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http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/sports/columnists/detore/s_193118.html

Respect, TV time still eludes cruiserweights

By Rennie Detore

TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, May 9, 2004 

The stirring open challenge issued by cruiserweight champion Chavo
Guerrero two weeks ago on "Smackdown" carried an aura of legitimacy.
Long-time fans of the light-heavyweight division took notice.
Apparently, Vince McMahon didn't.
Guerrero dropped his coveted title to Jacqueline, the former women's
champion.

Not Ultimo Dragon. 

Not Rey Mysterio. 

Not even a notable newcomer. 

A division littered with potential and an equally up-and-coming
champion in Chavo gets squashed in a matter of minutes for the
apparent enjoyment and entertainment of fans. WWE will contend that it
has "big plans" for Chavo, and that one loss won't hurt his career
"over time," when in actuality, he was sacrificed for the sake of the
company's bigger goal -- entertainment, namely shock value.

The former WCW didn't do too many things right during Eric Bischoff's
tenure as president, but the company managed to properly promote
cruiserweights.

Legendary matches between Dean Malenko and Mysterio highlighted WCW's
summer in 1996 and again in '97. In fact, many mid-card WCW performers
later admitted what fans already knew: The cruiserweights are what
enthralled the wrestling audience, even more so than the nWo or the
collection of brittle, has-been heavyweights.

"Nitro" destroyed "Raw" for more than 80 weeks because
WCW offered a
style of wrestling seen only sporadically in the United States until
that point.

Two or three hours of "Nitro" often times were dedicated to younger,
and smaller, superstars such as Mysterio and Malenko, and also
featured Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Steve (William) Regal and Chris
Jericho, whom WCW perceived as being cruiserweights because of their
prowess, intensity and cult-like following.

Hardcore wrestling fans wanted great wrestling, and that is what WCW
was offering, in conjunction with name value afforded by the Hulk
Hogans and Randy Savages.

WWE, in mid-1997, attempted to start its own cruiserweight division,
giving The Great Sasuke and Taka Michinoku tryouts in July. Michinoku
impressed WWE officials so much that the company passed on the more
experienced Sasuke.

Taka captured the WWE cruiserweight title, then known as the
"light-heavyweight" title, in a makeshift tournament with little
fanfare. Years passed, Taka kept the title, and WWE still didn't know
what it was doing.

The company couldn't find the nerve or patience to truly rally behind
the division, only making it a priority when the time was convenient.

Even the addition of Mysterio did little to change McMahon's
perception that cruiserweights and their division aren't worth the
time or effort to seriously rally behind. McMahon, who has never been
a huge fan of smaller wrestlers, probably sees the division as more
burden with less benefits, citing a lack of serious drawing power for
the stars involved.

That argument doesn't hold since it wasn't long ago when Mysterio and
Matt Hardy wrestled in a cruiserweight championship match on
"Smackdown" to rave reviews and stellar ratings.

Once again, McMahon must not have been paying much attention. 

As for Michinoku, his career reached an all-time low when he started
losing squash matches to his burly, heavyweight colleagues.

That's the one thing WWE never picked up on while half-heartedly
trying to push cruiserweights. That the images of wrestlers
participating in that division need to be protected just as much as
any main-event heavyweight.

How could anyone take Michinoku seriously as a champion of his
division, when an aging, broken-down Barry Windham beat him in less
than three minutes?

And, how can anyone again care about what Chavo has to say or do, now
that he's been whipped by a woman?

Even more disheartening is that Chavo had been getting better behind
the mic, and finally wiggled his way out of uncle Eddie Guerrero's
spotlight as simply one-half of "The Guerreros."

Now, he's damaged goods, just like every other smaller cruiserweight
that WWE has barely attempted to showcase as more than fodder for a
bigger entertainment picture.


--- Internet Rex 2.29