While appearing on the Edge & Christian podcast this week, Mae Young Classic participant Jazzy Gabert detailed how neck issues led to the contract offer she received from WWE falling through.
Gabert said the contract was sent to her in the mail after being asked by someone in WWE to be patient following the tournament. She traveled to Orlando for an NXT dark match and to have medicals done, then eventually visited Dr. Joseph Maroon in Pittsburgh to be examined.
Maroon found that she had something wrong with her neck and scheduled an MRI, which revealed that she had three herniated discs in her neck. Gabert also said that the bones were “all over the place.”
“Of course they sent the results to the WWE doctor,” Gabert said. “And then the WWE doctor contacted me and they said to me, ‘We’re really sorry Jazz, but we cannot give you our clearance and you are disqualified and you cannot work for WWE.'”
Gabert said the next step looks to be undergoing surgery to get the problem fixed. She talked about being sad about the situation, though she also mentioned being appreciative of her fans, all of the opportunities she’s gotten, and all of the places she’s been able to go because of pro wrestling.
Gabert, who was eliminated by Abbey Laith in the first round of the Mae Young Classic, got one of the biggest reactions of the tournament and received “Please sign Jazzy” chants when wrestling in a six-woman tag match on the second day of tapings.
Click play below to listen to the full podcast. Gabert’s interview begins shortly after the 25-minute mark.
WWE has officially confirmed the signing of another Mae Young Classic participant.
In conjunction with Jinder Mahal’s media tour of India, WWE announced that Kavita Devi and Shadia Bseiso (who is from Jordan) have signed with the company — touting that they’re the first Indian and Middle Eastern women to sign WWE contracts. Both attended tryouts that the company held in Dubai this past April.
“Recruiting Kavita and Shadia to join our developmental system underscores WWE’s ongoing commitment to building a talent roster as diverse as our fan base,” Paul “Triple H” Levesque said. “We’re confident Kavita and Shadia will inspire future WWE superstars as we continue to recruit the most talented athletes and entertainers from around the world.”
Devi lost to Dakota Kai in the first round of the Mae Young Classic. A clip of the match that WWE posted on YouTube far outdrew anything else from the tournament due to interest in India and it being posted on Indian news websites, with it currently approaching eight million views.
Vince McMahon returned to WWE television in a new role, for the first time allowing himself to be portrayed as an old man.
McMahon, 72, noticeably smaller than in the past, took a head-butt from Kevin Owens, bled badly which was not only very much planned, but emphasized in the shooting of the angle. He got up, woozy, trying to feebly fight back, was decked, kicked in the ribs, superkicked and splashed off the top rope and crawled out of the ring. The angle was a set up for the Shane McMahon vs. Owens Hell in a Cell match that will be the most promoted match on the 10/8 PPV from Detroit.
McMahon, who has heavily pushed the idea that blood isn’t allowed to be shown on television, had the cameras zoomed in on his split forehead with blood gushing. Because it’s rarely done, it was more effective than in a promotion where people see blood all the time.
After winning the Mae Young Classic tournament earlier tonight, Kairi Sane will get a chance to become the next NXT Women’s Champion at the TakeOver event in Houston on November 18th.
Triple H confirmed the news to ESPN following tonight’s tournament finals. “[I’m] very excited that she’s the first champion, and now the question is ‘What’s next for her?’ I can tell you what’s next for her,” Triple H said. “On November 18th at the Toyota Center at the next NXT TakeOver, Kairi will be fighting to determine a new NXT Women’s Champion.”
James McKenna of Pro Wrestling Sheet mentioned that Sane may be one of the participants in a multi-woman match to determine the next champion.
Sane defeated Shayna Baszler in a long, hard-fought match that followed SmackDown tonight. Bazler dominated as she had the size advantage, but Sane fought back, hit a big double foot stomp off the top rope, and pulled off the victory with her famous elbow drop.
