Before I start, I must preface this. I’m using a wiki and not a regular blog because a wiki can have up to 50 images, while blogs only have 25. So without further ado, let’s jump into the topic of this post.

The Cruiserweight Classic was bloody lovely wasn’t it? Up there amongst the greatest tournaments in wrestling history, and probably the best WWE organized. It featured some of the best talents under the 205 pounds range and brought up some of the best matches of the year 2016… key word here is always “some”. What if the actual best wrestlers under 205 pounds from that year competed in the tournament? Well, let's find out. Here are my 32 participants. I tried to remove my bias here and look at who were the most positively talked about wrestlers of the year.

Adam Cole

Height: 5' 11", Weight: 202 lbs, Nationality: American, Ring Style: Technical

Accolades: Former PCW Cruiserweight Champion, ROH World Champion, PWG World Champion, RCW Cruiserweight Champion and CZW Junior Heavyweight Champion

We start with the Panama City Playboy who always looks to be the star of the show and does so with his athletic prowess and great pace, as well as of course his superkicks. The Bullet Club representative is not looking to make friends in this tournament. He is looking for gold.

Akira Tozawa

Height: 5' 7", Weight: 156 lbs, Nationality: Japanese, Ring Style: Allrounder

Accolades: Current and 2x Open The Triangle Gate Champion, Former Open The Brave Gate Champion and 3x Open The Twin Gate Champion

Our first Dragon Gate representative, and not the last. Fast as hell and hard-hitting, Akira Tozawa can adapt to any style he faces in the ring. He oozes class and charisma in the ring, as he knows just how good he is, but he will need to prove it in this tournament.

Alex Shelley

Height: 5' 9", Weight: 198 lbs, Nationality: American, Ring Style: Technical

Accolades: 3x IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion and XICW Tag Team Champion, 2x UWA Light Heavyweight Champion, Former TNA X-Division Champion, NWA International Lightweight Tag Team Champion, MCW Cruiserweight Champion, NWA Midwest X-Division Champion, UWA Light Heavyweight Champion, CZW Junior Heavyweight Champion, XICW Light Heavyweight Champion and GLW Cruiserweight Champion

Part of two of the most entertaining tag teams of all-time, whether as a Motor City Machine Gun or a Time Splitter, Alex Shelley knows how to steal the show. An influential talent throughout the 2000s, he is a top tier technician that rarely got the opportunity to shine as a solo wrestler in a big league, but now is his time.

BxB Hulk

Height: 5' 10", Weight: 172 lbs, Nationality: Japanese, Ring Style: High Flyer

Accolades: Former Open The Dream Gate Champion and GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, 7x Open The Triangle Gate Champion, 4x Open The Twin Gate Champion

A fantastic look, incredible athleticism, and genuine charisma. Super creative and flashy between the ropes, mixing in incredible high-flying and agility and great strikes, and all of it is performed at a blink-and-you'll-miss-it pace. Hulk will look to make his home promotion proud as he makes his way in WWE.

CIMA

Height: 5' 9", Weight: 180 lbs, Nationality: Japanese, Ring Style: High Flyer

Accolades: 4x Open The Owarai Gate Champion, Open The Twin Gate Champion and UWA World Trios Champion, 12x Open The Triangle Gate Champion, 3x Open The Dream Gate Champion, 2x IWRG Intercontinental Welterweight Champion and Ultimo Dragon Gym Champion

The Flower Of Evil is not here to play the nice guy. An impressive high flyer with great technical prowess, he is here to add another notch to his already filled belt. He is not the Ace of Dragon Gate for no reason.

Dragon Kid

Height: 5' 4", Weight: 154 lbs, Nationality: Japanese, Ring Style: High Flyer

Accolades: 7x Open The Triangle Gate Champion, 2x Open The Twin Gate Champion, Former wXw World Lightweight Champion Open The Brave Gate Champion and NWA World Welterweight Champion, 3x UWA World Trios Champion

The Child Of God has been a force to reckon with since the late 90s. A Dragon Gate original, he has been building his legacy as one of the most innovative high flyers of all-time and in this tournament, he will have the chance to meet some of the wrestlers he influenced.

