Mae Young Classic | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date |
| ||
City | Winter Park, Florida Uniondale, New York (final) | ||
Venue | Full Sail University Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum (final) | ||
Mae Young Classic chronology | |||
|
The 2018 Mae Young Classic was a multi-night special event and tournament promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion, WWE. It was the second Mae Young Classic tournament produced and was constituted by a 32-competitor tournament exclusively for women from WWE's NXT brand division and wrestlers from the independent circuit. The tournament took place at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida and was taped on August 8–9, 2018 and aired on the WWE Network from September 5 to October 4 (round 1, round 2, quarterfinals, and semifinals). The tournament final match aired live as part of WWE's all-female pay-per-view Evolution, which was held on October 28 at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. The winner of this second tournament was Toni Storm.
In 2017, the American professional wrestling promotion WWE held a 32-woman tournament called the Mae Young Classic. It involved wrestlers from WWE's NXT brand and wrestlers from the independent circuit. The event was named in honor of the late WWE Hall of Famer Mae Young, who is considered a pioneer of women's wrestling. [1] In April 2018, WWE announced a second Mae Young Classic tournament, following up on the 2017 tournament. [2]
On June 22, 2018, WWE confirmed the tournament would once again have 32 competitors from NXT and the independent circuit, with the event being held at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida on August 8–9. [3] On July 12, the first two competitors for the 2018 tournament were announced as Kaitlyn and Rhea Ripley. [4] The tournament final match was scheduled to be held as part of WWE's all-female pay-per-view Evolution, taking place on October 28 at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. [5]
On August 8, it was announced that the show would air every Wednesday on the WWE Network immediately after NXT , beginning September 5. [6] Beth Phoenix, Renee Young, and Michael Cole were confirmed as the commentators for the event. [7] In addition, the week prior to the first episode, WWE Network aired a bracketology special. [8]
No. | Results | Stipulations |
---|---|---|
1 | Taynara Conti defeated Vanessa Borne | Mae Young Classic Final Spot Qualifying Match |
Ring name | Real name | Notes [22] |
---|---|---|
Beth Phoenix | Elizabeth Kociański | Color commentator Hall of Famer |
Cathy Kelley | Catherine Kelley | Backstage interviewer |
Kayla Braxton | Kayla Becker | Ring announcer |
Michael Cole | Michael Coulthard | Lead commentator |
Renee Young | Renee Paquette | Color commentator |
Sarah Schreiber | Sarah Schreiber | Backstage interviewer |
Shadia Bseiso | Shadia Bseiso | Backstage interviewer |
The following time limits were in place:
Round of 32 (Taped August 8) (Aired September 5, 12, 19, 26) | Round of 16 (Taped August 9) (Aired October 3, 10) | Quarterfinals (Taped August 9) (Aired October 17) | Semifinals (Taped August 9) (Aired October 24) | Final (October 28) | ||||||||||||||
– Episode 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
Meiko Satomura | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 5 | ||||||||||||||||||
Killer Kelly | 7:41 [23] | |||||||||||||||||
Meiko Satomura | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 2 | ||||||||||||||||||
Mercedes Martinez | 11:32 [24] | |||||||||||||||||
Ashley Rayne | 7:31 [25] | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 7 | ||||||||||||||||||
Mercedes Martinez | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
Meiko Satomura | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
Lacey Lane | 4:34 [26] | |||||||||||||||||
Lacey Lane | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 5 | ||||||||||||||||||
Vanessa Kraven | 4:50 [23] | |||||||||||||||||
Lacey Lane | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 4 | ||||||||||||||||||
Taynara Conti | 2:38 [24] | |||||||||||||||||
Taynara Conti | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 8 | ||||||||||||||||||
Jessie Elaban | 4:44 [27] | |||||||||||||||||
Meiko Satomura | 13:05 [28] | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 3 | ||||||||||||||||||
Toni Storm | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
Toni Storm | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 5 | ||||||||||||||||||
Jinny | 7:08 [29] | |||||||||||||||||
Toni Storm | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 4 | ||||||||||||||||||
Hiroyo Matsumoto | 9:17 [24] | |||||||||||||||||
Rachel Evers | 9:47 [27] | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 7 | ||||||||||||||||||
Hiroyo Matsumoto | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
Toni Storm | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 3 | ||||||||||||||||||
Mia Yim | 8:25 [26] | |||||||||||||||||
Mia Yim | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
Allysin Kay | 9:39 [29] | |||||||||||||||||
