WWE Cruiserweight Championship

WWE Cruiserweight Championship
The WWE Cruiserweight Championship belt with default side plates
Details
Promotion WWE
Brand Raw
Date established September 14, 2016
Current champion(s) Buddy Murphy
Date won October 6, 2018

The WWE Cruiserweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE on the Raw brand. It is defended on Raw and the cruiserweight-exclusive 205 Live.[1] Unveiled on September 14, 2016, as the award for the Cruiserweight Classic, which was won by TJ Perkins, it is contested in WWE's cruiserweight division by wrestlers at a maximum weight of 205 lb (93 kg). The current champion is Buddy Murphy, who is in his first reign.

The title is distinct from the previous WWE Cruiserweight Championship that originated in World Championship Wrestling and was retired in 2007. Although the two titles share the same name, they do not share the same title history.[2]

History

The inaugural Cruiserweight Champion TJ Perkins

The Cruiserweight Classic was a WWE Network series and tournament for cruiserweights.[3] Tournament qualifying matches took place in various promotions of the independent circuit, including well known promotions such as Revolution Pro Wrestling, Progress Wrestling, and Evolve. Many cruiserweight wrestlers from around the world were given the chance to qualify for the 32-man tournament, which took place over four dates: June 23, July 13, August 26, and September 14, 2016.[4]

The final of the Cruiserweight Classic came down to TJ Perkins and Gran Metalik. Before the final match, Triple H revealed that the winner would not only receive a trophy, but would also become WWE Cruiserweight Champion for the new cruiserweight division on the Raw brand. Perkins defeated Metalik to become the inaugural champion.[5][6] Like the WWE Championship's side plates, the Cruiserweight title's side plates include removable round sections, allowing the holder's personal logo to be added to the championship belt; the default sections show silver and purple world maps with the WWE logo over them. During Neville's first reign, the color of the slash under the WWE logo on the center plate and default side plates were changed from purple to orange.[7].

Originally, the championship was defended exclusively on Monday Night Raw. On November 29, 2016, a cruiserweight-exclusive show on the WWE Network premiered called 205 Live.[8] On the premiere episode, Rich Swann defeated The Brian Kendrick for the championship. The championship then became defended on both Raw and 205 Live.[9]

After then-champion Enzo Amore was released from WWE on January 23, 2018, and the title was vacated,[10][11] it was announced that a general manager would be appointed for 205 Live and would address the championship.[12] On the January 30 episode of 205 Live, Drake Maverick (formerly known as Rockstar Spud in Impact Wrestling) was appointed as the 205 Live General Manager. Maverick announced that there would be a 16-man single elimination tournament to crown a new WWE Cruiserweight Champion, with the finals to occur on the WrestleMania 34 pre-show. The tournament came down to Cedric Alexander and Mustafa Ali where Alexander defeated Ali to win the vacant championship.

Inaugural tournament

 
Round of 32
Taped June 23		Round of 16
Taped July 14		Quarterfinals
Taped August 26		Semifinals
Live on September 14		Final
Live on September 14
 
                  
 
July 20 –
 
 
United States Kenneth JohnsonPin
 
August 17 –
 
Japan Akira Tozawa09:46[13]
 
Japan Akira TozawaPin
 
August 3 –
 
United Kingdom Jack Gallagher11:38[14]
 
United Kingdom Jack GallagherPin
 
August 31 -
 
Italy Fabian Aichner06:45[15]
 
Japan Akira TozawaPin
 
July 20 –
 
Mexico Gran Metalik15:49[16]
 
Japan TajiriPin
 
August 10 –
 
Australia Damian Slater05:28[13]
 
Japan TajiriPin
 
July 13 –
 
Mexico Gran Metalik10:53[17]
 
Chile Alejandro SaezPin
 
September 14 –
 
Mexico Gran Metalik04:04[18]
 
Mexico Gran MetalikPin
 
July 27 –
 
United Kingdom Zack Sabre, Jr.13:13[6]
 
India Harv SihraSub
 
August 24 –
 
United States Drew Gulak05:18[19]
 
United States Drew GulakPin
 
July 27 –
 
United Kingdom Zack Sabre, Jr.08:27[20]
 
United Kingdom Zack Sabre, Jr.Sub
 
September 7 -
 
Canada Tyson Dux08:28[19]
 
United Kingdom Zack Sabre, Jr.Sub
 
August 3 –
 
United Kingdom/Israel Noam Dar15:46[21]
 
United Kingdom/Israel Noam DarSub
 
August 17 –
 
India Gurv Sihra05:26[15]
 
United Kingdom/Israel Noam DarSub
 
July 13 –
 
Hong Kong Ho Ho Lun07:02[14]
 
Iran Ariya DaivariPin
 
September 14 –
 
Hong Kong Ho Ho Lun05:03[18]
 
Mexico Gran MetalikSub
 
July 27 –
 
Philippines TJ Perkins 17:47[6]
 
Mexico Raul MendozaSub
 
August 17 –
 
United States The Brian Kendrick07:35[19]
 
United States The Brian KendrickSub
 
July 27 –
 
United States Tony Nese13:42[14]
 
United States Anthony BennettPin
 
August 31 -
 
United States Tony Nese06:34[19]
 
United States The Brian KendrickPin
 
July 13 –
 
Japan Kota Ibushi13:58[16]
 
