~Tritt herein~ » Saez, the largest competitor in the CWC field,

It is a sin to waste time on mediocre entertainment. With that in mind, we present our Fifth Annual League Pass Rankings, an infallible, scientific watchability index for the NBA season, which somehow starts in just 19 days. Sure, you could fill a good chunk of the next six months alternating between the Warriors and your favorite team, but you are a true NBA fan. You dabble. When players fly around the league in free agency, you are the go-to expert in your friend group.The League Pass Ranking will maximize your happiness. As usual, Ive assigned every team a score, ranging from 1 to 10, across five traditional categories:PLAYOFFS/ZEITGEIST: A rough estimate of a teams place in the national barroom debate. This naturally favors good teams, controversy and teams that might drive the trade marketplace.INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHT PRODUCTION: Were looking for players who make Twitter explode and force everyone not watching them to change channels. Curiosities such as Joel Embiid and (sigh) Ben Simmons pump up a teams score here.STYLE: Fast breaks and fancy passing are more fun than plodding iso-ball. Starless teams, such as the peak Mike Budenholzer Hawks, can gain ground in this category.LEAGUE PASS MINUTIA: Instead of looking at your spouse, youll be gazing at the court and the uniforms. Instead of hearing about his or her workday, youll listen to announcers yapping about the action. On some level, these things define the look and feel of an NBA game.UNINTENTIONAL COMEDY: This was Bill Simmons pet category, back when we started this at Grantland. The silly, stupid and Vine-worthy get you points here: Dion Waiters forlorn pleas for the basketball, everything JaVale McGee has ever done, Kendrick Perkins taking 17 steps without dribbling, teammate feuds, Nick Youngs shot selection, Tom Thibodeaus bellow and much, much more.I break all ties based on personal preference.30. BROOKLYN NETS (20 points)Im not proud of this, but I manipulated the rankings to shove the Nets into dead last. An annual perfect 10 in the League Pass Minutia category has spared Brooklyn the ignominy of the cellar too many times. Call it the Ian Eagle Corollary: Every five years, the holy rankings system will deduct at least two points from the Nets if such a deduction is required for accuracy. And so it shall be.Ironically, Linsanity II: The Gentrification might produce appealing hoops -- even to those beyond Boston fans rooting against the Nets. Kenny Atkinson, the teams new head coach, worked with Lin in New York before spending four years in Atlanta under Budenholzer. Plop Lin back into a Mike DAntoni-style pick-and-roll attack, mix in some Hawksy side-to-side action, and you might brew up something fun.The Nets just dont have the personnel to make it potent. Brook Lopez is too slow to set a pick and dive inside for an alley-oop; hes an ambler who prefers to pop for jumpers, loft floaters from the midrange, and post up on both blocks. The Nets have ranked 21st or lower in pace in each of the past five seasons, and its hard to run when Lopez is the fulcrum.The Nets likely wont have the spacing to unclutter the lane for Lopez, anyway, especially if they start Rondae Hollis-Jefferson -- a tenacious, switchy defender whose bricky jumper is all pointy elbows. Still, it will be fun to watch Hollis-Jefferson, Chris McCullough and the pups develop, and Luis Scola will be sonning fools with floppy-haired up-and-under moves until he dies. Lopez improved his passing last season, and worked a mean give-and-go with Shane Larkin; maybe hell do the same with Lin.Hit me with a Swamp Dragons alternate jersey, and I might consider lifting the Nets out of last.29. DENVER NUGGETS (20.5)Well, this is surprising -- and a sign of how damn fun the league is now that everyone understands the power of 3s, pace, and freedom of movement. Denver has at least seven interesting 25-and-under guys, including Nikola Jokic and Jusuf Nurkic, the duo some in the Denver brain trust want starting over Kenneth Faried. (Spoiler: Faried will not take this well, and Michael Malone might start him just to avoid the awkwardness.)Jokic shocked the league as a rookie with his shooting touch and Gasolian playmaking, including a taste for leading fast breaks. Nurkic is a bulldozer who swears so loudly you can hear it through the TV, and he had the balls to taunt Kobe freaking Bryant as a rookie.Malone played better defense along the sideline than James Harden played in any actual game last season, and Danilo Gallinaris hunched drives trick everyone into fouling him. And, hey! Remember Wilson Chandler?The Nuggets will also be at the epicenter of the trade market. Theyve been dangling Faried off and on for three years, and continue to now, sources say. They could deal in either team-building direction: turn young players and extra picks into a bigger name, or go full rebuild by flipping their established veterans for more picks. You can win 30-something games for only so long before ownership jolts you in one direction -- even if this ownership gave its entire front office contract