The NXT Women’s Championship was vacated at the last set of television tapings when it was announced that Asuka would be coming up to the main roster. More information on the match to decide the next champion will likely be revealed at the next set of tapings, which will take place at Full Sail University on Thursday night after being pushed back a day due to Hurricane Irma.
Kairi Sane won the Mae Young Classic in a dramatic match against Shayna Baszler during a live special from the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas for the tournament finals.
Despite speculation ahead of the show about an angle involving the Horsewomen factions, the show was purely focused on the finals and the match itself. The Horsewomen factions were indeed at ringside, but they were merely there to watch the match.
Celebrity guests and various other female wrestlers — both past and present — from the WWE roster were at ringside as well. Semifinalists and others from the tournament were also there to watch on.
The heated match gave way to an emotional scene with Sane during the post-match ceremony. The atmosphere was made even better by a hot crowd reacting to the drama of the match. The presentation of the show itself helped in making the tournament finals seem monumental.
The tournament came down to former UFC fighter Shayna Baszler taking on joshi wrestling standout Kairi Sane. Baszler defeated Zeda, Mia Yim, Candice LeRae, and Mercedes Martinez on her road to the finals, with Sane overcoming Tessa Blanchard, Bianca Belair, Dakota Kai, and Toni Storm in getting to the climatic match.
Baszler and Sane had previously met in a match against each other for the Stardom promotion in Japan prior to either being a part of WWE.
After winning the tournament, Kairi Sane is set for a title match to decide the next NXT Women’s Champion at the TakeOver special event in Houston this November during Survivor Series weekend.
The live special from Las Vegas opened with a video package hyping the finals. Highlights from the red carpet followed with sound bites from the celebrity guests and WWE wrestlers in attendance.
Renee Young was the host of the show while Jim Ross and Lita were on commentary. Lillian Garcia returned in a special appearance doing the ring announing for grand introductions before the match.
Kairi Sane defeated Shayna Baszler to win the Mae Young Classic
Sane pinned Baszler with a flying elbow drop to win the tournament final.
As they circled each other at the outset, dueling chants broke out from the crowd upon the first lock-up.
Early on in the match, they established the story that played on the size difference. The larger heel bullied the babyface-in-peril until finally being vanquished.
The match soon went to the mat when Baszler shot in for a takedown and they began grappling.
Baszler displayed her power advantage during a Greco Roman knucklelock. Sane showed her quickness with a flying headscissors. Baszler mowed down Sane with a kick. Sane rolled outside and Baszler stalked her prey at ringside.
Back in the ring, Baszler began to get heat on Sane by working the arm and elbow. Sane countered at one point with a schoolgirl for a hope spot. Baszler quickly went back to dissecting the arm.
Sane countered a suplex — only to get caught in the clutches of Baszler. That led a couple gutwrench suplexes from Baszler that were dubbed “Two of a Kind.”
Upon firing up, Sane got cut off again with a running knee strike by Baszler. Pausing for a moment to taunt Sane, Baszler is met with a spear as Sane started a comeback. Sane then targets the ribs and applied a body scissors.
Baszler escaped the scissors and repeatedly paint brushed Sane. Baszler is then soon the victim of another spear that sent her into a corner. Sane goes for her signature walking of the plank spot, and she missed on a charge into the corner.
Sane went back to targeting the ribs, and she hit Baszler with an ax kick in the process. Baszler sold her ribs as Sane went to the top rope.
When Sane jumped off attemping her flying elbow, Baszler caught her in a rear naked choke. The submission hold was Baszler’s key to victory throughout the tournament. Sane became the first in the tourney to break the hold as she elbowed Baszler’s ribs to escape.
Sane dropped Baszler with a spinning back fist. Sane climbed the turnbuckles and Baszler tripped her up. Sane countered an attempted superplex, and they exchanged strikes. Baszler applied a kimura lock while perched on the ropes.
Sane shoved Baszler off the ropes to trap her in the tree-of-woe. Sane hit Baszler with a double foot stomp for a near fall and a rope break.
Sane targeted the ribs again in the closing moments to set up the flying elbow drop. Sane dropped the elbow and covered Baszler as the crowd counted along in unison for the three count.
