Tag: mae young classic

Full lineup set for WWE Mae Young Classic

Posted on by Joseph Currier

All 32 wrestlers have been confirmed for this summer’s Mae Young Classic.

The final five participants were announced for the tournament today, with Sienna, Xia Li, Rachael Ellering,  MJ Jenkins, and Zatara rounding out the lineup. Tapings for the tournament will be held at Full Sail University next Wednesday and Thursday, leading into the finals taking place at WWE Evolution on October 28.

Sienna was announced by her real name (Allysin Kay). She is a former two-time Knockouts Champion in Impact Wrestling and recently left the company when her contract expired while she was out of action with blood clots in both of her lungs.

Li and Ellering are both returning from last year’s Mae Young Classic. Li is from China and made her in-ring debut in the 2017 tournament, losing to Mercedes Martinez in the first round. She’s under WWE contract and wrestles on NXT house shows in Florida.

Ellering is again going by “Rachel Evers,” which is a reference to her trainer Lance Storm’s real last name. She defeated Marti Belle in the first round last year, with Dave Meltzer reporting that WWE changed the finish midway through after Belle had originally been booked to win. Ellering lost to Abbey Laith in the second round and has wrestled outside of WWE since the tournament.

Jenkins was signed by WWE as part of the most recent group of wrestlers to report to the Performance Center. She wrestled on the indies before joining WWE and was formerly part of the Impact Wrestling roster.

Zatara is a masked wrestler from Santiago, Chile. She is 26 years old and started wrestling in 2008.

The full Mae Young Classic 2018 lineup is listed below. Taynara Conti won a qualifying match at July’s NXT television tapings but has yet to be officially announced by WWE.

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

Jazzy Gabert confirms she won’t be in 2018 WWE Mae Young Classic

Posted on by Joseph Currier

While there are still five more wrestlers left to be confirmed for this year’s Mae Young Classic, it doesn’t look like one of those spots will be filled by Jazzy Gabert.

The 36-year-old Gabert wrote on Twitter today that she won’t be returning for the 2018 tournament: “As you by now might know, I will not be at the #myc this year! The hope was high, I saw your tweets. Thank you for your support! Wishing all the fantastic girls on the Tournament lot of success and most of all FUN! I will be watching”

Gabert lost to Abbey Laith in the first round last year but got over with the crowd due to her strength. She also wrestled in a non-tournament six-woman tag match on night two of the tapings, getting “Please sign Jazzy” chants.

Last December, Gabert revealed that she was offered a WWE contract following the Mae Young Classic but was “disqualified” during medical testing due to having three herniated discs in her neck. She underwent neck surgery earlier this year and has returned to the ring.

The 2018 Mae Young Classic will be filmed at Full Sail University on August 8 and 9, leading into the finals taking place at WWE Evolution on October 28.

Three more participants confirmed for WWE Mae Young Classic

Posted on by Joseph Currier

With three more participants being announced today, there are only five wrestlers left to be confirmed for this year’s Mae Young Classic.

WWE added Hiroyo Matsumoto, Aerial Monroe, and Vanessa Kraven to the lineup for the tournament today. The tapings will take place at Full Sail University on August 8 and 9, with the finals then being held at WWE’s Evolution pay-per-view in Long Island, New York on October 28.

Matsumoto is a standout freelancer from Japan who has been wrestling since 2006. She’s the third Japanese wrestler announced for the tournament, joining Io Shirai and Meiko Satomura. In one of Shirai’s last appearances before coming to WWE, she went to a time-limit draw with Matsumoto and Satomura in a three-way match.

Monroe is an independent wrestler from Clearwater, Florida and a United States Air Force veteran. She debuted in 2015 and lists George South and WWE Cruiserweight Champion Cedric Alexander as two of her trainers. Monroe and Alexander also got married earlier this summer.

In August 2016, Monroe appeared on Raw and lost a squash match to Nia Jax.

Kraven is from Montreal, Quebec, Canada and is being billed at 6-foot-2 by WWE. She has over 14 years of in-ring experience.