extensions over the summer.Denver feels some regret over rejecting trade offers for Gallinari last season, when he had more time left on his contract, and the Nuggets face a harsh choice now, as he enters the final year of his deal: Trade him for less, pay him a ton as he approaches 30, or let him walk for nothing.The Nuggets are just a hard sell to casual fans. There is no must-watch name, no identifiable style (yet), no powder blue on the home floor and no stopping Scott Hastings, their color guy, from ranting at the officials.28. PHOENIX SUNS (22)The Suns and Nuggets make you appreciate what Toronto has done in fielding two teams at once -- a veteran team that is really good and an intriguing bench squad of prospects who rarely play. Phoenix and Denver have the bifurcated rosters, but they dont win games. The intrigue of youth gets you only so far in these rankings.Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss probably wont play much as rookies, though with P.J. Tucker recovering from surgery, Earl Watson might be tempted to (gulp) shoehorn Bender into wing minutes.It will be nice to see Eric Bledsoe again. Phoenix has to be crushed that Bledsoe and Brandon Knight have barely logged 1,000 minutes together since the Point Guard Trading Orgy of 2015, and now Watson has Knight coming off the bench. Knight has always conceived of himself as a classic point guard, but thats not what he is, and the Suns may be nudging him toward his destiny as a Jamal Crawford type. The cap spike accidentally made it acceptable -- and in some cases, unavoidable -- for teams to bring big-money players off the bench.Still, the Suns did not flip a coveted Lakers pick for Knight, and then pay him $14 million per season, to be a backup. The league is cool on Knight now, but given the dearth of wings, the Suns might find a palatable trade market if Knight starts strong. (There is no indication that they have any interest in trading Bledsoe right now, sources say.)Benching Knight means fewer botched alley-oops between Knight and Tyson Chandler, and less of Chandler pouting the facial equivalent of, Why in the hell did I sign here, again? That hurts the unintentional comedy score.On the bright side, the Devon Booker/T.J. Warren starting duo brings a nice new-school/old-school vibe, and dunkin Jared Dudley always makes the smart play. Steve Albert and Eddie Johnson are secretly a top-five broadcast team, and the team finally slapped purple back onto the floor after its hideous black-and-orange Halloween phase.27. LOS ANGELES LAKERS (22)Even assuming Metta World Peace doesnt make the team, the Lake Show is untouchable in the comedy category: Young (until they waive him), DAngelo Russells social media recovery, Chairman Yi, Timofey Mozgov being here for some reason, Lou Williams artful flopping, Marcelo Huertas passing up layups more egregiously than Rajon Rondo and so much more.The Snapchat (or whatever) scandal overshadowed the command Russell showed when the Lakers let him run without Kobe Bryant. He has a brainy, manipulative, stop-and-start dribble, and threads zippy, cross-court passes one step ahead of defenses. Hes going to be really good. Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle and Larry Nance Jr. are three very different front-line prospects, and everyone is going to love Luke Walton.Jordan Clarkson could be a steal at his new salary, and Walton tossing the point guard mantle to Russell provides Clarkson a more defined role. The Lakers have the best home floor in the league, gorgeous jerseys and a play-by-play guy who might chill on the insane histrionics now that Bryant is gone.26. MIAMI HEAT (25)Im as surprised as you are. A lot of the Heats stylistic appeal left with Dwyane Wades old man crossovers and bank shots that roll down the glass like melting candy. Chris Bosh is sidelined, leaving a heap of mostly unproven young guys around the Goran Dragic-Hassan Whiteside centerpiece.Dragic can set his own pace with Wade gone, and he developed a nice pick-and-roll chemistry with Whiteside late last season. Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson transformed Miami into a turnover-producing, fast-breaking chaos engine whenever they entered the game last season, and Tyler Johnson is back to join them.But they have to prove they can do it in larger roles, and Richardson is coming off knee surgery. Im bullish on Johnson as a rotation guy, but its objectively insane that the Heat have committed $50 million to a guy who has never even played 1,000 minutes in a season. (Random aside: Look for the league and union to change the obscure Gilbert Arenas rule so that matching teams can distribute salary more evenly across the length of a deal like Johnsons.)When Wade cut the cord, Miami scrambled to fill space with leftovers and low-basketball IQ risks. The team is a bit of mystery, without much for the eyes and ears -- despite having approximately 87 jerseys. Lets hope Erik Spoelstra swallows hard and plays James Johnson, who lives on the line between insanity and genius.25. ATLANTA HAWKS (25)Oh my god. I might have to recalibrate any system that drops Team Cognoscenti 15 spots in a single season. Do