WWE Cruiserweight Classic 2016 Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction for August 3

The WWE Cruiserweight Classic wrapped up its first round this week with some incredible action from some of the most talented wrestlers in the whole tournament.

Current NXT stars Rich Swann, Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano participated alongside an eclectic group of Superstars from around the world.

If you only watch one episode of the Cruiserweight Classic, it should be this one. Two of the matches were better than anything we saw on Raw and SmackDown this week, with the main event being an instant classic between two men who are normally partners.

Let's take a look at the final four bouts from the first round of the tournament.

Rich Swann vs. Jason Lee

Current NXT star Rich Swann battled Hong Kong's Jason Lee in the first match of the night. Right from the start, you could tell this would be a battle of different wrestling styles.

Both men are as quick as a hiccup, but they have completely different strategies. Swann used more high-flying maneuvers, while Lee focused more on strikes.

The crowd was in Swann's corner from the opening bell, singing lyrics from his entrance music as the two men shook hands and locked up for the first time.

Unfortunately, this bout suffered from being on the short side. Had they been given five more minutes, they could have stolen the show. Swann picked up the win with an impressive standing 450 splash.

Grade: B-

Notes and Highlights

• Hearing the name Jason Lee makes me miss My Name is Earl.
• Swann's entrance music sounds like something from an 1980s movie. It's pretty great.
• Swann is going to be a major player in WWE's new cruiserweight division. At only 25 years old, he is way ahead of the game in terms of skill.

Noam Dar vs. Gurv Sihra

Israel's Noam Dar faced one-half of The Bollywood Boys—Gurv Sihra. Gurv's brother Harv was eliminated in a previous match, so Gurv had some pressure on him to keep their name alive in the tournament.

Both of these men use their speed to great effect, but neither one of them took to the air too much. They used more strikes and chain wrestling, making it an even match for each other.

Other than reacting to big moves, the crowd wasn't very vocal during this one. You could tell the silence affected the competitors because they started trying to go faster than they should have.

Dar picked up the win with a kneebar submission in what was a decent, but uneventful, match.

Grade: C+

Notes and Highlights

• Dar was billed from Scotland by way of Israel, making him the first Israeli talent WWE has ever used.
• They almost botched a backbreaker while trying to go a little too fast.
• It's a little surprising to see WWE bring in a tag team like The Bollywood Boys just to have them both eliminated in the first round.

Jack Gallagher vs. Fabian Aichner

The English Gentleman Jack Gallagher went up against the Italian powerhouse Fabian Aichner. Gallagher gave up quite a few pounds to Aichner, so he was the underdog heading into this match.

Both men utilized a more technical style, and it made for some great counters and chain wrestling in the first few minutes.

The crowd got behind Gallagher early, so Aichner adjusted his style and started playing the heel. The clear division in characters made the match a lot more interesting.

Both men were as impressive as anyone else we have seen in this tournament. After a brutal running dropkick in the corner, Gallagher picked up the win.

The crowd showed its appreciation by chanting "Thank you both" after the match was over, which had to make both men feel proud of their performance.

Grade: A

Notes and Highlights

• Gallagher looks just like an actor named David Thewlis, who most people will recognize as Remus Lupin from the Harry Potter films.
• Gallagher could give Sheamus a run for his money in the "palest wrestler" category.
• Aichner's double springboard moonsault was one of the coolest moves we have seen in this tournament, and then he outdid himself by countering a guillotine choke with a powerbomb in what might be the best reversal ever.

Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa

The final match of the night was special for two reasons. Not only was this the only first-round bout to feature two Superstars who are currently signed to NXT, but they are also tag team partners.

Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa are both gifted wrestlers, and knowing each other so well helped their in-ring chemistry.

Ciampa played up some heel characteristics, which helped the crowd get behind Johnny Wrestling, but Ciampa still had a vocal following in the audience.

Being two of the only wrestlers already signed to WWE contracts put pressure on both men to have the best match, and they did not disappoint.

After what is definitely the most exciting bout of the tournament up to this point, Gargano picked up a win with a crucifix pin to move onto the next round. Ciampa almost walked away without shaking his partner's hand, but he ended up coming back and embracing the man he went to war with to keep their team alive.

Grade: A++ (It deserves an extra +)

Notes and Highlights

• These guys were the only people to be interviewed backstage before their match. You have to wonder if this will lead to them breaking up and feuding in NXT.
• I don't think I have ever seen someone take an elbow as hard as the one Gargano took from Ciampa early in the match. It looked like it hurt Ciampa's elbow almost as much as it hurt Gargano's face.
• If this is how they fight as friends, I can't wait to see what they do to each other as enemies.
• Daniel Bryan and Mauro Ranallo were the perfect pair to call this bout. Their enthusiasm is unmatched.

What did you think of this week's episode of the Cruiserweight Classic?

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