International star Kota Ibushi squares off with Sean Maluta, the nephew of WWE Hall of Famer Afa in a Cruiserweight Classic First Round Match. Video courtesy of the award winning WWE Network.

As the nephew of WWE Hall of Famer Afa, and the cousin of Roman Reigns and The Usos, Sean Maluta certainly has a pedigree worthy of the CWC. Unfortunately, he may have also had the toughest match in the first round, as he squared off against “The Golden Star” Kota Ibushi, one of the early favorites to take home the Cruiserweight Classic trophy.

Ibushi immediately showed why he’s favored, knocking Maluta off-kilter with a hard leg kick. The Samoan tried his best to wear Ibushi down and avoid those devastating strikes, but he soon found himself gasping for air after the Japanese star connected with a roundhouse kick to the chest. Gaining the upper hand with a Codebreaker-like move off the ropes, Maluta realized that if he was going to defeat Ibushi, he would have to throw everything he had at the “Golden Star.”

Maluta did just that, executing a somersault dive over the ropes that nearly backfired. However, the kicks with which he clobbered the Japanese star only fired Ibushi up. Maluta regained control after shoving the Japanese star off the ropes, but Ibushi bounced back with a backflipping kick and the Golden Triangle Moonsault to the arena floor. Back in the ring, a Savate Kick nearly scored a huge upset for Maluta, but Ibushi recovered and connected with a kick of his own. “The Golden Star” then immediately hit a Last Ride Powerbomb to end the match, and earn a spot in the round of 16, where he will face Cedric Alexander.

See the competitors of the CWC live at EVOLVE Wrestling this summer! Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, Zack Sabre Jr. and more will be featured in Cruiserweight Classic Spotlight matches in New York City, Massachusetts and Maryland. Visit DGUSA.tv for complete information, including tickets​.