It turns out that there will not be a Mae Young Classic tournament this year as the WWE nixed the plans for it. 

Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that WWE had plans to hold the tapings on Saturday, November 2 and Sunday, November 3 at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. 

However, plans were changed as WWE has decided against holding another all-women’s tournament until 2020.

This comes after the WWE NXT ticket website advertised last week the MYC tapings for early November. The notice for those tickets was removed as no announcement was ever made.

As of this writing, there’s no word yet on when the 2020 tournament will be held. The plans being nixed come recently as Triple H hosted a media call back in early August where he mentioned how the company ere working on finalizing plans for the tournament. 

In fact, he stated at the time that WWE would be making an announcement soon.

It’s truly a special tournament and similar to the Cruiserweight Classic. The name of the event is in honor of the late WWE Hall of Famer Mae Young.

Kairi Sane beat Shayna Baszler in the finals to win the tournament in 2017 while Toni Storm defeated Io Shirai in 2018. 

The finals of this year’s WWE Mae Young Classic have been set.

As seen on the latest episode of the TV series that has been airing over the last several weeks on WWE’s streaming service, WWE Network, it was revealed that Toni Storm and Io Shirai will face-off in the finals of the Mae Young Classic at the upcoming WWE Evolution pay-per-view event.

Storm defeated Meiko Satomura while Shirai defeated Rhea Ripley in the semi-finals to advance in the tournament.

The Evolution pay-per-view event takes place on Sunday, October 28, 2018 in Long Island, New York at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum and will air on the WWE Network.

Updated WWE Evolution Card

• Trish Stratus & Lita vs. Alexa Bliss & Mickie James
• NXT Women’s Champion Kairi Sane vs. Shayna Baszler
• WWE RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey vs. Nikki Bella
• SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair – Last Woman Standing Match
• Mae Young Classic Finals: Toni Storm vs. Io Shirai
• Sasha Banks, Bayley & Natalya vs. The Riott Squad – Six-Woman Tag Team Match
• Battle Royal: Zelina Vega, Torrie Wilson, Asuka, Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville, Lana, Carmella, Naomi, Billie Kay, Peyton Royce, Ember Moon, Nia Jax, Dana Brooke, Alicia Fox, Tamina Snuka, Michelle McCool, WWE Hall of Famer Alundra Blayze, WWE Hall of Fame Ivory, Molly Holly, Kelly Kelly, and Maria Kanellis – Winner will a receive championship match

What are your thoughts on this match being added to the card? Sound off in the comment section.

WWE presents 3-hours of previously unaired programming tonight. NXT, 205 Live, and the latest episode of the Mae Young Classic will air on the WWE Network.

NXT 10/24 Preview

Aleister Black Is Back, Now What?

The former NXT champion returned during the main event between Nikki Cross and Bianca Belair last week. Black demanded that Nikki tell him who it is that attacked him and put him out of action. He then seethed with rage after she whispered who it was into his ear. Now that Black knows who his attacker was he will be on a quest for revenge. We could even find out who the attacker was tonight as well.

NXT Championship Announcement For War Games

William Regal has said that he will announce Tommaso Ciampa’s challenger for the NXT Championship at WarGames tonight. The Takeover event takes place November 17th from the Staples Center in LA.

Mia Yim vs Aliyah

Mia Yim’s WWE signing was delayed a year after a leg injury following the 2017 MYC so she’ll be looking to make up for lost time. She’ll face Aliyah in her first match on NXT programming tonight.

Aliyah’s all-time record in single’s matches on NXT programming leaves a lot to be desired. Her 1-13 record’s only bright spot was a win over Billie Kay in 2016.

What’s Next For the Undisputed Era?

The Undisputed Era saved their tag team championships last week when a returning Bobby Fish caused the disqualification in a match against the War Raiders. With a little over three weeks to go before WarGames, one has to wonder if William Regal will put the team back inside the 2-ring steel cage again this year.

205 Live Preview 10/24

Mike and Maria Kanellis Bring True Love To 205 Live

Mike and Maria Kanellis made an impactful 205 Live debut recently, interfering in match between Lio Rush and Lince Dorado two weeks ago. Tonight, Mike Kanellis will make his in-ring debut against Dorado.

Hideo Itami vs Mustafa Ali

This rivalry continues tonight as Mustafa Ali looks to take out the man responsible for putting him on the sidelines for part of the summer. As for Itami, as always, he’s just looking to make sure people respect him.

These two have met twice this year. Itami won the first meeting and the second ended in a double count-out. They also met on NXT in 2016 once. Itami won that match too.

Here is Mustafa Ali cutting an intense promo in the rain in regards to this match:

Next week on the 100th episode of #205Live, Hideo learns there is nowhere to run. Whenever he goes, I go. @WWE @WWE205Live #fallscountanywhere #205Live pic.twitter.com/y0rdyQJeT9

— Mustafa Ali (@MustafaAli_X) October 18, 2018

Mae Young Classic 10/24 Preview

It’s semi-final night at the Mae Young Classic. After tonight’s episode airs, the Mae Young Classic final will be official for Sunday’s Evolution. In opposite fashion to the WWE World Cup, no Americans are left in the tournament.

