10 Best WWE Matches Of 2016

8. Kota Ibushi vs. Cedric Alexander - Cruiserweight Classic

In a round-of-16 match that aired on August 10th, American wrestler Cedric Alexander took on Japanese sensation (and one of the tournament favourites) Kota Ibushi in the WWE Cruiserweight Classic. Alexander had but a fraction of Ibushi’s star power but, by the end of the night, everyone knew his name. 

These two pulled out all the stops, hitting all the big athletic moves, showing off all the dramatic facial expressions, and driving the CWC crowd into a frenzy. Over the course of 15 exhilarating minutes, the audience fell in love with this pair, especially Alexander, who won their hearts as the valiant underdog. 

Ibushi might have scored the pin, but chants of “Please sign Cedric” made it clear that the other man in the match was also a winner in the eyes of the fans and helped him earn a WWE contract proper.