Mae Young Classic Episode #4
Date: August 28, 2017
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Jim Ross, Lita
It’s the end of the first round here and there’s a good chance we’ll be seeing the tournament winner making her debut. There are a few big names still to go and that means it’s time for some showcases. We’ll also know the second round by the end of this episode and that means it’s time for big names to collide and things to really take off. Let’s get to it.
Long recap of the whole tournament so far and a preview of what we’re seeing tonight.
Opening sequence.
Video on Renee Michelle who is ready to show how awesome women can be.
Video on Candice LeRae, who is one of the biggest names in the tournament. She’s also married to Johnny Gargano but wants no special treatment.
Have you ever heard about LeRae facing Kevin Owens?
Gargano is in the front row.
First Round: Candice LeRae vs. Renee Michelle
Result: Candice LeRae b. Renee Michelle – Miss LeRae’s Wild Ride (5:37)
Video on Lacey Evans, a former Marine who has made some appearances in NXT before.
Here’s what Evans has done on “NXT”.
Video on Taynara Conti, a judoka from Brazil, who is ready to fight anyone.
Alexa Bliss (and I believe Bayley’s fan Izzy behind her) is here.
First Round: Taynara Conti vs. Lacey Evans
The fans get behind Lacey with the USA chants as Conti fires off some knees to the ribs. An armbar has Conti in some trouble until an over the head throw takes Evans down. A shot to the chest takes Conti back down and something like a Bronco Buster has her in more trouble. Evans throws Conti on her back for a kneeling piledriver and the pin at 4:43.
Result: Lacey Evans b. Taynara Conti – Reverse kneeling piledriver (4:43)
Video on Reina Gonzalez, a second generation wrestler and a powerhouse.
Video on Nicole Savoy, the self-described queen of suplexes.
First Round: Nicole Savoy vs. Reina Gonzalez
Reina is sporting chaps and a Phantom of the Opera mask. Feeling out process to start with the far smaller Nicole not being able to take Gonzalez down. A hurricanrana is shoved away and a hard clothesline drops Savoy. Reina plants her again with a sidewalk slam and a reverse Boston crab, only to get pulled down into something like a Kimura. A cross armbreaker works a lot better and Reina taps at 4:46.
Result: Nicole Savoy b. Reina Gonzalez – Cross armbreaker (4:46)
Video on Tessa Blanchard, another second generation wrestler who turns into a different person in the ring. She’s been around NXT for a good while now.
Video on Kairi Sane, a Japanese star who likes pirates.
Sane deserves a bit more attention than that.
First Round; Kairi Sane vs. Tessa Blanchard
Kairi is very pale. Feeling out process to start with Kairi putting her on the ropes for a clean break. A cradle gives Kairi two and a running Blockbuster drops Tessa again. Tessa comes back with a running neckbreaker of her own before a middle rope Codebreaker gets two more. Some hard forearms stun Sane but she’s right back with a spear to cut Tessa off.
Something like a top rope Phenomenal Forearm drops Tessa for two and the fans are split again. Tessa gets two off a belly to back suplex and a top rope backsplash gets the same. Kairi’s sliding forearm is countered into a crucifix for two but she kicks Tessa down again. Kairi points to the elbow and drops one heck of a top rope elbow for the pin at 8:39.
Result: Kairi Sane b. Tessa Blanchard – Top rope elbow (8:39)
They hug post match.
We don’t actually see the full second round brackets but here they are.
Abbey Laith
Rachel Evers
Princesa Sugehit
Mercedes Martinez
Nicole Savoy
Candice LeRae
Mia Yim
Shayna Baszler
Kairi Sane
Bianca Belair
Dakota Kai
Rhea Ripley
Serena Deeb
Piper Niven
Lacey Evans
Toni Storm