Brian Kendrick vs. Kota Ibushi and the Best WWE Matches for Week of Sept. 1

WWE fans who need a reminder of the stirring power of a well-told story in the ring should sit down and soak in Brian Kendrick vs. Kota Ibushi.

During a week where Kevin Owens reached his career apex and Sheamus vs. Cesaro continued their hard-hitting best-of-seven series, it was the Cruiserweight Classic's quarterfinals that created the most resonating clash. A 37-year-old veteran and a spring-legged Japanese star many casual fans have never heard of simply tore down the house.

The Cruiserweight Classic tournament continues to be more than just an exhibition of international talent; it has been one of WWE's most consistently great shows.

That was true again as August came to a close, with Akira Tozawa and Gran Metalik thriving opposite each other and later Ibushi outlasting Kendrick in one of 2016's most moving matches. 

Honorable Mention

• Chris Jericho vs. Neville (Raw)
• The Headbangers vs. Heath Slater and Rhyno (SmackDown)

Jericho and Neville's chemistry should inspire WWE to pit them against each other in a full-fledged feud in a hurry. Even in a bout like this, with minimal story and zero hype, the two rivals produced compelling, fun action.

With more ring time and buildup, Jericho and Neville will deliver something special. As of now, they are limited to solid contests that can't compete with the likes of Raw's more high-profile matches and Cruiserweight Classic's best.

SmackDown offered quite the surprise.

The Headbangers, an Attitude Era tag team, returned to WWE after a 16-year absence. Mosh and Thrasher weren't spectacular in the ring, but their inclusion was an intriguing wrinkle to the tag team tournament.

High stakes helped the match feel significant, even if it was obvious Slater and Rhyno would prevail. Slater has to win the entire tournament to secure a spot on the roster. His story of survival added to an unexpectedly violent and bloody collision.

The drama of Slater's win-or-go-home position will only increase as he and Rhyno go deeper into the tourney. 

5. Dean Ambrose vs. Baron Corbin (SmackDown)

Baron Corbin took a break from stomping on Kalisto backstage to headlining SmackDown opposite WWE world champion Dean Ambrose. Giving The Lone Wolf that high-profile spot was surprising but a move that paid off.

Corbin and Ambrose worked well against each other. 

Their clash was a good mix of fun and violence, fast-paced action and The Lunatic Fringe's antics. A drained Ambrose lied out on the security barricade, for example, taking a breather in the middle of the hard-hitting contest.

The physicality made this bout. As LaToya Ferguson of the A.V. Club wrote, "Near the end of the match, both Ambrose and Corbin look like they may need to kill each other to actually end things, which is always a good sign."

An unsatisfying ending hurt its entertainment value, though.

This was clearly a means to further the feud between AJ Styles and Ambrose. The Phenomenal One interfered, forcing the referee to disqualify Ambrose. The world titleholder then left Styles hung up on the ropes in a goofy moment where the villain writhed in pain as he bounced.

In that way, Corbin vs. Ambrose felt like an appetizer compared to the more fulfilling action that topped it on this list. 

4. Sheamus vs. Cesaro (Raw)

The concept of the same two wrestlers battling up to seven times in a row may have sounded like a recipe for boredom, but Sheamus and Cesaro have entertained in the early stages of their ongoing series.

On Monday's Raw, Sheamus pinned the Swiss strongman to go up 2-0. He claimed victory after catapulting Cesaro into the ring post.

As Cesaro clutched his back in pain, The Celtic Warrior pounced, notching the win. 

WWE did well to come up with a logical way to have Sheamus gain the early advantage. Cesaro didn't lose straight up, possibly hurting his momentum; he fell victim to an injury. The King of Swing is now in a precarious position, increasing the drama surrounding their next showdown.

And both Cesaro and Sheamus have managed to make each of their matches look and feel different. There was the usual vicious offense, but each man offered creative attacks and the flow of the bout was unlike their SummerSlam meeting.

Even at over 11 minutes of action, though, this match didn't have a climactic air to it. This was a transitional segment of the story, whereas the week's best action delivered more of a resounding payoff.

3. Akira Tozawa vs. Gran Metalik (Cruiserweight Classic)

Gran Metalik vs. Akira Tozawa was the kind of clash of styles that has made the Cruiserweight Classic such a hit.

The quarterfinals matchup pitted a high-flying luchador against a more mat-based, heavy-hitting Japanese star. That created an eye-catching juxtaposition from the opening bell. And both Metalik and Tozawa looked intent on outdoing all of their previous work in the tournament.

Metalik turned up the volume on his high-risk offense. He took flight after flight in the ring, hitting a hurricanrana off the top rope and issuing a suicide dive where he drove his head into Tozawa's shoulder.

This was no spot fest, though. The wrestlers told a story of Metalik being one step ahead of his foe, of the masked man working on Tozawa's leg, forcing The Speed Demon to survive a ton of punishment.

Zack Zimmerman of ProWrestling.net wrote, "I think that was probably the third best match of the tournament to this point." That was true, but only until later in the night. Brian Kendrick and Kota Ibushi one-upped their fellow quarterfinalists.

2. Roman Reigns vs. Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins vs. Big Cass (Raw)

With the vacant WWE Universal Championship, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens and Big Cass delivered foot-on-the-gas action in an elimination-style Fatal 4-Way match on Monday's Raw.

The pace was often frenetic. The highlights came one after another.

Big Cass knocked everyone's jaw loose, the recent NXT call-up making quite the impression despite being the first man eliminated.

Many expected WWE to give the title to Reigns or Rollins, but Owens emerged as the new champion. That result alone made this bout headline-worthy. KO ascending to the Raw throne injects instant electricity into the show.

And the means in which he claimed that title leaves fans guessing about what's ahead. Triple H attacked his former protege Rollins before urging Owens to pin The Architect. That surprise ending will have some complaining that Triple H is too ever-present in major storylines, but the uncertainty about how this story will unfold created one of Raw's better cliffhangers in a long while.

1. Brian Kendrick vs. Kota Ibushi (Cruiserweight Classic)

Storytelling is as vital as star power. Emotion elevates action.

Brian Kendrick vs. Kota Ibushi was a reminder of both those mantras. The quarterfinal Cruiserweight Classic tournament matchup was the event's second-most moving and memorable clash, right behind Tommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano from Aug. 3. 

Ibushi knocked out the veteran in a bout built around Kendrick's desperation. 

The former tag team champ sought one last chance at glory. He was willing to do anything to win, including cramming Ibushi's boot into the guardrail to get a cheap count-out victory. His hunger, focus and aggressiveness popped on the screen.

Kendrick zeroed in on Ibushi's surgically repaired neck. He delivered a neckbreaker on the turnbuckle, making it hard for the audience not to cringe.

Ibushi was his usual dynamic, hard-kicking self. He expertly played the gutsy babyface unwilling to let pain prevent him from advancing.  

After Kendrick fell to Ibushi, he stood tearful in the ring, soaking up the finality of the loss. His old training partner and current CWC commentator Daniel Bryan embraced him in the ring. This was one of the more powerful WWE images of the year.

Cesaro's uppercut acumen, Kevin Owens' big win and Gran Metalik battling gravity couldn't top that. 

EVOLVE promoter Gabe Sapolsky tweeted, "Brian Kendrick vs Kota Ibushi is everything I love about pro wrestling." Sapolsky sure wasn't alone in thinking that.

Kendrick vs. Ibushi was a gorgeous work of art.