I was given WWEThere is the current path for global expansion, one abolished championship that could actually mean something beyond the marketing buzzword, something beyond the global cruiser championship. Once a showcase of innovation and international talent, the title has been sitting on the shelf, collecting dust somewhere since the end of its final run in 2022.
But now, 2025 has WWE’s recent acquisition of Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide and a new spotlight on Lucha Libre on WWE TV, and it may be the perfect time to bring this championship back to the fold.
Cruiserweight stole the show at WCW
WWE is struggling with this department
- WCW’s cruiserweight was fast, flashy and critically beloved.
- WWE has failed to replicate the same magic over multiple eras.
- High-flyers like Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero made the belt feel like the gold of the main event.
The WCW Cruiserweight Championship was a staple of the brands in the mid- to late 90s, but WWE couldn’t regain that magic. This division was more than just a central pit stop. It was a weekly destination for professional wrestling fans. High-flying breathtaking talent like Rey Mysterio JR, Eddie Guerrero and Juventud Guerrera looked more like live video game characters than actual performers. The matches were always fast, fluid and packed with style. The cruiserweight championship was more than just a belt, it was like a 200 mph art exhibition.
The championship came when WWE acquired WCW in 2001, but until Raw and Smackdown were separated in 2002, the Division had a chance to truly flourish again. There was a moment under the Smackdown banner in mid-2003, but the championship was scrapped in 2007 due to a rather bad booking decision due to a lack of reliable cruiserweight talent.
WWE did not try again until 2016. This will launch the Championship “205 Live ERA.” Fans got a lot of gems from their runs from cruiserweight superstars like Buddy Murphy, Cedric Alexander, Enzo Amore (NZO, Real 1) and Neville (PAC), but the show felt like the third or fourth wheel of WWE’s RAW and SMACKDOWN. The division had no visibility on the island of its own, and the championship itself definitely looked goofy, so the WWE/NXT Cruiserweight Championship disappeared like WWE’s 2020 Pyro Budget.
However, my appetite for flying cruiserweight wrestling has never disappeared. If anything, the current wrestling environment, where fans embrace high labor rates and international styles, as well as WWE’s purchase of AAAs and renewed interest in Lucha style, was more relevant than ever.
WWE & AAA can build bridges at cruiserweight championships
Lucha Libre was able to meet modern wrestling in the title
- WWE’s acquisition of AAA creates the perfect mutual promotion platform.
- The cruiserweight title could be a shared spotlight for Lucha’s talent.
- A potential dream match could be the headlines of international events.
AAA’s newly created ownership of WWE opens (Forbidden?) The door to something Fresh. We’re talking about Lucha Libre Madness, clashing in WWE style, masked, rope walking, and more than the lives of the crowd. It’s not just a strengthening of good business movements and rosters, it’s a cultural blend between WWE and AAA. Have you defended both promotions in both promotions, a better way to glue these two styles together than the revival of the legendary cruiserweight championship?
Imagine this: AAA’s Laredo kid defends a cruiserweight title against Dragon Lee in WWE PLE. This isn’t a fantasy reservation, it’s now one Marketing Gold and Match of Bait. Does WWE want international expansion? nice. Let’s start by bringing one of the most respected wrestling styles in the world back to the spotlight.
WWE requires the introduced World Cruiserweight Championship
You can’t fill up your leveling up NXT, like in 205 Live
- Nostalgia is a money printer when done with respect and vision.
- A unified title defended by all brands gives instant credibility.
- The style thrives elsewhere, so WWE needs to capitalize right now.
Nostalgia can make a fair amount of money in wrestling, but it’s easy to miss the mark. Therefore, the revival of the world’s cruiser-class championships must not only stand in itself, but be a full-fledged handshake with the rapped fans of the department from the days they enjoyed most. A foundation based on the history of wrestling. The WCW cruiserweight division gave many wrestling fans the first taste of international wrestling flavors, and while the sparks have been rekindled with WWE from time to time, it’s time for cruiserweight to shine again.
This time you have to do it correctly. You can’t get buried in the leveling up of WWE NXT or drift like you would at 205 Live. It requires television time, stakes and powerful creative things. If it’s treated with the right fame, fans will care. We’re calling it the “World Cruiserweight Championship” with the exclusion of “World Cruiserweight Championship,” but we combine all previous pedigrees to open departments to everyone within weight requirements from the main WWE rosters of AAA, NXT, TNA, and Raw and Smackdown. It would be nice to bring Mike Tenay along and call all the cruiserweight matches. This division could serve as another proof site for the right superstar when it arrives at any of these brands.
Cruiserweight wrestling has clearly continued to thrive in Indie Promotion, New Japan, AEW and of course, Lucha Libre during this time. So why should this style not be platformed in its own department?
