WWE Mae Young Classic II: 2nd Round-SemiFinals Review
Winter Park, FL
Full Sail University
Taped: 8/9/18
WWE Network Air Dates: 10/3/18 - 10/24/18
Announcers: Michael Cole, Renee Young, & Beth Phoenix
Winter Park, FL
Full Sail University
Taped: 8/9/18
WWE Network Air Dates: 10/3/18 - 10/24/18
Announcers: Michael Cole, Renee Young, & Beth Phoenix
Episode #5 - Match #1 - 2nd Round
Toni Storm def Hiroyo Matsumoto via Pinfall
I like the addition of having a split screen during their entrance with one half showing a video of how they made it to the second round.
The match starts out with some nice chain wrestling where both women work over their opponent's arm. The chain wrestling ends with both women shaking hands out of respect, but Hiroyo is finished playing around as she kicks Toni in the gut and this is when she flips the Lady Godzilla switch to on and this is when the match starts to pick up. Toni is worked over for a while by Hiroyo until she catches her with a German suplex followed by a running hip attack into the corner, and finally a fisherman's suplex for a near fall.
There is a brutal strike exchange in the middle of the ring before Hiroyo takes Toni down with a clothesline. Hiroyo looks to go for a powerbomb, but Toni backdrops out of it only for Hiroyo to roll through and lock in a Boston crab. Toni gets to the ropes to break the hold, but Hiroyo continues to work on the mid-section as she hits a slingshot splash and lands both knees into the gut of Toni. Toni is again able to get back into the match with a headbutt followed by a bridging German for a two count. Hiroyo hits a deadlift back suplex but only gets a two count, Hiroyo tries to go for the Rock Drop but Toni is able to counter with a roll-up for a near fall. Hiroyo levels Toni with a clothesline and then hits a couple of short arm clotheslines and as she goes for a third, Toni ducks it and is able to surprise Hiroyo with a roll-up to pick up the win.
I couldn't think of a better way to start off the second round as these two put on one hell of a match that had the Full Sail crowd on its feet. This match started off beautiful with the chain wrestling, but by the end, it was anything but pretty as it became the hard-hitting match that you would expect from these two. In the end, Toni was able to outsmart Hiroyo and by using her technique she was able to overcome the brutal beat down that was being given out by Hiroyo and pick up a win. Everything about this match was great and I have no complaints at all. This will be the second match in a row that I have given Toni four stars or higher, it will be interesting to see if she can keep up that pace throughout the rest of the tournament. Rating: ****1/4
Toni Storm def Hiroyo Matsumoto via Pinfall
I like the addition of having a split screen during their entrance with one half showing a video of how they made it to the second round.
The match starts out with some nice chain wrestling where both women work over their opponent's arm. The chain wrestling ends with both women shaking hands out of respect, but Hiroyo is finished playing around as she kicks Toni in the gut and this is when she flips the Lady Godzilla switch to on and this is when the match starts to pick up. Toni is worked over for a while by Hiroyo until she catches her with a German suplex followed by a running hip attack into the corner, and finally a fisherman's suplex for a near fall.
There is a brutal strike exchange in the middle of the ring before Hiroyo takes Toni down with a clothesline. Hiroyo looks to go for a powerbomb, but Toni backdrops out of it only for Hiroyo to roll through and lock in a Boston crab. Toni gets to the ropes to break the hold, but Hiroyo continues to work on the mid-section as she hits a slingshot splash and lands both knees into the gut of Toni. Toni is again able to get back into the match with a headbutt followed by a bridging German for a two count. Hiroyo hits a deadlift back suplex but only gets a two count, Hiroyo tries to go for the Rock Drop but Toni is able to counter with a roll-up for a near fall. Hiroyo levels Toni with a clothesline and then hits a couple of short arm clotheslines and as she goes for a third, Toni ducks it and is able to surprise Hiroyo with a roll-up to pick up the win.
I couldn't think of a better way to start off the second round as these two put on one hell of a match that had the Full Sail crowd on its feet. This match started off beautiful with the chain wrestling, but by the end, it was anything but pretty as it became the hard-hitting match that you would expect from these two. In the end, Toni was able to outsmart Hiroyo and by using her technique she was able to overcome the brutal beat down that was being given out by Hiroyo and pick up a win. Everything about this match was great and I have no complaints at all. This will be the second match in a row that I have given Toni four stars or higher, it will be interesting to see if she can keep up that pace throughout the rest of the tournament. Rating: ****1/4
Episode #5 - Match #2 - 2nd Round
Rhea Ripley def Kacy Catanzaro via Pinfall
This match was going to be a heartbreaker for me either way as I love them both and didn't want to see either of them be eliminated, but that's the way the tournament worked out and fortunately for us the viewers they put on a really good and a really fun match.
Rhea was great in this match, not only because of everything she did offensively but she served as a great base for Kacy when she was pulling out her highlight reel of moves, it was especially noticeable when Kacy did her Rey Mysterio style spin around DDT as you could see Rhea helping support Kacy so she could spin her way around Rhea's body to hit the move. I have to mention something that is a positive about Rhea that I didn't mention or even think of until I heard Stacey O'Loughlin and Steven Graham talk about it when they reviewed the first round (https://soundcloud.com/prowrestlingonly/staceysteven2) and that's the fact that she is only 5'8, but has the ability to carry herself like she is 6' or taller and that was obviously very evident in this match as she towered over Kacy. If I could change one thing that Rhea did in this match it would be to not have her doing the dropkicks, I know this is probably just a personal weird wrestling peeve of mine but dropkicks from taller wrestlers onto shorter wrestlers don't look that great and should only be used if your opponent is the same height or taller, this is just something I personally didn't like.
Kacy started the match with some nice hit and move work including a nice slide under a big boot. While Kacy did show off some incredible skills in this match with the spinning DDT (which I'm guessing she learned from working with Ricochet on the live events) and a corkscrew plancha, there were a few minor things that didn't work as well for her. Rhea went to drop her on the top rope with a flapjack and instead of landing chest first like you would normally see, Kacy was a bit off as it looked like she hit the top rope with her side more than with her chest. Kacy slipped on the top rope when trying to hit her outside in dropkick, but was able to recover and tried again where she was successful. Those two missteps aside Kacy is doing a great job with less than a year's experience and I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see her on the main roster sooner than some of the other women who have been down in NXT for a while as she has a very high upside. After watching this match I already want to see Kacy team with Rey Mysterio for a future edition of Mixed Match Challenge.
As I said before this match was a lot of fun and both girls put on a great showing and if you're going to be eliminated from a tournament at least do it in style like Kacy did as she had everyone talking about her after this match. Rating: ***
Rhea Ripley def Kacy Catanzaro via Pinfall
This match was going to be a heartbreaker for me either way as I love them both and didn't want to see either of them be eliminated, but that's the way the tournament worked out and fortunately for us the viewers they put on a really good and a really fun match.
Rhea was great in this match, not only because of everything she did offensively but she served as a great base for Kacy when she was pulling out her highlight reel of moves, it was especially noticeable when Kacy did her Rey Mysterio style spin around DDT as you could see Rhea helping support Kacy so she could spin her way around Rhea's body to hit the move. I have to mention something that is a positive about Rhea that I didn't mention or even think of until I heard Stacey O'Loughlin and Steven Graham talk about it when they reviewed the first round (https://soundcloud.com/prowrestlingonly/staceysteven2) and that's the fact that she is only 5'8, but has the ability to carry herself like she is 6' or taller and that was obviously very evident in this match as she towered over Kacy. If I could change one thing that Rhea did in this match it would be to not have her doing the dropkicks, I know this is probably just a personal weird wrestling peeve of mine but dropkicks from taller wrestlers onto shorter wrestlers don't look that great and should only be used if your opponent is the same height or taller, this is just something I personally didn't like.
Kacy started the match with some nice hit and move work including a nice slide under a big boot. While Kacy did show off some incredible skills in this match with the spinning DDT (which I'm guessing she learned from working with Ricochet on the live events) and a corkscrew plancha, there were a few minor things that didn't work as well for her. Rhea went to drop her on the top rope with a flapjack and instead of landing chest first like you would normally see, Kacy was a bit off as it looked like she hit the top rope with her side more than with her chest. Kacy slipped on the top rope when trying to hit her outside in dropkick, but was able to recover and tried again where she was successful. Those two missteps aside Kacy is doing a great job with less than a year's experience and I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see her on the main roster sooner than some of the other women who have been down in NXT for a while as she has a very high upside. After watching this match I already want to see Kacy team with Rey Mysterio for a future edition of Mixed Match Challenge.