Sane became the winner of the inaugural Mae Young Classic. Her and Baszler hugged after the match.
Sarah Amato, Stephanie McMahon, and Triple H joined the finalists in the ring for a presentation ceremoney with the giant trophy. Triple H gave Sane a bouquet of flowers before raising her hand in victory. Sane wept.
No Horsewomen angle at all with the focus was on the match and the tournament finals.
After the conclusion of the live special, WWE announced that Sane will go on to challenge for the vacant NXT Women’s Championship at NXT TakeOver: Houston in November. Triple H first broke the story during an interview with ESPN.
Before the Mae Young Classic finals take place on Tuesday, there will be a special recapping the tournament on the WWE Network tomorrow night.
The updated Network schedule for this week lists that the 30-minute recap show will be airing after Raw on Monday. It will feature Charly Caruso going over the tournament, plus a six-woman tag match will air with Santana Garrett, Sarah Logan & Marti Belle facing Jazzy Gabert, Kay Lee Ray & Tessa Blanchard.
That match was filmed on the second day of tapings in July. With it being shown, the only match from the tapings that hasn’t been released is Deonna Purrazzo & Jessica James vs. Nicole Matthews & Barbi Hayden (who were alternates in the tournament and opened the show on night two).
The WWE Network schedule also confirms what Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter were the tentative plans for Tuesday night. The Mae Young Classic finals, with Kairi Sane vs. Shayna Baszler, will stream on the Network for about 30 minutes after SmackDown before a full episode of 205 Live airs.
Before the Mae Young Classic finals take place next Tuesday, WWE will be broadcasting a red carpet special earlier in the afternoon on Facebook Live.
Ronda Rousey will be making an appearance and participating in interviews ahead of possibly taking part in the follow-up to the Four Horsewomen vs. Four Horsewomen angle. WWE’s Four Horsewomen will be represented on the red carpet too, with Charlotte Flair and Bayley advertised to be there.
Stephanie McMahon, Triple H, Nikki and Brie Bella, and soccer star Hope Solo will also be appearing on the red carpet show, with WWE hyping that cast members from Netflix’s “GLOW” series will be present on Tuesday as well. The show will be hosted by Cathy Kelley at 6 p.m. Eastern time, then the tournament finals will stream live on the WWE Network at 10 p.m. ET.
The Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada will host SmackDown, Kairi Sane vs. Shayna Baszler in the MYC finals, and 205 Live next Tuesday. Dave Meltzer noted in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the tentative plan is for 205 Live to air at 10:30 p.m. ET.
WWE officially announced the full list of participants for the Mae Young Classic on a “Parade of Champions” broadcast prior to the tapings beginning tonight.
Notably, Serena Deeb will be returning to the company for the first time since being released in 2010. She became a full-time yoga instructor after retiring in 2015 due to concussion issues.
Candice LeRae was also announced for the tournament. She’s one of the most popular women’s wrestlers on the independent scene and has wrestled for promotions like PWG and DDT.
With former UFC fighter Shayna Baszler being confirmed as one of the participants, her friend Ronda Rousey is in attendance at Full Sail University for at least the first night of the tapings.
Each wrestler was listed as representing a country that they’re from or is part of their heritage. Below is the full list of competitors:
All 32 participants for the Mae Young Classic will be revealed tonight during a Parade of Champions broadcast on Facebook Live and YouTube starting at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Names already confirmed for the tournament are: Toni Storm, Princesa Sugehit, Lacey Evans, Sarah Logan, Tessa Blanchard, Abbey Laith, Taynara Conti, Kavita Devi, Jazzy Gabert, Bianca Belair, Vanessa Borne, Dakota Kai, Kairi Sane, Piper Niven, Sage Beckett, Rhea Ripley, Kay Lee Ray, and Ayesha Raymond.
Other potential entrants that may be a part of the tournament include Mercedes Martinez, former MMA fighter Shayna Baszler, Rachael Ellering, Nicole Savoy, and former TNA alum Marti Belle.
