Published 09:46 IST, October 11th 2019
WWE: Top five cruiser-weight champions
Earlier, WWE fans enjoyed a clean, good fight and its technicality put on cruiserweight division. Let's take a look at the five greatest cruiserweight champions
Today, wrestling is all about storylines, feuds and drama. But at one point of time, there were fans who enjoyed a clean, good fight seen in the WWE's Cruiserweight division. In recent times, WWE has tried to add some drama to the division to garner attention but has received a lukewarm response for the same. It may be time to remove the divide between the Cruiserweight division and the leading rosters of Raw and Smackdown, considering that the former has still a lot to offer. Let's take a look at five of the greatest cruiserweight champions of all time who took the division to new heights.
Top 5 cruiserweight champions of all-time
Rey Mysterio
Rey Mysterio made his debut in the WCW Cruiserweight Championship in 1996 and played a pivotal role in its success. The wrestler, who is a role model to many young wrestlers for his style and flair in the ring, brought much-deserved attention to the Cruiserweight title. He was the third champion when WCW brought back the cruiserweight title, defeating Dean Malenko in the process. The Lucha-styled wrestler won the title seven more times, three of which were after WCW was taken over by WWE.
Jamie Noble
The Cruiserweight division surely helped Jamie Noble make his WWE career. At 5'7", Noble was a compact wrestler who would have not been able to take on the big brutes of the WWE otherwise. However, as a Cruiserweight champion, Noble was a dynamic presence in the ring. He mesmerized audiences with his agility and style.
Tajiri
Tajiri is renowned to be an in-ring technical wizard. A wrestler with flair, he is the first man to hold WWE's cruiserweight title. He is known for being lightning quick and his dazzling energy. He held the WWE Cruiserweight title three times for a total of 283 days. His best fights were against Rey Mysterio Jr, Billy Kidman and Jamie Noble. According to him, he left the WWE as the company was reluctant to use him after a knee injury.
Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho is a WWE legend who needs no introduction. But before he became the lord of Raw, Jericho has made a name for himself in the Cruiserweight division. Jericho, who started his career at the age of 19, built a legendary cruiserweight career at Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) before moving to WCW, which was then absorbed by the WWE. He held the title four times for a total of 231 days.
Chavo Guerrero
At the start of his career, Chavo Guerrero spent most of his time under the shadow of his uncle Eddie Guerrero's greatness. But he caught the limelight when he won the WCW Cruiserweight Championship in 2000. Guerrero won the title for the first time as Lieutenant Loco and held it for 55 days. His next reign was for 104 days before losing it to Shane Helm. Once the title moved to WWE, he won it four more times, holding it for 437 days!
Updated 15:58 IST, October 11th 2019