As I said before this match was a lot of fun and both girls put on a great showing and if you're going to be eliminated from a tournament at least do it in style like Kacy did as she had everyone talking about her after this match. Rating: ***
Episode #5 - Match #3 - 2nd Round
Lacey Lane def Taynara Conti via Pinfall
This was a really short match and by looking a the other matches on this episode it was probably for the best this one was over quick as it had the least interest of the four, but it was good and much better than Lacey's first match. Taynara controlled a lot of the match throwing Lacey around with some Judo throws and slams. Lacey does this cool 619 fake out into a roll-up which I thought was unique. The finish comes when Taynara goes for the spinning sidewalk slam she used to finish Jessie Elaban off, but Lacey blocks it and turns it into her crucifix bomb for the win. Nothing much else to say about this other than it was a nice little sprint of a match. Rating: **1/4
Lacey Lane def Taynara Conti via Pinfall
This was a really short match and by looking a the other matches on this episode it was probably for the best this one was over quick as it had the least interest of the four, but it was good and much better than Lacey's first match. Taynara controlled a lot of the match throwing Lacey around with some Judo throws and slams. Lacey does this cool 619 fake out into a roll-up which I thought was unique. The finish comes when Taynara goes for the spinning sidewalk slam she used to finish Jessie Elaban off, but Lacey blocks it and turns it into her crucifix bomb for the win. Nothing much else to say about this other than it was a nice little sprint of a match. Rating: **1/4
Episode #5 - Match #4 - 2nd Round
Meiko Satomura def Mercedes Martinez via Pinfall
This was one of the matches that I had happening in the fantasy bracket that I did in my preview that I'm glad we actually got to see as it looked like a great match-up on paper but actually seeing it was even better than I could've imagined.
Meiko is in full control in the opening minutes as she heavily works over Mercedes's arm before delivering some kicks to the chest to take her down to the mat. Meiko then controls Mercedes with a headlock before Mercedes is able to escape with a slam over her shoulder. Mercedes then grabs a headlock of her own and works it over just like Meiko did to her, but Meiko eventually is able to lock in a head scissors which Mercedes works her way out of and smacks Meiko right in the face. Mercedes delivers some strikes that drop Meiko momentarily and then Mercedes slams her down with a choke bomb for a near fall. Mercedes delivers some more strikes in the corner but is caught with a big kick to the head as she charges at Meiko.
Meiko goes up top but Mercedes crotches her before she has a chance to hit anything and then Mercedes hits a rope assisted twisting neckbreaker. Mercedes looks to be going for her Fisherman Buster, but in a blink of an eye Meiko counters into a Fujiwara armbar and after much struggle, she is able to reach the ropes to break the hold. Meiko hits another series of kicks to a grounded Mercedes before going up top to hit the frog splash for yet another near fall. Mercedes is able to hit a Saito suplex out of desperation to try and buy her some time so that she can try and get her shit together so that she can make a comeback. Mercedes again looks to be going for the Fisherman but once again Meiko is able to turn things around in an instant as she knees her in the gut and drops her with a DDT and then picks her up and hits her with another DDT and this time Mercedes lands right on the top of her head. Meiko hits the cartwheel into a knee drop, but that still isn't enough to put Mercedes away.
Meiko picks Mercedes up looking for her Death Valley Driver, but Mercedes elbows out of it blocks an overhead kick by Meiko, and then drops her with a knee to the face. Mercedes finally hits the Fisherman Buster on her third attempt, but even her best shot isn't enough to finish off the legend that is Meiko Satomura. Mercedes goes to lock in a surfboard dragon sleeper, but before she can lock it in Meiko elbows her way out of the hold. Meiko hits a spinning heel kick and then hits the Scorpion Kick to finally put Mercedes Martinez away.
This match lived up to everything I expected and then some, there really isn't much I can say about this match other than it was a classic and both women busted their asses. Really me trying to put into words how great this match was won't do it justice as it is one that needs to be seen in order for someone to give it the proper appreciation that is deserved. Rating: ****1/2
Episode #6 - Match #2 - 2nd Round
Deonna Purrazzo def Xia Li via Submission
The story of this match was Deonna working over the arm to weaken it for the Fujiwara and Xia doing everything she can to try and finish Deonna off while avoiding being put in the Fujiwara. Xia pulls out every kind of strike she can think of and at one point was even able to escape the Fujiwara and turn it into a roll-up but in the end, Xia's inexperience got the best of her as she was caught coming off the top with a Fujiwara and just to make sure she tapped out Deonna had both arms locked in and that left Xia no choice but to tap out.
If there was any wavering on whether I should be on the Xia bandwagon or not after her match against Karen Q then this match with Deonna confirmed that I should be, within the span of two matches Xia has gone from being one of the returnees I was least looking forward to seeing again to being one I am already wanting to see back next year. This was a fairly short match but had a lot of action packed into it. Rating: **1/2
Nicole had an attire change since the first round and that fixed the problem she was having with keeping her pants up, but unfortunately, that change only brought on a new problem as now she was having trouble with her top wanting to slide down so she had to keep pulling it back up throughout the match which has to be annoying when your trying to perform and you have to keep tugging at your gear to keep it from exposing you.
Outside of the wardrobe issues, the match itself was really good as both women delivered some nice hard strikes and were not taking easy on their opponent. The cannonball that Tegan hit wasn't like the ones we are used to seeing as Tegan somehow turned her body and sort of hit an inverted flip, I honestly not sure how to describe it but it looked really cool. If this match was able to go longer we may have been in store for something special, but for what it was I still enjoyed it. Rating: **1/2
This was another one of those heartbreak matches for me (just like Rhea vs Kacy from the last episode) in that I didn't want to see either woman eliminated from the tournament as I love them both. Kaitlyn may have been the one eliminated but in the process, she put on the best match she has ever had and hopefully gave WWE enough of a reason to want to sign her as she could be a great addition to any of the brand's rosters. This match was a great way to close out the second round.
Rating: ***1/4
This is the match that Tegan Nox fans were least looking forward to as this is where Tegan is taken out of the tournament due to a complete freak injury that happened after landing the wrong way on a tope suicida. It sucks that it had to be the good leg as now she has to worry about both legs as from now on neither of them will probably be the same again. There really wasn't a match here but I do want to mention that Rhea did hit a really nice looking flapjack where she had Tegan picked up over her head before she dropped her. I'm happy to see Rhea move on to the semi-finals, but sad it had to happen this way as these two could have had a really great match. Hopefully, Tegan will make a quick recovery and be back in NXT before we know it and will prove to everyone once she gets back that she is more than just an injury waiting to happen. Rating: N/A - There wasn't enough of a match to give a proper rating.
After this episode aired Tegan took to Twitter where she explained the extent of her injury and I honestly don't see how she was even able to stand on her leg able to stand on the thing much less try to continue the match as she dislocated her kneecap, tore her MCL and LCL, tore her ACL and both meniscus, had bone contusions, and had a Segond Fracture in her left tibia, basically in other words she blew her knee to shit and is out indefinitely. There is a heartbreaking video of Tegan in the back right after her injury where she is balling her eyes out and I have to imagine she wasn't just crying because of the pain she was in as it was more than likely tears of frustration and disappointment but thankfully Triple H was there to comfort her and let her know that shit like this happens and that there was nothing she did wrong as it was just a freak accident.
Meiko Satomura def Mercedes Martinez via Pinfall
This was one of the matches that I had happening in the fantasy bracket that I did in my preview that I'm glad we actually got to see as it looked like a great match-up on paper but actually seeing it was even better than I could've imagined.
Meiko is in full control in the opening minutes as she heavily works over Mercedes's arm before delivering some kicks to the chest to take her down to the mat. Meiko then controls Mercedes with a headlock before Mercedes is able to escape with a slam over her shoulder. Mercedes then grabs a headlock of her own and works it over just like Meiko did to her, but Meiko eventually is able to lock in a head scissors which Mercedes works her way out of and smacks Meiko right in the face. Mercedes delivers some strikes that drop Meiko momentarily and then Mercedes slams her down with a choke bomb for a near fall. Mercedes delivers some more strikes in the corner but is caught with a big kick to the head as she charges at Meiko.