Mia Yim | Sub | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 3 | ||||||||||||||||||
Kaitlyn | 7:09 [30] | |||||||||||||||||
Kaitlyn | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
– WWE Evolution | ||||||||||||||||||
Kavita Devi | 4:08 [29] | |||||||||||||||||
Toni Storm | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
Io Shirai | 10:20 [31] | |||||||||||||||||
Tegan Nox | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
Zatara | 6:10 [23] | |||||||||||||||||
Tegan Nox | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 4 | ||||||||||||||||||
Nicole Matthews | 3:45 [30] | |||||||||||||||||
Isla Dawn | 7:20 [27] | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 7 | ||||||||||||||||||
Nicole Matthews | Sub | |||||||||||||||||
Tegan Nox | 3:14 [26] | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
Rhea Ripley | KO | |||||||||||||||||
Rhea Ripley | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 5 | ||||||||||||||||||
MJ Jenkins | 7:41 [23] | |||||||||||||||||
Rhea Ripley | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 2 | ||||||||||||||||||
Kacy Catanzaro | 7:04 [24] | |||||||||||||||||
Kacy Catanzaro | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 8 | ||||||||||||||||||
Reina González | 4:46 [25] | |||||||||||||||||
Rhea Ripley | 12:52 [28] | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 4 | ||||||||||||||||||
Io Shirai | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
Io Shirai | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
Xia Brookside | 3:16 [27] | |||||||||||||||||
Io Shirai | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 2 | ||||||||||||||||||
Zeuxis | 6:06 [30] | |||||||||||||||||
Zeuxis | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 7 | ||||||||||||||||||
Aerial Monroe | 5:06 [25] | |||||||||||||||||
Io Shirai | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 2 | ||||||||||||||||||
Deonna Purrazzo | 8:44 [26] | |||||||||||||||||
Deonna Purrazzo | Sub | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
Priscilla Kelly | 4:28 [25] | |||||||||||||||||
Deonna Purrazzo | Sub | |||||||||||||||||
– Episode 3 | ||||||||||||||||||
Xia Li | 5:45 [30] | |||||||||||||||||
Karen Q | 4:21 [29] | |||||||||||||||||
Xia Li | Pin | |||||||||||||||||
Performers on the tournament such as Deonna Purrazzo, Io Shirai, Jessie Elaban, Kacy Catanzaro, Kavita Devi, Lacey Lane, MJ Jenkins, Reina González, Rhea Ripley, Taynara Conti, Tegan Nox, and Xia Li already had signed contracts with the company. While Xia Brookside, Isla Dawn, Jinny, Killer Kelly, and winner Toni Storm had signed contracts with the company, performing on the NXT UK brand.
On August 25, 2018, Rhea Ripley started competing on the NXT UK brand, where she would eventually become the inaugural NXT UK Women's Champion. [32]
On October 18, 2018, WWE announced that Mia Yim had been signed to a contract, performing on the NXT and NXT UK brand. [33]
In February 2019, WWE announced that Karen Q signed to contract and training at the WWE Performance Center.
In September 2024, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) announced that Léi Ying Lee (Zhao Xia during the Mae Young Classic) signed with the company.
In December 2021, AEW announced that Mercedes Martinez signed to contract All Elite Wrestling.
On April 15, 2020, Deonna Purrazzo was released from her contract. Two days later, Taynara Conti and M.J Jenkins were also released from their contract as part of budget cuts due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On January 20, 2021, NXT announced they had signed Priscilla Kelly, where she would be competing under the new ring name Gigi Dolin.
Shayna Andrea Baszler is an American professional wrestler and a former kickboxer and mixed martial artist. She is currently signed to WWE, where she performs on the Raw brand as a member of the Pure Fusion Collective stable. Baszler is a former two-time and longest combined-reigning NXT Women's Champion and a former record-tying three-time WWE Women's Tag Team Champion.
Stephanie Hym Lee, better known by the ring name Mia Yim, is an American professional wrestler. She is now signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Michin.
Cheree Georgina Crowley is a New Zealand professional wrestler. She is currently signed to WWE, where she performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Dakota Kai, and is a member of Damage CTRL. She is a former two-time WWE Women's Tag Team Champion with Iyo Sky. She is also known for her time in NXT, where she won the inaugural Women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, and is a former two-time NXT Women's Tag Team Champion.
Kacy Esther Catanzaro is an American professional wrestler and a former gymnast and obstacle racer. She is currently signed with WWE, where she performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Katana Chance. Alongside Kayden Carter, she is a one-time NXT Women's Tag Team Champion, holding the record for the longest reign in the title's history, and a one-time WWE Women's Tag Team Champion. Carter and Chance are also the first women's tag team to have won the WWE and NXT Women's Tag Team Championships.