Dragon Lee

Height: 5' 7", Weight: 165 lbs, Nationality: Mexican, Ring Style: Lucharesu

Accolades: 2x CMLL World Lightweight Champion and Former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion

From one Dragon to another, what can I say? I love dragons. Lee is an absolute cardio machine, who can out last anyone who tries to test him. One of the best examples of mixing Lucha Libre and Junior Japanese styles, he is an amazing combination of athleticism and in ring skills, and not too shabby at submission moves as well.

HARASHIMA

Height: 5' 10" , Weight:     198 lbs, Nationality: Japanese, Ring Style: Technical

Accolades: 8x KO-D Openweight Champion, 6x KO-D Tag Team Champion

Mr. DDT. You don’t get that nickname by accident. The Embodiment of DDT has been loyal to the company since the early days and no matter who faced him over the years, he can still take down anyone with his ferocious strikes, pin-point accurate grappling and explosive offense. He is as versatile as they come, and will aim to show that his quality can translate to any ring, anywhere.

Isami Kodaka

Height: 5' 8", Weight: 165 lbs, Nationality: Japanese, Ring Style: Hardcore

Accolades: Current All Asia Tag Team Champion, Former KO-D Openweight Champion, Independent Junior Heavyweight Champion, 2x Union Pro MAX Champion, 3x BJW Tag Team Champion and DDT Extreme Champion, 2x BJW Tag Team Champion and STYLE-E Openweight Champion

One of the best hardcore wrestlers in the world, don’t get it twisted. He is more than capable of holding his own against the best in a straight up wrestling match as he has shown several times throughout his career. The Death Match Samurai is a Daredevil who will stop at nothing to secure a win.

Jimmy Susumu

Height: 5' 8", Weight: 169 lbs, Nationality: Japanese, Ring Style: Technical

Accolades: Current and 6x Open The Twin Gate Champion, 2x Open The Dream Gate Champion and NWA World Welterweight Champion, 7x Open The Triangle Gate Champion, Former NWA International Lightweight Tag Team Champion and WAR International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion

The proclaimed Technical Master of Dragon Gate, Jimmy Susumu. An 18 year veteran who is very creative and intricate with his actions in the ring and has some wonderfully flashy power moves in his arsenal. Small, but packs a big punch with his dreaded Lariat. His consistency is going to be important if he manages to go a long way in the tournament.

Johnny Gargano

Height: 5’10”, Weight: 170 lbs, Nationality: American, Ring Style: Allrounder

Accolades: 2x Open The Freedom Gate Champion, CHIKARA Campeonatos de Parejas Champion and AIW Intense Champion, 3x PRIME Champion and Former CAPW Junior Heavyweight Champion

One half of #DIY, Johnny Wrestling is one of the few already contracted to WWE, and there’s a reason why. This guy can do pretty much everything between the ropes. A jack of all trades, he’s aiming to be the master of the Cruiserweights once it’s all said and done.

JT Dunn

Height: 5' 10", Weight: 176 lbs, Nationality: American, Ring Style: Allrounder

Accolades: Former WSU Tag Team Champion, FIP Tag Team Champion, CZW Tag Team Champion, NYWC Tag Team Champion and PLW World Champion

While he is not a man that is often talked about in 2022, back in the mid 2010s, he was one of the most talked about talents in the independent scene. An inspiration, getting over addiction, he became a great technical wrestler and brawler who can fly high. For a while, he seemed like a fit in NXT before vanishing from the limelights. But now is his chance to shine in a big time promotion.

Kamaitachi

Height: 5' 7", Weight: 194 lbs, Nationality: Japanese, Ring Style: Technical

Accolades: Former CMLL World Lightweight Champion

You may now know him under his real name, Hiromu Takahashi, but back in 2016, he was a rising star making his name in Mexico as one half of La Fiebre Amarilla. A great high flyer and creative mind who is very intense between the ropes, will he continue his rise in WWE?

