WCW Cruiserweight Title History
3/20/96; Nagoya, Japan
– Shinjiro Ohtani pinned Chris Benoit; due to pre-match stipulations, Ohtani became the first WCW Cruiserweight Champion
5/2/96; Orlando, FL; Disney / MGM Studios
Worldwide – 5/18/96:
– Dean Malenko defeated WCW Cruiserweight Champion Shinjiro Ohtani (w/ Sonny Onoo) to win the title at 4:48 via submission with the Texas Cloverleaf after catching Ohtani in mid-air as he attempted a dropkick off the top; Tony Schiavone & Dusty Rhodes provided commentary for the bout; during the match, it was noted Ohtani defeated Brad Armstrong in the tournament final for the championship when in fact it was Chris Benoit
7/8/96; Orlando, FL; Disney / MGM Studios
Monday Nitro
– Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko to win the title at around the 12:30 mark by reversing a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker into a hurricanrana and cover
Halloween Havoc 96 – 10/27/96; Las Vegas, NV; MGM Grand Garden Arena
– Dean Malenko pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. to win the title at 18:32 with a gutwrench powerbomb off the top; Mike Tenay provided guest commentary for the match; during the bout, Mysterio regained possession of a mask Malenko recently stole from him and removed the mask he had been wearing to put on the other one
– J Crown Champion the Ultimo Dragon (w/ Sonny Onoo) pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko to win the title at 18:31 with a reversal into a modified dragon suplex; during the bout, it was announced the Dragon would defend his existing 8 cruiserweight titles Jan. 4 in Tokyo against Jushin Liger; only Malenko’s title was at stake in the match; Mike Tenay did guest commentary for the contest
Clash of the Champions XXXIV – 1/21/97; Milwaukee, WI; Wisconsin Center
– Dean Malenko defeated WCW Cruiserweight Champion the Ultimo Dragon (w/ Sonny Onoo) to win the title at around the 15-minute mark via submission with the Texas Cloverleaf after knocking Onoo off the ring apron; Mike Tenay did guest commentary for the bout
SuperBrawl VII – 2/23/97; San Francisco, CA; Cow Palace
– Syxx pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko to win the title at 12:02 when Syxx hit Malenko with the title belt after a tug-of-war over the belt with WCW US Champion Eddie Guerrero, who came out late in the match to prevent the challenger from using the weapon; Syxx came to the ring in possession of the belt after stealing it from Malenko weeks earlier
6/28/97; Inglewood, CA; Great Western Forum
Saturday Nitro – free Internet-exclusive audio show
– Chris Jericho pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Syxx to win the title at the 37-second mark with a spinning heel kick after moving out of the way of Syxx’s Bronco Buster attempt
7/28/97; Charleston, WV; Civic Center
Monday Nitro
– Alex Wright pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Chris Jericho to win the title with a German suplex
8/12/97; Colorado Springs, CO
WCW Saturday Night – 8/16/97:
– Chris Jericho pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Alex Wright to win the title
Fall Brawl 97 – 9/14/97; Winston-Salem, NC; Lawrence Joel Coliseum
– Eddie Guerrero pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Chris Jericho with the Frog Splash to win the title at 17:20 after landing on top of the champion as Jericho attempted a superplex
– Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Eddie Guerrero in a mask vs. title match to win the title at 13:49 by reversing a Splash Mountain off the top into a hurricanrana and cover; after the bout, Guerrero attacked Mysterio from behind and threw him to the floor; Mike Tenay did guest commentary for the bout
Monday Nitro
– Eddie Guerrero pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. to win the title at 5:58 with the frog splash after the challenger reversed Mysterio’s hurricanrana and dropped him throat-first across the top rope; after the contest, Dean Malenko came out, went nose to nose with Guerrero, and then left the ring
12/29/97; Baltimore, MD; Arena
Monday Nitro
– The Ultimo Dragon defeated WCW Cruiserweight Champion Eddie Guerrero via submission with the Dragon Sleeper to win the title at 1:26; prior to the bout, Guerrero attacked the challenger from behind as he made his way out to the ring; after the match, Guerrero threw Dragon to the floor
1/8/98; Daytona Beach, FL; Ocean Center
Thunder
– Juventud Guerrera pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Ultimo Dragon to win the title
1/15/98; Lakeland, FL; Jenkins Arena
Thunder
– Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Juventud Guerrera to win the title at 9:48 with a hurricanrana into a roll up after avoiding the champion’s 450 splash
Souled Out 98 – 1/24/98; Dayton, OH; Hara Arena