Dwight Howards farts carry that devastating a stench? Perhaps the ratings are skeptical about mixing Howards slowing interior game with Budenholzers pass-happy, outside-in machine. The Hawks built their team around the idea that defenses couldnt keep up with two big men -- Al Horford and Paul Millsap -- comfortable popping, dishing, and screening 25 feet from the hoop. On defense, Horford and Millsap harassed ball-handlers 30 feet from the rim, arms spread into passing lanes, forming a hydra that swiped a ton of turnovers.What do they do now? On offense, they want to use the Dennis Schroder-Howard pick-and-roll to batter the rim -- a fine style, but also one that robs the Hawks of what made them the Hawks.Schroders slithery recklessness on the pick-and-roll is magnetic, even if he struggles to finish wild flails at the rim. Millsap is one of the leagues finest all-around players, but some of his best work is the stuff you miss on first watch -- not exactly change the channel! material.There is something a little stale about the arena and television experience. The new court, with its shaded, feathery pattern in the paint, is a little too busy for my taste.24. CHARLOTTE HORNETS (26.5)Yes, the conservative Hornets eased onto the gas last season and jacked more 3s than all but four teams while playing on that brilliant, teal, honeycombed floor. Yes, Kemba Walker is the Big Balls Dance incarnate late in games. Try selling non-Charlotte fans on the nuances of a Nicolas Batum-Cody Zeller pick-and-roll, or their military-grade obedience in forsaking the offensive glass to get back on defense.As much as they moved away from him, Charlotte might miss Al Jeffersons McHaleian footwork. They dont really have anyone who gets buckets one-on-one, and they leaned on Big Al to torture Hassan Whiteside during long stretches of their first-round series against Miami.Good thing Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is back to inject anarchy. Steve Clifford has given Kidd-Gilchrist carte blanche to crash the offensive glass, and holy hell does MKG crash into everything. He is a bigger Tony Allen on defense; no one runs back harder, to the point that MKGs footsteps unnerve ball-handlers who assume everyone has given up stopping their 1-on-0 fast break.The starting Batum-MKG-Marvin Williams trio can switch across three positions, a boon for any modern NBA defense. The Roy Hibbert Rehabilitation Project is of interest to all of us who miss Indiana Hibbert.23. ORLANDO MAGIC (27.5)We need Evan Fourniers hairstyle plan for the full season to really nail this ranking. Im stoked to watch the Magic! If they are this far down, the league is in a great spot. Aaron Gordon is probably a year away from being a consistent change the channel! star, and the system is pessimistic about his transition to the wing -- and Frank Vogels plan to use him like a bouncier Paul George. The trio of Gordon, Serge Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo should form a massive switching terror on defense.Vogels task of sorting out the overcrowded big man rotation is more fun on paper than as a viewing experience. I am ready to not watch Jeff Green play basketball for a year. Nikola Vucevic has a smooth all-around game -- he made huge strides as a passer last season -- but hes also an obvious trade candidate when Orlando decides to balance its roster.The trimmings are as pleasant as anyplace outside New York City: sharp court, killer black-and-blue uniform set, and announcing from David Steele and Jeff Turner that is both neutral and incisive.22. INDIANA PACERS (28)Larry Bird wants to speed things up, but the Pacers already played at a top-10 pace last season while ranking a bricky 23rd in points per possession. They were even worse when their three holdover starters -- Paul George, Monta Ellis and Myles Turner -- shared the floor, per NBA.com. If Jeff Teague cant at least approach his (by far) career-best 3-point mark from last season, the Pacers may struggle to generate breathing room for all their slashers. George Hill might have been a better fit for this team than Teague, at least as long as Ellis is around.Even so, George is a liquid two-way presence, and it will be fascinating to watch Turner evolve into a stretch center who can both shoot 3s and block shots. Thaddeus Young fools defenders with arrhythmic floaters that look all wrong, but end up cash. Jeffersons post artistry is always welcome, and the Pacers are sliding him into the perfect twilight role as a second-unit destroyer. Big Al can prop up punchless bench units without having to defend opposing starters and play crunch time when the Pacers need scoring.The clean court with its teensy center logo reflects Hoosier values: The basketball is all that matters.21. CHICAGO BULLS (29)The names are bright, but the downside is unsightly: three non-shooters over-dribbling amid a forest of defenders, in search of any workable shot.The frontcourt is filled with exciting players who boost the comedy score. Nikola Mirotic and his sweaty beard are good for at least three ridiculous, infuriating pump fakes every game. Bobby Portis is going to be good. Fred Hoiberg has