Feel free to take a look at my preview to see my initial thoughts and rankings.
Now here are the first round matchups for the tournament.My predictions will be bolded and the actual result will be under that. You can watch it on the WWE Network starting on July 13th of this year!
1)Gran Metalik(Mexico) vs. Alejandro Saez(Chile)
Metalik and Saez are both world-traveled, but Metalik is just more dynamic. He won't make many mistakes.
Result: Metalik defeats Saez via Fireman's Carry Michinoku Driver II.
Fantastic opener that showcased both of the competitors' best. Saez oversold a lot but was really impressive otherwise. Sweet Shooting Star Press and he missed the Spiral Tap. Metalik showcased some of his unique arsenal, inside springboard Tope Con Hilo, and tightrope walk splash.
2)Ho Ho Lun(Hong Kong/China) vs. Ariya Daivari(US/Iran)
Having the founder of a wrestling revolution will always bring more press to the tournament. Lun going over here in a good performance would put China on the map as a legitimate wrestling hot bed.
Result:Lun over Daivari.
Honestly, Daivari was the more impressive performer, isolating Lun and dominating the majority of the match. Lun was a good babyface in peril, but his current moveset is most dropkicks. Lun's Dropkicks are like the Bucks' Superkicks. Solid German Suplex at the end by Lun.
3)Clement Petiot(France) vs. Cedric Alexander (US)
Alexander has been scouted in tryouts in the past for WWE, this is his chance to prove his mettle.
Result: Alexander via Lumbar Check.
Match of the first Episode. Had great back and forth and made Petiot a potential prospect. Alexander SHINED in the match. Crisp and dynamic offense with fantastic height!
4)Brian Kendrick (US) vs. Raul Mendoza (Mexico)
Kendrick is on his final legs, and a first round bow out is simply out of the question.
Result:Kendrick via Bridging Chinlock
My goodness, Mendoza is FANTASTIC. That dude should be signed. He was dynamic from beginning to end and just shined. Kendrick winning dirty is the right move, since he's in Ibushi's bracket if I remember correctly. I'm looking forward to seeing him in the 2nd round after watching Night 3's Match of the Night.
5)Damian Slater (Australia) vs. Yoshihiro Tajiri (Japan)
Tajiri brings a danger to the rest of the tournament. Slater may be able to hang, but he'll get misted.
Result:Tajiri via Buzzsaw Kick
This was a fantastic showcase for Damian Slater. I didn't know much about him before starting this post and he was great. I hope he receives more opportunities from WWE and the major indies. Tajiri surprisingly didn't mist anyone, I guess there are supposed to not be any crazy shenanigans. He had a good first round but I expect much more out of his next round matchup with Gran Metalik.
6)TJ Perkins (US/Philippines) vs. Da Mack (Germany)
Personal preference here. I'm a proud Pinoy and having someone like Perkins in the tournament who has the sun radiating on the attire is more than enough for me to pick him.
Result: TJ Perkins via Kneebar/Inverted Figure Four Leglock.
My personal favorite match of night 2. There was not only good technical wrestling but fantastic one-upsmanship with the two and the crowd. Da Mack was much better than I expected him to be and Perkins was fantastic!
7)Lince Dorado (Puerto Rico) vs. Mustafa Ali (Pakistan)
Proving ground for both men. Dorado can do amazing things in the air.
Result:Dorado via Shooting Star Press
There was some SCARY moments in the match, both good and alarming. Ali was injured during the match and still was able to hit that Springboard Spanish Fly and able to attempt the Inverted 450 Splash. I was so happy with how this match came out because even with the danger, there were no visible botches. I remember watching Dorado videos and highlights from his time in Chikara with both Team Mexico and the Bruderschaft Des Kreutzes (I can't spell in German,so the BDK). To see how smoothly he's developed since his Chikara days has been fantastic!
8)Kenneth Johnson (US) vs. Akira Tozawa (Japan)
Sadly this is a PG show, so no "SHUT THE F-CK UP" response from Tozawa. That being said, Johnson is simply outclassed.
