WWE Cruiserweight Classic 2016 Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction for Aug. 10

Welcome to the fifth week of the WWE Cruiserweight Classic. If Round 2 is anything like Round 1, we are in for some outstanding matches over the next few weeks.

If you haven't watched an episode of the CWC yet, stop what you are doing and go binge every episode because it's so much better than anyone could have expected.

When most people hear the word "cruiserweight," they think of high-flying action from guys like Rey Mysterio, but this tournament has proved the wrestlers in the division are capable of creating technical masterpieces.

Stars like Kota Ibushi, Jack Gallagher and Zack Sabre Jr. have made waves, but nobody came close to the Match of the Year candidate Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano put on last week.

This week only featured two matches, but it's because both bouts were given a long time, and they benefited from being able to tell a proper story in the ring.

Let's not waste any more time and get right into breaking down the first two matches from Round 2.

Gran Metalik vs. Tajiri

When it comes to cruiserweights, Mexico and Japan have produced some of the best in the history of wrestling, and two outstanding talents from each nation squared off when Gran Metalik took on former WWE Superstar Tajiri in the first bout.

They kept things technical early by trading holds and reversals, but it didn't take long for them to speed things up and get the crowd on its feet.

Every time they put together a chain of moves, the crowd cheered to show appreciation for the great performances being put on by both men.

Watching these two men work was a treat for anyone who is a fan of old-school wrestling. Everything they did had a purpose, and there was no dead space from bell to bell. Enough good things cannot be said about this match.

Tajiri put up a great fight, but his experience wasn't enough to overcome Metalik's modified Michinoku Driver. This bout could rival anything we will see at SummerSlam.

Grade: A+

Notes and Highlights

• I like Daniel Bryan and Mauro Ranallo giving a proper introduction at the beginning of the show. Their passion for this tournament comes through their comments and facial expressions.
• Tajiri needs to be brought in to bolster the cruiserweight division on Raw. His veteran experience and popularity will help him get others over with the crowd. He got a great response from the fans during his entrance.
• Gran Metalik could be what WWE wanted Sin Cara to be when he was first introduced. Even when he botches a move, it still looks cool.
• The tightrope walk into an elbow drop from Metalik was awesome.
• You've got to love when two guys have an incredible match and then shake hands and hug after to show their respect for each other's skill.

Kota Ibushi vs. Cedric Alexander

One of the most anticipated matches of Round 2 took place this week when Cedric Alexander took on one of the favorites to win the tournament, Kota Ibushi.

It was going to be difficult for anyone to follow Tajiri vs. Gran Metalik, but if anyone was going to be capable, it was these two men. Just like the previous bout, they started off slow by trading holds and counters, but it took them less time to kick things into high gear.

After a more technical, grounded bout, it was nice to see some high-flying action in this one. What was most impressive is how they pulled off every move without making any mistakes whatsoever.

Everything they did was performed with great attention to detail, and the crowd once again showed its appreciation with chants of "This is awesome!" and "Fight forever."

After an incredible back-and-forth bout, Ibushi picked up the win with his patented Golden Star Powerbomb.

Grade: A+

Notes and Highlights

• A lot of people would bet on Sabre to win the whole tournament, but I think Ibushi might be the safer bet. It would be a mistake for WWE not to back a truck full of money up to his door to get him signed. The same goes for Alexander.
• Alexander's pop-up headscissor takedown is a thing to behold.
• Tajiri may be known as The Japanese Buzzsaw, but Ibushi has some stiff kicks, too.
• I love seeing someone chop another guy so hard it makes his own hand hurt. There's just something funny about it.
• I can count the number of times I have heard a WWE crowd chant "Fight forever!" on one hand, and this match is one of them.
• Seeing Triple H come out to respond to the "Please sign Cedric!" chants was heartwarming.

Final Thoughts

The Cruiserweight Classic has become the show I look forward to most every week, and matches like the two we saw Wednesday night are why.

Tajiri vs. Gran Metalik and Ibushi vs. Alexander not only outshined anything we saw on Raw and SmackDown this week, but they also will likely rival most of the matches we will see at SummerSlam.

WWE has a great concept on its hands with this tournament, and hopefully we will see the cruiserweight division on Raw continue to feature this kind of exciting action.

Everyone performed at such a high level on this episode, and that included the commentary team of Daniel Bryan and Mauro Ranallo. Their obvious love for this kind of wrestling bleeds through the TV with the way they call matches together.

The end of the episode may have been the best part. Triple H came out and signaled he was planning on signing Alexander to a contract, and to see the young man brought to tears over the respect he was getting from the crowd after losing to Ibushi should remind all of us why we love wrestling.

It's going to be sad when this tournament comes to an end, but if WWE makes this a yearly tradition, we won't have to wait too long for the next one.

Thanks for reading, and follow me on Twitter @BR_Doctor.