Io Shira vs Rhea Ripley

Rhea Ripley is fast becoming one of the most talked about heels in WWE. After Tegan Nox suffered multiple leg injuries in their quarter-final bout, Ripley did not let up and continued to lay waste to her opponent. She later ripped into her through social media as well.

? #NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/ncNIHWeiSA

— RheaRipley_WWE (@RheaRipley_WWE) October 20, 2018

On the other side of the ring will be Io Shirai, one of the hottest prospects WWE has after signing her away from Stardom. Only one of these women will make it to Evolution.

Toni Storm vs Meiko Satomura

Satomura is a grizzled veteran who wrestled on Nitro as a teenager while Toni Storm is a young 23-year-old prospect from the Gold Coast. Storm has signed and will be a part of the NXT UK division but first, she’s looking to book her ticket to Evolution on Sunday.

– As seen this past Wednesday on the WWE Network, Mia Yim sent Kaitlyn packing from the Mae Young Classic by beating the former Divas Champion in a Second-Round Match. Yim scored the victory by forcing Kaitlyn to submit to the kneebar.

Following the match, Kaitlyn — real name Celeste Bonin — took to Instagram to reflect on her WWE comeback.

“My match with @miayimofficial was one of my favorite of all time. The match itself was so dope and Mia is such a powerful woman in so many ways,” Kaitlyn wrote.

“But For me, it was exceptionally meaningful to come back after so many years and to leave it all out there in the ring and offer my contribution to the evolution of women’s wrestling. The evolution of the division is parallel to my evolution as a person and as a competitor/performer. Man I love wrestling. Congrats to @miayimofficial. She deserves it. Much respect to her.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/Boyz2TAlZis/

– Although Apollo Crews and Titus O’Neil have not appeared together on television since the night after SummerSlam, they’re still a unit.

Crews and O’Neil teamed up for the first time in four weeks at last night’s WWE live event in Syracuse, New York. Titus Worldwide teamed with Tyler Breeze to beat The Ascension and Mike Kanellis in a Six-Man Tag Team Match.

This was also O’Neil’s first match since September 15 (teaming with Crews at a live event), and Crews’ first since September 24 (beating Breeze in a match taped for WWE Main Event). Crews and O’Neil have not wrestled together on television since losing to AOP on Raw on August 20. It was also their last appearance on Raw.

• Who is Paige’s boyfriend?

It doesn’t work out in the WWE for everybody. Just ask former WWE Mae Young Classic competitor Zeda Zhang. Zhang participated in the first-ever Mae Young Classic tournament in 2017. She was recruited by WWE and trained in their Performance Center while making appearances on NXT.

Zhang is an extremely talented athlete. As a former mixed martial artist, she’s trained in disciplines such as boxing, jiu-jitsu, judo, muay thai, and more. She’s also a former model and singer, giving her a ton to work with when it comes to developing a character in WWE. However, Zhang found it very difficult to develop a gimmick while with the company. She explained the situation during her appearance on the “Women’s Wrestling Weekly” podcast:

“I don’t have the freedom of what kind of character I want to be. I can’t really test it out. They tell you when you wrestle and when you get to try things out, and they just tell you, “be yourself”. But the thing is everything that makes me is my background – my modelling, singing, dancing, music and MMA – and me just being Chinese in general.

“That’s what I am but when I was there, I can’t do the MMA thing because someone else has it, I can’t do the singing thing because someone else has it, can’t do the dancing thing cause someone else has it, can’t do the modelling thing because someone else has it, so I’m left with nothing.

“I can’t be Chinese either, they told me, I wasn’t allowed to be billed from China because it’s not true so because of that I was left with this heart gimmick.”

What do you make of Zhang’s comments?

Ring Of Honor (ROH) has inked a 2018 Mae Young Classic competitor to a one-year deal. Madison Rayne revealed during an appearance on The Taz Show that she has signed a contract with ROH. This comes one week removed from Rayne’s defeat to Mercedes Martinez in the first round of the MYC.

Rayne said that, after 13 years in the business, 2018 was probably the biggest of her career. Appearing on WWE programming was a big milestone for her. She also competed on the historic All In card earlier this month. Rayne was a part of the only female match on the card. And finally, Rayne has found a home for herself in ROH :

“Let me preface this by saying that 2018 has been possibly my biggest year in wrestling,” Rayne said. “In 13 years, that’s saying a lot. It’s been very unexpected. A year and a half ago I wasn’t sure I was going to keep wrestling or what my professional career looked like.

“I’ve been able to work every big promotion, I got to do All In and I’m very humbled by all of those experiences. In doing that and having all of those opportunities, I was really give a chance to be able to get in there and see what was going to be best for me, my career, for my family and what made the most sense.

