WWE Cruiserweight Classic 2016 Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction for August 24

The past five days have been one of the busiest times for WWE in recent memory. It started Saturday with NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II.

The NXT special, SummerSlam, Raw, SmackDown, NXT's regular weekly episode and the Cruiserweight Classic added up to over 15 hours of wrestling in less than a week. If you watch TNA, it's even more.

The funny thing about all this is how the CWC, a one-hour show with no storylines, ended up being better than the majority of what we saw from the main roster.

This was the final week of second-round matches, leaving just eight men to compete in the quarterfinals next week. Let's take a look at what happened this week on the Cruiserweight Classic.

Lince Dorado vs. Rich Swann

The first match of the night saw Lince Dorado take on current NXT Superstar Rich Swann. As soon as this match was announced, we knew it would be intense.

Both of these guys are known for their speed and agility, and their first-round victories showed off what makes these two so special.

Swann tried to dance during the first few moments of the match, so Dorado pulled out a classic and did the Alex Wright dance before they got back to beating each other up.

Both men were trying to outdo each other with quick offense and innovative counters, and it led to a highly entertaining and competitive bout. Swann picked up the win to advance to the quarterfinals with a Phoenix Splash.

Grade: B+

Notes and Highlights

• The video WWE used to open the show was great. Not only did it showcase some great moments from the tournament, but it also revealed the trophy the winner will receive.
• Rich Swann's song reminds me of every song played during a montage in an '80s movie. The crowd singing his music during the opening moments of the match was hilarious.
• The great thing about a smaller venue like Full Sail University is how you can hear the impact of every strike. The chop Dorado hit on Swann's chest was so loud.

Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Drew Gulak

Zack Sabre Jr. battled Drew Gulak in the second match. If the first bout of the night was all about agility, this one was all about technical ability.

Daniel Bryan put over Gulak's Dragon Sleeper as the most dangerous submission used by anyone in the tournament, so the pressure was on.

They didn't start with a handshake like everyone else, giving this bout some needed tension from the opening bell. Each man wanted to prove he was the more competent wrestler, and it led to some great exchanges.

Gulak had the advantage in the aggression department, but Sabre had a counter for just about everything he did. The display of ability in this match was incredible, and when it was all over, Sabre was the one having his hand raised in victory.

Grade: A-

Notes and Highlights

• As talented as Sabre is, there is a good chance WWE would never use him to his fullest potential if he ends up on the main roster. He's small, even for a cruiserweight, and management has never booked guys his size well.
• Gulak's jacket looks like something The Ascension would wear to the ring.
• Why didn't either of these guys wear kneepads? That's just asking for an injury.
• Is Sabre double-jointed? I have never seen anyone's arms bend like his did when he was in the Gory Guerrero special.

Johnny Gargano vs. T.J. Perkins

After both men put on an impressive display in the first round of the tournament, Johnny Gargano vs. T.J. Perkins became one of the most anticipated matches of the second round.

These are two men who are able to combine high-flying moves with technical ability, so the pace was quick, but everything they did looked smooth.

Gargano was in control for the majority of the match, but Perkins managed to get in plenty of offense to keep himself in the fight.

It's talents like these two who have made independent wrestling a lot more popular over the past few years. As much as everyone would like to see both men advance to the next round, only one man can be declared the winner.

After a great showing from two wrestlers at the top of their games, Perkins picked up another submission victory with his patented kneebar.

Grade: A-

Notes and Highlights

• Showing Gargano having his knee taped up before the match was a nice bit of continuity after the way his match at TakeOver: Brooklyn II ended.
• I hope Gargano and Ciampa remain a tag team, but if they split up, WWE could easily make Gargano the face of the cruiserweight division.
• The way Gargano landed when he somersaulted off the apron looked nasty. If his leg wasn't injured before, it might be now.
• Despite having TakeOver, SummerSlam, Raw and SmackDown during the previous four days, this was still the show I was looking forward to the most, and matches like this are why.

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

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