Mae Young Classic – September 26, 2018: That’s What We’re Here For

Mae Young Classic
Date: September 26, 2018
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Renee Young, Beth Phoenix, Michael Cole

We’re wrapping up the first round tonight with the last four matches, meaning things are already going to be halfway done. The interesting thing here is going to be seeing which surprises WWE has left for us, along with Japanese superstar Io Shirai as this year’s breaking name. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

The opening video talks about the eight names who will be competing tonight.

Opening sequence.

All matches are first round matches.

Rachel Evers is the daughter of Paul Ellering and wants to make her own path. She lost her focus last year but that’s not happening this time around.

Hiroyo Matsumoto calls herself Lady Godzilla. I think that sums her up quite well.

Kassius Ohno, who is dating Evers, is here.

Hiroyo Matsumoto vs. Rachel Evers

Cole’s description of a woman who called herself LADY GODZILLA and wants to fight the Undertaker: “She’s colorful and loves to have fun.” Cole on Evers: “She wants to have fun!” They shove each other around (while still having fun) to start and some shoulders go nowhere. Clotheslines go nowhere so Matsumoto shoulders her down as Renee talks about joshi.

Evers gets two off a gutwrench suplex and kicks Matsumoto in the face. A missed charge lets Matsumoto Stun her over the ropes, which is called flamboyance for some reason. Matsumoto gets two off a missile dropkick and we hit the chinlock. Back up and Evers gets laid over the middle rope for some kicks to the ribs, followed by a Vader Bomb knee drop for two more.

Evers comes back with a pop up spinebuster (not a powerbomb Cole) for a double knockdown. A slugout goes to Evers and she grabs a cutter into a backsplash for two. Evers drops a spinning double springboard legdrop for two more and the fans are entirely behind her here. Another strike off goes to Matsumoto and she grabs a German suplex, which Evers no sells to a BIG reaction. Matsumoto has had it with Evers and powerbombs the heck out of her, followed by a Saito suplex (the Rock Drop) for the pin at 7:46.

Rating: B. Well that was awesome. These two beat the heck out of each other in a style that you just don’t get around here. Matsumoto wasn’t quite the monster I was expecting but Evers got to slug it out with her and it turned into a very entertaining match as a result. The crowd alone made it that much better, which is a major benefit that not every match can enjoy.

Taynara Conti is a Brazilian jujitsu fighter who has appeared on NXT before.

Jesse Eleban is a nerdy geek who is from Earth and describes herself as “amazeballs”. I think you get the idea here.

Dana Brooke is here. Uh…..ok then.

Jessie Eleban vs. Taynara Conti

Conti wastes no time in throwing her down twice in a row. Jessie is right back up with a kick to the face (those long legs help with that) and a backsplash (egads enough with that move) gets two. Back up and Conti starts in on the arm, followed by an STO for two. A stomp to the arm sets up an armbar, followed by another version with some cranking on the wrist to keep Jessie in trouble.

Now it’s off to bending the fingers apart, followed by some stomping to the ribs in the corner. Since that’s enough to let Jessie fight back, Conti kicks her square in the arm to cut her off again. A catapult of all things drops Conti and some dropkicks keep Conti in trouble. Conti blocks a rollup though and spins her into a Boss Man Slam for the pin at 4:44.

Rating: D+. Conti winning here wasn’t exactly a surprise here and there’s nothing wrong with that. When you have someone who has wrestled on Wrestlemania and a newcomer, it’s not exactly the biggest shock in the world. Jessie is charismatic and could get somewhere with some more experience and development, but there was no way she was winning here.

Isla Dawn says she takes a lot of inspiration from goddess worship and wants to fight.

Nicole Matthews is a veteran from Canada who wasn’t happy with being an alternate last year. How can you have the best of the best if she’s not included?

Isla Dawn vs. Nicole Matthews

They fight over a few lockups to start as we hear about Dawn being into witchcraft. Dawn takes her down and hits a double stomp, followed by a running Meteora for two. Nicole is right back with a neckbreaker out of the corner (with an edit that made me think that was a second attempt) for two. A kick to the back and a backbreaker has Dawn in more trouble until she avoids a forearm in the corner.

Matthews ties her in the ropes though and kicks away at the chest to keep Dawn in trouble. Some elbows and forearms set up a double arm crank but Dawn is right back up with some knees to the face. A snap belly to back suplex drops Matthews and a fisherman’s suplex gets two. Dawn almost drops her on an Angle Slam for another near fall as Beth thinks a spell might be in need of a spell. Matthews has finally had enough of her and clotheslines Dawn into a Liontamer for the tap at 7:19.

Rating: D. This one didn’t work for me and I don’t think that’s the biggest surprise. I was really disappointed in Dawn here who had an interesting backstory and then just went out and wrestled a normal match. The match itself felt disjointed and sloppy at times, which you shouldn’t have from someone with Matthews’ experience.

Io Shirai is a strong style high flier who was inspired by Rey Mysterio. Make sure the rocket attached to her back doesn’t burn you as it launches.

Xia Brookside is nineteen years old and the daughter of NXT trainer Robbie Brookside. It was nice knowing her.

Of course Robbie is here.

Io Shirai vs. Xia Brookside

Renee on Xia: “She looks like she’s made of Skittles.” That sounds cool, but Io’s moniker is Genius of the Sky. I don’t like Skittles so I’m taking Shirai there. Xia forearms her to start but Io lands on her feet to counter a headscissors. The look of shock on Xia’s face pretty much seals her fate so as Io forearms her in the corner.

Rating: D+. This still wasn’t the most thrilling match in the world as Xia was nothing more than cannon fodder for the big star. At the same time, Io isn’t about to show off everything she can do in a match that is little more than a squash. She’s going to get a heck of a push in the tournament and beyond, which is exactly the point of a match like this.

Shirai helps what used to be Brookside up.

Here are the updated brackets:

Meiko Satomura

Mercedes Martinez

Lacey Lane

Taynara Conti

Toni Storm

Hiroyo Matsumoto

Mia Yim

Kaitlyn

Tegan Nox

Nicole Matthews

Rhea Ripley

Kacy Catanzaro

Io Shirai

Zeuxis

Deonna Purrazzo

Xia Li

We get a recap of the show, which doesn’t happen every week. Feels like filler.

Overall Rating: C. The opening match more than makes up for some of the weaker stuff down the card but the first round being over is the most important thing. The whole appeal of a tournament like this is seeing the people who stole the show in the first round fighting each other again later and that’s going to make the next few weeks a lot of fun.