been starting Taj Gibson early in preseason, but Mirotic deserves first crack at that power forward spot; you cant roll out lineups featuring zero guys who shoot 3s. Dont sleep on Portis as a candidate to snag that spot for a stretch.No one outside Chicago noticed, but Cristiano Felicio emerged late last season as a cinder-block banger with some touch. Can Robin Lopez coax Benny the Bull into a heel turn, forming a tag-team that attacks rival mascots?The snorting bull is the leagues best logo, and the court looks even better now that the Bulls have enlarged the centerpiece while removing the superfluous basketball that lingered behind it for years. The narrower baseline font, installed last season, is a massive upgrade over the cartoonish balloon font that preceded it.If you are one of those snobs too good for Neil Funks gravelly voice and Stacey Kings silly nicknames, we cant be friends.20. UTAH JAZZ (29)Were all excited about the Jazz, but can they speed it the hell up already? Utah ranked dead last in pace, and their possessions after snagging defensive rebounds -- opportunities to run! -- were egregiously slow, per the tracking site Inpredictable. Utah frittered away the first 10 seconds of every possession with rote sequences of passes and cuts before getting to the real stuff.The Hawks and Spurs go through similar rituals, but with more vigor -- and heightened awareness for openings to abort and attack. Quin Snyder has talked about ditching the prelude more often, and that would help a middle-of-the-road offense that grinds amid cramped spacing when Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert share the floor.We saw that pairing in only 49 games last season, after they went Godzilla on the league in the last two months of the season. The Jazz need to see more of it, against top competition, before declaring Favors and Gobert the $50 million long-term frontline -- especially with Trey Lyles looking like a stretchy playmaker who could play alongside either.Utah sussing all of that out ahead of Gordon Haywards free agency makes for a juicy subplot. Boris Diaw is a one-of-a-kind trickster, the new court puts that perfect jazz note logo in a more prominent position, and Snyder makes the best coach faces.19. SAN ANTONIO SPURS (29)The megaphone homerism of San Antonios broadcast crew always hurts here, but it is stunning -- and probably stupid -- to see the Spurs 19th. Kawhi Leonard is the first perimeter defender since Scottie Pippen and Gary Payton so impossible to navigate, opponents just give up the ball and say, Here, I cant deal with this dude. He gobbles up steals without gambling his way out of position or fouling -- a delicate balance almost literally no one else can strike. Id watch a full-game camera showing only Leonard playing defense over the tanking nonsense that masquerades as basketball in April.But there is something a little passé about these guys. The passing style that shell-shocked the league from 2010-2014 has run its course. When these Spurs ape that strategy, they will look like a slower version of the old Millsap/Horford Hawks, with LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol manning opposite wings. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili dont have the ballhandling verve of years past, and if Parker cant flit to the rim against postseason defenses, San Antonio might face a dribbling deficit.The Spurs make up for it by slowing down for Leonard and Aldridge post-ups, but those arent must-see TV unless Aldridge gets on one of his fadeaway hot streaks. The bench beyond Ginobili and the effervescent Patty Mills is a collection of unknowns and retreads, though Jonathon Simmons brings a fun, breakneck, drive-and-dish game.18. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (30)Believe it or not, these guys ranked a few spots higher before the sad news about Ben Simmons. I mean, Im sorry, but watching Simmons and Joel Embiid develop during another mega-losing season would have been more fun -- and more appealing to dabbling fans-- than a garden-variety game between 42-win Eastern Conference teams.As it is, we finally get to see Embiid play against something other than air, chairs, and 5-foot-10 coaches. I cant freaking wait. Once the Sixers deal either Nerlens Noel or Jahlil Okafor, the other will get to go solo as Embiids backup -- and probably share some minutes with him.And theyll have real, actual NBA guards to feed them the ball! Sergio Rodriguez is a whip smart passer, and Gerald Henderson is one of the sneakiest leapers in the league when he can load up off two feet; hell unleash a half-dozen earthquake dunks that come out of nowhere. Fans are going to love Dario Sarics blend of European refinement and sharp-elbowed grime, and if Simmons does come back this season, Brett Brown will see what the two power forwards can do together. Im optimistic they can work well alongside Embiid.Simmons absence might open time for Jerami Grant, who hunts dunks and blocks with a full-speed violence that is scary. He is a collision waiting to happen. Sauce Castillo is still here!Browns enthusiasm seeps through the TV, and everything about the broadcast is aces -- the floor, the unis and the expert work of Marc Zumoff on the play-by-play.17. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (30)This is the lowest-ever ranking for the team bringing Marc Gasols unmatched high -post ingenuity and Tony Allens Tony Allen-ness. After so many years, we can close our eyes and visualize every step of every 24-second, half-court slog involving the Grizzlies famed Core Four: Mike Conleys in-and-out dribbles and righty teardrops, Zach Randolphs jab-step dance on the right block, Gasols underhanded bowling ball passes, and Allens cant-watch-but-cant-look-away fast- break adventures.Dave Joerger, now the Kings coach, tried to bring these guys into the 2010s by briefly using Z-Bo off the bench, and David Fizdale will open the season with the same pace-and-space gambit -- giving Z-Bos tenured starting to spot the hungry JaMychal Green. Fizdale has Marc Gasol shooting 3s in preseason, and Chandler Parsons projects as the perfect new addition to the cast: a secondary ball -handler with 3-point range who will love cutting baseline for Gasol high-lows.Alas, Parsons knee still isnt right. The bench is a mystery; Memphis is one injury away from the lottery, and owes its draft pick -- with top-five protection -- to Denver.Look, Ill always tune in for Gasols genius and Allens caffeinated defense. The court is nice, but for the love of the Z-Bound, get Sean Tuohys insufferable press box cheering off my television.16. WASHINGTON WIZARDS (30)It seems like the Wizards should be higher. John Wall streaking down the floor, with gunners fanning out around him, is one of the most thrilling sights in basketball. Only LeBron slings better cross-court passes to corner shooters. Wall slacked on defense last season, but when hes dialed in, he can be a terror -- a long, speedy menace leaping into passing lanes at just the right moment. The Wizards need that John Wall.Wall needs a healthy Bradley Beal, and for Otto Porter to do just a little bit more on both ends. Markieff Morris launched more triples as a Wizard, and if he (finally) gets more comfortable beyond the arc, Washingtons starting five -- a solid plus-5.5 points per 100 possessions in limited minutes last season -- could coalesce into an effective spread pick-and-roll group around Wall.But the wing rotation is scary thin beyond Beal and Porter, and its unclear how Scott Brooks, the teams new coach, can divide minutes among a half-dozen center types. Tomas Satoransky looms as a crucial bench player -- skilled enough to run point on offense, and big enough to guard wings.The Wiz viewing experience feels tired, and we dont have Randy Wittman around to enliven it with his whiteboard confusion and immortal Wittman Faces.Check out Part 2. Luka Doncic Jersey .ca NBA Power Rankings, ahead of the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs. Custom Dallas Mavericks Jerseys .ca! Hi Kerry, Heres an interesting one. I know its common knowledge that all players are responsible for their sticks. We witnessed that when Zack Kassian hit Edmontons Sam Gagner in the face after a missed check. http://www.mavericksteamofficial.info/jalen-brunson-mavericks-jersey/ . NBA officials ruled the court unplayable in the Bucks final exhibition game on Oct. 25 because players were slipping, and the game was cancelled midway through the first period. Luka Doncic Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Luka Doncic Mavericks Jersey . The veteran safety was a starter for the Bengals from 2008-2012. He totaled 41 tackles and three interceptions while starting all but four of the 13 games he played last season. There was a tremendous buzz among wrestling fans when the WWE announced the Cruiserweight Classic, a 32-man competition pitting wrestlers from around the world -- most of whom had no prior relationship or contract with the WWE -- against one another in a single-elimination tournament until only one wrestler was left standing.When the field for this tournament was revealed, the excitement grew as some of the brightest stars of the independent wrestling world elected to compete, setting a high bar as far as expectations are concerned once things officially kicked off.From the pre-launch Bracketology special to the very first episode, it was immediately clear that the presentation for this event, both visually and stylistically, was going to be very different from anything else that the WWE had produced before. The setup at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida, where NXTs weekly episodes are typically filmed, was completely transformed in terms of lighting and presentation, and, as a final touch to give the CWC broadcast true gravitas and substance, paired Daniel Bryan and Mauro Ranallo as the commentary team.s Click to enlarge (Courtesy of WWE.com)With 75 percent of the field already on the sideline, the picture of how this tournament is playing out is getting clearer. There have been surprises galore in the first two rounds of the tournament; Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa, who went quite the journey in August as they faced each other in one of the standout matches of the first round and then vied for the NXT tag team championships together in Brooklyn, are both out despite being among the early favorites.There are two weeks of quarterfinal action to come, followed by a two-hour live finale encompassing the semifinals and finals on Sept. 14. Even when this contest is over, it wont be the last well see of many of the CWCs competitors -- theyll soon find themselves on Raw, which is launching a cruiserweight division. Gargano, Ciampa and Cedric Alexander have already been announced to compete in that division, with the rumored inclusions of quarterfinalists Rich Swann, Noam Dar, Brian Kendrick and T.J. Perkins, with more sure to follow.Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, lets take a look back at how each of the final eight wrestlers arrived in the quarterfinals -- and a look forward to what we can expect over the next three weeks.Brian Kendrick vs. Kota IbushiBrian Kendrick (USA)Rd. of 32: Defeated Raul Mendoza (Mexico) by submission (Bully choke) Rd. of 16: Defeated Tony Nese (USA) by submission (Bully choke)Kota Ibushi (Japan)Rd. of 32: Defeated Sean Maluta (American Samoa) by pinfall (Golden Star powerbomb) Rd. of 16: Defeated Cedric Alexander (USA) by pinfall (Golden Star powerbomb)Brian Kendrick, along with Tajiri, were the only two previously established WWE-level competitors entered into the Cruiserweight Classic. At 37-years-old, Kendrick was also one of the oldest competitors in the field. And despite his previous experience and a lengthy list of accomplishments, like being half of the longest reigning WWE world tag team champions in SmackDown history, it appeared as though Kendrick was simply a convenient bracket-filler. It seemed especially convenient and fortuitous as he was already working at the WWEs Performance Center in Orlando as a trainer.Opinions started to shift after Kendrick won his first round match, with elements of his new persona -- the bearded, grizzled-looking Post-Apocalyptic scavenger -- Kendrick scrapped for every inch and eventually lured Mendoza in with a feigned injury and locked on the Bully choke for the submission victory.?He similarly won his second match against Tony Nese via an any means necessary approach, though it took the briefest of lulls in which Nese went for a 450° splash and missed for Kendrick to get the victory. The win over Nese was of particular surprise for some, including myself, because Nese had one of the most prototypical WWE-ready looks of anyone in this field; dont be surprised if you Nese in the mix once the cruiserweights debut on Raw.Kota Ibushi was one of the favorites coming into this tournament, and he stole many of the headlines when the full roster of 32 for this tournament was announced. Hes one of the most high-profile independent stars to never had any interaction with the WWE throughout his career, and fans and prognosticators alike wondered if his appearance in the crowd at NXT TakeOver: Dallas and subsequent inclusion in this tournament meant he would join the likes of an ever-growing wave of Japanese talent to sign a WWE contract.To this point, hes publicly denied signing a WWE contract, but regardless of his status at this moment hes already showed plenty of reasons why he should be a WWE superstar with two of the best matches in the CWC so far. His opening round matchup with Sean Maluta, which closed out the very first episode of the CWC, has since been overshadowed by his own and other performances in the tournament -- but it was certainly a tone-setter for the way things played out going forward. It was just as much about it being a standout performance by Maluta, but Ibushi gave a taste of why hes been a superstar in promotions like DDT and New Japan Pro Wrestling for so long.Ibushis second-round matchup with Alexander has been the standard-bearer thus far, going far beyond the scope of just the CWC in getting tabbed as one of the best matches of the year, anywhere. There were crisp aerial maneuvers to both the inside and outside, and killer-looking strikes from both men, to say nothing of the multitude of counters and escalating series of near-falls -- and that only begins to tell the story. While a 20-minute time limit could have restricted the creativity as far as a match of this profile is concerned, the pacing and storytelling in the ring stretched that time to its limits, and the commentary by Bryan and Ranallo really brought it home. While theyve enhanced the presentation throughout, nowhere was their storytelling on commentary more valuable than in narrating this particular classic. If you havent watched any of this tournament, I implore you to seek out this match in the fifth episode of the series and, once its done, watch all of the aftermath with Alexander and the crowd.Quarterfinals matchup:?Despite tours of Japan with several different companies, Kendrick has never previously been in the ring with Ibushi. While Kendricks road to redemption has been one of the more compelling stories throughout this tournament, Ibushi was one of the favorites when this tournament began and continues to be one at this late stage. This is far and away the highest-profile contest that Kendrick has been involved in since leaving the WWE, and if Ibushis résumé is any indication, this could be one of the highlights of the round.Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Noam DarZack Sabre Jr. (England)Rd. of 32: Defeated Tyson Dux (Canada) by submission (Omoplata) Rd. of 16: Defeated Drew Gulak (USA) by pinfall (Prawn hold roll-up)Noam Dar (Scotland)Rd. of 32: Defeated Gurv Sihra (India) by submission (Kneebar) Rd. of 16: Defeated Ho Ho Lun (Hong Kong, China) by submission (Kneebar)Many of the competitors in the CWC base their offense around high-flying aerial maneuvers, but thats absolutely not the case when youre talking about the two men from the United Kingdom who are set to square off in the quarterfinals.?Zack Sabre Jr. is recognized worldwide to have assumed the mantle of the greatest technical wrestler in the world from Bryan, with the ability to pull off some of the most mind-blowing reversals with ease and versions of high-difficulty submission maneuvers unlike anyone else in the business. Most of his early career was been spent in the biggest independent companies in the UK, but trips to the United States have become more frequent, especially of late. Hes held titles in a number of companies and is the current world champion in cult indy favorite Pro Wrestling Guerilla.On his path to the final eight, Sabre Jr. faced a pair of similar wrestlers. First up was veteran Canadian Tyson Dux, who had a competitive match with the Brit as they traded strikes and submissions. Sabre Jr. locked on a painful looking Omoplata submission and cranked Duxs fingers back until he submitted. In the round of 16, Sabre Jr. took on a man hes quite familiar with in Drew Gulak. The pair have both spent significant time in Evolve, an independent organization thats established a relationship with the WWE, and this match was the fifth time the pair was in the ring together. Aftter Gulaks side won the first three showdowns, Sabre Jr.dddddddddddd has won the most recent two showdowns, including a technical masterpiece here in the CWC. This time it wasnt a submission, but rather a crafty roll-up pinfall that fueled Sabre Jr. to victory.EXCLUSIVE: As the #CWC rolls on, @zacksabrejr is prepared to fight his closest friends the hardest! @WWE_CWC https://t.co/ft6tQcWHb8- WWE (@WWE) August 25, 2016Noam Dar was one of the youngest entrants into the CWC, and traveled quite a road to get to this point. The Israeli-born, Scottish-raised 23-year-old has wrestled the vast majority of his career within the friendly confines of the UK, but hes gained quite the reputation in taking on and keeping up with some of the best the industry has to offer.He took out half of the Bollywood Boyz in defeating Gurv Sihra with a kneebar, then turned around and saddled Hong Kong upstart Ho Ho Lun with the same fate in the second round. Now he takes on a longtime friend in Sabre Jr. who can match him shot-for-shot on the mat in a showdown that should be the most compelling, as it has history. It follows the Gargano-Ciampa matchup in terms of recent history, but is likely the second-most compelling matchup thus far in terms of history outside of this tournamentQuarterfinals matchup: Theres only a record of three previous showdowns between these two friends. In Dec. 2012 -- in another tournament no less, for the British National championship in IPW:UK -- Sabre Jr. won their first round showdown. Dar has victories in their only other two recorded showdowns -- a four way-match in Feb. 2012 in PCW, and in a one-on-one match at PWE Rise of the Elite in Cumnock, Scotland just a few months after Dars 18th birthday. That match had about 100 people in attendance, so theres little doubt this one will get a few more viewers -- and by the end, these friends might steal the show in this round. Sabre Jr. is a favorite in this tournament for a reason, but his somewhat nebulous contract status might throw the result here into some question.T.J. Perkins vs. Rich SwannT.J. Perkins (Philippines)Rd. of 32: Defeated Da Mack (Germany) by submission (Flying kneebar) Rd. of 16: Defeated Johnny Gargano (USA) by submission (TJP clutch)Rich Swann (USA)Rd. of 32: Defeated Jason Lee (Hong Kong, China) by pinfall (Standing 450° splash) Rd. of 16: Defeated Lince Dorado (Puerto Rico) by pinfall (Phoenix splash)T.J. Perkins pulled off one of the more surprising upsets of the tournament in his second round victory over Gargano, and hell take on another crowd favorite in the quarterfinals in Rich Swann. It might be unusual to call a 31-year-old a journeyman, but when you start a wrestling career at the age of 15, that careers taken up more than half of your life and seems appropriate.After breaking in at the NJPW L.A. dojo along with the likes of Bryan and several other wrestling stalwarts, Perkins became the youngest non-Japanese wrestler to appear for the venerated Japanese wrestling company. Hes had a lengthy run with TNA, both under a mask and without one, and also spent time with Ring of Honor, PWG, Evolve and a wide variety of other independent companies. The major hook for Perkins run thus far was his long wait to truly break through, and a brief spell of homelessness