Katsuhiko Nakajima

Height: 5' 9", Weight: 191 lbs, Nationality: Japanese, Ring Style: Striker

Accolades: Former Tenryu Project International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Champion and     WWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Champion, 3x GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion

The Genius Of The Kick is a charisma machine who of course, is a renowned striker, but he is much more than that. Over the years, his overall in-ring has evolved tremendously, making him a very complete and dangerous talent that is one of the favorites of the tournament.

Kota Ibushi

Height: 5’11”, Weight: 189 lbs, Nationality: Japanese, Ring Style: High Flyer

Accolades: 5x KO-D Tag Team Champion, 3x KO-D Openweight Champion and IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, 2x KO-D Six Man Tag Team Champion, Former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion and Independent Junior Heavyweight Champion

I had to bring him from the real Cruiserweight Classic. The Golden Star  has shone brightly with an unbelievable array of high-flying moves and hard-hitting strikes. A true daredevil who will stop at nothing to reach the peak of the wrestling business.j

KUSHIDA

Height: 5' 9", Weight: 187 lbs, Nationality: Japanese, Ring Style: Technical

Accolades: Current 3x IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, 2x IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion

As the current IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, KUSHIDA is looking to make history and become the first man since the J-Crown to hold IWGP and WWE gold at the same time. The Time Splitter is undoubtedly a favorite due to his current status, he is the current Ace of NJPW’s Junior division for a reason. A brilliant mix of technical and high-flying moves, his speed, agility and ring IQ made him an elite talent between the ropes.

Kyle O'Reilly

Height: 5' 11", Weight: 200 lbs, Nationality: Canadian, Ring Style: Martial Artist

Accolades: 2x IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion and ROH World Tag Team Champion, 3x ROH World Tag Team Champion and NWA Canadian Junior Heavyweight Champion, Former PWG World Champion

A very talented technical wrestler, Kyle O’Reilly has made a name for himself as one half of ReDragon, but he has shown in the past how good he is as a solo competitor. He’s without Bobby Fish, but not without confidence, don’t let O’Reilly dictate the flow of the match or he will crush you.

Masato Yoshino

Height: 5' 8", Weight: 169 lbs, Nationality: Japanese, Ring Style: Technical

Accolades: Current and 10x Open The Triangle Gate Champion, 3x Open The Dream Gate Champion, 3x Open The Twin Gate Champion, 6x Open The Brave Gate Champion, 9x Open The Triangle Gate Champion, Former GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, WAR International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion and NWA World Welterweight Champion

Another Dragon Gate and Monster Express representative. "Speed Star", "The Fastest Wrestler On The Planet". With nicknames like that, you get an idea of what to expect. But he isn’t just fast, as he used that attribute to its maximum with his style of wrestling that goes on at breakneck speed. A technical master on the mat and a threat in the air, Masato will look to show the world just what he is made of.

Matt Jackson

Height: 5' 10", Weight: 172 lbs, Nationality: American, Ring Style: High Flyer

Accolades: Current and 4x PWG World Tag Team Champion, 5x IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion and 2x NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Champion, 2x IWL Tag Team Champion

Say what you will about the Young Bucks, but you can’t deny their popularity and influence in the mid-2010s. Whilst he and his brother Nick have always been a dominant tag team, it will be interesting to see how his skills (and Superkick parties) translate as a solo competitor.

Mike Bailey

Height: 5' 8", Weight: 174 lbs, Nationality: Canadian, Ring Style: High Flyer

Accolades: Former C4 Champion, C4 Tag Team Champion, MWF Tag Team Champion and MWF Junior Champion

Speedball had in real life a 5 year ban that prevented him from going to the United States following an arrest but… screw it this is fantasy booking let’s pretend he never had any visa issues alright? Fast, athletic and with stiff Taekwondo strikes, Mike Bailey is probably the wrestler with the most to prove in this tournament.