“After a really successful year of being kind of a wrestling nomad, I have found my home and I am so, so happy to announce that I have signed a one-year contract with Ring of Honor.”

Rayne’s Professional Wrestling Career

Rayne, 32, has been wrestling since 2005. She has worked for promotions such as Ohio Championship Wrestling (OCW), SHIMMER, and TNA. Rayne is a five-time TNA Knockouts Champion and a two-time Knockouts Tag Team Champion.

What do you think about Rayne signing with ROH?

H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

The Mae Young Classic continued last night on the WWE Network. Matches 9-12 would air as the tournament enters the second half of the 1st round.

Mae Young Classic Results 9/19

Kaitlyn defeated Kavita Devi

Former Divas Champion Kaitlyn returned to WWE in victorious fashion last night. She defeated the Indian prospect, Kavita Devi.

Cole mentioned that Devi’s match with Dakota Kai in last year’s tournament generated 28 million views on YouTube. Fellow prospects Rinku Singh and Saurav Gurjar were shown sitting ringside and cheering for Devi.

Kaitlyn picked up the win with a spear.

Toni Storm defeated Jinny

There was some Australian unity displayed when Toni Storm made her entrance last night. The Iiconics were ringside and made a point of showing their support for Storm.

The “Fashionista” Jinny and Storm have met several times before, including one year at WrestleMania Axxess. Storm tied the all-time series between the two at 5 with the win. She hit a tiger driver (Storm Zero) for the win.

Xia Li defeated Karen Q

This martial arts focused contest featured two wrestlers from China. Karen Q has been competing for Ring of Honor as of late, whereas Xia Li is in the WWE developmental system. Li picked up the win with a flipping ax kick after Q missed a frog splash. She’ll face Deonna Purrazzo in the 2nd round.

Mia Yim defeated Allysin Kay

Yim has been the subject of some speculation as of late. She stepped into the ring last night to enter the Mae Young Classic for the 2nd straight year. For the second straight year, she made it past the 1st round as well. She took out the former Sienna with her finisher, Seoul Food.

The first episode of the second Mae Young Classic aired last night on the WWE Network. This year the tournament will be released every Wednesday night following NXT.

Mae Young Classic 9/5 Results

Tegan Nox defeated Zatara

Before the match, a video was shown of Nox talking about the heartbreak of missing last year’s tournament with an ACL injury. There were concerns a slight tear in her MCL could have prevented her from making the tournament again this year.

She started off this year’s tournament by pinning Zatara after a shining wizard. Unfortunately, Zatara targetted Nox’s surgically repaired knee for most of the match which could be a factor later in the tournament for Nox.

Rhea Ripley defeated MJ Jenkins

Before the match, a promo video featuring Rhea Ripley showcased how much stronger she has become in the last year. Ripley’s shoulders have filled out considerably. She’s still only 21 years old. The Australian referred to herself as a new and darker Rhea Ripley.

Ripley countered a head-kick into a pump-handle powerbomb for the win.

Lacey Lane defeated Vanessa Kraven

Lacey Lane just signed with WWE and is a hometown favorite hailing from Winter Park, Florida. Kraven is from Montreal and has competed for promotions such as Smash Wrestling in Toronto. She’s scheduled to face Tessa Blanchard on an upcoming episode of Smash Wrestling on the Fight Network and Global Wrestling Network.

Lane pulled off the David vs Goliath upset here when she pinned Kraven with a crucifix-bomb.

Meiko Satomura defeated Killer Kelly

Before the match, a video featuring Meiko Satomura performing on WCW Nitro was shown. She talked about how she was a rookie then and she always dreamed of returning as an accomplished top wrestler.

Satomura finished off Kelly with a Pele kick and a Death Valley Driver.

WWE’s plans for the Mae Young Classic finals reportedly had to be changed due to an injury. WWE held two nights of TV tapings for the Mae Young Classic tournament earlier this month. Click here to read complete results from those tapings.

The remainder of this article will contain spoilers for the Mae Young Classic tournament.

Mae Young Classic competitor Tegan Nox (formerly known as Nixon Newell) suffered a bad knee injury during her tournament match against Rhea Ripley. It was a bad situation all around that is now compounded by this latest development. According to Pro Wrestling Sheet, Tegan Nox was originally booked to make it to the finals.

The news that Tegan Nox was supposed to reach the finals of this year’s Mae Young Classic tournament makes her injury in the quarter finals all the more heartbreaking. However, she is taking the setback with a positive attitude. After she had time to process what happened, she released an encouraging statement on Twitter explaining that she will return stronger than ever. “Freak accidents happen,” she said. “It’s part of the job.”

The finals of the Mae Young Classic will take place at October’s WWE Evolution pay-per-view. Io Shirai and Toni Storm will compete at WWE’s all-women’s pay-per-view to crown this year’s winner.

The second annual Mae Young Classic kicked off this week at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. Following two nights of tapings, we now know who will be competing in the finals of this year’s event.