Here’s the updated Mae Young Classic 2018 lineup:

  • Kaitlyn
  • Rhea Ripley
  • Io Shirai
  • Nicole Matthews
  • Jinny
  • Kacy Catanzaro
  • Deonna Purrazzo
  • Tegan Nox (formerly known as Nixon Newell)
  • Jessie Elaban
  • Reina Gonzalez
  • Taynara Conti (won a qualifying match at NXT TV tapings)
  • Mia Yim
  • Mercedes Martinez
  • Kavita Devi
  • Killer Kelly
  • Zeuxis
  • Isla Dawn
  • Lacey Lane
  • Karen Q
  • Toni Storm
  • Meiko Satomura
  • Madison Rayne (announced as Ashley Rayne)
  • Priscilla Kelly
  • Xia Brookside
  • Hiroyo Matsumoto
  • Aerial Monroe
  • Vanessa Kraven

Madison Rayne, two more set for WWE Mae Young Classic

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Three more participants have been announced for the Mae Young Classic, including a wrestler who challenged for Impact Wrestling and Ring of Honor’s Women’s titles this month.

Madison Rayne, Priscilla Kelly, and Xia Brookside were confirmed for the tournament today. Rayne was announced as “Ashley Rayne,” with Ashley being her real first name. She’s a five-time Knockouts Champion in Impact and lost a title match to Su Yung at Slammiversary XVI on July 22. Rayne was put in a coffin by Yung and Yung’s undead bridesmaids after the match.

The night before Slammiversary, Rayne unsuccessfully challenged for Sumie Sakai’s Women of Honor Championship at a set of ROH television tapings. She’ll also be wrestling at All In on September 1.

Rayne attended a tryout at the WWE Performance Center in October 2017.

Kelly is an indie wrestler who plays a goth-inspired character and is part of the EVOLVE roster as a manager. Brookside, who is 19 years old and is the daughter of WWE Performance Center trainer Robbie Brookside, is from England and has already wrestled all over the world, including for Stardom in Japan.

There are eight participants left to be announced for the Mae Young Classic before the tournament is taped at Full Sail University on August 8 and 9. The finals will then take place at WWE Evolution in Long Island, New York on October 28.

Here’s the updated MYC lineup:

  • Kaitlyn
  • Rhea Ripley
  • Io Shirai
  • Nicole Matthews
  • Jinny
  • Kacy Catanzaro
  • Deonna Purrazzo
  • Tegan Nox (formerly known as Nixon Newell)
  • Jessie Elaban
  • Reina Gonzalez
  • Taynara Conti (won a qualifying match at NXT TV tapings)
  • Mia Yim
  • Mercedes Martinez
  • Kavita Devi
  • Killer Kelly
  • Zeuxis
  • Isla Dawn
  • Lacey Lane
  • Karen Q
  • Toni Storm
  • Meiko Satomura
  • Madison Rayne
  • Priscilla Kelly
  • Xia Brookside

Meiko Satomura confirmed for WWE Mae Young Classic

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Following the announcement of Toni Storm, another huge addition is set for WWE’s Mae Young Classic.

Meiko Satomura has been officially confirmed for the tournament. Her involvement was first reported by Tokyo Sports last month.

The 38-year-old Satomura has over two decades of experience in the ring and is one of the standout wrestlers of her generation. She started her career with GAEA Japan before its closure, founded and wrestles for the Sendai Girls promotion, and makes fairly regular appearances on the United Kingdom indies for places like Pro Wrestling: EVE and Fight Club: PRO.

After winning it from Chris Brookes earlier this year, Satomura currently holds the Fight Club: PRO Championship.

There are now 11 participants left to be announced for the 32-wrestler tournament, which will be filmed at Full Sail University on August 8 and 9. The finals will then take place at WWE Evolution in Long Island, New York on October 28.

Here’s the updated Mae Young Classic lineup:

  • Kaitlyn
  • Rhea Ripley
  • Io Shirai
  • Nicole Matthews
  • Jinny
  • Kacy Catanzaro
  • Deonna Purrazzo
  • Tegan Nox (formerly known as Nixon Newell)
  • Jessie Elaban
  • Reina Gonzalez
  • Taynara Conti (won a qualifying match at NXT TV tapings)
  • Mia Yim
  • Mercedes Martinez
  • Kavita Devi
  • Killer Kelly
  • Zeuxis
  • Isla Dawn
  • Lacey Lane
  • Karen Q
  • Toni Storm
  • Meiko Satomura

WWE announces Toni Storm for Mae Young Classic

Posted on by Joseph Currier

As expected, Toni Storm will be returning for this summer’s Mae Young Classic.