A bracketology show will air after SummerSlam on August 20th. The tournament itself will start taping tonight and tomorrow, with the first four episodes scheduled to go on demand on August 28th. The finals are set to air live on the WWE Network on September 12th following SmackDown at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
The Mae Young Classic Parade of Champions stream is available to watch below:
A number of new names are expected to be announced by WWE in the coming days regarding the Mae Young Classic tournament, which films on Thursday and Friday in Orlando.
Prep work on the tournament is currently being done in Orlando.
Among the names not announced yet who are said to be involved are a number of U.S. independent women wrestlers including Shayna Baszler, Rachael Ellering (as Rachael Evers), Santana Garrett (formerly with TNA who has worldwide experience), Renee Michelle (who has done WWE extra work in the past), Barbi Hayden (a former NWA champion), Nicole Savoy
(from Northern California), Mercedes Martinez, Marti Belle (formerly from TNA), and U.K. wrestler Ayesha Ray.
Nixon Newell, who was expected to be in the tournament, won’t be able to be in it due to a torn ACL.
The latest that all 32 participants will be confirmed is by Thursday at 6:30 p.m. ET, with WWE broadcasting a “Mae Young Classic Parade of Champions” on Facebook Live to introduce everyone.
With the addition of two names today, half of the field for the Mae Young Classic is officially set.
WWE announced that Sage Beckett and Rhea Ripley would be taking part in the tournament. Beckett was most recently known as Andrea on the indies before signing with WWE, with her also having made a couple of appearances for TNA as Rosie Lottalove in 2010.
Beckett retired from pro wrestling due to medical problems in 2012, but she returned 130 pounds lighter two years later. She went by Mary Kate in a match against Emma on an episode of NXT in 2015 and was using that name (which is her real first name) on the NXT house show circuit after being signed.
Ripley is another wrestler who recently signed with WWE and was given a name change. Despite only being 20 years old now, she began wrestling in her home country of Australia in 2013. She used her real name (Demi Bennett) before coming to WWE.
The full list of participants for the Mae Young Classic figures to be announced before it begins taping at Full Sail University on July 13th and 14th. Here are the wrestlers who have been confirmed for it so far: Toni Storm, Princesa Sugehit, Lacey Evans, Sarah Logan, Tessa Blanchard, Abbey Laith, Taynara Conti, Kavita Devi, Jazzy Gabert, Bianca Belair, Vanessa Borne, Dakota Kai, Kairi Sane, Piper Niven, Beckett, and Ripley.
The Mae Young Classic has added its most noteworthy name yet.
Kairi Hojo, who is one of the best women’s wrestlers in the world and one of the best pro wrestlers in general, was announced for the tournament this morning. The announcement was made during a video at WWE’s house show at Sumo Hall in Japan. She will be using the name Kairi Sane in WWE.
After reporting last year that WWE was interested in both Hojo and Io Shirai from the Stardom promotion, Dave Meltzer confirmed that Hojo had signed a three-year deal with WWE in March. Shirai later agreed to join the company as well, but her coming over has been delayed due to neck issues.
Hojo was expected to be in the tournament and started with WWE in Orlando earlier this month. She revealed publicly that she would be leaving Stardom in May.
Also confirmed for the tournament was Scottish wrestler Viper (who will be known as Piper Niven in it). Meltzer reported that WWE was interested in her for the Mae Young Classic as well, which was interesting given that she had been involved with ITV’s World of Sport project in the UK.
The list of official entrants for the 32-competitor tournament is now up to 14 names. Those are: Toni Storm, Princesa Sugehit, Lacey Evans, Sarah Logan, Tessa Blanchard, Abbey Laith, Taynara Conti, Kavita Devi, Jazzy Gabert, Bianca BelAir, Vanessa Borne, Dakota Kai, Kairi Sane, and Piper Niven.
The list of names confirmed for this summer’s Mae Young Classic continues to grow.