that led him to question his career choice -- and while the WWE has really latched onto that angle, it doesnt always fit the character he portrays snugly.In the ring, Perkins has elements of brashness and bravado to him, though theyve largely been suppressed to a degree thus far in the tournament. It remains to be seen how close to the dark side hell get while hes still in the tournament, but hes already showing that he can bring it up a few notches in ways that could prove to be quite value once he reaches the main roster.Perkins pulled off a fairly straightforward submission win over Da Mack, but his match with Gargano told an incredible story in the ring. It bears mentioning, because of the general lack of attention to these kinds of details in the wrestling business these days, but the through line for Gargano and Ciampa between the CWC and NXT was astounding. The CWC showdown they had with one another tied into their run towards the NXT tag team titles, and the effects of that match -- Garganos bum knee -- helped build a believable narrative; not bad for a match that was taped days before NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II even happened.As previously mentioned, Swann has been one of the biggest crowd-pleasers both through the action in the ring and his charismatic personality. His unbelievable high-flying ability -- Swann pulled off a 450° splash from a standing start on the ground to finish Jason Lee, and a Phoenix splash to knock off his friend Lince Dorado in another second-round classic -- has only served to augment his appeal. His theme song is catchy and easy to sing along to -- another big plus for the Full Sail crowd that loves to participate in call-and-answer chants.Quarterfinals matchup: Despite extended periods of time spent in the same parts of the country, and some crossover in the same wrestling companies at certain points, only two recorded matches between Perkins and Swann exist. Their first meeting in Oct. 2013, saw Swann beat Perkins at a small show in Stockton, California. A year-and-a-half later, Swann teamed up with Richochet and the man now know as Apollo Crews and beat a tag team composed of Perkins, Brian Cage and Caleb Konley. Its hard to tell who the fans will support between this pair, and even harder to determine wholl come out with the edge -- so I wont. This could be the match with the highest stakes of any third-round match, simply because the result is seemingly so hard to determine before they actually climb into the ring.Akira Tozawa vs. Gran MetalikAkira Tozawa (Japan)Rd. of 32: Defeated Kenneth Johnson (USA) by pinfall (Bridging German suplex) Rd. of 16: Defeated Jack Gallagher (England) by pinfall (Bridging German suplex)Gran Metalik (Mexico)Rd. of 32: Defeated Alejandro Saez (Chile) by pinfall (Metalik Screwdriver) Rd. of 16: Defeated Tajiri (Japan) by pinfall (Metalik Screwdriver)The quarterfinal showdown between Akira Tozawa and Gran Metalik is getting somewhat overshadowed by the three other matches on tap, but make no mistake -- their contrasting styles should make for an excellent contest to determine the fourth and final wrestler heading to the live finale.Tozawas first round match with Kenneth Johnson showed his ability to hit suplexes from almost any angle, but his second round showdown with Jack Gallagher really helped show the range that Tozawa can emote and broadcast out to fans despite a limited vocabulary of spoken English. In playing the fool to some of Gallaghers most ambitious maneuvers, Tozawa made getting tied up in a pretzel to the point where he wasnt being touched and couldnt move look somehow believable. As he had to sell the pain of a leg getting worked on, his ginger movements in the ring and pained expression told a colorful story.Gran Metalik, on the other hand, used his high-flying maneuvers and devastating-looking finisher to wow the audience -- partially because hes just that good at it, but also because he doesnt have the benefit of using facial expressions under his mask.Metaliks first round match with Alejandro Saez, the largest competitor in the CWC field, was an under-the-radar success and showed just how easily Metalik can tailor his style to suit his opponent. His second round match with Tajiri was every bit as brutal as you might expect, with strikes and kicks in both directions. Gran Metaliks tight-rope walking before executing high-risk maneuvers looked dangerous and new, and helped get the crowd get pumped ahead of a match in Ibushi vs. Alexander where they were every bit as necessary as any other element in the match.Quarterfinals matchup: Despite both competitors spending an extensive amount of time wrestling in Japan, their paths never crossed; Tozawa did all his wrestling in his home country with Dragon Gate, while Metaliks trips under the name Mascara Dorada were almost exclusively with New Japan. The thing Im most curious to see is if theyll carry forward the injury angles from the Round of 16; if thats the case, then theres a chance to continue to weave a complex and comprehensive story tying the competitors together in far more ways than simply being in the same bracket of 32. ' ' '