WWE announced via The Mirror today that Storm will be taking part in the tournament for the second straight year. She made it to the semifinals in 2017, losing to Kairi Sane.

Storm signed a United Kingdom contract with WWE earlier this year and appears set to be positioned as a top star in NXT UK’s women’s division. She won a triple threat match on night one of June’s Royal Albert Hall shows and advanced to unsuccessfully challenge for Shayna Baszler’s NXT Women’s Championship the next night.

“It’s just strange because I feel like my brain still hasn’t let it sink in yet that I am associated with WWE,” Storm told The Mirror. “I have strived for it for so long and dreamt of getting into WWE from being a kid and I have never let it go. It’s completely surreal, a lot of the time I kind of don’t even think i have got there.”

Storm was born in New Zealand, grew up in Australia, and has held titles in PROGRESS Wrestling and Stardom. She’s also the current wXw Women’s Champion.

The Mae Young Classic will be taped at Full Sail University on August 8 and 9 before the finals are held at WWE’s Evolution pay-per-view in Long Island, New York on October 28. Twenty of the 32 participants for the tournament have now been announced:

  • Kaitlyn
  • Rhea Ripley
  • Io Shirai
  • Nicole Matthews
  • Jinny
  • Kacy Catanzaro
  • Deonna Purrazzo
  • Tegan Nox (formerly known as Nixon Newell)
  • Jessie Elaban
  • Reina Gonzalez
  • Taynara Conti (won a qualifying match at NXT TV tapings)
  • Mia Yim
  • Mercedes Martinez
  • Kavita Devi
  • Killer Kelly
  • Zeuxis
  • Isla Dawn
  • Lacey Lane
  • Karen Q
  • Toni Storm

Four more participants set for WWE Mae Young Classic

Posted on by Joseph Currier

With four more participants being announced today, 19 of the 32 wrestlers for this summer’s Mae Young Classic have now been confirmed.

Zeuxis, Isla Dawn, Lacey Lane, and Karen Q were added to the lineup for the Mae Young Classic during the most recent round of announcements. The tournament will be taped at Full Sail University on August 8 and 9, with the finals taking place at WWE’s Evolution pay-per-view at the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York on October 28.

Zeuxis is from Puerto Rico and recently left CMLL. She defeated Princesa Sugehit, who made it to the second round of the inaugural Mae Young Classic, in a mask vs. mask match at last year’s CMLL anniversary show.

Dawn is Scottish and is part of WWE’s United Kingdom division. She wrestled on the first night of last month’s WWE UK shows at Royal Albert Hall, losing a triple threat match that saw Toni Storm win and go on to unsuccessfully challenge for Shayna Baszler’s NXT Women’s Championship the next night.

Lane was introduced as part of the newest group of WWE Performance Center signees earlier this month. She played division two basketball while in college, was trained at The Dudley Boyz’s Team 3D Academy, and is a former Women’s Champion for The Crash Lucha Libre.

Karen Q currently wrestles on the indies and is part of ROH’s Women of Honor division. She took part in a WWE tryout at the Performance Center last October.

Here’s the updated list of participants for the 2018 Mae Young Classic:

  • Kaitlyn
  • Rhea Ripley
  • Io Shirai
  • Nicole Matthews
  • Jinny
  • Kacy Catanzaro
  • Deonna Purrazzo
  • Tegan Nox (formerly known as Nixon Newell)
  • Jessie Elaban
  • Reina Gonzalez
  • Taynara Conti (won a qualifying match at NXT TV tapings)
  • Mia Yim
  • Mercedes Martinez
  • Kavita Devi
  • Killer Kelly
  • Zeuxis
  • Isla Dawn
  • Lacey Lane
  • Karen Q

WWE announces more participants for Mae Young Classic

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Nearly half of the lineup for this summer’s Mae Young Classic has now been confirmed.

WWE added four more participants to the 32-wrestler field today. Three of the new additions are returning from last year’s Mae Young Classic, while the other is a newcomer to the tournament.

Mia Yim, Mercedes Martinez, and Kavita Devi will be back this year. Yim and Martinez aren’t under WWE contract, but both made it past the first round in 2017. Martinez, a veteran indie wrestler, lost to Shayna Baszler in the semifinals. Yim was formerly known as Jade in TNA/Impact Wrestling and was defeated by Baszler in the second round.