– Chris Jericho defeated WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. via submission with the Liontamer to win the title after reversing a hurricanrana off the top at 8:22; Mike Tenay did guest commentary for the bout; after the contest, Jericho took the mic and said it was the greatest moment of his life; moments later, when the fans booed Jericho, he said he would give them a reason to boo then and then tore off Mysterio’s knee brace and beat him with it; Jericho then threw Mysterio to the floor and rammed a steel tool box into Mysterio’s already injured knee before then leaving ringside and saying he was sorry (Mysterio’s last appearance for 6 months)
Slamboree 98 – 5/17/98; Worcester, MA; Centrum
– Dean Malenko defeated WCW Cruiserweight Champion Chris Jericho to win the title via submission with the Texas Cloverleaf
Monday Nitro
– Billy Kidman pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Juventud Guerrera to win the title at 10:44 with the Shooting Star Press after catching the champion coming off the top and hitting a powerbomb; during the bout, Mike Tenay joined the commentary team and hinted that Ric Flair could be on his way to the show; after the bout, Perry Saturn appeared ringside and applauded Kidman’s title win
3/15/98; Cincinnati, OH; Firstar Center
Monday Nitro:
– Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Billy Kidman to win the title with a bulldog off the top at around the 9:30 mark; after the match, the two shook hands and hugged
– Evan Karagias (w/ Madusa) pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Disco Inferno at 7:59 to win the title with a springboard crossbody into the ring after Disco accidentally hit Tony Marinara, who did guest commentary for the match, with a steel chair; due to pre-match stipulations, Karagias won $25,000 that was put up for the match; after the bout, Karagias and Madusa kissed in the ring as Disco carried Marinara backstage
3/30/00; Baltimore, MD; Arena
– Billy Kidman defeated WCW Cruiserweight Champion the Artist to win the title
3/31/00; Pittsburgh, PA
– The Artist defeated WCW Cruiserweight Champion Billy Kidman to win the title
– 4/10/00: All titles were declared vacant by Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo.
Spring Stampede 00 – 4/16/00; Chicago, IL; United Center
– Chris Candido defeated Shane Helms, Shannon Moore, Crowbar (w/ David Flair & Daffney), Lash Laroux, the Artist (w/ Paisley), and Juventud Guerrera at 5:12 to win the vacant WCW Cruiserweight Title after Tammy Sytch came out, shoved the Artist off the top – with him landing head-first on a steel chair – and shoved Candido on top for the win; after the bout, Tammy and Paisley fought for several moments until they were pulled apart (Sytch’s surprise debut)
5/15/00; Biloxi, MS; Mississippi Coast Coliseum
Monday Nitro:
– Crowbar & Daffney defeated WCW Cruiserweight Champion Chris Candido & Tammy Sytch when Crowbar pinned Candido; due to pre-match stipulations, Crowbar won the cruiserweight title
5/22/00; Grand Rapids, MI; Van Andel Arena
Monday Nitro:
– Daffney pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Crowbar to win the title
6/6/00; Knoxville, TN; Civic Coliseum
Thunder – 6/7/00:
– Chavo Guerrero Jr. defeated WCW Cruiserweight Champion Daffney and Disco Inferno to win the title
7/31/00; Cincinnati, OH; FirstStar Center
Monday Nitro:
– WCW US & WCW Hardcore Champion Lance Storm defeated WCW Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero Jr. (w/ Gen. Rection & Cpl. Cajun) to win the title at 3:22 via submission with the Canadian Maple Leaf after reversing a hurricanrana attempt; prior to the bout, Storm announced he had renamed the Hardcore title to the Saskatchewan Hardcore International Title and suggested WCW be referred to as World Canadian Wrestling during his matches; early in the bout, it was announced the wife of WCW World Champion Booker T had been taken to a nearby hospital and that Booker was on his way back to the arena; Rection & Cajun provided guest commentary for the bout; after the match, Kevin Nash appeared and kicked Storm in the face after Storm refused to leave the ring so Nash could cut a promo
8/14/00; Kelowna, British Columbia; Skyreach Place
Monday Nitro:
– WCW US Champion Lance Storm presented the title to Elix Skipper
10/2/00; San Francisco, CA; Cow Palace
Monday Nitro:
– Kevin Nash & Mike Sanders defeated WCW Cruiserweight Champion Elix Skipper in a handicap match; due to stipulations, Sanders won the title
12/4/00; Lincoln, NE; Pershing Auditorium
Thunder – 12/6/00:
– Chavo Guerrero Jr. pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Mike Sanders to win the title
Greed – 3/18/01; Jacksonville, FL; Coliseum
– Shane Helms pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero Jr. to win the title