Meiko goes up top but Mercedes crotches her before she has a chance to hit anything and then Mercedes hits a rope assisted twisting neckbreaker. Mercedes looks to be going for her Fisherman Buster, but in a blink of an eye Meiko counters into a Fujiwara armbar and after much struggle, she is able to reach the ropes to break the hold. Meiko hits another series of kicks to a grounded Mercedes before going up top to hit the frog splash for yet another near fall. Mercedes is able to hit a Saito suplex out of desperation to try and buy her some time so that she can try and get her shit together so that she can make a comeback. Mercedes again looks to be going for the Fisherman but once again Meiko is able to turn things around in an instant as she knees her in the gut and drops her with a DDT and then picks her up and hits her with another DDT and this time Mercedes lands right on the top of her head. Meiko hits the cartwheel into a knee drop, but that still isn't enough to put Mercedes away.
Meiko picks Mercedes up looking for her Death Valley Driver, but Mercedes elbows out of it blocks an overhead kick by Meiko, and then drops her with a knee to the face. Mercedes finally hits the Fisherman Buster on her third attempt, but even her best shot isn't enough to finish off the legend that is Meiko Satomura. Mercedes goes to lock in a surfboard dragon sleeper, but before she can lock it in Meiko elbows her way out of the hold. Meiko hits a spinning heel kick and then hits the Scorpion Kick to finally put Mercedes Martinez away.
This match lived up to everything I expected and then some, there really isn't much I can say about this match other than it was a classic and both women busted their asses. Really me trying to put into words how great this match was won't do it justice as it is one that needs to be seen in order for someone to give it the proper appreciation that is deserved. Rating: ****1/2
Episode #6 - Match #1 - 2nd Round
Io Shirai def Zeuxis via Pinfall
Io hits a nice running dropkick early in the match that sends Zeuxis to the outside, but Io would soon get paid back for that as she is hit with a basement dropkick that sends her flying off the apron to the floor where she does a good job selling that she hurt her arm taking that bump. The arm becomes a bullseye for Zeuxis as she zeroes in on it and works it over. Zeuxis hits a running Meteora on Io as she sits in the corner. Io gets back into the match after a cool little trip move where she follows her into the ropes and slides under the bottom rope while grabbing Zeuxis leg. Io slingshots back into the ring and knees Zeuxis right in the head as she is doing that. Io chokes Zeuxis in the corner with both knees and then slingshots her body up in the air so she can come down with all her weight with both knees into Zeuxis chest, and to follow that up she repays her for earlier and hits a running Meteora of her own. Zeuxis tries to roll out of the ring to catch a breather but Io isn't going to let that happen as she hits her with a tope suicida.
Io puts Zeuxis in a crossface, but Zeuxis is easily able to get back to her feet where she pulls out her version of Murphy's Law for a near fall. Zeuxis tries to go for a moonsault but Io rolls out of the way and Zeuxis hits nothing but canvas, Io follows up with a dropkick that didn't hit like most dropkicks in the chest of face this one landed right on the top of Zeuxis head. Io goes up top but before she can do anything she is cut off by Zeuxis who joins her up at the top and tries to go for her Spanish Fly, but Io blocks that and is able to hit a hurricanrana off the top and then another running Meteora that connects right to the back of Zeuxis head. Io goes up top again and this time hits the moonsault to pick up the victory.
I wasn't really impressed by either woman's first-round match, but this match made up for those. This match was exactly the hard-hitting and competitive back and forth match that I was hoping it would be and it allowed me to see more of what makes each woman so special in the ring. I didn't like that Zeuxis worked on the arm early and it was completely forgotten about later in the match. Those dropkicks and knees to the head looked really good and really unique and I look forward to seeing what Io does in the next round. Rating: ***1/4
Io Shirai def Zeuxis via Pinfall
Io hits a nice running dropkick early in the match that sends Zeuxis to the outside, but Io would soon get paid back for that as she is hit with a basement dropkick that sends her flying off the apron to the floor where she does a good job selling that she hurt her arm taking that bump. The arm becomes a bullseye for Zeuxis as she zeroes in on it and works it over. Zeuxis hits a running Meteora on Io as she sits in the corner. Io gets back into the match after a cool little trip move where she follows her into the ropes and slides under the bottom rope while grabbing Zeuxis leg. Io slingshots back into the ring and knees Zeuxis right in the head as she is doing that. Io chokes Zeuxis in the corner with both knees and then slingshots her body up in the air so she can come down with all her weight with both knees into Zeuxis chest, and to follow that up she repays her for earlier and hits a running Meteora of her own. Zeuxis tries to roll out of the ring to catch a breather but Io isn't going to let that happen as she hits her with a tope suicida.
Io puts Zeuxis in a crossface, but Zeuxis is easily able to get back to her feet where she pulls out her version of Murphy's Law for a near fall. Zeuxis tries to go for a moonsault but Io rolls out of the way and Zeuxis hits nothing but canvas, Io follows up with a dropkick that didn't hit like most dropkicks in the chest of face this one landed right on the top of Zeuxis head. Io goes up top but before she can do anything she is cut off by Zeuxis who joins her up at the top and tries to go for her Spanish Fly, but Io blocks that and is able to hit a hurricanrana off the top and then another running Meteora that connects right to the back of Zeuxis head. Io goes up top again and this time hits the moonsault to pick up the victory.
I wasn't really impressed by either woman's first-round match, but this match made up for those. This match was exactly the hard-hitting and competitive back and forth match that I was hoping it would be and it allowed me to see more of what makes each woman so special in the ring. I didn't like that Zeuxis worked on the arm early and it was completely forgotten about later in the match. Those dropkicks and knees to the head looked really good and really unique and I look forward to seeing what Io does in the next round. Rating: ***1/4
Deonna Purrazzo def Xia Li via Submission
The story of this match was Deonna working over the arm to weaken it for the Fujiwara and Xia doing everything she can to try and finish Deonna off while avoiding being put in the Fujiwara. Xia pulls out every kind of strike she can think of and at one point was even able to escape the Fujiwara and turn it into a roll-up but in the end, Xia's inexperience got the best of her as she was caught coming off the top with a Fujiwara and just to make sure she tapped out Deonna had both arms locked in and that left Xia no choice but to tap out.
If there was any wavering on whether I should be on the Xia bandwagon or not after her match against Karen Q then this match with Deonna confirmed that I should be, within the span of two matches Xia has gone from being one of the returnees I was least looking forward to seeing again to being one I am already wanting to see back next year. This was a fairly short match but had a lot of action packed into it. Rating: **1/2
Episode #6 - Match #3 - 2nd Round
Tegan Nox def Nicole Matthews via PinfallNicole had an attire change since the first round and that fixed the problem she was having with keeping her pants up, but unfortunately, that change only brought on a new problem as now she was having trouble with her top wanting to slide down so she had to keep pulling it back up throughout the match which has to be annoying when your trying to perform and you have to keep tugging at your gear to keep it from exposing you.
Outside of the wardrobe issues, the match itself was really good as both women delivered some nice hard strikes and were not taking easy on their opponent. The cannonball that Tegan hit wasn't like the ones we are used to seeing as Tegan somehow turned her body and sort of hit an inverted flip, I honestly not sure how to describe it but it looked really cool. If this match was able to go longer we may have been in store for something special, but for what it was I still enjoyed it. Rating: **1/2
Episode #6 - Match #4 - 2nd Round
Mia Yim def Kaitlyn via Submission
I really enjoyed this match as it had some really good limb work with Mia working over Kaitlyn's leg and Kaitlyn working over Mia's hand that she injured in her first-round match when she smacked it against the ring post. Mia's kicks really took a toll on Kaitlyn's leg as it was all red and looked to be bruised. I loved the spot where Kaitlyn finally got enough of Mia's shit and just started twisting away on her injured wrist and bending her fingers back. I like how Kaitlyn uses the most basic wrestling move (the bodyslam) as an integral part of her move set to weaken her opponents. The legwork that Mia had been doing all match finally pays off when she locks in a kneebar and after a bit of a struggle, Kaitlyn has no choice but to tap out.This was another one of those heartbreak matches for me (just like Rhea vs Kacy from the last episode) in that I didn't want to see either woman eliminated from the tournament as I love them both. Kaitlyn may have been the one eliminated but in the process, she put on the best match she has ever had and hopefully gave WWE enough of a reason to want to sign her as she could be a great addition to any of the brand's rosters. This match was a great way to close out the second round.
Rating: ***1/4
Episode #7 - Match #1 - Quarterfinals
Meiko Satomura def Lacey Lane via Pinfall
This match was the epitome of a rookie against veteran as you had Lacey who has been in the business for a little over two years against Meiko who has been everywhere and done pretty much everything you can do in the wrestling business over her 20+ year career.
