Triple Threat for the Cruiserweight championship
It’s the current titleholder vs. the last two, and only other, men to wear the purple belt.
The Road to Roadblock
Rich Swann may have won the cruiserweight title as part of a great moment during the premiere of 205 Live, but the story which will play out in Pittsburgh this weekend has its roots back in this Summer’s Cruiserweight Classic (CWC) at the genesis of WWE’s push of smaller, lighter wrestlers.
Not only was that critically acclaimed tournament eventually won by Swann’s friend TJ Perkins, but Perkins defeated Rich in the quarterfinals to become the first man to wear the purple strap. The two swore it wouldn’t effect their friendship, but, this is wrestling.
TJP carried the belt into the division’s debut on Raw, but eventually fell victim to Brian Kendrick’s mind games. Perkins didn’t lay down for the veteran as Kendrick asked him to, but he got played nonetheless. Matters only got worse when the then-champ walked out their rematch, taking a countout loss.
While that was going, Swann was proving to have Brian’s number. A series of wins in tag and non-title matches set up the 205 Live title victory, and while the rematch between them the following week ended more conclusively than TJ’s last shot at Kendrick, it’s finish did officially reinsert Perkins back into the picture when his presence at commentary proved to be a distraction which led to the Swann retaining.
Over the past two weeks, the current champ and Perkins have traded wins themselves. Swann pinned TJ on the Dec. 6 Raw, while the one-WWE-wants-you-to-call-Outlandish tapped to a kneebar on the most recen 205 Live. That last bout, of course, ending in typical pre pay-per-view (PPV) chaos when Kendrick came to the ring to congratulate the pair, and things devolved into violence.
TL;DR - Nobody likes or trusts Kendrick, TJP and Swann are still friends but there’s a lot of tension, and everybody wants the title.
What's at stake?
Said title, which comes with a presence on Monday and Tuesday nights while Vince McMahon and company continue to try and figure out the best way to make this cruiserweight thing work.
Who wins? Can they get PPG Paints Arena to make some noise during the match?
Find out on WWE Network, or right here at Cageside Seats!