Rich Swann Wins WWE Cruiserweight Championship On ‘205 Live’

The WWE Network launched its brand new cruiserweight show “205 Live’ on Tuesday night, and in the final moments Rich Swann was named the new WWE cruiserweight champion.

Rich Swann Wins WWE Cruiserweight Championship On ‘205 Live’

In the 20-minute main event, Swann defeated Brian Kendrick via pinfall following three straight spinning heel kicks. Swann, 25, is the third WWE cruserweight champion in this new title lineage, joining inaugural champ TJ Perkins and Kendrick.

Swann has an amazing life story that was told in a gripping promo just before the match began. The Baltimore native lost both his parents as a teenager, and during an in-ring interview after his match, he thanked his mother.

“If there’s one woman I would like to thank, it’d be my mom,” he said. “I know she’s looking down on me right now, and she might not be here but she’s here with us in spirit. This one was for you, mom.”

Swann was one 16 superstars announced as part of the “205 Live” roster at the beginning of its debut episode. Other members of the roster include Kendrick, Perkins, The Bollywood Boyz, Drew Gulak, Tony Nese, Jack Gallagher and Ariya Daivari; The last six were all in action during the hour-long program.

The show aired live from Columbia, South Carolina, immediately after Tuesday’s episode of SmackDown Live. Created to be a showcase for the WWE’s developing cruiserweight division, all the superstars selected fit one specific criteria: they all weigh in at less than 205 pounds.

All 16 of these competitors were initially featured as part of the WWE Cruiserweight Classic, which Perkins won in September.

Kendrick, 37, is as experienced as they come, and as demonstrated by his comments leading up to Survivor Series, he still maintains great confidence in himself, according to WWE Universe’s Twitter account:

Thus, it seems likely Kendrick will try to make a comeback as soon as possible.