Result: Tozawa via Delayed Bridging German Suplex
Boy was I wrong about Kenneth Johnson. He was impressive and the commentators made sure to point it out. He matched Tozawa tick for tat all throughout the match. There were even hope spots for him to win....until that SICK Dragon Gate style Snap German Suplex. My GOD that was a German Suplex. Shades of Neville's Rebound German Suplex, Tozawa did pretty well for the first round. He's probably saving more for Round 2 but it was a good start for him.
9)Tyson Dux (Canada) vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (UK/England)
If Dux was facing any of the other guys....he would have had more of a chance. Instead, he's the first stepping stone to the Best Technical Wrestling in the world.
Result:Sabre Jr. Via Ode to Breaks
If you've never dealt with the British Escapology style before, you might not be the most excited about it after seeing this match. The psychology is something to behold and the match was great. Sabre Jr. is in peak form and it would be surprising for him to bow out of any where before at least the Semi-Finals. I had seen Dux wrestle in TNA and was never really impressed. I understand his gimmick now, and due to that, I'm surprised that he hasn't had a go in NxT by now. By no means the best match of night 3, but it was entertaining.
10)Drew Gulak (US) vs. Harv Sihra (India/Canada)
Sihra's never dealt with someone with a style like Gulak's. He won't have an answer.
Result:Gulak via Dragon Sleeper
Gulak's style is not every person's taste, so it would be interesting to see how the casual fan reacted to such. A professional's professional, his victory sets up a VERY interesting matchup between his American Catch wrestling vs. Sabre Jr.'s British Escapology. Sihra had his moments but I believe that he would work better if him and his brother were to team together for a match.
11)Anthony Bennett (US) vs. Tony Nese (US)
Anthony Bennett wears shutter shades on his hair. So Obviously he's going to lose.
Result:Nese via 450.
The most 1-sided bout of Round 1 after the first 3 nights, Nese completed outshine Bennett here. Bennett was down at a scary moment after a devastating pump handle slam, and the 450 was all she wrote. I didn't take Bennett seriously due to the look and the gimmick, and I feel that he could have shined more against a different opponent, like a Tyson Dux or a Damian Slater. He'll be better hopefully the next time I watch one of his matches, but until then Nese deserved this spot without a doubt. This sets up a matchup with Brian Kendrick.
12)Kota Ibushi (Japan) vs. Sean Maluta (US/American Samoa)
Ibushi has the most hype and as much as Samoans and Roman Reigns fans want another Samoan dynasty cousin to win yet ANOTHER thing in WWE...Maluta is getting massacred in this round.
Result:Ibushi over Maluta with a Last Ride Lyger Bomb
Maluta impressed me and in the first episode had a fantastic match. Ibushi didn't show everything, but did reveal how devastating and meaningful his moves are, something that Ho Ho Lun can definitely learn from. The only slip up, was an attempted diagonal Tope Con Hilo. Maluta dove early, so he ended up hitting his back on the ropes on the way and nearly spilling out on the apron, but he was able to salvage it by turning it into a koppu kick as he accidentally landed on the apron. Ibushi now has a potential Match of the Tournament opportunity against the USA's Cedric Alexander
13)Jason Lee(Hong Kong/China) vs. Rich Swann(US)
Another personal pride one here. Swann is a Marylander. I have to root and choose him.
Result:Swann via Standing 450 Splash
This was a showcase for Swann and a good start for my fellow Maryland native. Lee was very good but is similar to fellow countryman Lun in one major factor: a lot of potential but very rough in the ring still.
14)Noam Dar(Israel/Scotland) vs. Gurv Sihra(India)
Dar's making history as the first Israeli born wrestler in WWE. He is on the same flight as Sabre Jr. and Ibushi. No reason for him to make a first round exit.
Dar via Champagne SuperKNEEbar
Dar was good in this matchup and Sihra was very technical. That being said, this was one of the more underwhelming matchups of the tournament.
15)Jack Gallagher (UK/England) vs. Fabian Aichner (Italy)
Gallagher is a dark horse in the tournament. Aichner is a relative unknown. Pretty unpredictable here.