We start the match out with both women being able to avoid moves from the other before getting into a strike exchange and as Meiko catches one of Lacey's legs she gently puts it down and instead wants to shake her hand out of respect, but Lacey swats it away and that would prove to be a big mistake as this sign of disrespect pisses Meiko off and she hits a great looking spin kick to take Lacey down. Lacey counters an attempted DVD into an attempted rollup but Meiko stops that and tries to stomp on Lacey, but Lacey moves and quickly sweeps the leg and then kicks Meiko in the face. Lacey trips Meiko and cartwheels over her before landing another kick to the head.
Meiko catches Lacey running off the ropes and lands a big kick to her head. Meiko goes for a roundhouse kick to Lacey's head but she ducks and Meiko has a beautiful transition into an armbar but Lacey eventually gets to the ropes. Meiko hits a snap suplex and then tries to land some punches but Lacey keeps dodging them and comes back with a flurry of strikes of her own followed by a running knee into the corner. Lacey runs up the corner and lands a crossbody for a two count. At this point, Meiko is done playing around as she dodges a running kick and lands one of her own before putting Lacey away with the DVD.
This was a good back and forth match that did a great job of showing that Lacey can hang in there with the best of the best and they used her swan song match in the tournament to really make her shine. Lacey has a lot of promise and I have no doubt she is going to be a big star. Rating: **3/4
This match was the epitome of a rookie against veteran as you had Lacey who has been in the business for a little over two years against Meiko who has been everywhere and done pretty much everything you can do in the wrestling business over her 20+ year career.
We start the match out with both women being able to avoid moves from the other before getting into a strike exchange and as Meiko catches one of Lacey's legs she gently puts it down and instead wants to shake her hand out of respect, but Lacey swats it away and that would prove to be a big mistake as this sign of disrespect pisses Meiko off and she hits a great looking spin kick to take Lacey down. Lacey counters an attempted DVD into an attempted rollup but Meiko stops that and tries to stomp on Lacey, but Lacey moves and quickly sweeps the leg and then kicks Meiko in the face. Lacey trips Meiko and cartwheels over her before landing another kick to the head.
Meiko catches Lacey running off the ropes and lands a big kick to her head. Meiko goes for a roundhouse kick to Lacey's head but she ducks and Meiko has a beautiful transition into an armbar but Lacey eventually gets to the ropes. Meiko hits a snap suplex and then tries to land some punches but Lacey keeps dodging them and comes back with a flurry of strikes of her own followed by a running knee into the corner. Lacey runs up the corner and lands a crossbody for a two count. At this point, Meiko is done playing around as she dodges a running kick and lands one of her own before putting Lacey away with the DVD.
This was a good back and forth match that did a great job of showing that Lacey can hang in there with the best of the best and they used her swan song match in the tournament to really make her shine. Lacey has a lot of promise and I have no doubt she is going to be a big star. Rating: **3/4
Episode #7 - Match #2 - Quarterfinals
Io Shirai def Deonna Purrazzo via Pinfall
This had to be one of the fastest paced matches of the entire tournament as Io and Deonna were moving with purpose in this match and were able to make a lot out of the short time they had in this match.
The match starts out with some nice chain wrestling but it doesn't take long before the pace picks up as Deonna goes for a flying headscissors but Io lands on her feet and then does a cartwheel and a backflip before hitting a dropkick that sends Deonna out of the ring. Io doesn't let Deonna have a moment of rest as she dives to the outside with a tope suicida. Io has Deonna down in the corner and goes for her slingshot doubles knees into the chest, but Deonna saw it coming and rolled out of the way. We get a series of pin near falls with Deonna trying a school girl, Io with a small package, and then Deonna with a jackknife cover but they were all unsuccessful. Io counters an attempted German suplex with what looked to be another pin attempt but instead, she leaps up and lands a double stomp to the gut of Deonna.
Io is very confident now if not a bit cocky as she is smiling while she plays around with Deonna hitting her with a few forearms instead of going in for the kill, this allows Deonna to mount a comeback and hit her hip toss into a basement dropkick combo. Deonna hits a running knee and then a Russian leg sweep that she transitions into the Fujiwara armbar, after much struggle Io is able to turn her body and roll up Deonna this also allows her to get out of the hold. Io catches a charging Deonna and in an instant is able to take her down and lock in a crossface but Deonna is able to get out of the hold the same way Io got out of the Fujiwara. Io hits an uppercut palm strike that sends Deonna reeling against the ropes and then Io hits a 619 followed by a springboard dropkick for a two count.
Io goes for the moonsault but Deonna pulls her down and hits a series of rolling German suplexes. Deonna has a seamless transition from Io kicking out of a pin to once again locking in the Fujiwara, Deonna tries to lock in the double arm Fujiwara that she won her match against Xia with but is unable to lock it in. Just as it looks like Io is fixing to tap she rolls over once again to get out of the hold and transitions back into a crossface on Deonna is able to break Io's grip and roll out of the hold only to be met with a big knee to the head and then a Meteora in the corner before Io goes up and hits the moonsault for the win.
I absolutely loved this match as it had a bit of everything you could ask for as it had chain wrestling, beautiful transitions in and out of submission holds, high flying, strikes, big impact moves, and above all else it had a ton of on the edge of your seat drama. I already am a big fan of Deonna, but after the combination of chain wrestling in this match and the awesome looking strikes in her match against Zeuxis, I am sold on Io and I now am able to see why people hold her in such high regard. I couldn't ask for anything else out of this match as it gave me everything I wanted and needed.
Rating: ****1/4
This had to be one of the fastest paced matches of the entire tournament as Io and Deonna were moving with purpose in this match and were able to make a lot out of the short time they had in this match.
The match starts out with some nice chain wrestling but it doesn't take long before the pace picks up as Deonna goes for a flying headscissors but Io lands on her feet and then does a cartwheel and a backflip before hitting a dropkick that sends Deonna out of the ring. Io doesn't let Deonna have a moment of rest as she dives to the outside with a tope suicida. Io has Deonna down in the corner and goes for her slingshot doubles knees into the chest, but Deonna saw it coming and rolled out of the way. We get a series of pin near falls with Deonna trying a school girl, Io with a small package, and then Deonna with a jackknife cover but they were all unsuccessful. Io counters an attempted German suplex with what looked to be another pin attempt but instead, she leaps up and lands a double stomp to the gut of Deonna.
Io is very confident now if not a bit cocky as she is smiling while she plays around with Deonna hitting her with a few forearms instead of going in for the kill, this allows Deonna to mount a comeback and hit her hip toss into a basement dropkick combo. Deonna hits a running knee and then a Russian leg sweep that she transitions into the Fujiwara armbar, after much struggle Io is able to turn her body and roll up Deonna this also allows her to get out of the hold. Io catches a charging Deonna and in an instant is able to take her down and lock in a crossface but Deonna is able to get out of the hold the same way Io got out of the Fujiwara. Io hits an uppercut palm strike that sends Deonna reeling against the ropes and then Io hits a 619 followed by a springboard dropkick for a two count.
Io goes for the moonsault but Deonna pulls her down and hits a series of rolling German suplexes. Deonna has a seamless transition from Io kicking out of a pin to once again locking in the Fujiwara, Deonna tries to lock in the double arm Fujiwara that she won her match against Xia with but is unable to lock it in. Just as it looks like Io is fixing to tap she rolls over once again to get out of the hold and transitions back into a crossface on Deonna is able to break Io's grip and roll out of the hold only to be met with a big knee to the head and then a Meteora in the corner before Io goes up and hits the moonsault for the win.
I absolutely loved this match as it had a bit of everything you could ask for as it had chain wrestling, beautiful transitions in and out of submission holds, high flying, strikes, big impact moves, and above all else it had a ton of on the edge of your seat drama. I already am a big fan of Deonna, but after the combination of chain wrestling in this match and the awesome looking strikes in her match against Zeuxis, I am sold on Io and I now am able to see why people hold her in such high regard. I couldn't ask for anything else out of this match as it gave me everything I wanted and needed.
Rating: ****1/4
Episode #7 - Match #3 - Quarterfinals
Rhea Ripley def Tegan Nox via Referee Stoppage due to Injury
After this episode aired Tegan took to Twitter where she explained the extent of her injury and I honestly don't see how she was even able to stand on her leg able to stand on the thing much less try to continue the match as she dislocated her kneecap, tore her MCL and LCL, tore her ACL and both meniscus, had bone contusions, and had a Segond Fracture in her left tibia, basically in other words she blew her knee to shit and is out indefinitely. There is a heartbreaking video of Tegan in the back right after her injury where she is balling her eyes out and I have to imagine she wasn't just crying because of the pain she was in as it was more than likely tears of frustration and disappointment but thankfully Triple H was there to comfort her and let her know that shit like this happens and that there was nothing she did wrong as it was just a freak accident.
