifinals

Yet another great match, they showed their athletic ability yet kept the pace slow early to allow the match to build. There were taunts and dance moves, Rich Swann dabbed on TJ Perkins — which lit the crowd up.

Swann sold a leg injury halfway through and it built to the finish where Swann tried everything he had, but could never get the pin fast enough due to his bad knee. TJP locked in his leg submission for the win. Crowd wasn’t happy with this finish since Swann was the favorite. The two embraced post-match to show how important this was.

– The Bollywood Boyz defeated Sean Maluta & Ariya Daivari

Cool down match to allow The Bollywood Boyz to finally team up together. Fast-paced action and everyone got their big moves in to showcase themselves. Two splashes by The Bollywood Boyz for the win.

– Kota Ibushi defeated Brian Kendrick to advance to the semifinals

Crowd was unsure what to do early on. Brian Kendrick used a neckbreaker on the exposed metal rod between the buckles, and Kota Ibushi was actually counted out. The place went nuts with anger. William Regal came out and said Kendrick used an illegal move and the match must be restarted.

Full Sail lit up and and the match started going into dangerous near falls, Kendrick hit a nasty Burning Hammer-looking move where Ibushi’s neck bent, crowd was furious with this. Kendrick kept going for the Bully Choke for near submissions. Ibushi hit a middle rope German suplex for a near fall and finally got a sit-out powerbomb for the win.

Post-match the two embraced, “Thank you Kendrick” and “Please sign Kendrick” chants until Daniel Bryan made his way down to hug Kendrick. A great moment to finish the round.

We are back on September 14th for the semifinals and to crown the winner of the CWC.

WWE Cruiserweight Classic results: Brian Kendrick vs. Tony Nese

Posted on by Bryan Rose

They showed clips from both of the bouts from last week, then went over tonight’s matches. Mauro Ranallo and Daniel Bryan welcomed us to the show, putting over how great last week’s episode was as we kick it to videos.

Akira Tozawa defeated Jack Gallagher

Jack Gallagher believes that his style of wrestling is the best style. He’s not the biggest, but he’ll use his mind and technique. This is an opportunity for him, an opportunity to challenge himself.

Akira Tozawa says that he is energetic in the ring and will never back down. His German suplex is the best in the industry. He plans on bringing it home.

Good match. Gallagher should get another look as he got over great with these fans. Tozawa did a great job here as well. Gallagher pulled off a World of Sport bit by tying up Tozawa in a ball, then kicked him in what I believe was the butt.

Tozawa’s leg was worked on and he eventually collapsed to the floor. Gallagher went for another submission but Tozawa turned it into a cradle. He made a comeback then got the win with the deadlift German suplex

That makes it Akira Tozawa vs. Gran Metalik in the quarterfinals.

Noam Dar defeated HoHo Lun

Corey Graves put over the participants for the next match, calling HoHo Lun “The Father of Hong Kong Wrestling.”

Lun talked about judo classes that helped him become a competitor. He’s finally made it to WWE and his friends and family can cheer for him. He’s ready to make them proud of him one more time. They put over that Noam Dar is just 22 years old in his video. He wants to be the best.

Okay match, but nothing worth talking about. Dar is just okay and while Lun has the potential to be a pretty good babyface, he didn’t come off as impressive here. Dar targeted a leg. Lun made a comeback and hit a Michinoku driver as well as a fisherman’s suplex. Dar trapped him in a kneebar and got the submission.

Dar will face either Zack Sabre Jr. or Drew Gulak in the quarterfinals.

Brian Kendrick defeated Tony Nese

Tony Nese says it’s his time to show the world, despite 31 others saying the same thing. Kendrick says he’s been wrestling since 1999 and that makes up for some of the energy these younger guys have. If he falls short in this tournament, it’s all been for nothing.

Very good TV main event match. I don’t know about the result, but Nese looked really good here and should also get another look by WWE. Kendrick’s advancing is to further his story, which at least makes sense.

Nese was on offense early, letting Kendrick have it outside the ring. Nese cartwheeled out of Kendrick’s way then superkicked him. Kendrick took the advantage when Nese somehow got his hand caught on the turnbuckle. Kendrick beelined towards the arm area, working on it to take down Nese.

Nese came back with a giant Fosbury flop to the outside. Nese went on a giant wave of offense here, including a big buckle bomb. Kendrick trapped him in the head choke but Nese escaped and hit a sitout powerslam. Nese missed the 450 splash and Kendrick got the head choke in, with Nese giving in this time and submitting.