Gallagher via charging corner dropkick
This was a potential Match of the Night candidate. Aichner was FANTASTIC and Gallagher was equally as Fantastic. I wish I could have seen more Aichner in this tournament but Gallagher was so crisp.
16)Johnny Gargano (US) vs. Tomasso Ciampa (US/Italy)
The toughest matchup because of the personal ties, Gargano is simply more well rounded.
Gargano via surprise crucifix
THE MATCH OF THE FIRST ROUND! With the most intrigue due to familiarity with the crowd, the two tag partners put on a masterpiece of psychology. A classic American Indy style match complete with sick bumps and drama that could fill three soap opera seasons, hands down the best match of the opening round.
Note: These predictions were made after the end of the first round without prior knowledge of spoilers
If you're curious, here's my opinionated ranking of the first round matches
1)Gargano over Ciampa:The most well rounded match, complete with drama.
2)Kendrick over Mendoza: Kendrick came over as a great heel, and Mendoza made himself a star in this match.
3)Gallagher over Aichner:Both men impressed with EVERYTHING in the match, but a lack of story depth compared to the top two matches keeps it third.
4)Perkins over Mack:Both men impressed wildly and Perkins proved why he's one of the biggest threats in the tournament.
5)Alexander over Petiot:Alexander was fantastic and dynamic. Defnitely the best match of night 1.
6)Ibushi over Maluta:Dynamic showcase that was just slightly overshadowed by the Alexander/Petiot match on night 1.
7)Dorado over Ali:#FLIPPYS---
8)Metalik over Saez: Great opener, but minus a few crazy moments, it wasn't as solid as a match overall.
9)Sabre Jr. Over Dux: Top niche match.
10)Tozawa over Johnson. Good storytelling match but Tozawa has much more.
11)Swann over Lee. #ShowcaseAllNightLong.
12)Tajiri over Slater: It was a sold match, but unspectacular compared to the above matches.
13)Gulak over H. Sihra: Gulak's style is fun for a diehard like myself. But this list was more than just my personal wrestling preferences. If it was just that, I'd have Sabre Jr as my top match of the night and this a close third. Gulak's wrestling is hard to swallow for someone who is looking for more fast paced action. Harv Sihra had a good showing, but also really wasn't considered a true threat for Gulak.
14)Lun over Daivari: Daivari made himself someone who should be picked up by Raw after the tournament is over, and Lun had some good moments, but compared to the remaining matches above them, I couldn't put them higher. Plus, they were the weak link of night 1.
15)Nese over Bennett: Nese dominated in what was essentially a one sided match. It was the type of match I expected from this pair and from a lot of the other pairings. The difference? The other matches exceeded my expectations. This didn't.
16)Dar over G. Sihra: This has nothing to do with the ability of Gurv or Noam. The main issue is that this match simply didn't connect as well to the fans. It was a bit rough and was also followed by two of my top three matches on this entire list in Gallagher/Aichner and Gargano/Ciampa. Plus with every other match, there was better chemistry between the two opponents.
Also, if you mathematically take the rankings mean based off of rankings, these would be my suggestions of which first round night was best:
1)Night 4 (Two of the best matches of round 1) 7.75
2)Night 1(Most top 10 matches of the four nights) 8.25
3)Night 2 (Underrated matches that were still fantastic)8.25
4)Night 3 (Niche night with an amazing main event)9.75
Round of 16 Predictions
1)Jack Gallagher Vs. Akira Tozawa
Gallagher (England) def. Tozawa (Japan)
Expect trickery to lead to a surprise submission.
Result:Tozawa via Delayed German Suplex
Tozawa may have won the match, but Gallagher left a permanent mark. Both men were fantastic and Tozawa did a good job making Gallagher look fantastic, and vice-versa. The ending made enough sense to where the Dragon Gate-Selling of Tozawa could be overlooked.
2)Gran Metalik vs. Yoshihiro Tajiri
Metalik (Mexico) def. Tajiri (Japan)
Metalik can always use his mask as a shield for the mist. Therefore, it will come down to the skills and Metalik can bring it.
Result:Metalik via Metalik Screwdriver/Dorado Driver
Fantastic opening match to the Round of 16. Tajiri did a great job showing he still has it after all these years and Metallic was equally as impressive.
