Spike Dudley needed an opponent for Armageddon 2004, so to determine the number one contender for the Cruiserweight Championship, SmackDown general manager Theodore Long booked a cruiserweight battle royal. The winner would become the number one contender, and that winner ended up being Funaki. Funaki made the most of his rare opportunity and after seven years of hardwork and determination, he captured his first Cruiserweight Championship, shocking Spike Dudley in the process.