WWE News: WWE Set To Do Global Cruiserweight Tournament This Summer
WWE has been wanting to do a lot of cool original content for the WWE Network, and they were planning to add a ton of content this year due to the fact that the fans seem to be buying into the product. Over one million subscribers are on the network and WWE feels that original content will continue to bring them back. WWE NXT has done well since the network started, as well as the NXT Takeover events and the normal main roster PPVs.
The PPVs are really the reason to get the network. We were paying over $50 for the shows, and now we pay $9.99. Even if PPVs are all you watch on the WWE Network, you’re getting a killer bargain. However, many want new and exciting content weekly. WWE has brought in Edge and Christian and gave them a weekly show, which will hopefully be fun and comedic knowing the two of them.
In addition to Camp WWE and Ride Along, WWE will be adding a new program to the WWE Network in a Global Cruiserweight Tournament.
According to the WWEwebsite,
“This tournament brings together more than 30 of the greatest in-ring competitors at Full Sail University in Orlando, Fla., to vie for the right to call themselves the best cruiserweight in the world. Global Cruiserweight Series is set to premiere Wednesday, July 13 at 9 p.m. ET on the award-winning WWE Network.”
Normally WWE NXT is done on Wednesday nights, so this very well could take the place of the show for a couple months or it could follow NXT. Usually NXT begins at 8/7c, so one would imagine that the tournament would follow. It is uncertain if WWE NXT stars will be part of it, or if WWE will bring in random people who are not under contract to be part of it. People under the WWN banner are sure to join the party for this most likely.
According to some rumors and reports, WWE would love to debut La Sombra in this tournament. This would allow WWE to introduce a new star who has not appeared on NXT and hopefully make him into a legit star for the NXT brand when the tournament is over.
While WWE clearly has a lot of people on the roster that fit the cruiserweight role well, it does make sense to bring in people just for the tournament that are not under contract too.
This is a good and bad idea for WWE. While most would be okay with such a tournament due to the potential for great matches alone, it does make one wonder why WWE even recognizes such a weight class. Over half of WWE’s roster in both NXT and the main roster fit the WWE’s old Light Heavyweight and Cruiserweight classification. Due to this, WWE has really not cared to bring back the title when they want to make stars out of the people of this size.
In fact, numerous stars such as Daniel Bryan and Seth Rollins actually fit this weight class. Dean Ambrose is nearing it as well. WWE does not want you to think of stars as small or underweight, due to Vince McMahon wanting guys to come off as SUPERSTARS! That said, don’t expect a title to come out of this, as a trophy would be it. If the tournament goes well, we very well could see it go down every single year for WWE similar to the plan to have the Dusty Rhodes Tag Tournament.
As of now, the idea simply is to help push one or two WWE newbies. It is uncertain who will be in the tournament, but WWE is rumored to have spoken with Lucha Underground and New Japan. While it might seem doubtful anyone from these places will come to WWE for this tournament, it could always happen if “the price is right.” We will have to wait and see. As for the tournament, it will be something we certainly will want to tune into this summer.
[Image via WWE]