Candice LeRae Dawson is an American professional wrestler signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Candice LeRae. She is a former NXT Women's Tag Team Champion and was a member of The Way.
Deonna Lynn Purrazzo is an American professional wrestler signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) since January 2024. She is best known for her tenures with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) from 2020 to 2023, where she is a former three-time TNA Knockouts World Champion and a former TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Champion. She also appeared in Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA) from 2021 to 2023 and Ring of Honor (ROH) from 2015 to 2018, where she is a former AAA Reina de Reinas Champion and ROH Women's World Champion, respectively, making her a five-time professional wrestling women's world champion.
Toni Rossall, better known by the ring name Toni Storm, is a New Zealand-Australian professional wrestler. As of March 2022, she is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where she currently performs with the epithet "Timeless" Toni Storm, and is a record-tying three-time former AEW Women's World Champion. Prior to signing with AEW, Rossall worked for WWE. where she was an NXT UK Women's Champion.
Luis Martínez is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, performing on the Raw brand under the ring name Damian Priest.
The 2017 Mae Young Classic was a multi-night special event and tournament promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion, WWE. It was constituted by a 32-competitor tournament for women from WWE's NXT brand division and wrestlers from the independent circuit. The majority of the tournament took place at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida and was taped from July 13–14, 2017; these matches aired on the WWE Network on August 28 and September 4. The tournament final match aired live on the WWE Network on September 12 and took place at the Thomas & Mack Center in Paradise, Nevada. The event was named in honor of Mae Young. The winner of the inaugural tournament was Kairi Sane.
Taynara Melo Guevara is a Brazilian professional wrestler and judoka. She is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where she performs under the ring name Tay Melo and was a member of the Jericho Appreciation Society. She also appears in AEW's Mexican partner promotion Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA), where she is a former AAA World Mixed Tag Team Champion with real life husband Sammy Guevara.
Kimberly Benson is a Scottish professional wrestler. She is signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Piper Niven. Niven is a former one-time WWE Women's Tag Team Champion.
The NXT UK Women's Championship was a women's professional wrestling championship that was created and promoted by the American promotion WWE. It was defended on the NXT UK brand division, a sister brand of WWE's developmental territory NXT based in the United Kingdom. Established on 18 June 2018, the inaugural champion was Rhea Ripley. On 4 September 2022 at Worlds Collide, the title was unified into the NXT Women's Championship, officially retiring the title in the process, with Meiko Satomura recognized as the final champion.
The Mae Young Classic was a women's professional wrestling tournament and WWE Network event produced by WWE, an American-based professional wrestling promotion. The event was named in honor of the late Mae Young, a WWE Hall of Famer who is considered one of the pioneers of women's professional wrestling. The tournament was contested by wrestlers from WWE's NXT brand and wrestlers from the independent circuit. The winner received the Mae Young Classic Trophy.
Raquel Lourenço, best known by her ring name Killer Kelly, is a Portuguese professional wrestler currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where she is a former two-time TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion. She is also known for her tenure with WWE where she competed on the NXT UK brand, and for her time in the independent wrestling scene, mostly working in Westside Xtreme Wrestling as well as Pro-Wrestling: EVE.
Xia-Louise Brooks, known by her ring name Xia Brookside, is an English professional wrestler and valet. She is now signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). Before, she was signed to World Wonder Ring Stardom, and was a member of Club Venus. She also worked for WWE, where she performed on the NXT UK brand.
Demi Bennett is an Australian professional wrestler. She has been signed to WWE since July 2017, where she performs under the ring name Rhea Ripley. Her 380-day reign with the Women's World Championship is tied with Bayley as the longest in the title's history.
Zhao Xia is a Chinese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, currently making appearances on the independent circuit as Xia Zhao. She is best known for her tenure in WWE, where she performed under the ring name Xia Li.
Courtney Stewart is a Scottish professional wrestler. She is currently signed to WWE, where she performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Isla Dawn. She is one-half of The Unholy Union with Alba Fyre.
Allyssa Lyn "Lacey" Lane is a Filipino-American professional wrestler. She is currently signed to WWE, where she performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Kayden Carter. Alongside Katana Chance, she is a one-time NXT Women's Tag Team Champion, holding the record for the longest reign in the title's history, and a one-time WWE Women's Tag Team Champion.
Victoria González is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where she performs under the ring name Raquel Rodriguez. She is a former 3-time WWE Women's Tag Team Champion, 1-time NXT Women's Champion and a record-tying 2-time and inaugural NXT Women's Tag Team Champion. She is currently inactive due to suffering from MCAS.