Episode #7 - Match #4 - Quarterfinals
Toni Storm def Mia Yim via Pinfall
Here we go once again with two of my favorites having to battle it out and knowing that only one can advance breaks my heart as I would be happy if these two were the final two, but sadly one of them will not even make it to the semi-finals.
Mia controls the match from the start with a knee and some kicks before Toni takes her down with a big boot and a running knee in the corner. Toni hits a nice strike combo and a suplex for a two count and then she aims for the bullseye and starts working on Mia's injured hand. Mia makes a comeback after hitting a hard kick to Toni's arm which would be a hindrance to her for the rest of the match. Mia slows the match down as she grounds Toni which includes her locking in a bow and arrow, which is a hold you don't see pulled out that often so that was cool to see. Toni tries to get back in the match but Mia grounds her once again and locks in a front face lock before transitioning into a guillotine choke. Toni is able to get to her feet and escape the hold by slamming Mia with a spinebuster. Mia trips Toni up and again slows the pace down by locking in a chin lock and then kicking away at Toni including one right to the back of Toni's hurt arm.
Mia hits a really nice combo of strikes that includes palm strikes, a kick to the leg, a knee to the head, and an overhead kick. Mia delivers a few more leg kicks before Toni lands a kick to the injured hand and then a headbutt that causes them both to fall to the mat. Both women make it back up to their knees and engage in a strike exchange where they slap the shit out of each other as they both make it back up their feet. Toni catches a kick from Mia and hits a release German followed by a running hip attack in the corner. Toni attempts the Storm Zero, but Mia counters it into a bridging Saito suplex for a near fall. Toni avoids a charging Mia and goes to kick Mia, but she catches the kick and turns it into a powerbomb but that still isn't enough to put Toni away. Toni blocks a Sole Food attempt and grabs the hand of Mia before hitting a release German and immediately after hits the Storm Zero to pick up the win.
Don't get me wrong this match was good but I feel like it was missing something and wasn't quite up to the quality I was expecting, maybe it was the fact that they decided to go the route of slowing the match down by having Mia ground, Toni. I feel the match really kicked into gear once Toni kicks the injured hand and lands the headbutt as from that point to the end of the match I really enjoyed it. While Mia didn't win the MYC for the second year, this year she came out a winner in a different way as after this episode aired she was offered a contract and signed a deal with WWE to be apart of the NXT roster and she made her debut this past week where she came out on the winning end against Aliyah. Toni has quite a challenge ahead of her if she wants to get to the finals as she will be facing off against Meiko Satomura in the semi-finals in what is sure to be a barn burner of a match.
Rating: ****
Mia controls the match from the start with a knee and some kicks before Toni takes her down with a big boot and a running knee in the corner. Toni hits a nice strike combo and a suplex for a two count and then she aims for the bullseye and starts working on Mia's injured hand. Mia makes a comeback after hitting a hard kick to Toni's arm which would be a hindrance to her for the rest of the match. Mia slows the match down as she grounds Toni which includes her locking in a bow and arrow, which is a hold you don't see pulled out that often so that was cool to see. Toni tries to get back in the match but Mia grounds her once again and locks in a front face lock before transitioning into a guillotine choke. Toni is able to get to her feet and escape the hold by slamming Mia with a spinebuster. Mia trips Toni up and again slows the pace down by locking in a chin lock and then kicking away at Toni including one right to the back of Toni's hurt arm.
Mia hits a really nice combo of strikes that includes palm strikes, a kick to the leg, a knee to the head, and an overhead kick. Mia delivers a few more leg kicks before Toni lands a kick to the injured hand and then a headbutt that causes them both to fall to the mat. Both women make it back up to their knees and engage in a strike exchange where they slap the shit out of each other as they both make it back up their feet. Toni catches a kick from Mia and hits a release German followed by a running hip attack in the corner. Toni attempts the Storm Zero, but Mia counters it into a bridging Saito suplex for a near fall. Toni avoids a charging Mia and goes to kick Mia, but she catches the kick and turns it into a powerbomb but that still isn't enough to put Toni away. Toni blocks a Sole Food attempt and grabs the hand of Mia before hitting a release German and immediately after hits the Storm Zero to pick up the win.
Don't get me wrong this match was good but I feel like it was missing something and wasn't quite up to the quality I was expecting, maybe it was the fact that they decided to go the route of slowing the match down by having Mia ground, Toni. I feel the match really kicked into gear once Toni kicks the injured hand and lands the headbutt as from that point to the end of the match I really enjoyed it. While Mia didn't win the MYC for the second year, this year she came out a winner in a different way as after this episode aired she was offered a contract and signed a deal with WWE to be apart of the NXT roster and she made her debut this past week where she came out on the winning end against Aliyah. Toni has quite a challenge ahead of her if she wants to get to the finals as she will be facing off against Meiko Satomura in the semi-finals in what is sure to be a barn burner of a match.
Rating: ****
Episode #8 - Match #1 - Semi-Finals
Toni Storm def Meiko Satomura via Pinfall
We have finally made it to the semi-finals of the second annual Mae Young Classic and surprisingly for WWE there are no Americans (two Aussies and two Japanese) in the final four which I would say is a big step for them, but then I remember where they are going only five days after their first all-female PPV and it goes to show that when it comes to being progressive the WWE can never take one step forward without immediately taking a few steps back. The first semi-final match features two women that are currently apart of my top two matches so far in this tournament and this match between them is sure to rank very high as well, if not take over the top spot. Toni is still sporting wounds from the match she had with Mercedes Martinez in the quarterfinals.
This match starts out with both women being very methodical and not rushing anything, I know I criticized the Mia vs Toni storm match because they slowed things down but for some reason it worked in this match, perhaps it's because it was a semi-final match instead of a quarterfinal match and after making it this far neither competitor wanted to make a mistake that would cost them a spot in the finals. The competitors trade headlocks as they each try to gain control until finally, Meiko takes the first shot with a kick to the chest. Toni tries to slow Meiko back down before Meiko really gets going as she locks in another headlock but Meiko isn't having that and eventually lands another kick and this is when Toni decides to step it up as well as she follows Meiko into the ropes and takes her down with the big boot.
Toni lands a few nonchalant kicks to the head and back of Meiko and then delivers some headbutts that take Meiko down. Toni hits a snap suplex and floats over only to get a two count. Meiko counters a whip to the ropes attempt and delivers a series of devastating leg kicks (that cause Toni to scream out in pain) before locking in an inverted figure four which Toni breaks by getting to the ropes. Meiko hits some more leg kicks followed by a running forearm in the corner, Meiko attempts a back suplex but Toni counters with elbows to the back of the head. Just as it looks like Toni is back in control Meiko takes her down again with a spinning wheel kick. Meiko hits a couple of European uppercuts before Toni block the third one and turns it into a backslide for a two count. Toni locks in a really nice looking leg trapped STF that really takes a toll on Meiko before she is able to get to the ropes. Toni hits her signature running hip attack in the corner and immediately follows up with a fisherman's suplex but that is not enough to put Meiko away.
Toni lands some aggressive kicks to the face and Meiko rolls to the floor to catch a breather but Toni won't let that happen as she dives through the ropes with a tope suicida. Toni rolls Meiko into the ring where she hits a Shining Wizard but since it wasn't "The Shiniest Wizard" it wasn't enough to finish off Meiko. Toni kicks away at Meiko yet again and this time she wakes up the warrior inside Meiko as she pops up from a running boot by Toni and delivers one of her own and we get a quick exchange of big boots before Meiko knees Toni in the gut and drops her with a DDT and then connects with the cartwheel knee drop. Meiko hits the DVD that finished off Lacey Lane and Killer Kelly, but Toni would be a different story as she finds the will to kick out. Meiko tries for a running knee but Toni catches her leg and hits a release German followed by the Storm Zero but this time it's Meiko kicking out of Toni's finishing move. Toni goes for another Storm Zero but Meiko counters and hits an overhead kick followed by a hard kick to the chest for yet another near fall. Meiko is able to connect with the Scorpion Kick but yet again Toni is able to kick out. Meiko goes to set up for another DVD but Toni stops her and turns it into a second Storm Zero to finally pick up the hard earned and well-deserved win.
