Kevin Sullivan Recalls Naming WCW Cruiserweight Division, Chris Benoit Story

During a recent edition of the “Tuesday with The Taskmaster” podcast, former WCW wrestler and booker Kevin Sullivan recalled naming the WCW Cruiserweight division including a story about Chris Benoit in early 2000 before Benoit signed with WWE.

You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:

On calling the title the “Cruiserweight” Title: “I was the guy that came up with cruiserweight the name because I’m a boxing fan, and I didn’t like junior heavyweight. I made Eddie the Cruiserweight and the U.S. Champion at the same time, meaning people would understand that a cruiserweight could wrestle heavyweight. Then, in Bob Mould’s book, he says this. The following week after [Chris] Benoit was going to win, Saturn and Dean Malenko were going to win the tag belts.”

On explaining to Chris Benoit he’d eventually drop the WCW World Heavyweight Title to Kevin Nash: “I went to Chris and I said, ‘Chris, you’ve worked very hard. I believe in you. I’m going to get Sid [Vicious] to drop the belt. But, this thing about size. When you do drop the belt, you’re gonna drop it in a competitive match against Kevin Nash.’ He said, ‘Why Nash?’ I said, ‘Because you beat a seven-foot guy Sid, and you’re gonna beat another seven-foot guy. You’re gonna be the giant killer. You can have more matches with Nash and switch the belt than anything else.’”

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