32 women competed in a single-elimination tournament that premiere on the WWE Network on Wednesday, September 5th. The eight episode ‘season’ will culminate at WWE’s all-women’s Evolution pay-per-view on Sunday, October 28th.

Mae Young Classic Results

The show began with Triple H welcoming everyone to the second annual Mae Young Classic tournament. He introduced Michael Cole, Beth Phoenix and Renee Young as commentators.

Britt Baker defeated Tesha Price via submission in a dark match.

Week 1 (First Round Matches):

They held a Parade of Champions introducing the 32 competitors.

• Tegan Nox def. Zatara Cabrona
• Rhea Ripley def. MJ Jenkins
• Lacey Lane def. Vanessa Kraven
• Meiko Satomura def. Killer Kelly

Week 2 (First Round Matches):

• Deonna Purrazzo def. Priscilla Kelly
• Zeuxis def. Aerial Monroe
• Kacy Catanzaro def. Reina Gonzalez
• Mercedes Martinez def. Ashley Rayne

Week 3 (First Round Matches):

• Kaitlyn def. Kavita Devi
• Toni Storm def. Jinny
• Xia Li def. Karen Q
• Mia Yim def. Allysin Kay

Week 4 (First Round Matches):

• Hiroyo Matsumoto def. Rachel Evers
• Taynara Conti def. Jessie Elaban
• Nicole Matthews def. Isla Dawn
• Io Shirai def. Xia Brookside

Week 5 (Second Round Matches):

• Toni Storm def. Hiroyo Matsumoto
• Rhea Ripley def. Kacy Catanzaro
• Lacey Lane def. Taynara Conti
• Meiko Satomura def. Mercedes Martinez

Week 6 (Secomd Round Matches):

• Io Shirai def. Zeuxis
• Deonna Purrazzo def. Xia Li
• Tegan Nox def. Nicole Matthews
• Mia Yim def. Kaitlyn

Week 7 (Quarter Finals):

• Meiko Satomura def. Lacey Lane
• Io Shirai def. Deonna Purrazzo
• Toni Storm def. Mia Yim
• Rhea Ripley def. Tegan Nox after Nox suffered a legitimate knee injury.

Week 8 (Semi-Finals):

• Jessie Elaban, MJ Jenkins, & Xia Brookside deff. Allysin Kay, Reina Gonzalez, & Vanessa Kraven in a non-tournament match.
• Aerial Monroe & Candice LeRae def. Jinny & Killer Kelly in a non-tournament match.
• Toni Storm over Meiko Satomura to advance to the finals.
• Io Shirai vs. Rhea Ripley to advance to the finals.

Mae Young Classic Finals

The finals of the 2018 Mae Young Classic tournament are set. The field of 32 women has been narrowed down to two. It will be Io Shirai vs. Toni Storm squaring off at WWE Evolution to determine this year’s winner.

– Maria Kanellis’ plan for returning to WWE television could be put on hold as the SmackDown LIVE Superstar recently broke her wrist.

Kanellis revealed the injury today in a post on Instagram.

https://instagram.com/p/BmRCupOAezh/

Kanellis also posted an X-ray photo and said she broke her wrist while training in the ring for her return. The injury will require her to wear a cast for six weeks.

https://instagram.com/p/BmRQWnSAmCI/

Kanellis has been training at the WWE Performance Center since last week to get back into shape after giving birth in April to her first child, Fredrica “Freddie” Moon Bennett.

– Former WWE Superstar Kaitlyn, who is among the 32 competitors in the 2018 Mae Young Classic, talked about how she feels today after working yesterday’s tapings at Full Sail Live in Orlando, Florida.

https://instagram.com/p/BmQ8sZKFGDa/

• What happened to Nia Jax?

We now have full details on WWE’s 2018 Mae Young Classic tournament.

Earlier today WWE made the official announcement on several topics regarding the tournament. First, it was announced the tournament will premiere on September 5th on the WWE Network.

The single-elimination tournament continues each Wednesday until two competitors are left. The finals will be held at the all-female WWE Evolution pay-per-view (PPV) on October 28th on the WWE Network.

Commentators for the tournament will be Michael Cole, Renee Young and WWE Hall Of Famer Beth Phoenix. It’s the first time in WWE history that two women are in the announce booth. Cathy Kelley and Shadia Bseiso will also join the broadcast team as they will handle backstage interviewing responsibilities.

Kayla Braxton is serving as the ring announcer for the tournament. WWE has confirmed 31 of the 32 participants in the tournament thus far. The final slot will be announced on tonight’s episode of NXT (spoiler here).