Mike Quackenbush

Height: 6' 0", Weight: 191 lbs, Nationality: American, Ring Style: High Flyer

Accolades: Former NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion, IWA Mid-South Light Heavyweight Champion, wXw Lightweight Champion, HW Light Heavyweight Champion, SCW Junior Heavyweight Champion, FNW Freeweight Champion, IPW Light Heavyweight Champion, and PCW Junior Heavyweight Champion 3x PWE Tag Team Champion, 2x CZW Junior Heavyweight Champion and PCW Tag Team Champion

A legend of the Independent circuit, the Master Of A Thousand Holds is  a strong wrestler who possesses a unique blend of lucha libre and World of Sport styles, which makes him able to grapple with the best of them. This is Chikara's founder's biggest opportunity yet.

Naomichi Marufuji

Height: 5' 9", Weight: 198 lbs, Nationality: Japanese, Ring Style: High Flyer

Accolades: 4x and Current GHC Tag Team Champion, 2x GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, Former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Champion,     GHC Hardcore Openweight Champion and GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion

Arguably the best Cruiserweight of the 2000s, Naomichi Marufuji was so good, he broke the barrier on Juniors to become the Heavyweight Champion of NOAH on several occasions. The Junior Genius is one of the most exciting talent to have ever walked the face of the Earth and he is looking to show his prowess to a WWE audience for the first time ever.

Naruki Doi

Height: 5' 8", Weight: 180 lbs, Nationality: Japanese, Ring Style: Technical

Accolades: 6x Open The Twin Gate Champion, 12x Open The Triangle Gate Champion, Former Open The Dream Gate Champion, GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion and WAR International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, 2x Open The Brave Gate Champion

The Rampaging Muscle is one of Dragon Gate’s strongest competitors. A fearsome tag team specialist, he has also shown in the past that he can go as a solo competitor and be effective. This is a big chance for him to show that.

Nick Jackson

Height: 5' 10", Weight: 178 lbs, Nationality: American, Ring Style: High Flyer

Accolades: Current and 4x PWG World Tag Team Champion, 5x IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion and 2x NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Champion, 2x IWL Tag Team Champion

You can’t have one of the Young Bucks without the other. While neither will truly be in their elements as they are forced into this solo competition, they are not wrestlers to be underestimated, otherwise you could be on the receiving end of a devastating superkick… or two… or three…or four… or five… or six… or seven… or eight… or nine… or- you get it.

Pentagon Jr.

Height: 5' 11", Weight: 200 lbs, Nationality: Mexican, Ring Style: Lucha Libre

Accolades: Former PDM Light Heavyweight Champion, AAA World Mixed Tag Team Champion, AAA World Tag Team Champion and The Crash Cruiserweight Champion

World traveling and hard working, his journey led him to the bright lights of WWE. One of the best modern luchadors with a huge set of moves and great reaction that always ensures that he can strike at any point in time. He wants to show the world that lucha libre is more than dives and flips.

Rey Fenix

Height: 5' 10", Weight: 165 lbs, Nationality: Mexican, Ring Style: Luchador

Accolades: Current PDM Light Heavyweight Champion, Former AAA Fusion Champion and The Crash Cruiserweight Champion

The Lucha Underground star is one of the best high flyers of the modern era. The Man Of A Thousand Lives will always find a new way to wow you and he will never be afraid to crash and burn in the process if he thinks he can win with his move. Call him crazy, but he showed that he can win a title anywhere he wrestled. Can he do it in WWE?

Ricochet

Height: 5' 9", Weight: 187 lbs, Nationality: American, Ring Style: High Flyer

Accolades: 2x IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, Open The Twin Gate Champion and Open The United Gate Champion, Former Open The Freedom Gate Champion, Open The Dream Gate Champion and IPW Junior Heavyweight Champion

One of the most gifted high flyers of all-time, Ricochet wants to show that he is not just “The Future Of Flight", he is also the present. An insane athlete who is never afraid to take risks and test the limits of the human body’s capabilities, he is also deceivingly powerful. An amazing combination that makes him a threat to any opponents as he showed in New Japan.