WWE’s New Zealand Twitter account announced today that Evie (who is from New Zealand) would be taking part in the tournament. She has also been given a new in-ring name, with her now being known as Dakota Kai in WWE. She changed her name to that on Twitter after the announcement.
News of Evie signing with WWE broke last December and she reported to the company earlier this year. She hadn’t wrestled a match for WWE since signing with them before debuting at tonight’s NXT house show in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Evie has been one of the standouts of the women’s wrestling scene outside of WWE, including appearances for Stardom over the last couple of years. She also appeared on an episode of NXT TV in 2015 in a match against Nia Jax. The match was Jax’s first on television.
More participants for the Mae Young Classic figure to be revealed shortly as the tournament starts taping on July 13th and 14th at Full Sail University. Toni Storm, Princesa Sugehit, Lacey Evans, Sarah Logan, Tessa Blanchard, Abbey Laith, Taynara Conti, Kavita Devi, Jazzy Gabert, Bianca BelAir, Vanessa Borne, and Dakota Kai have been confirmed for it so far.
After those tapings in July, the winner will be crowned at a live special on the WWE Network after SmackDown in Las Vegas on September 12th. Jim Ross and Lita will be the commentary team for the tournament.
WWE has revealed some more details about this summer’s Mae Young Classic.
In an article that was posted on WWE.com today, it was officially confirmed that Jim Ross and Lita would be calling the tournament. Dave Meltzer reported last month that they were rumored to be the commentary team after Ross announced his involvement.
The first four episodes of the Mae Young Classic will be made available on the WWE Network on August 28th. The next four episodes will be released on September 4th. Those shows will be made available on demand as WWE hopes that viewers will binge watch them.
A bracketology special previewing the Mae Young Classic and profiling its participants will air on the Network after SummerSlam on August 20th.
The winner of the tournament will be crowned at a live special on September 12th in Las Vegas, Nevada. That will air at 10 p.m. ET after SmackDown, which is also scheduled to take place at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas that night.
The Mae Young Classic tapings will begin on July 13th and 14th at Full Sail University. Toni Storm, Princesa Sugehit, Lacey Evans, Sarah Logan, Tessa Blanchard, Abbey Laith, Taynara Conti, Kavita Devi, Jazzy Gabert, Bianca BelAir, and Vanessa Borne have been confirmed for the tournament. The full field will consist of 32 competitors.
WWE has confirmed five more wrestlers who will be participating in this summer’s Mae Young Classic.
In an announcement that was made by ESPN, it was noted that Tessa Blanchard, Abbey Laith, Taynara Conti, Kavita Devi, and Jazzy Gabert would be taking part in the women’s tournament. They join Toni Storm, Princesa Sugehit, Lacey Evans, and Sarah Logan as names already confirmed for the 32-competitor field.
Blanchard is the daughter of Tully Blanchard and the stepdaughter of “Magnum T.A.” Terry Allen. She is only 21 years old but has been wrestling since 2014. She debuted for Stardom last year and has continued to appear for the promotion.
Dave Meltzer previously reported that Blanchard was a name that had been mentioned for the tournament.
With her getting a new in-ring name yesterday, Laith seemed like a lock for the Mae Young Classic. She wrestled as Kimber Lee and was a standout on the indies before being signed by WWE. She had been using her real name (Kimberly Frankele) in NXT before the name change.
Conti is also a fairly recent WWE signing who has been given a new name. The Brazilian (named Taynara Melo) debuted in a battle royal at an NXT house show earlier this year. She has a background in judo and jiu-jitsu.
Devi is from India and attended WWE’s tryouts in Dubai this past April. She has trained with The Great Khali and has participated in weightlifting. Her being in the tournament was first revealed by the Times of India this morning.
Rounding out the list, Gabert (also known as Alpha Female) is a veteran pro wrestler from Germany. She has wrestled for wXw, Stardom, and has done a few matches for TNA. She has also competed in MMA.
The Mae Young Classic will begin taping on July 13th and 14th at Full Sail University.