Check out the list of confirmed competitors here below:

• Kaitlyn (U.S.)
• Io Shirai (Japan)
• Tegan Nox (Wales)
• Kacy Catanzaro (U.S.)
• Toni Storm (Australia)
• Jinny (England)
• Ashley Rayne (U.S.)
• Kavita Devi (India)
• Meiko Satomura (Japan)
• Rhea Ripley (Australia)
• Deonna Purrazzo (U.S.)
• Reina González (U.S.)
• Lacey Lane (U.S.)
• Jessica Elaban (U.S.)
• Nicole Matthews (Canada)
• MJ Jenkins (U.S.)
• Karen Q (U.S.)
• Zatara (Chile)
• Mia Yim (U.S.)
• Mercedes Martinez (U.S.)
• Allysin Kay (U.S.)
• Hiroyo Matsumoto (Japan)
• Xia Li (China)
• Zeuxis (Mexico)
• Isla Dawn (Scotland)
• Aerial Monroe (U.S.)
• Rachel Evers (U.S.)
• Priscilla Kelly (U.S.)
• Killer Kelly (Portugal)
• Vanessa Kraven (Canada)
• Xia Brookside (England)

History Of The Mae Young Classic

Last year during WrestleMania 33 weekend WWE announced its first ever Mae Young Classic. The tournament featured 32 female professional wrestlers from around the world. WWE Hall Of Famers Lita and Jim Ross served as commentators for the tournament.

When it was all said and done, Japanese star Kairi Sane emerged victorious by defeating Shayna Baszler in the finals. In the aftermath of the tournament, however, Baszler has emerged as the more successful of the pair thus far.

She is the current NXT Women’s Champion and could bee eying a main roster call up in the next several months.

Final Mae Young Classic Competitor To Be Revealed

WWE fans will know the final competitor in the 2018 Mae Young Classic as that wrestler will be revealed on this week’s episode of NXT on the WWE Network when Vanessa Borne takes on Taynara Conti in an MYC qualifying match, which was taped a few weeks ago at the latest set of NXT TV tapings.

WWE is set to tape the tournament on August 8th and August 9th from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida and will air later this summer on the WWE Network. Although WWE has yet to reveal when the first-round matches will air, we do know that the finals will take place as part of the WWE Evolution pay-per-view on October 28, 2018, at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Here are the confirmed names for the tournament:

Rachel Evers, Allysin Kay (Sienna), MJ Jenkins, Xia Li, Zatara, Hiroyo Matsumoto, Vanessa Kraven, Aerial Monroe, Ashley Rayne (Madison Rayne), Priscilla Kelly, Xia Brookside, Meiko Satomura, Toni Storm, Isla Dawn, Zeuxis, Lacey Lane, Karen Q, Mia Yim, Killer Kelly, Mercedes Martinez, Kavita Devi, Kaitlyn, Io Shirai, Rhea Ripley, Kacy Catanzaro, Nicole Matthews, Jinny, Tegan Nox, Deonna Purrazzo, Jessie Elaban and Reina Gonzalez.

E! Renews Total Bellas For New Season

It was announced by the WWE on Tuesday afternoon that Total Bellas has been renewed for a fourth season by the E! Network. It should be noted that Nikki Bella and Brie Bella also serve as Executive Producers of E!’s Total Bellas.

“I’m so excited for another season of Total Bellas and hope our journey continues to inspire, motivate and connect with our Bella Army,” said Brie in a statement that was sent out to the media.

“I can’t wait for our fans to join me in the next step of my life. I promise that it will be a fun, real and heartfelt adventure,” added Nikki.

The Second Annual Mae Young Classic is scheduled for tapings at Full Sail University on August 8th and 9th. These are all 32 Women who will be competing at this year classic in alphabetical order.

All 32 Competitors For The Mae Young Classic

Aerial Monroe

Allisin Kay

Ashley Rayne (Madison Rayne)

Deonna Purrazzo

Hiroyo Mastumoto

Io Shirai

Isla Dawn

Jessica Elaban

Jinny

Kacy Catanzaro

Kaitlyn

Karen Q

Kavita Devi

Killer Kelly

Lacey Lane

MJ Jenkins

Meiko Satomura

Mercedes Martinez

Mia Yim

Nicole Matthews

Priscilla Kelly

Rachel Evers

Reina Gonzalez

Rhea Ripley

Taynara Conti

Tegan Nox

Toni Storm

Vanessa Kraven

Xia Brookside

Xia Li

Zatara

Zeuxis

The Tale Of The Tape

This year the finals will take place at the all women’s PPV Evolution where the winner will get a guaranteed WWE contract.

Last year classic saw Shayna Baszler take on Kairi Sane in the finals where Sane went on to win the competition. Both Sane and Baszler got signed to the WWE (along with other promising superstars) and have become prominent members of the NXT brand, with Baszler becoming NXT Women’s Champion.

Who Are You Most Excited To See Compete In This Year’s Classic? Who Do You Think Will Win It All? Sound Off In The Comments Below!

Three new names have been announced for the upcoming WWE Mae Young Classic tournament. The company revealed on Wednesday morning (August 1, 2018) that Hiroyo Matsumoto, Aerial Monroe and Vanessa Kraven have been confirmed as participants.

