T.J. Perkins named 1st-ever WWE Cruiserweight Champion

World Wrestling Entertainment crowned the winner of its inaugural Cruiserweight Classic on Wednesday night, and his name is T.J. Perkins.

The 32-year-old Filipino sensation entered the evening as a relative underdog, needing to overcome the efforts of Japanese star and tournament favorite Kota Ibushi in the semifinals to get his shot at the trophy. With his patented kneebar submission paired with a neck wrench, Perkins managed to pull off the huge upset against Ibushi and move himself one step closer to the grand prize.

Prior to battling Mexico's Gran Metalik - who defeated Britain's Zack Sabre Jr. in the other semifinal bout - in the finals, WWE COO Triple H emerged to inform the two combatants that not only would the victor win the prestigious trophy, but they'd also be named the first-ever Cruiserweight Champion and debut on next week's "Raw" with the gold.

The two battled fatigue, injury, and each other in a grueling back-and-forth affair with several death-defying spots, including Metalik hurdling the top rope to deliver a frankensteiner to Perkins off the apron.

In the end, Perkins managed to lock in his kneebar on a prone Metalik, grapevine his legs, and secure the submission win in what has to be the defining moment of his career.

Perkins has been a mainstay on the independent scene for quite some time, competing for such promotions as Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and Evolve, as well as more established brands like Ring of Honor and TNA Wrestling.

In an interview with WWE.com before the start of the tournament, Perkins discussed his journey to WWE and how his quest for success cost him dearly along the way:

Things were going great for me right away. I was doing big things – New Japan, CMLL, I was on pay-per-view and TV here in the States. I didn’t want to stop there, so I tried to really pursue my dream of performing in WWE full-time. I moved to Florida to try and get to FCW. It was just one of those times where it didn’t pan out. I gave it my all, but I probably picked the worst time to do it, in the middle of the recession. I had no education and it didn’t work out. Before I knew it, I was struggling and I was homeless. My parents also went bankrupt back in Los Angeles, and they were relying on me.

I had to try and find a way to get back on my feet and shoulder the whole family. Little by little, I was able to go back to the old places I wrestled. I kind of had to start my career over. I think it was God’s way of maturing me as a man. I was given a lot as a kid and maybe didn’t appreciate it. Now, this was a way of learning what’s most important. You hear about all the things that can and will happen when you start this. A lot of people don’t expect them to happen, but it does, and when it does, you have to be prepared. I wasn’t surprised, I got through it, got back on my feet and here I am.

Perkins defeated Da Mack, Johnny Gargano, and Rich Swann to advance to Wednesday's live finale.

The original Cruiserweight title was deactivated in 2008 after not being defended for a six-month span, with Hornswoggle being the final superstar to hold that belt.