WWE Crusierweight Classic
September 7th, 2016 | Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida
Corey Graves reminds everyone of the final two Quarterfinal matches taking place tonight. TJ Perkins goes one on one with Rich Swann, while Noam Dar faces Zack Sabre Jr.
Zack Sabre Jr. def. Noam Dar in 15:46
I've complained about Dar being one of the most unimpressive guys so far in the tournament. They trade stuff on the mat with Dar attacking Sabre's leg throughout. Dar busted out a sweet combo that included a great uppercut but Sabre answered with a half nelson suplex. To combat Dar's leg work, Sabre went after the left arm, with both guys trying to set up their respective finishers. When Sabre hit the PK, Mauro name dropped Katsuyori Shibata. I love it. Dar had the arm submissions well scouted. He countered a triangle right into a great kneebar. Sabre survived and they continued to have really good exchanges. Dar came close to winning by countering an armbar into a pin. Dar sold the arm well, but Sabre's selling of the leg left a lot to be desired. In the end, Sabre applied a fantastic variation of the rings of Saturn, where he used his legs instead of his arms. It was really cool looking, but didn't make much sense. They said his arm was too hurt to apply it regularly, but it was his leg that was worked over for the majority of the match. A really good match, but not enough to reach great status. ***1/2
TJ Perkins def. Rich Swann in 17:03
Swann is the feel good story of the tournament, while Perkins is the one arrogant prick remaining. TJ's offense is so smooth and we got his now trademark dab during a headscissors, but Swann was able to apply one of his own. When TJ got free, he dabbed, so Swann does it back to him after getting the upper hand on him. Swann missed a moonsault outside and landed on his knee, which buckled. Swann showed Sabre how to sell leg work as he held it whenever trying offense on it and Perkins kept going back to it. Perkins got a near fall on a great chicken wing knee buster. Swann continued to have leg issues. He couldn't land on his feet to stop a super rana, which was a nice touch. He sold it during a flurry of offense as well for the most part. The final few minutes were great but Swann's leg came into play again. Perkins nailed him with the Detonation Kick and made him tap to the kneebar. Swann brought this match to the next level with his selling and role as a sympathetic babyface. Major props to him, helping to really hammer home the point in a really good match. ***3/4
Next week, the semi-finals and finals air in a live two hour special.
Overall: 8/10. Again, great presentation and good wrestling make for a very enjoyable hour of wrestling. Sabre/Dar was good and easily the best work from Dar so far. Swann looked like a star in defeat, while Perkins continued to shine. A really good episode here.
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