This latest announcement brings the total number of competitors revealed for the Mae Young Classic to 26 with the company noting that more competitors would be announced in the coming days. Here is the updated list of names confirmed for the tournament:

Deonna Purrazzo

Io Shirai

Isla Dawn

Jessie Elaban

Jinny

Kacy Catanzaro

Kaitlyn

Karen Q

Kavita Devi

Killer Kelly

Lacey Lane

Meiko Satomura

Mercedes Martinez

Mia Yim

Nicole Matthews

Reina González

Rhea Ripley

Taynara Conti

Tegan Nox

Toni Storm

Zeuxis

Ashley Rayne

Priscilla Kelly

Xia Brookside

Hiroyo Matsumoto

Aerial Monroe

Vanessa Kraven

WWE is set to tape the tournament on August 8th and August 9th from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida and will air later this summer on the WWE Network.

Although WWE has yet to reveal when the first-round matches will air but we do know that the finals will take place as part of the WWE Evolution pay-per-view on October 28, 2018, at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

What are your thoughts on the latest names being announced for the second year of this tournament? Sound off in the comment section.

WWE has confirmed four more participants for the upcoming Mae Young Classic women’s tournament: Zeuxis, Isla Dawn, Lacey Lane and Karen Q.

The following names are now confirmed for the 32-woman single-elimination tournament:

• Deonna Purrazzo
• Io Shirai
• Isla Dawn
• Jessie Elaban
• Jinny
• Kacy Catanzaro
• Kaitlyn
• Karen Q
• Kavita Devi
• Killer Kelly
• Lacey Lane
• Mercedes Martinez
• Mia Yim
• Nicole Matthews
• Reina González
• Rhea Ripley
• Taynara Conti
• Tegan Nox
• Zeuxis

The 2018 Mae Young Classic tournament will tape on August 8th and 9th. The finals will take place at the WWE Evolution pay-per-view on Sunday, October 28th.

1. Zeuxis (CMLL)

29-year-old Puerto Rican Luchadora, Zeuxis, has been officially entered into the tournament. She wrestles primarily in CMLL (where she has been for the last 10 years) but also wrestles for AAA and the Crash.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdldow0NM9A&t=318s&frags=pl%2Cwn

2. Isla Dawn

24-year-old Isla Dawn is from Scotland. She most recently competed for WWE during the United Kingdom shows last month. She lost a triple threat match to Toni Storm (Killer Kelly was the 3rd competitor) which would have put her in a position to wrestle for the NXT UK Women’s title.

Last November, Dawn lost a squash match to Asuka on Raw under the name Stacy Coates.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfGRBgfRcrk&frags=pl%2Cwn

3. Lacey Lane

Trained by the Dudley Boyz, this former NCAA Basketball standout is already training at the WWE Performance Center.

She reported to the Performance Center in February of 2017 but has yet to crack the NXT roster or house show circuit.

Before being signed to WWE, Lane competed across the US and Mexico. She is the former Women’s Champion for the Crash promotion.

Check her out in this inter-gender match she had last year with Lio Rush.

4. Karen Q

If you are wondering if this is the same woman who just lost to Sumie Sakai at ROH’s Honor For All show on Friday, you are correct.

She also teamed with Ray Lyn in a losing effort to the Twisted Sisters (Holidead & Thunder Rosa, aka Kobra Moon) at RISE 9: RISE Of The Knockouts.

The former gymnast has competed for Women’s Wrestling Revolution, Game Changer Wrestling, Victory Pro Wrestling, and as a member of the Women of Honor roster.

She will now be looking to add to her resume by competing for WWE for the first time in the Mae Young Classic.

Four new names have been confirmed as competitors for the second installment of the upcoming Mae Young Classic.

On Wednesday morning (July 18, 2018), the WWE announced that Tegan Nox, Deonna Purrazzo, Jessie Elaban and Reina Gonzalez would be competing in the tournament.

With the latest names being revealed, they join Kaitlyn, Io Shirai, Rhea Ripley, Kacy Catanzaro, Nicole Matthews and Jinny as confirmed competitors for the tournament. The company is expected to announce more participants in the coming weeks.

WWE is slated to tape the tournament on August 8th and August 9th from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida and will air later this summer on the WWE Network.

It should be noted that WWE has yet to reveal when the first-round matches will air on the WWE Network or when the finals will take place but by looking back on history, last year’s tournament finals went down on September 12th from the SmackDown TV event in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Thomas and Mack Center that saw Kairi Sane beat Shayna Baszler in the finals to win the tournament.

What are your thoughts on the latest names being announced for the second year of this tournament? Sound off in the comment section.

WWE will be taping the second installment of the Mae Young Classic tournament on August 8th and August 9th from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida and will air later this summer on the WWE Network.

As of this writing, there’s no word yet on when the first-round matches will air on the WWE Network or when the finals will take place. Last year’s tournament took place in the summer and was taped at Full Sail University. It’s truly a special tournament and very similar to the Cruiserweight Classic. The name of the event is in honor of the late WWE Hall of Famer Mae Young.

The sports entertainment company held the finals of last year’s tournament on September 12th from the SmackDown TV event in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Thomas and Mack Center. Kairi Sane beat Shayna Baszler in the finals to win the tournament.