Devi is from India and lost to Dakota Kai in the opening round last year, with WWE’s clip of their match on YouTube currently having nearly 30 million views. Devi is under contract to WWE and appeared in the WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal this April.

Killer Kelly was the other wrestler announced for the tournament today. Kelly is from Portugal and wrestled on both of WWE’s United Kingdom-brand shows at Royal Albert Hall last month.

UPDATE: WWE originally announced a wrestler named Crystal, who made her in-ring debut in 2016 and calls herself the “Queen of Philippine Wrestling,” for the tournament before removing her from their article. She took part in a WWE tryout in Manila in 2017 and currently wrestles in Southeast Asia. She may be announced at another point as WWE continues their rollout of this year’s participants.

The 2018 Mae Young Classic will be taped at Full Sail University on August 8 and 9. Here’s the updated lineup:

  • Kaitlyn
  • Rhea Ripley
  • Io Shirai
  • Nicole Matthews
  • Jinny
  • Kacy Catanzaro
  • Deonna Purrazzo
  • Tegan Nox (formerly known as Nixon Newell)
  • Jessie Elaban
  • Reina Gonzalez
  • Taynara Conti (won a qualifying match at NXT TV tapings)
  • Mia Yim
  • Mercedes Martinez
  • Kavita Devi
  • Killer Kelly

Four more participants confirmed for WWE Mae Young Classic

Posted on by Joseph Currier

WWE has confirmed four more participants for the 2018 Mae Young Classic.

After reporting to the Performance Center this week, Deonna Purrazzo has been officially announced for the tournament. Tegan Nox (the former Nixon Newell), Jessie Elaban, and Reina Gonzalez were also confirmed for the Mae Young Classic today.

Purrazzo was one of the alternates for the first Mae Young Classic and was included in a dark match at last year’s tapings. She wrestled for Ring of Honor, Stardom, and independent promotions both in the United States and internationally before signing with WWE. She was originally scheduled to wrestle at All In this September, but her going to WWE means that she won’t be able to be on the show.

Nox is from Wales and wrestled on the UK indies and internationally before signing with WWE in 2017. She was supposed to be in the first Mae Young Classic, but a torn ACL prevented her from being in the tournament. She returned to the ring at an NXT house show this April and recently got her new WWE name.

Elaban and Gonzalez are both signed to WWE and regularly wrestle on NXT house shows. Gonzalez lost to Nicole Savoy in the first round of last year’s tournament.

Kaitlyn, Rhea Ripley, Io Shirai, Nicole Matthews, Jinny, Kacy Catanzaro, Purrazzo, Nox, Elaban, and Gonzalez have now been confirmed for this year’s tournament. It will feature 32 participants and will be taped at Full Sail University on August 8 and 9.

Io Shirai, three more confirmed for WWE Mae Young Classic

Posted on by Joseph Currier

With four more wrestlers being announced today, the lineup for this year’s Mae Young Classic continues to take shape.

As expected, Io Shirai will be one of the participants in the tournament. After it was reported that she was signing with WWE, Shirai departed Stardom in June and then made an appearance at a WWE house show in Tokyo, Japan, where it was announced that she would be joining NXT this summer.

Shirai finished 10th in the “Most Outstanding” category in last year’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards.

Nicole Matthews, an indie wrestler from Canada who was an alternate for the first Mae Young Classic, will be an entrant this year. She began her in-ring career in 2006 and has long been a regular for Shimmer in the United States and ECCW in Canada.

Jinny, who recently signed a United Kingdom-brand contract with WWE, will also be taking part in the Mae Young Classic. She’s PROGRESS Wrestling’s current Women’s Champion.

Rounding out today’s announcements, former “American Ninja Warrior” standout Kacy Catanzaro has been confirmed for the tournament. She made her debut at an NXT house show in April after signing with WWE in 2017 and reporting to the Performance Center this January.

Kaitlyn, Rhea Ripley, Shirai, Matthews, Jinny, and Catanzaro are the first six wrestlers to be announced for the tournament, which will be taped at Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida on August 8 and 9. There will be 32 participants in total.

Kaitlyn returning to WWE for this year’s Mae Young Classic

Posted on by Joseph Currier

The first entrant has been confirmed for this summer’s Mae Young Classic.

WWE announced via ESPN.com today that former Divas Champion Kaitlyn (real name Celeste Bonin), who was previously with the company from 2010-2014, will be taking part in the tournament. She retired in 2014 to focus on her fitness apparel business and marriage but returned to the ring this February for Coastal Championship Wrestling.