3) Sabre Jr. (England) def. Gulak (US)
Only the most patient and coolest wrestling fans will be able to dig this match. Expect Sabre to win this match, but don't be entirely surprised if I'm wrong and Gulak walks out of this match.
Result:Sabre Jr. via European Clutch
I enjoyed this match so much. Completely different from the normal cruiserweight match, it was a technical clinic. Just a wonderful contest of sport, and stiff strikes. Can't wait for Sabre Jr. Vs. Dar!
4)Ho Ho Lun (China) vs. Noam Dar (Scotland)(Got this one Wrong)
First upset of the tournament right here. Dar has faced some of the best in the world and Lun is essentially unproven outside of Asia. If he can avoid Dar's kneebars, Lun will definitely advance.
Dar via Champagne SuperKneebar
For both men, it was a much better 2nd round. Lun did a fantastic job of selling and was smarter with his use of dropkicks. Dar was much more exciting in this round, and the crowd eventually got behind him, chanting his name to the Imperial March (DAR DAR DAR DAR DARDAR DAR DARDAR)
5)Kendrick (US) def. Nese (US)
Kendrick has something to prove more than Nese. Nese still has time after this opportunity. His job is to make an impact. Kendrick is on final legs. There's just more motivation for him to advance.
Kendrick via Crossface
This was a slower build compared to the other night 2 matches, but had greater drama at the end. Tony Nese was fantastic in this match and Kendrick can still go even more than I expect. Part of me hopes that Daniel Bryan runs from the commentary booth to try to help Brian Kendrick in his match against Kota Ibushi, considering the bias DB has. Best match of Round 2 Night 2.
6)Ibushi (Japan) def. Alexander (US)
Alexander isn't ready for Ibushi just yet....he held his own with Sabre a couple weeks ago at Pro Wrestling Syndicate, but Ibushi is battle forged and ready for all the pressures.
Result:Ibushi via Last Ride Sit-Out Powerbomb.....with less than 5 minutes left.
MY GOD.......This match trumped ALL of the first round matches. Cedric Alexander was MADE in this match, more so than in any company he has wrestled in worldwide. To go toe to toe with someone like Kota Ibushi, to the point where he had the crowd in the palm of his hand with every move IS AMAZING! To the rest of the field.....FOLLOW THAT.
7) Perkins (Philippines) def. Gargano (US)
Perkins via Kneebar
Such a fantastic back and forth match. No real heel, but no face...just straight up one-upmanship.
Loved it.
8) Swann (US) def. Dorado (Puerto Rico)
My reasoning behind these predictions is the amount of pull Swann vs. Perkins would have based off of similar backstories. Plus Ciampa could potential ruin a shot for Gargano to move a storyline within the tournament.
Swann def. Dorado via Phoenix Splash in a phenominal match. The only problem is that there were so many more dynamic matches that had a greater impact with the crowd.
Sweet 16 Match Rankings
1. Ibushi vs. Alexander
2. Sabre Jr. vs. Gulak
3. Perkins vs. Gargano
4. Metalik vs. Tajiri
5. Swann vs. Dorado
6. Tozawa vs. Gallagher
7. Kendrick vs. Nese
8. Dar vs. Lun
Therefore, my QuarterFinal matches look like this:
1)Gran Metalik vs. Jack Gallagher (I would predict Metalik)
2)Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ho Ho Lun (Sabre Jr.)
3)Kota Ibushi vs. Brian Kendrick (Ibushi)
4)Rich Swann vs. TJ Perkins (Swann)
Semi-Finals
1)Sabre Jr. vs. Metalik
2)Ibushi vs. Swann
Finals
Kota Ibushi (Japan) def. Zack Sabre Jr (England)
Between the two, I'm rooting for Sabre. I expect Ibushi to win and potentially earn a WWE/NxT Contract in the very near future. Also, Five Star match because Ibushi is so good at what he does, and Sabre knows the Japanese style very well. So hard hitting and insane sequences that should end with a final Phoenix Splash.
Those are my predictions. Im sticking with them because odds are I'm right (sometimes)
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