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WWE Smackdown from the early stages of the Ruthless Aggression Era was some of the most exciting television WWE has produced in the past two decades. One aspect of the Smackdown brand during this time that excited fans was the Cruiserweight division when it picked up steam in early to mid-2003. From the classic matches involving the likes of Rey Mysterio, Tajiri, and Chavo Guerrero, Smackdown's Cruiserweight division provided exciting television to where Cruiserweight Championship matches would even main-event on some Smackdown episodes. Despite this, it appeared that the Cruiserweight division lost some of its lusters as time passed, and it got obsolete in 2007.

RELATED: Rey Mysterio Is A Very Underrated Tag Team Wrestler

Interesting Characters As Cruiserweight Wrestlers

In the early 2000s, the wrestling industry evolved as smaller and more athletic wrestlers received the spotlight. It was the case in 2002 when WWE was unleashing the brand new Ruthless Aggression Era, where there were two exclusive brands featuring more superstars getting screen time.

Matt Hardy holding Cruiserweight Championship in ring

One of those superstars who took advantage of the brand split was Rey Mysterio, who immediately became a prominent performer on the Smackdown brand after making his debut. Rey Mysterio was competing with the top stars on the Smackdown brand right from the start, as getting involved with the Cruiserweight division later was a way to bring prestige into that division. Smackdown superstars like Chavo Guerrero and Matt Hardy were also heavily involved with the Cruiserweight division from the early years of the Ruthless Aggression Era. Before winning the Cruiserweight Championship numerous times, Chavo Guerrero gained credibility as he was initially known as the "Smackdown-Six," tearing up the tag team division alongside Eddie Guerrero. Matt Hardy changed his entire character as he adopted the "Version-one" persona that many fans still remember. He even defended the Cruiserweight Championship at Wrestlemania 19.

RELATED: Why Has WCW Been The Only American Promotion With A Great Cruiserweight Division?

Rey Mysterio's Contribution To The Cruiserweight Division

When one thinks of when the Cruiserweight division on Smackdown reached its climax, Rey Mysterio's challenge for the Cruiserweight Championship was arguably its most noted excitement. One of the most memorable moments of Rey Mysterio's career regarding his chase for the Cruiserweight Championship was on a 2003 episode of Smackdown, where he defeated Matt Hardy in the main event to win his first singles championship.

Rey Mysterio v Tajiri No Mercy 2003 Cropped

Also, his series of matches with Tajiri in 2003 was some of the most exciting in-ring action on Smackdown, including a classic bout between the two at No Mercy 2003. It also allowed someone like Tajiri to be taken more seriously as a credible rival to Rey Mysterio, as he's also a former Cruiserweight Champion. Rey Mysterio's rivalry with Chavo Guerrero also provided exciting television. Someone like Chavo Guerrero also came to his own as a singles star by winning the Cruiserweight Championship on multiple occasions, with the first defeating Rey Mysterio at No Way Out 2004.

Cruiserweight Division Loses Credibility

During the mid-2000s, as the Ruthless Aggression Era progressed, the Cruiserweight division became less of a crucial part of the Smackdown brand. Much of this is due to Rey Mysterio getting pushed towards the main-event scene. With Rey Mysterio winning the World Heavyweight Championship in 2006, there was no reason for him to wrestle for the Cruiserweight Championship. And even before Rey Mysterio won the World Championship, the division generated less buzz than before because of the lack of star power.

Other former Cruiserweight Champions would move on to do other things in WWE. For instance, former Cruiserweight Champion Tajiri moved to the Raw brand in 2004, as the division lost an established superstar. Also, Chavo Guerrero wasn't much involved in the Cruiserweight division after getting drafted to Raw in 2005, only until winning the Cruiserweight Championship at the No Way Out 2007 PPV.

Hornswoggle with the Cruiserweight Championship

One of the reasons why the Cruiserweight division on Smackdown didn't last beyond 2007 was the lack of established star power in that division. Even when Chavo Guerrero won the Cruiserweight Championship in 2007, there were no credible challengers for him at the time. Former Cruiserweight Champions like Paul London and Kid Kash, who won the belt during the later years of the division, were talented individuals but were never presented as credible stars in WWE. It was only a matter of time before that division would've dissolved because of the lack of input into making the Cruiserweight division seem essential.

And it also didn't help when creative booking had Hornswoggle win the Cruiserweight Championship, as he was the last wrestler to hold the belt. The Cruiserweight Championship went from being taken seriously to becoming a comedic prop. It's a shame because the Cruiserweight division was respected, even going back to the days when the Cruiserweight Championship got defended in WCW. Utilizing established superstars is essential for making any creative idea work, in terms of fans taking it seriously, which also includes operating a Cruiserweight division.