Takashi Sugiura

Height: 5' 10", Weight: 196 lbs, Nationality: Japanese, Ring Style: Allrounder

Accolades: 3x GHC Tag Team Champion, 2x GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion and GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion

NOAH’s Killing Machine has proven himself as one of the greatest heavyweights in the history of Japan, but for this tournament, he’s going back to the Junior Division. A badass, a mean son of a bitch. He’s not flashy, never has been, never will be. But he is an absolutely brutal man in the squared circle, who can grapple and brawl with the best of any era.

Tommaso Ciampa

Height: 5’10”, Weight: 195 lbs, Nationality: American, Ring Style: Striker

Accolades: Former UFO Cruiserweight Champion, ROH World Television Champion  and CW New England Champion

Spoiler alert but, much like in the real life Cruiserweight Classic, I will pair him up against Johnny Gargano. How couldn’t I? This story just makes too much sense. Ciampa is an amazing all rounded wrestler, but is at his best when he can turn a match into a fist fight. It will be interesting to see how he matches up against his tag partner.

YAMATO

Height: 5' 8", Weight: 180 lbs, Nationality: Japanese, Ring Style: Technical

Accolades: 4x and Current Open The Dream Gate Champion, 7x Open The Twin Gate Champion, 4x Open The Triangle Gate Champion

You thought I was done with Dragon Gate? Not yet. The Almighty Battleship YAMATO is the total package as a wrestler. A large arsenal of weapons that can be brutal at any speed he desires. He won’t perform death-defying dives but his significant techniques are all impactful maneuvers.

Yuko Miyamoto

Height: 5' 9" , Weight: 198 lbs, Nationality: Japanese, Ring Style: Hardcore

Accolades: Current All Asia Tag Team Champion, 2x BJW Tag Team Champion, 184x DDT Iron Man Heavy Metal Champion

The other half of Yankee Two Kenju, he can wrestle any style, even if he thrives as an hardcore wrestler. In this tournament, his excellent grappling ability and his dreaded moonsaults are going to be his best allies, along with any opportunity to wrestle on the outside.

Zack Sabre Jr.

Height: 6' 0", Weight: 181 lbs, Nationality: English, Ring Style: Technical

Accolades: Current PWG World Champion and RevPro British Heavyweight Champion, 2x GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion and IPW:UK British Tag Team Champion, Former wXw Unified World Wrestling Champion, wXw World Lightweight Champion and NWA United Kingdom Junior Heavyweight Champion

Last but not least, the Submission Master Zack Sabre Jr. is one of the most outstanding technical and matworkers of our modern era. He knows every hold and counterhold in the book. With his amazing skill set, he seldom needs to jump off a rope. He’ll just tear your limbs off instead.

Now, with the wrestlers out of the way, here is the bracket. In case you can’t zoom in, I’ll write the matches below.

Kamaitachi vs Jimmy Susumu

KUSHIDA vs Zack Sabre Jr.

CIMA vs BxB Hulk

Yuko Miyamoto vs Nick Jackson

Naomichi Marufuji vs JT Dunn

Johnny Gargano vs Tommaso Ciampa

Rey Fenix vs Ricochet

Dragon Lee vs Dragon Kid

Kota Ibushi vs Akira Tozawa

Alex Shelley vs Kyle O'Reilly

Pentagon Jr. vs Matt Jackson

HARASHIMA vs Isami Kodaka

Katsuhiko Nakajima vs Adam Cole

Mike Quackenbush vs Naruki Doi

Takashi Sugiura vs Masato Yoshino

YAMATO vs Mike Bailey

Who do you think is going home with trophy, and what matches look the most interesting to you? Let me know in the comments