Good lord what a hell of a match this was and the fact that we still have another semi-final match after this is crazy as these two put on a match that could main event any show, and was better than most of the WWE main roster PPV main events this year. I'm sure there could be a women's match on the indies or in Stardom that was better than this but for matches under the WWE umbrella this is going to be hard to top for best women's match of the year and is in consideration for best WWE match overall. There is nothing I can critique about this match as it was everything it needed to be and then some. I really hope this isn't the last time WWE use Meiko as there are so many women I would love to see her against.
I loved the post-match celebration with Triple H coming out to thank Meiko for her hard work in the tournament and then having Kairi present the flowers to Toni was a nice touch and I'm glad it was Kairi to present the flowers and this moment wasn't used as a way for Stephanie McMahon to get herself noticed on the show. I loved the emotional promo Toni cut as it felt real and genuine. All of the post-match stuff was just the cherry that was needed on top of the delicious sundae that was an amazing match. Rating: ****1/2
We have finally made it to the semi-finals of the second annual Mae Young Classic and surprisingly for WWE there are no Americans (two Aussies and two Japanese) in the final four which I would say is a big step for them, but then I remember where they are going only five days after their first all-female PPV and it goes to show that when it comes to being progressive the WWE can never take one step forward without immediately taking a few steps back. The first semi-final match features two women that are currently apart of my top two matches so far in this tournament and this match between them is sure to rank very high as well, if not take over the top spot. Toni is still sporting wounds from the match she had with Mercedes Martinez in the quarterfinals.
This match starts out with both women being very methodical and not rushing anything, I know I criticized the Mia vs Toni storm match because they slowed things down but for some reason it worked in this match, perhaps it's because it was a semi-final match instead of a quarterfinal match and after making it this far neither competitor wanted to make a mistake that would cost them a spot in the finals. The competitors trade headlocks as they each try to gain control until finally, Meiko takes the first shot with a kick to the chest. Toni tries to slow Meiko back down before Meiko really gets going as she locks in another headlock but Meiko isn't having that and eventually lands another kick and this is when Toni decides to step it up as well as she follows Meiko into the ropes and takes her down with the big boot.
Toni lands a few nonchalant kicks to the head and back of Meiko and then delivers some headbutts that take Meiko down. Toni hits a snap suplex and floats over only to get a two count. Meiko counters a whip to the ropes attempt and delivers a series of devastating leg kicks (that cause Toni to scream out in pain) before locking in an inverted figure four which Toni breaks by getting to the ropes. Meiko hits some more leg kicks followed by a running forearm in the corner, Meiko attempts a back suplex but Toni counters with elbows to the back of the head. Just as it looks like Toni is back in control Meiko takes her down again with a spinning wheel kick. Meiko hits a couple of European uppercuts before Toni block the third one and turns it into a backslide for a two count. Toni locks in a really nice looking leg trapped STF that really takes a toll on Meiko before she is able to get to the ropes. Toni hits her signature running hip attack in the corner and immediately follows up with a fisherman's suplex but that is not enough to put Meiko away.
Toni lands some aggressive kicks to the face and Meiko rolls to the floor to catch a breather but Toni won't let that happen as she dives through the ropes with a tope suicida. Toni rolls Meiko into the ring where she hits a Shining Wizard but since it wasn't "The Shiniest Wizard" it wasn't enough to finish off Meiko. Toni kicks away at Meiko yet again and this time she wakes up the warrior inside Meiko as she pops up from a running boot by Toni and delivers one of her own and we get a quick exchange of big boots before Meiko knees Toni in the gut and drops her with a DDT and then connects with the cartwheel knee drop. Meiko hits the DVD that finished off Lacey Lane and Killer Kelly, but Toni would be a different story as she finds the will to kick out. Meiko tries for a running knee but Toni catches her leg and hits a release German followed by the Storm Zero but this time it's Meiko kicking out of Toni's finishing move. Toni goes for another Storm Zero but Meiko counters and hits an overhead kick followed by a hard kick to the chest for yet another near fall. Meiko is able to connect with the Scorpion Kick but yet again Toni is able to kick out. Meiko goes to set up for another DVD but Toni stops her and turns it into a second Storm Zero to finally pick up the hard earned and well-deserved win.
Good lord what a hell of a match this was and the fact that we still have another semi-final match after this is crazy as these two put on a match that could main event any show, and was better than most of the WWE main roster PPV main events this year. I'm sure there could be a women's match on the indies or in Stardom that was better than this but for matches under the WWE umbrella this is going to be hard to top for best women's match of the year and is in consideration for best WWE match overall. There is nothing I can critique about this match as it was everything it needed to be and then some. I really hope this isn't the last time WWE use Meiko as there are so many women I would love to see her against.
I loved the post-match celebration with Triple H coming out to thank Meiko for her hard work in the tournament and then having Kairi present the flowers to Toni was a nice touch and I'm glad it was Kairi to present the flowers and this moment wasn't used as a way for Stephanie McMahon to get herself noticed on the show. I loved the emotional promo Toni cut as it felt real and genuine. All of the post-match stuff was just the cherry that was needed on top of the delicious sundae that was an amazing match. Rating: ****1/2
Episode #8 - Match #2 - Semi-Finals
Io Shirai def Rhea Ripley via Pinfall
The second semi-final match pits Rhea "The Ripper" Ripley against the "Genius of the Sky" Io Shirai. Rhea has had a very impressive run in the tournament, her new look and more aggressive style have made everyone take notice and she has become one of the standout stars of this year's tournament as she has pretty much dominated every opponent put in her way. With each episode of the MYC Rhea gets more and more invested into her character and just does little things to get the egotistical and disrespectful heel aspect of her character over, for example, I loved her reaction to Tegan getting injured last week where she just shrugged her shoulders and didn't feel any sympathy for Tegan. Io has shown the WWE fans why she has been called one of the best women's wrestlers over the past few years as she is so versatile in her matches and can get the best of her opponents whether it be by engaging in a battle of strikes, grappling on the mat, or taking to the air in order to hit a high impact move.This match is sure to be yet another match that stands out in an already outstanding tournament.
Rhea uses her power to shove Io to the mat from the lockup position and then Io decides to pick up some speed to try and get Rhea off her game as she takes her down with a dropkick but this comeback doesn't last long as Rhea slams her back down to the mat with a flapjack. Rhea kicks away at the back of Io before stretching her on the mat where she applies a claw hold to the ribs of Io. Rhea cuts off a potential comeback by punching Io in the ribs. Rhea is really feeling confident now as she stands with one foot on the back of Io and poses. Rhea gets Io back in a hold and continues to dig her fingers into the rib cage, Io lands some strikes to try and get herself back into the match but Rhea takes her right back down with a forearm. Rhea mounts Io and unleashes a flurry of punches to the face of Io. Rhea locks in a body scissors and casually checks her fingernails as she knows she has full control. Io leans back trying to pick up an upset win but Rhea easily powers her back up and delivers several hard forearm shots to the back of Io while she still has the body scissors locked in. Rhea eventually breaks the hold and follows up with a dropkick for a near fall.
Rhea works on the back with kicks and stomps before delivering a stalling vertical suplex for another near fall. Rhea reapplies the body scissors and even rolls over to where she is sitting on the back of Io. Io is finally able to turn her body to where she is face to face with Rhea and delivers numerous forearm strikes to finally get Rhea to break the hold. Rhea sends Io into the ropes looking to hit another flapjack but Io counters and hits a hurricanrana out of nowhere for a two count and then follows up with a seated dropkick that sends Rhea out of the ring to try and get herself back together. Io doesn't let Rhea rest for long as she hits her with a tope suicida and now both women are laid out on the ramp. One thing I like about Io's tope suicida's is how she turns her body in mid-air so that she turns the move into a crossbody instead of diving head first. As Io is going to get into the ring Rhea grabs her leg and yanks her to the floor and wants a countout victory which she almost gets but Io gets back in the ring at the count of nine. Rhea reigns down with a series of forearms to the back of Io as she is now frustrated that all her effort so far hasn't been able to put Io away.
Rhea is screaming at Io and this delay allows Io to slap her in the face and Rhea answers that with a big forearm that makes Io crumble to her knees. Rhea looks for another vertical suplex but Io escapes out the back and lands some uppercuts that have Rhea reeling against the ropes and this allows Io to hit a 619 followed by a missile dropkick off the top for a nearfall. Io hops back up to the top looking for the moonsault but Rhea trips her up and she lands stomach first on the buckle. Rhea meets Io up on the top and delivers a superplex but this still isn't enough to finish off Io. Rhea sets Io up for the Riptide, but Io is able to counter and send Rhea shoulder first into the corner. Io hits the running Meteora in the corner and finally is able to hit the moonsault for the win and to punch her ticket into the finals.