Kendrick will move on to the quarterfinals against Kota Ibushi.

Next week: We finish off the second round as Lince Dorado faces Rich Swann, Zack Sabre Jr. takes on Drew Gulak, and Johnny Gargano squares off against TJ Perkins to determine the final eight.

A good show this week. The main event was really good, and the opener was good as well. The second match was what it was.

WWE Cruiserweight Classic results: Zack Sabre Jr. debuts; Brian Kendrick returns

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Mauro Ranallo introduced us to the show as we go right to video packages.

Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Tyson Dux

Tyson Dux mentions how he injured his ACL in a Velocity match back in 2004, and he says that the Cruiserweight Classic is his opportunity to make a statement. It kind of came off like he has never wrestled since even though he’s been wrestling for years since the injury.

Zack Sabre Jr. has a passion for wrestling as he’s always idolized Eddie Guerrero and Chris Jericho. When you love something and put the time and effort in, the rewards come.

Sabre did his chain wrestling to start, escaping out of a lot of Dux’s holds and working on the arm. Sabre went for the Jim Breaks special, but Dux escaped and got the heat. Sabre came back with an octopus stretch, then landed a Penalty Kick for the near fall.

Dux went for a cloverleaf, but Sabre managed to escape and land in an omoplata, then wrenched the fingers for the win. This was great technically, but the crowd just didn’t seem to be into it.

Corey Graves is back at the CWC control room. We’re now into the second half of the first round. In the second round, Sabre will face the winner of the upcoming Drew Gulak vs. Harv Sihra Match.

Drew Gulak defeated Harv Sihra

Gulak says to win this tournament, it will take drive and determination. He says that it has always been a slow grind, and to be in WWE in surreal.

Harv Sihra says to represent India in WWE is unreal. He wondered what he could do to represent India without being stereotypical and he chose to go for a Bollywood style. He’s the one guy that can prove people wrong here.

Gulak worked more of a stiff style while Sihra was more fluid and high flying. Both looked good in what they did. Gulak body-slammed Sihra on the floor at one point, which probably wasn’t fun. Gulak trapped him in a dragon sleeper then applied a body scissors for the win.

So that means we’ll see Drew Gulak vs. Zack Sabre Jr. in the second round.

Tony Nese defeated Anthony Bennett

Tony Nese says he is the premiere athlete because pound-for-pound he’s one of the strongest and quickest guys in the tournament. He says that it’s his time to show the world who he is.

Anthony Bennett says he has always been an underdog, and it’s time for him to make a name for himself. His catchphrase is “This kid don’t play,” since he has a hairstyle similar to Kid from Kid ‘N Play.

Bennett is tiny compared to Nese. Hey, he did say he was only 5’11 even with the hair. Both guys looked good, more of a back and forth match with no real distinct styles shown unlike in previous matches tonight.

Weird finish as Nese gave Bennett a powerslam and seemed to have been knocked out. The referee stopped Nese and checked on Bennett momentarily before giving the okay, and Nese got the win with a 450 splash.

Brian Kendrick defeated Raul Mendoza

Back in the CWC control room, Graves kicks it to more video packages. Raul Mendoza mentions how Eddie Guerrero was an inspiration, and as long as he puts in the hard work and dedication, he has lived his dream. Kendrick says this is his second chance in life because without wrestling, he’s just living.

Mendoza worked his lucha style early and looked good. He swung around Kendrick and put him in a body scissors/sharpshooter submission but Kendrick escaped.

Kendrick worked heel and got the heat. Mendoza was bleeding from the mouth as Kendrick charged at him, but he made a comeback and did a great corkscrew plancha to the floor then followed that with a big coast to coast dropkick.

Kendrick played possum and threw Mendoza into the ropes, then landed a reverse headlock into a bully choke for the win. Mendoza showed a ton here and got a lot more over than Kendrick by the end.

Final Thoughts

Overall, another fun show this week. Sabre brings a different style to the program that not too many at Full Sail understood, but that’s cool as it’s something new. Hopefully it takes off.

Everything else looked good and there were a lot of fun matches to be had. Commentary as usual is always on point and sounds like a smart, mindful broadcast, which is always nice.

Next week will culminate the first round of the tournament. NXT talent Rich Swann will take on Jason Lee, Noam Dar faces Gurv Sihra, Jack Gallagher clashes with Fabien Aichner, and in the main event Tommaso Ciampa will take on his tag team partner Johnny Gargano.