“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,” Bonin told ESPN. “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.”

Dave Meltzer reported last month that Bonin was backstage at the set of NXT television tapings that took place on June 21 and that there was talk of her returning.

Bonin has a YouTube channel where she’s documented her return to the ring, her life after getting divorced, and overcoming addiction issues after getting addicted to what she described as a legal research chemical.

This year’s Mae Young Classic will be taped at Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida on August 8 and 9. There will be 32 wrestlers in the tournament.

WWE announces details for Mae Young Classic 2018

Posted on by Joseph Currier

WWE has officially announced some of the details for this summer’s Mae Young Classic.

As expected, the tournament will be taped at Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida on Wednesday, August 8 and Thursday, August 9. It will then come to the WWE Network “later this summer.”

Like with the 2017 edition, the single-elimination tournament will again feature a 32-participant field. WWE is advertising that it will include wrestlers from 12 different 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,” Paul “Triple H” Levesque said in a press release. “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.”

WWE noted that additional information will be announced in the coming weeks. They haven’t confirmed any wrestlers for the tournament, but Tokyo Sports reported last Thursday that Meiko Satomura would be in it. Last year’s version featured a mix of wrestlers who were under contract with WWE and many who weren’t.

Tickets for both Mae Young Classic taping dates will go on sale tomorrow at 10 a.m. Eastern time.

Meiko Satomura reportedly set for WWE Mae Young Classic

Posted on by Joseph Currier

While there haven’t been any names officially announced, a standout wrestler of her generation looks set for WWE’s second Mae Young Classic.

Tokyo Sports reported today that 38-year-old Meiko Satomura would be participating in the tournament this summer.

Whether or not Satomura would have any involvement with WWE past appearing in the Mae Young Classic wasn’t made clear.

Satomura is a founder of the Sendai Girls promotion in Japan and has been wrestling for over 20 years. She’s also been wrestling on the United Kingdom independent scene fairly often recently, appearing for Pro Wrestling: EVE and Fight Club: PRO. She won the Fight Club: PRO title from Chris Brookes earlier this year.

The Mae Young Classic will be taped in Orlando, Florida on August 8th and 9th. Last year’s tournament had a 32-wrestler field that included a mix of wrestlers who were under contract with WWE and those who weren’t.

Mae Young Classic competitor Zeda released from WWE

Posted on by Bryan Rose

NXT and Mae Young Classic competitor Zeda has been released from WWE.

Squared Circle Sirens reported this morning that Zeda, real name Julia Ho, was released from the company within the last week. Aside from a battle royal appearance last year, she never appeared on NXT television. She had been working house shows up until March 3 where she lost to Sage Beckett, who has also since been released. 

She later posted a Terminator gif on her Twitter account, saying that she’ll be back.

Zeda is best known for her entry in the Mae Young Classic tournament last year, where she lost to eventual finalist Shayna Baszler in the first round. She had trained at the Santino Brothers Academy in Florida before signing with the WWE and reporting to the Performance Center in January of 2017. She made her debut in a battle royal for a shot at the NXT Women’s title on May 13 of last year and had mostly worked on house shows since.

Women’s & UK tournaments announced for WWE Network

Posted on by Joseph Currier

While hyping up upcoming programming during tonight’s Hall of Fame ceremony, WWE confirmed that two tournaments are coming to the Network.

WWE announced the second annual Mae Young Classic and another United Kingdom tournament, which will be called King of the Ring. When the tournaments will be happening wasn’t mentioned, but Dave Meltzer reported last month that there’s been “a lot of movement going on behind the scenes” with the company’s UK project lately.

WWE’s initial UK tournament took place across two days in January 2017, with Tyler Bate becoming the inaugural United Kingdom Champion. Kairi Sane won the first Mae Young Classic by defeating Shayna Baszler in the finals last summer.

The commercial also advertised new seasons of the Edge & Christian Show, Table for Three, Ride Along, Camp WWE, and WWE Story Time, along with a WWE 365 documentary on AJ Styles and WWE 24 specials on The Hardys, Raw’s 25th anniversary, and Ronda Rousey.

“Something Else to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard” — based on Prichard and Conrad Thompson’s podcast — and “Elias: Unplugged” were announced as coming to the Network as well.