By Jason Powell, Prowrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Mae Young Classic
Taped August 9, 2018 in Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University
Aired October 10, 2018 on WWE Network
A video package that set up this week’s matches… The MYC opening aired… The broadcast team of Michael Cole, Beth Phoenix, and Renee Young checked in previewed the matches… A video package set up the opening match… Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke, and Marina Shafir were shown in the crowd…
1. Io Shirai vs. Zeuxis in a second round match. Xeuxsis caught Shirai with a punch as she was going for a springboard move. Zeuxis followed up with a nice dropkick through the ropes, which Shirai sold as if she injured her shoulder. Zeuxis targeted the shoulder. Shirai came back with running double knees in the corner. Xeuxis rolled to ringside. Shirai performed a suicide dive.
Back in the ring, Xeuxis performed a Michinoku Driver for two. Shirai avoided a moonsault. Shirai went to the ropes, but Xeuxis cut her off. The women fought on the ropes. Shirai got the better of it and performed a huracanrana. Shirai performed double knees to the back of the neck and then performed a moonsault for the win…
Io Shirai defeated Zeuxis to advance to the quarterfinals.
Powell’s POV: A good opening match that would have been a quality main event had they been given more time.
A video package set up the next match… Ricochet was shown in the crowd…
2. Deonna Purrazzo vs. Xia Li in a second round match. Purrazzo applied a Fujiwara Armbar. Li rolled her into a pin to break it. The broadcast team played up Purrazzo being shocked that the armbar was countered. Li performed some strikes and then did a flip into a high kick that led to a two count. Li went to the ropes and leapt off only to be caught in a Fujiwara armbar by Purrazzo, who got the submission win. Cole touted Shirai vs. Purrazzo in the quarterfinals…
Deonna Purrazzo defeated Xia Li to advance to the quarterfinals.
Powell’s POV: Li’s big flip looked too choreographed. Purrazzo caught her leg and then clearly propelled her into the flip. Even so, it was an entertaining match and it’s good to see Purrazzo going deep into the tournament.
A video package set up the third match. Nox spoke highly of Matthews, then said she’s just another girl once she’s in the ring with her…
3. Tegan Nox vs. Nicole Matthews in a second round match. The women shook hands. Matthews pointed at Nox’s knee brace. Nox looked down and Matthews attacked her to start the match and to establish herself as the heel. Phoenix noted that she wore the same style of knee brace when she returned from knee surgery. Nox came back and hit a cannonball in the corner and then hit a shining wizard and scored the pin. Nox will face Rhea Ripley in the quarterfinals…
Tegan Nox defeated Nicole Matthews to advance to the quarterfinals.
Powell’s POV: Fun while it lasted. It was a shorter than expected match. Apparently, they wanted to save some time for the main event.
A video package set up the main event…
4. Kaitlyn vs. Mia Yim. Yim had her hand taped to sell the hand injury from her opening round match. Kaitlyn offered a handshake. Yim looked like she thought twice about it. Yim shook her hand and quickly pulled her bad hand away. Yim threw an early chop with the hand and shook her hand in pain. Kaitlyn took offensive control and performed a cannonball.
Yim came back and applied delivered some kicks to the back of Kaitlyn’s leg before applying a leg lock. Phoenix spoke about how she had been sharing living quarters with Shayna Bazler and Jessamyn Duke and studying submission holds. Yim released the hold and threw some punches with her bad hand. Kaitlyn taunted her into throwing another punch and then rolled out of the way. Kaitlyn wrenched on Yim’s bad hand.
The broadcast team pointed out the discoloration of Kaitlyn’s thigh that was showing through her fishnets. Kaitlyn sold the leg before going on the offensive and getting a near fall off the move that won her first round match. Yim came back with Sole Food for a near fall of her own. Kaitlyn rallied with a spear for a good near fall. Yim caught Kaitlyn in a kneebar, Kaitlyn scrambled for the ropes and eventually had to tap out. Yim had her arm raised, then knelt down and hugged Kaitlyn through the ropes…
Mia Yim defeated Kaitlyn to advance to the quarterfinals.
A video package recapped this week’s show and set the stage for the quarterfinals, which feature Meiko Satomura vs. Lacey Lane, Toni Storm vs. Mia Yim, Tegan Nox vs. Rhea Ripley, and Io Shirai vs. Deonna Purrazzo…
Powell’s POV: This was a really well worked match. I was ho-hum about Kaitlyn’s return, but she and Yim did a great job of telling a story with their respective injuries. This turned out to be the rightful main event and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m happy to see Yim (formerly Jade in TNA) advance and for Kaitlyn to deliver a strong performance in her exit match. Overall, a solid show capped off by a strong main event. I expect the quarterfinals to be even better.
Check below for the latest Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast with Jason Powell and guest Chris Harrington.
Jason-do you think WWE will re-sign Kaitlyn? Thanks for the recap.
I don’t see why not if that’s what she is looking for. She did a nice job and she seems well liked given the way Cole raved about her as a person.