If we’re allowed to put those opening-round play-in games of the NCAA basketball tournament under the banner of “March Madness,” then by that same logic, I can happily report that the WWE Global Cruiserweight Series is under way. Two opening round qualifier matches are already in the books, and if they’re any indication, we may not have enough fire emojis to accurately cover this tourney. As previously announced, England’s PROGRESS Wrestling hosted the first qualifiers at their Chapter 29 event, and WWE has done us the favor of posting highlights. Take a second to let that sink in, by the way. WWE is hosting content from an active independent wrestling promotion on their YouTube channel. These are uncharted waters.
First up, it’s “The Extraordinary Gentleman” Jack Gallagher versus “Bruiserweight” Pete Dunne. I’d never seen either of them in action before this, and I must say, Gallagher’s work is right up my alley. He also looks like what you’d get if Prince Harry became a Vaudevillain, so he’s got that going for him. Major props to the crowd for singing “He’s got a pineapple on his head” at Dunne. In the end, it’s Gallagher advancing via submission.
In the second qualifier, we get to hear four words that have been said quite a bit in 2016’s pro wrestling landscape: “Zack Sabre, Jr. wins.” The PWG World Champion is one of the world’s most sought-after wrestlers, so it only made sense for him to advance into the Global Cruiserweight Series. He defeated Flash Morgan Webster in another submission-heavy match.
One more UK qualifier remains, as Noam Dar will take on Josh Bodom for Revolution Pro Wrestling on May 1. The majority of the GCS field has yet to be announced, so there are probably more fun surprises in store. In the meantime, send some good will to Flash Morgan Webster, who suffered torn ligaments and a dislocated shoulder during his qualifier yet still finished the match.