Now, the new breed of competitors for this year’s tournament are coming to light, and we have some information for you on the three latest additions, via WWE.

Kacy Catanzaro:

“Perhaps best known for her groundbreaking performances on “American Ninja Warrior,” Catanzaro —who was recruited into the WWE Performance Center earlier this year — looks to make an impact in her WWE Network in-ring debut. Though she may not have a wealth of wrestling experience, Catanzaro has been earmarked as a prospect to watch, given her otherworldly athletic abilities. A former Division I gymnast, she was the first woman to scale “American Ninja Warrior’s” “warped wall” and has twice been listed on Sports Illustrated’s “Fittest 50” list of the world’s best female athletes.”

Nicole Matthews:

“A 12-year ring veteran from Vancouver, Matthews has established her name around the globe, having competed in Canada, the United States, England, Japan and Australia. Matthews has faced the likes of Becky Lynch, Asuka and WWE Performance Center trainer Sara Amato. She boasts an aggressive, bullying style of wrestling and likes to finish opponents with a devastating rolling cutter she calls the “Vancouver Maneuver.””

Jinny:

“Rounding out this set of competitors is London’s Jinny. Less than three years into her career, Jinny journeyed into a WWE ring for the first time at the 2017 WrestleMania Axxess. Known for her hard-hitting style inside the ring, Jinny is the reigning women’s champion of the U.K.-based PROGRESS Wrestling and holds the distinction of being the first female graduate of PROGRESS’s wrestling school.”

The Mae Young Classic is the biggest topic as it will begin next month. Already confirmed for the Classic is returning former Divas Champ Kaitlyn. More on that here. 

Could former Diva of The Year, Maria Kanellis, be next on a list for returns for the Classic?

Momma Has To Work

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlEiM1OhtIv/?taken-by=mariakanellis

Mike and Maria had their child back in April and it seems Maria is ready to get back in the ring as soon as August. The same month the Classic takes place which is also in Florida. All hints point to an in-ring return.

As stated earlier, Maria most known accomplishment was being Diva Of The Year in 2009. Her wrestling ability would be more prominent in her ROH days as she was best known as a valet in her WWE career. It will be interesting to see if Maria still has the fortitude to work in the ring if she does return.

Sound Off In The Comments Below, Do You Want To See Maria In The Mae Young Classic?

WWE has just announced that a former Divas Champion will be competing in the Mae Young Classic later this summer. After hinting for months that a return to the ring was possibly in the cards, Kaitlyn has been officially confirmed as a participant in the upcoming tournament.

SHE'S BACK! @catherinekelley has the scoop on former #DivasChampion Kaitlyn (@CelesteBonin) joining the 2018 @WWE @MaeYoungClassic as its first announced competitor! #MaeYoungClassic pic.twitter.com/j72eAj2K9Y

— WWE (@WWE) July 11, 2018

Kaitlyn in the 2018 Mae Young Classic

The former Divas champion sat down with ESPN recently to discuss her return.

“The thing that got me through [as a rookie in WWE] and the thing that allowed me to achieve my level of success was my attitude, and looking back now, I am coming back with experience,” Kaitlyn said. “I am certainly nervous because the level of competition is so much higher and there are so many different women from around the world and they bring skill levels. But it’s just so exciting.”

Kaitlyn began wrestling on a few independent shows earlier this year, fueling speculation of a possible comeback.

“Since I came back, I had the opportunity to work backward and really nail down the fundamentals and the basics — things that I really lacked during my first run with the WWE,” she said. “Now I am bringing these newly honed and developed skills that I have acquired recently and I am combining that with my fearless attitude. And because I don’t have this rookie vibe about me, now I can really concentrate on surprising the WWE universe with all the things I have learned.”

Kaitlyn’s career came and went before the “women’s revolution”. She told ESPN she’s excited to get to work with such the diverse array of talent which is out there today.

“It’s seen so many different types of women of all different shapes and sizes with different skills and techniques that it is so exciting to be a part of that world again.”

The Mae Young Classic begins taping on August 8th, 2018.

WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross took to his podcast, The Ross Report, to talk about several professional wrestling topics. With the announcement of the Mae Young Classic making a return this year, Ross commented on whether or not he’ll be returning to do commentary for the tournament:

“I don’t have any idea. I would think not. I would assume that if I were going to be involved again that I would have already been contacted and I don’t say that out of – I’ve got plenty to do. I’m very busy; but, I don’t think I did my best work on that project. There were a lot of things that made it challenging to do one’s best work; but, the best effort was there.

“The results weren’t as good as I hoped they would have been on my end. People say, ‘Well he didn’t have a real good outing.’ They’re probably right. The other thing is the WWE has a lot of good young guys that need work and they’re never gonna get better if you don’t put them in a position to sink or swim. You’ve got proven commodities there; but, you’ve got also some depth issues.