After the match Triple H greets Rhea at the top of the stage and I'm so glad they didn't have Rhea and Io hug after the match as that would take away from the awesome character work that Rhea has been doing throughout the tournament. It sucks that Rhea had to be eliminated as it would've been cool to have an all Aussie finals but I'm pretty sure Rhea will be just fine after this, in fact I expect big things happening in her near future. It was cool to see Kairi and Io in the ring together as they are really good friends and former partners back in Stardom.
While this match was really good and did a great job of showing how dominate Rhea can be, I feel it was a step below the Toni vs Meiko match as it didn't feel like Io had done quite enough damage to Rhea for just one moonsault to finish her off after she had controlled 90% of the match. I definitely think the two semi-final matches should have been switched around and let Toni vs Meiko be the main event for this episode. As happy as I was to see Rhea in the semi-finals I feel like Io's match against Deonna felt more like a semi-final match than this one did, but that could be because Io was most likely supposed to face Tegan in this match and not Rhea so they (Io, Rhea, and the agents) didn't have as much time to plan out a match, as this match happened only an hour or so after the Tegan injury. If that was the case then the match that did end up happening was pretty damn good for only being planned out a short time before. Rating: ****
Io Shirai def Rhea Ripley via Pinfall
The second semi-final match pits Rhea "The Ripper" Ripley against the "Genius of the Sky" Io Shirai. Rhea has had a very impressive run in the tournament, her new look and more aggressive style have made everyone take notice and she has become one of the standout stars of this year's tournament as she has pretty much dominated every opponent put in her way. With each episode of the MYC Rhea gets more and more invested into her character and just does little things to get the egotistical and disrespectful heel aspect of her character over, for example, I loved her reaction to Tegan getting injured last week where she just shrugged her shoulders and didn't feel any sympathy for Tegan. Io has shown the WWE fans why she has been called one of the best women's wrestlers over the past few years as she is so versatile in her matches and can get the best of her opponents whether it be by engaging in a battle of strikes, grappling on the mat, or taking to the air in order to hit a high impact move.This match is sure to be yet another match that stands out in an already outstanding tournament.
Rhea uses her power to shove Io to the mat from the lockup position and then Io decides to pick up some speed to try and get Rhea off her game as she takes her down with a dropkick but this comeback doesn't last long as Rhea slams her back down to the mat with a flapjack. Rhea kicks away at the back of Io before stretching her on the mat where she applies a claw hold to the ribs of Io. Rhea cuts off a potential comeback by punching Io in the ribs. Rhea is really feeling confident now as she stands with one foot on the back of Io and poses. Rhea gets Io back in a hold and continues to dig her fingers into the rib cage, Io lands some strikes to try and get herself back into the match but Rhea takes her right back down with a forearm. Rhea mounts Io and unleashes a flurry of punches to the face of Io. Rhea locks in a body scissors and casually checks her fingernails as she knows she has full control. Io leans back trying to pick up an upset win but Rhea easily powers her back up and delivers several hard forearm shots to the back of Io while she still has the body scissors locked in. Rhea eventually breaks the hold and follows up with a dropkick for a near fall.
Rhea works on the back with kicks and stomps before delivering a stalling vertical suplex for another near fall. Rhea reapplies the body scissors and even rolls over to where she is sitting on the back of Io. Io is finally able to turn her body to where she is face to face with Rhea and delivers numerous forearm strikes to finally get Rhea to break the hold. Rhea sends Io into the ropes looking to hit another flapjack but Io counters and hits a hurricanrana out of nowhere for a two count and then follows up with a seated dropkick that sends Rhea out of the ring to try and get herself back together. Io doesn't let Rhea rest for long as she hits her with a tope suicida and now both women are laid out on the ramp. One thing I like about Io's tope suicida's is how she turns her body in mid-air so that she turns the move into a crossbody instead of diving head first. As Io is going to get into the ring Rhea grabs her leg and yanks her to the floor and wants a countout victory which she almost gets but Io gets back in the ring at the count of nine. Rhea reigns down with a series of forearms to the back of Io as she is now frustrated that all her effort so far hasn't been able to put Io away.
Rhea is screaming at Io and this delay allows Io to slap her in the face and Rhea answers that with a big forearm that makes Io crumble to her knees. Rhea looks for another vertical suplex but Io escapes out the back and lands some uppercuts that have Rhea reeling against the ropes and this allows Io to hit a 619 followed by a missile dropkick off the top for a nearfall. Io hops back up to the top looking for the moonsault but Rhea trips her up and she lands stomach first on the buckle. Rhea meets Io up on the top and delivers a superplex but this still isn't enough to finish off Io. Rhea sets Io up for the Riptide, but Io is able to counter and send Rhea shoulder first into the corner. Io hits the running Meteora in the corner and finally is able to hit the moonsault for the win and to punch her ticket into the finals.
After the match Triple H greets Rhea at the top of the stage and I'm so glad they didn't have Rhea and Io hug after the match as that would take away from the awesome character work that Rhea has been doing throughout the tournament. It sucks that Rhea had to be eliminated as it would've been cool to have an all Aussie finals but I'm pretty sure Rhea will be just fine after this, in fact I expect big things happening in her near future. It was cool to see Kairi and Io in the ring together as they are really good friends and former partners back in Stardom.
WWE Evolution - Mae Young Classic Finale
We started with 32 of the most talented women in the world and now after four very competitive rounds of action we are down to the final two competitors, these two competitors will battle it out for the right to be called the winner of the 2018 Mae Young Classic.
In one corner we have "The Rockstar" Toni Storm who is looking to prove herself after making it all the way to the semi-finals last year before being eliminated by eventual winner Kairi Sane, this year she has made it to the finals but she isn't going to settle for second place as she wants to claim the honor of winning the entire tournament. Toni is one of the most versatile performers in the entire tournament and can get a great match out of anybody (probably even a broom stick) and work any style and the fact that she is only 23 years old means that she has a long and bright future ahead of her. Toni is currently working for the NXT UK brand but I have a feeling that by this time next year she will be apart of the main roster as she has talent and a look that the entire world needs to see, not just the hardcore fanbase. I currently have all four of Toni's tournament matches ranked in the top ten for this year's tournament and have all of them rated at four stars or higher.
In the other corner, we have the "Genius of the Sky" Io Shirai who wants to win so that she can show that there is a reason why she has been regarded as one of the absolute best wrestlers in the entire world for the past few years. There are many wrestlers that are known for their strikes but Io's strikes are different than most as the way she hits them is very unique, if you want an example of what I'm talking about watch her match with Zeuxis where she dropkicks her in the top of the head. It took me a couple of matches to really get warmed up but Io's quarterfinal match against Deonna Purrazzo sold me on her and I have no doubt that she will follow in her fellow Stardom alumni's footsteps and be a big star...or at least until she gets to the main roster. I unfortunately only have two of Io's matches in the top ten as it took me a while to get warmed up to her but I'm sure this match will make it into the top ten as well.
Toni and Io are no strangers to each other as they have had four matches against each other in the past and their win/loss record against each other is tied at 1-1 with the other two matches ending in time limit draws, so this match will be the rubber match to see who is the better competitor. This match has the chance to be the best match on the Evolution card as Io and Toni are going to want to impress everyone and show the fans who may not have watched the MYC exactly why they belong in the WWE.
I really hope that when Toni Storm comes to the main roster and has her first match at one of the big PPVs that WWE is able to get Nita Strauss to play her to the ring as that would really be a badass entrance. I liked that Michael Cole gave a shoutout to Tegan Nox before the match, that was a nice thing for him (or whoever told him to say it) to do.
The match starts out with some nice chain wrestling for the first few minutes with both women concentrating on working over the arm. Toni turns the dial up to the next notch and picks up the pace by landing a striking combo and then outsmarting Io by not running over the top of Io as she drops down but instead running to the side ropes so that she can hit a dropkick on Io. Toni lands a couple of strikes and then Io hits her with a dropkick. Io drives both of her knees into Toni's mid-section and then transitions into a Rings of Saturn and Toni has no choice but to reach the ropes in order to escape the hold. Toni is able to make a comeback and hit a release German suplex followed by a running hip attack in the corner.
Toni is looking to hit a move off the top but before she can Io rolls over to the ropes and gets to her feet which throws Toni off her game and causes her to hesitate and this hesitation would cost her as Io springboards up to the top rope and dropkicks Toni off the top all the way to the floor. Io follows up with a moonsault from the inside to the outside onto Toni. Io and Toni get to their feet and have an exchange on the apron where Toni is trying to hit Storm Zero, but Io keeps blocking it so finally Toni headbutts Io and this allows her to hit a German suplex to Io on the apron. Io makes it back into the ring at the count of nine and we then get an exchange of hard forearm shots which Io gets the best of as she hits so many of them that she beats Toni down to the mat before picking her back up and hitting an uppercut. Io runs off the ropes and is met with a big clothesline by Toni. Toni uses this as an opportunity to pick Io right up and hit her with a Storm Zero but somehow Io is able to kick out.
Io rolls out to the apron and is still showing signs of pain from the German suplex on the apron. Toni tries to pick Io up but is hit with a stunner as she is in between the ropes. Toni is stunned on the ropes so Io hits her with a 619 and then springboards off the top and over Toni with a sunset flip that only gets her a two count. Toni rolls over and tries to catch her breath in the corner but there isn't much time to rest as Io hits her with the Meteora in the corner. Io jumps up to the top looking for her moonsault but Toni is able to get her knees up and then immediately hits the Storm Zero to pick up the win and be crowned the winner of the 2018 Mae Young Classic.
This match felt like something you would watch in Japan rather than in WWE which is nice as it's always nice to see a match in WWE that is not worked like most WWE matches. This match was filled with really hard strikes and some crazy big impact moves like the dropkick knocking Toni off the top and of course the apron German suplex. I like that they kept Io's moonsault strong as they had Toni put her knees up and block it instead of kicking out of it. This match did not disappoint in the least as Toni and Io went out and put on one heck of a match that was definitely worthy of being the final match to close out an amazing tournament and I have no complaints at all about the match. Rating: ****1/4
In one corner we have "The Rockstar" Toni Storm who is looking to prove herself after making it all the way to the semi-finals last year before being eliminated by eventual winner Kairi Sane, this year she has made it to the finals but she isn't going to settle for second place as she wants to claim the honor of winning the entire tournament. Toni is one of the most versatile performers in the entire tournament and can get a great match out of anybody (probably even a broom stick) and work any style and the fact that she is only 23 years old means that she has a long and bright future ahead of her. Toni is currently working for the NXT UK brand but I have a feeling that by this time next year she will be apart of the main roster as she has talent and a look that the entire world needs to see, not just the hardcore fanbase. I currently have all four of Toni's tournament matches ranked in the top ten for this year's tournament and have all of them rated at four stars or higher.
In the other corner, we have the "Genius of the Sky" Io Shirai who wants to win so that she can show that there is a reason why she has been regarded as one of the absolute best wrestlers in the entire world for the past few years. There are many wrestlers that are known for their strikes but Io's strikes are different than most as the way she hits them is very unique, if you want an example of what I'm talking about watch her match with Zeuxis where she dropkicks her in the top of the head. It took me a couple of matches to really get warmed up but Io's quarterfinal match against Deonna Purrazzo sold me on her and I have no doubt that she will follow in her fellow Stardom alumni's footsteps and be a big star...or at least until she gets to the main roster. I unfortunately only have two of Io's matches in the top ten as it took me a while to get warmed up to her but I'm sure this match will make it into the top ten as well.
Toni and Io are no strangers to each other as they have had four matches against each other in the past and their win/loss record against each other is tied at 1-1 with the other two matches ending in time limit draws, so this match will be the rubber match to see who is the better competitor. This match has the chance to be the best match on the Evolution card as Io and Toni are going to want to impress everyone and show the fans who may not have watched the MYC exactly why they belong in the WWE.
I really hope that when Toni Storm comes to the main roster and has her first match at one of the big PPVs that WWE is able to get Nita Strauss to play her to the ring as that would really be a badass entrance. I liked that Michael Cole gave a shoutout to Tegan Nox before the match, that was a nice thing for him (or whoever told him to say it) to do.
The match starts out with some nice chain wrestling for the first few minutes with both women concentrating on working over the arm. Toni turns the dial up to the next notch and picks up the pace by landing a striking combo and then outsmarting Io by not running over the top of Io as she drops down but instead running to the side ropes so that she can hit a dropkick on Io. Toni lands a couple of strikes and then Io hits her with a dropkick. Io drives both of her knees into Toni's mid-section and then transitions into a Rings of Saturn and Toni has no choice but to reach the ropes in order to escape the hold. Toni is able to make a comeback and hit a release German suplex followed by a running hip attack in the corner.
Toni is looking to hit a move off the top but before she can Io rolls over to the ropes and gets to her feet which throws Toni off her game and causes her to hesitate and this hesitation would cost her as Io springboards up to the top rope and dropkicks Toni off the top all the way to the floor. Io follows up with a moonsault from the inside to the outside onto Toni. Io and Toni get to their feet and have an exchange on the apron where Toni is trying to hit Storm Zero, but Io keeps blocking it so finally Toni headbutts Io and this allows her to hit a German suplex to Io on the apron. Io makes it back into the ring at the count of nine and we then get an exchange of hard forearm shots which Io gets the best of as she hits so many of them that she beats Toni down to the mat before picking her back up and hitting an uppercut. Io runs off the ropes and is met with a big clothesline by Toni. Toni uses this as an opportunity to pick Io right up and hit her with a Storm Zero but somehow Io is able to kick out.
Io rolls out to the apron and is still showing signs of pain from the German suplex on the apron. Toni tries to pick Io up but is hit with a stunner as she is in between the ropes. Toni is stunned on the ropes so Io hits her with a 619 and then springboards off the top and over Toni with a sunset flip that only gets her a two count. Toni rolls over and tries to catch her breath in the corner but there isn't much time to rest as Io hits her with the Meteora in the corner. Io jumps up to the top looking for her moonsault but Toni is able to get her knees up and then immediately hits the Storm Zero to pick up the win and be crowned the winner of the 2018 Mae Young Classic.
This match felt like something you would watch in Japan rather than in WWE which is nice as it's always nice to see a match in WWE that is not worked like most WWE matches. This match was filled with really hard strikes and some crazy big impact moves like the dropkick knocking Toni off the top and of course the apron German suplex. I like that they kept Io's moonsault strong as they had Toni put her knees up and block it instead of kicking out of it. This match did not disappoint in the least as Toni and Io went out and put on one heck of a match that was definitely worthy of being the final match to close out an amazing tournament and I have no complaints at all about the match. Rating: ****1/4
I have really enjoyed watching and reviewing this tournament and I hope you enjoyed reading my review of it as well, overall it was a great eight weeks of action and just showed that the future of the women's divisions in WWE is brighter than ever and the women who make up the future of WWE are some of the most talented and athletically gifted women in the entire world and the fans of women's wrestling has so much to look forward to in the future.
Mae Young Classic II Match Rankings
30. Zeuxis vs Aerial Monroe
30. Zeuxis vs Aerial Monroe
29. Lacey Evans vs Vanessa Kraven
28. Taynara Conti vs Jessie Eleban
27. Kaitlyn vs Kavita Devi
26. Kacy Catanzaro vs Reina Gonzalez
25. Lacey Lane vs Taynara Conti
24. Nicole Matthews vs Isla Dawn
23. Deonna Purrazzo vs Priscilla Kelly
22. Io Shirai vs Xia Brookside
21. Tegan Nox vs Zatara
20. Tegan Nox vs Nicole Matthews
19. Deonna Purrazo vs Xia Li
18. Xia Li vs Karen Q
17. Rhea Ripley vs MJ Jenkins
16. Mercedes Martinez vs Ashley Rayne
15. Meiko Satomura vs Lacey Lane
14. Rhea Ripley vs Kacy Catanzaro
14. Rhea Ripley vs Kacy Catanzaro
13. Io Shirai vs Zeuxis
12. Mia Yim vs Kaitlyn
11. Meiko Satomura vs Killer Kelly
10. Mia Yim vs Allysin Kay
9. Io Shirai vs Rhea Ripley
8. Toni Storm vs Mia Yim
7. Hiroyo Matsumoto vs Rachel Evers
6. Toni Storm vs Jinny
5. Io Shirai vs Deonna Purrazzo
4. Toni Storm vs Hiroyo Matsumoto
3. Toni Storm vs Io Shirai
2. Meiko Satomura vs Mercedes Martinez
1. Toni Storm vs Meiko Satomura
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