Japan Kota IbushiPin
 
August 10 –
 
American Samoa Sean Maluta09:40[18]
 
Japan Kota IbushiPin
 
July 13 –
 
United States Cedric Alexander15:00[17]
 
United States Cedric AlexanderPin
 
September 14 –
 
France Clement Petiot05:58[18]
 
Japan Kota IbushiSub
 
July 20 –
 
Philippines TJ Perkins14:52[6]
 
Philippines TJ PerkinsSub
 
August 24 –
 
Germany Da Mack06:32[13]
 
Philippines TJ PerkinsSub
 
August 3 –
 
United States Johnny Gargano12:18[20]
 
United States Johnny GarganoPin
 
September 7 -
 
United States Tommaso Ciampa10:47[15]
 
Philippines TJ PerkinsSub
 
July 20 –
 
United States Rich Swann17:03[21]
 
Pakistan Mustafa Ali Pin
 
August 24 –
 
Puerto Rico Lince Dorado05:55[13]
 
Puerto Rico Lince DoradoPin
 
August 3 –
 
United States Rich Swann08:14[20]
 
United States Rich Swann Pin
 
 
Hong Kong Jason Lee03:47[15]
 

Reigns

Current champion Buddy Murphy

As of October 24, 2018, there have been eleven reigns between nine champions and one vacancy. The inaugural champion was TJ Perkins. The oldest champion is The Brian Kendrick, winning the title at 37 years old, while the youngest champion is Rich Swann when he won it at 25. Neville and Enzo Amore have the most reigns at two. Neville also has the longest reign at 197 days, while Akira Tozawa has the shortest reign at six days. Neville also has the longest combined reign at 232 days (233 days as recognized by WWE).

Buddy Murphy is the current champion in his first reign. He won the title on October 6, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia at WWE Super Show-Down by defeating Cedric Alexander.

See also

References

  1. ↑ McMahon, Vince (November 30, 2016). "Vince McMahon on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  2. ↑ "WWE Cruiserweight Championship". WWE.com.
  3. ↑ "WWE Network adds Global Cruiserweight Series to robust 2016 programming slate". wwe.com. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
  4. ↑ "WWE Cruiserweight Classic tickets available starting Friday, May 20". WWE. Retrieved 2016-05-17.
  5. ↑ "WWE Cruiserweight Classic: TJ Perkins becomes Raw's first WWE Cruiserweight Champion". WWE. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Caldwell, James. "9/14 WWE Cruiserweight Tourney Finals – Caldwell's Complete Live Report". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
  7. ↑ Hausman, Nick (December 21, 2016). "Rich Swann Gets Custom Plates On Cruiserweight Title (Video), Bubba Ray Hosting RAW Party In Freehold, NJ". Wrestle Zone. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  8. ↑ HHH discusses 205 Live...and more - 411 Mania.com
  9. ↑ Namako, Jason. "WWE 205 Live Results – 11/29/16 (Rich Swann wins the WWE Cruiserweight Championship on the premiere episode)". WreslteView. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
  10. ↑ WWE.com Staff. "Enzo Amore suspended". WWE. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Enzo Amore released". WWE. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Daniel Bryan addresses the state of WWE 205 Live". WWE. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Caldwell, James (2016-07-20). "7/20 WWE Cruiserweight Results – Caldwell's Week 2 Report on Akira Tozawa, Tajiri, TJP, excellent Dorado vs. Ali match". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2016-07-21.
  14. 1 2 3 Caldwell, James (2016-08-17). "8/17 WWE Cruiserweight Results – Caldwell's Report on stellar Kendrick vs. Nese and Gallagher vs. Tozawa Sweet 16 matches". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Caldwell, James (2016-08-03). "8/3 WWE Cruiserweight Tournament Results – Caldwell's Report on Week 4 to conclude First Round, including Gargano vs. Ciampa". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  16. 1 2 Caldwell, James (2016-08-31). "8/31 WWE Cruiserweight Tournament Week 8 – Caldwell's Report on Ibushi vs. Kendrick, Tozawa vs. Metalik Elite 8 matches". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2016-08-31.
  17. 1 2 Caldwell, James (2016-08-10). "8/10 WWE Cruiserweight Tournament Results – Caldwell's Report on Ibushi vs. Alexander classic, Tajiri vs. Metalik in Sweet 16". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  18. 1 2 3 4 Caldwell, James (2016-07-13). "7/13 WWE Cruiserweight Results – Caldwell's Week 1 Report on Ibushi, Cedric Alexander, more". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2016-07-14.
  19. 1 2 3 4 Caldwell, James (2016-07-27). "7/27 WWE Cruiserweight Results – Caldwell's Week 3 Report on Zack Sabre, Brian Kendrick, more in action". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  20. 1 2 3 Caldwell, James (2016-08-24). "8/24 WWE Cruiserweight Tournament Week 7 – Caldwell's Report on Gargano vs. TJP, Sabre vs. Gulak, Swann vs. Dorado to finish Sweet 16". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2016-08-24.
  21. 1 2 Caldwell, James (2016-09-07). "9/7 WWE Cruiserweight Tournament – Caldwell's Report on Sabre vs. Dar, Swann vs. Perkins to conclude Elite 8 Round". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
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