“I think Tom Phillips would be a great choice to do the Mae Young Classic. He certainly could use more reps. Mauro [Ranallo] doesn’t; but, he’d do great, my gosh. The guys that are there, they’re staffed. They don’t need me to help and I understand that. I’ve got no problem with it. I really don’t. I’m staying busy enough.”

“Good Ole’ JR” also commented on his upcoming sequel to his book, Slobberknocker: My Life in Wrestling”

“I met with my writing partner, the brilliant Paul O’Brien. We hooked up in Limerick and there we had a meeting and I had a brewski. We had a great talk and we’re going to do a sequel to Slobberknocker. I don’t know the name of it yet. We haven’t got that far; but, we’ve worked out in theory that we’re going to do the second book and now there’s a whole lot of groundwork to get together.

“Paul and I will join up in Los Angeles, probably some time this summer to hatch out our strategy. We’re picking it up chronologically after I came back from the second bout of bell’s palsy and call the Austin/Rock WrestleMania match at 15. Boy, we cover a lot of ground after that. So we had a huge meeting and it’s gonna be good.

“The book’s gonna be dynamic. I think it’s going to be the most familiar territory for fans today, more than our first book, which is still doing great….[Stu Hart] made me tap one time in his basement, the Dungeon. That will be in our next book Paul and I are gonna write, I’m sure.”

You can listen to The Ross Report by clicking this link here.

H/T WrestleZone for the transcriptions

WWE has announced that the 2018 Mae Young Classic will kick off on Wednesday, August 8, 2018 from Full Sail University. The Mae Young Classic tournament will air on the WWE Network some time this summer, although no premiere date has been announced at this time.

WWE confirmed the Mae Young Classic will once again be a 32-woman single-elimination tournament. This year’s field of competitors will feature talent from 12 countries.

“We are thrilled to once again present the Mae Young Classic and provide a global showcase for 32 of the top female talent from around the world,” said Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events & Creative.  “Last year’s event was a significant milestone in WWE’s Women’s Evolution, and I am confident this year’s event will break even more barriers.”

Last year’s inaugural Mae Young Classic saw Kairi Sane defeat reigning NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler in the finals. Many of the participants in the first Mae Young Classic are now under contract to WWE. In addition to Sane and Baszler, Candice LaRae, Deonna Purrazzo, Bianca Belair and Lacey Evans are among the other signees.

Discussion: What female wrestlers from the independent scene would you want to see in this year’s Mae Young Classic?

We now know the taping dates for the second installment of the Mae Young Classic tournament.

Last year’s tournament took place in the summer and was taped at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. It’s truly a special tournament and similar to the Cruiserweight Classic. The name of the event is in honor of the late WWE Hall of Famer Mae Young.

If you recall, the Cruiserweight Classic was a tournament produced by WWE wherein all participants were billed at a weight of 205 lbs or less to determine the first Cruiserweight Champion.

The sports entertainment company held the finals of last year’s tournament on September 12th from the SmackDown TV event in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Thomas and Mack Center. Kairi Sane beat Shayna Baszler in the finals to win the tournament.

Bryan Alvarez revealed during Wrestling Observer Live on Wednesday that the taping dates for the upcoming tournament on August 7th and 8th at Full Sail University. As of this writing, there’s no word yet on when the first-round matches will air on the WWE Network or when the finals will take place.

What are your thoughts on the WWE bringing back this tournament? Sound off in the comment section below.

–  It was rumored for a while that WWE is looking to sign Indie Wrestler and Mae Young Classic competitor Tessa Blanchard, though it appears that these speculations are false.

Tessa noted on Twitter recently that she is now taking bookings for 2018, meaning that not only the Indie Star has not reached an agreement with WWE but she is also not expecting to be signed anytime soon:

https://twitter.com/Tess_Blanchard/status/936718521421135873

Blanchard had wrestled several matches for NXT last year. She also took part in the Mae Young Classic earlier this year where she was defeated by Kairi Sane in the first round of the tournament.

– As noted before, Sasha Banks and Alexa Bliss made history during the recent WWE Live Event in UAE by becoming the first female WWE Superstars to compete in the Middle East.

After the match, MVP commented on Banks’ outfit for the event, which was similar to the ring gear of the former WWE Star via the following Instagram post:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcalNUWDkGT/

Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch and more appeared on the latest edition of the McMahonsplaining podcast to discuss the importance of WWE’s recent Mae Young Classic tournament.

During the discussions, Triple H told a story about having to tell one WWE performer that they did not have a spot for her in the tournament. He did not name the wrestler in question, but said she’s been training at the Performance Center “for a while.”

“She’s kind of always been on this cusp and the timing has always wrong,” Triple H said. “And I had to go to her, and I wanted to do it personally because I felt like I owed it to her, to say, ‘I can’t put you in the tournament. You should be in the tournament, but I don’t have the spot for you.’

“To watch her fight the tears and the ultimate disappointment of that, it’s tough, man. That’s a hard thing to do. But you’ve got to keep in mind that you want the opportunity to be the biggest it can across the platform.”

You can listen to the full episode below: