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The Mae Young Classic aired on the WWE Network over a 3 week period from August 28th to the live final on September 12th, 2017. It featured a 32 woman single elimination tournament, involving competitors from 12 different countries.
The tournament was a showcase of talent from outside of the WWE, acting as a great recruiting opportunity for the company to sign some very deserving talent and bring them into the WWE Universe.
*Quick Disclaimer: Kairi Sane and Shayna Baszler are excluded from this list because of their star power and status before coming into the tournament. Both of these women have looked tremendous in the tournament and will no doubt factor into WWE’s future plans.
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Kairi Sane has been tossed around by numerous podcasts and fans as potentially the one who could've dethroned Asuka before she had to relinquish the NXT Women’s Championship due to injury, and Baszler already has a name from the Mixed Martial Arts world.
With that said, here are 10 Mae Young Classic Competitors with the most potential:
Honorable Mentions
Mia Yim – 28 Years Old, Pro Since 2009
Even at just 28 years of age, Yim provided a veteran presence in the tournament along with versatility and ability in the ring. Yim performed under the ring name Jade for TNA making her more recognizable to fans of women's wrestling and giving her a built-in fan base for matches in the tournament.
Serena Deeb – 31 Years Old, Pro Since 2005
Similar to The Brian Kendrick in the Cruiserweight Classic, Deeb made her return to the WWE in the Mae Young Classic. She was part of CM Punk's Straight Edge Society during her first
Deeb won the fans over with her story of redemption, hoping to gain a second chance with the WWE and after a strong performance against Vanessa Bourne and Piper Niven, she has more than earned the fans respect.
#10 Tessa Blanchard – 22 years old, pro Since 2014
Another woman with a strong tie to professional wrestling, Tessa is the daughter of Tully Blanchard of the Four Horsemen and the stepdaughter of Magnum T.A. She has already appeared for WWE on the NXT brand, but not in any featured capacity, being used mostly as enhancement talent. Tessa's time on the indies has given her the time she needed to develop into a gifted professional wrestler.
Tessa provided one of the best matches of the first round with Kairi Sane, showcasing her abilities in the ring. Blanchard’s youth, talent, and pedigree make her a very attractive prospect for the WWE.
#9 Candace LaRae – 31 Years Old, Pro Since 2002
Candace LaRae is a ring veteran, a reliable performer, and has tremendous talent. LaRae’s matches in the tournament show her ability to get the crowd behind her, making her one of the crowd favourites.
LaRae’s match with Shayna Baszler sent the crowd into a fever pitch every time it seemed Larae was on the comeback, and they were ready to riot when Baszler would not release the rear naked choke post-match.
She has wrestled all over the world for numerous promotions, making her a great asset to the locker room and the younger women that come to the Performance Centre to follow their dreams.
#8 Piper Niven – 26 Years Old, Pro Since 2008
Piper Niven, known as Viper on the Indies, was one of the best additions to the tournament. She is different than virtually every other competitor in terms of look and powerhouse move set, while also possessing a certain likability that cannot be taught. Fans could not help but cheer for her during the Mae Young Classic.
Niven showed tremendous ability in her matches against Santana Garrett and Serena Deeb. Even in a losing effort against Toni Storm, Piper Niven showed that she is a star and an asset to any company smart enough to get her under contract.
#7 Dakota Kai – 29 Years Old, Pro Since 2007
Dakota Kai had the fans behind her from the beginning of the tournament and continued to win them over with stellar performances in the squared circle. Having already made somewhat of a name for herself in Shimmer and other promotions, Kai really came into her own during the tournament, most notably in her match against Kairi Sane.
Fans were torn on who to root for during the match, speaking to Kai’s likability as well as Sane’s star power.
Fans on social media have taken to comparing Kai to Bayley in regards to her babyface persona and bubbly personality. Kai can provide the WWE with a terrific underdog babyface worker.
#6 Abbey Laith – 27 Years Old, Pro Since 2011
Trained under students of the tournament's namesake, Mae Young, Laith was one of the feel-good stories of the MYC. Utilizing her charisma and the alligator clutch (in homage to Mae Young) she was able to make an impact in the tournament and make sure fans could not forget about her. She also provided one of the shocking moments in the tournament, knocking off the “Alpha Female” Jazzy Gabert via alligator clutch for the pin in the first round.
Laith continued to impress fans with terrific matches with Rachel Evers, and Mercedes Martinez. In these three matches, Laith was able to show that she could work any kind of match, whether it be the underdog against a bigger opponent (Gabert), even match up (Evers), and wrestling against a faster opponent (Martinez).
#5 Rhea Ripley – 20 Years Old, Pro Since 2013
Ripley is oozing with potential to be one of the biggest stars of the women’s division in WWE. Coming from an athletic background in soccer, Ripley possesses the right mix of charisma and athleticism to make her a name you will not soon forget. During her match with Dakota Kai, Ripley was able to show off her agility and strength with a varied move set.
A second-round exit left food on the table for fans that wanted to see more of her, but she was able to showcase her talent and knack for in-ring competition in what little time was provided.
#4 Jazzy Gabert – 35 Years Old, Pro Since 2001
The most imposing figure in the Mae Young Classic (including Shayna Baszler). The Alpha Female, Jazzy Gabert was surprisingly a fan favourite during her first round match where she surprisingly lost to Abbey Laith.
During the match, Gabert showed tremendous strength, as well as ability, and fans were quick to catch on to her talent. Gabert is everything a company would want in an imposing heel or a strong unconquered baby face.
Gabert having been a pro since 2001, would be a great veteran presence in any locker room. Bringing an experienced talent to work with young talent in a setting such as NXT could be very beneficial to WWE.
#3 Toni Storm 21 Years Old, Pro Since 2009
One of the most charismatic competitors of the tournament, Toni Storm showed a ring presence and ability that just do not match up with her age. Going all the way to the Semi-Finals before falling to eventual winner Kairi Sane, Storm was able to showcase all of her best qualities.
Storm possesses the ability to work with any competitors and mesh with any style, her match with Piper Niven showed shes able to play the underneath babyface, while the match with Sane showcased her speed and agility. With such a long career ahead of her, Storm would be ideal to build an entire women’s division around.
#2 Rachel Evers/Ellering — 24 years old, pro since 2015
Being the daughter of Precious Paul Ellering, Rachel has a recognizable name and lineage in Professional Wrestling. She has a background in powerlifting which is evident in her powerhouse move set. However, she is also able to display some high flying moves, incorporating a turning leg drop from the top rope.
The most important quality Ellering possesses is her work ethic, which is evident when speaking to anyone that comes into contact with her. Former WWE Superstar Lance Storm, her trainer, stated in an interview that Rachel Ellering was always the hardest working person in the room. Her lineage coupled with her age and ability make her an exciting prospect for the WWE.
#1 Bianca Belair – 28 Years Old, Pro Since 2016
Belair is a star in the making for the WWE, she has “all the tools” as one might say in the professional wrestling business. Belair possesses the athletic ability to do anything in the ring, just look at the 450 splash she performed in her match against Kairi Sane.
She has the charisma and presence to be either heel or babyface, although she showcased her more heelish nature during the tournament. Ultimately she brings something different to the table as well, when she whipped Sane with her braid, the crown in Full Sail gasped, it is something fans have never seen before.
Every competitor in the tournament deserves recognition for being involved in such a huge endeavour, but these standouts listed here are the future of women’s wrestling. Whether it be in WWE or otherwise, these competitors have turned themselves into stars.
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