Hello! With World Cup fever in full swing, it’s time to bring our third installment, of a retrospective at the Cruiserweights.

Episode #106

MATCH#1: WCW CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

Chris Jericho (c) vs. Ultimo Dragon

DATE OF MATCH: July 13, 1997

Both men look for the advantage early, with various holds, until both men exchange moves, as they can’t one-up the other. Dragon ends up gaining control with a kick from the top rope after a hand stand, followed by a flurry of kicks, and a nerve hold.

Jericho gets out, and lands a double powerbomb, and a splash gets a near fall. Chris gets another two count with a suplex, then follows up with a back breaker submission. Ultimo counters a sleeper into a back suplex, and tries to get the upper hand, but Jericho with a moonsault gets him two. Jericho connects with a double underhook powerbomb, for another near fall, before placing Dragon up for a superplex. Chris looks to dropkick Dragon off the turnbuckle, but he jumps down, before Jericho can connect. However, the future Y2J nails him with a cross body, as we enter a break.

COMMERCIAL

Jericho continues the assault after the break with a slam, but gets countered as he flies off the ropes, looking for an elbow. Dragon looks for a Frankensteiner, but Jericho pushes him off the turnbuckle, so Ultimo drop kicks Chris, as he looks for an attack. Jericho with a snap suplex on the floor. Lionheart misses with a cross body, and tries to avoid the Dragon, but he can’t avoid the asai moonsault.

Ultimo nails a nice hurracanrana for a near fall, but is caught attempting the handspring elbow. Dragon then counters it, and gets a near fall of his own. Ultimo looks for a roll up, but Chris ends up sending them both out of the ring. Jericho back in, and nails him with the Lionsault for a near fall, and another slam follows a second Lionsault attempt, but Dragon countered with a drop kick. Ultimo tries to lock in the Dragon Sleeper, but Jericho escapes. However, Ultimo keeps control and connects with a moonsault.

Ultimo with the Dragon Sleeper again, but Jericho escapes, and ends up pinning his opponent, to retain the gold.

YOUR WINNER: Chris Jericho

COMMERCIAL

MATCH#2: Billy Kidman/Chavo Guerrero/Eddie Guerrero vs. Juventud Guerrera/Blitzkrieg/Psychosis

DATE OF MATCH: September 6, 1999

Juvi’s team gains control early, taking control of Eddie Guerrero. Psychosis wishbones Eddie on the ropes, and gets a near fall after a plancha. Eddie tries to fight back, but is triple-teamed for his efforts. Eddie comes back with a heel kick, and follows up by taking down Blitzkrieg and Juventud. Kidman and Chavo gets the tag?, and double team, as each member of the team, takes their shots. A pause in the action follows this.

COMMERCIAL

Blitzkrieg tags in Juvi, and he takes control of Kidman. Billy avoids a splash, and attacks Guerrera, for wearing the exact same attire as him. This doesn’t last long, as Juvi has Kidman in the electric chair hold, and Psychosis drop kicks Kidman to the floor. Blitzkrieg in, and he connects with a handspring elbow, but Kidman counters after this, and Juvi Juice gets the tag.  Powerbomb by Kidman, as the ICP make their way to ringside. Carnage ensues, with everyone in the ring. Psychosis flies out of the ring onto his own partner Juventud, and Chavo goes after them. Kidman and Eddie versus Psychosis in the ring, and the 2-on-1 advantage pays off, with a face buster by Kidman, followed by a Guerrero Frog Splash, and the three.

YOUR WINNERS: Billy Kidman/Chavo Guerrero/Eddie Guerrero

COMMERCIAL

MAIN EVENT: Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart vs. Hakushi w/Shinja

DATE OF MATCH: May 14, 1995

This happened at the very first In Your House Pay Per View

Hakushi shows off his athletic skills, to try and intimidate the Hitman, but it doesn’t work. Both men fight for the upper hand, and it’s Hakushi with a flying chop block for a near fall, before beginning work on the arm of Hart. Bret gets a near fall with a countered roll up, and the Hitman in control with snap mares, and Hakushi heads to the outside for a breather.

Hakushi with a couple of throat thrusts, but is countered afterwards, and meets the turnbuckle pad head first. Hakushi with a slam, followed by a splash in the corner for a two count, and then continues control with a Bronco Buster on Hart. Hakushi shows off to the crowd, as we hit commercial.

COMMERCIAL

Hakushi in control with a hard irish whip on his opponent to the buckle, before choking the Hitman in the corner, as his manager Shinja gets up on the apron to play the distraction. Hakushi then plays diversion, allowing Shinja to choke Bret on the bottom rope. Hakushi with a hard chop, before connecting with a springboard elbow in the corner. Hitman tries to fight back, but Hakushi counters with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a near fall. The Modern Day Kamikaze with a diving headbutt, but it only gets him two!! Hakushi then looks for a springboard headbutt, but Hart avoids it, and gets the momentum. Side Russian Leg Sweep, Corner Bulldog, a  Back Breaker, and a second rope elbow is connected by the Hitman, and as he looks for the Sharpshooter, Shinja tries to distract, but it doesn’t work, and Hart nails Hakushi with a clothesline, as we hit our final one for the night. Yep, you guessed it, final commercial break.

COMMERCIAL

Bret with Hakushi hung up in the ropes, goes to finish him off, but Shinja trips him up, so the Hitman attacks him. The Modern Day Kamikaze gets in a clothesline for a near fall, before an attempted suplex ends with both men going over the top. Shinja grabs Hart to stop him from entering the ring before the ten-count, before Hakushi nails an Asai Moonsault on Bret. Hitman on the apron, and counters the suplex attempt by Hakushi, before getting in a victory roll, and giving Hakushi his first ever loss in the WWF.

YOUR WINNER: Bret Hart

That’s it for this episode. If you learned anything from this edition, it’s that Cruiserweights love using the Springboard Elbow. Tune in next week, for even more action from the smaller men of wrestling, the Cruiserweights.