Predicting the participants in the 2018 Mae Young Classic

WWE confirmed over WrestleMania weekend that there would be a second annual Mae Young Classic tournament, but for a while afterwards, all we had was a graphic on an ad for the Network. Now, some details have finally become concrete.

While not officially confirmed, well-sourced reporters say that the tournament tapings will be over August 7th and 8th, with the final probably airing live a while later, just as it did last year. Two big names have already been widely mentioned as possible entrants, along with a few others being talked about by the Observer and Squared Circle Sirens. WWE has already reportedly reached out to some of them.

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Who will we see in this year's tournament? A few names easily come to mind, along with some bolder predictions. Casey Michael at Squared Circle Sirens, in particular, has been reporting a flurry of activity.

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#1 Toni Storm

Welcome back!

This one is all but official. With the news that Toni Storm signed a WWE UK deal, the 22-year-old sensation is all set to return to Full Sail this summer for a second go at the Mae Young Classic trophy. The first time around, she fell short to eventual winner Kairi Sane in a semifinal that was widely regarded as one of the best matches of the tournament.

With her signing, the chances of her going all the way this time have increased, though she'll be on essentially a part-time deal the way Pete Dunne is. Even if she doesn't win, a final is far likelier this time.

#2 Nixon Newell

A redemption story awaits to be told.

Nixon Newell was scheduled to be in last year's tournament, but an unfortunate ACL injury kept her out of the contest. She recently made her return and has worked the NXT house show circuit alongside Dakota Kai, Candice LeRae, and Kairi Sane. Her entry in this year's event is guaranteed.

There's a redemption story waiting to be told with her. Moreover, she's only 23 years old and is already considered a phenomenal wrestler. A very bright future awaits her regardless, and she might be the dark horse candidate to win it all.

#3 Mandy Leon

Will we see a WWE return?

Mandy Leon is one of Ring of Honor's stalwarts, but she has made a few WWE appearances, most notably as one of Adam Rose's Rosebuds. An entry into the Mae Young Classic would give her a much bigger stage to shine on. It's been reported that she tried out at the performance center a few years ago, and an appearance here could be another kind of tryout.

With her striking good looks, Mandy would certainly add the kind of glamour to the tournament that Vince McMahon would appreciate, even if he isn't directly involved with it. At 26 years of age, she's just the kind of talent that WWE would probably love to have whenever her other commitments expire.

#4 Isla Dawn

Look familiar?

Isla Dawn has already made an appearance in WWE. This came back in November of last year when she served as a jobber for Asuka to squash and was known as Stacey Coates. She has deeper ties to the organization though, as she's currently dating the reigning NXT Champion, Aleister Black. She's also recently been advertised for some WWE UK shows.

At 24 years old and already with several years of experience on the independent scene, she has a bright future ahead of her and has a look that WWE would find marketable. If she's signed to a contract, a good run in the tournament isn't unlikely.

#5 Killer Kelly

Not to be confused with a certain other Kelly.

Killer Kelly has also been advertised at WWE UK events, and so it seems likely that she'll make her way to Full Sail this summer to take part in the tournament. She's built up quite the reputation in Europe, with seven years of experience under her belt.

A signing would probably be unlikely, but Killer Kelly is someone who might find her way into the second round.

#6 Zeuxis

This year's

luchadore

?

Zeuxis left her home promotion, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, just in the past few days. Speculation is that she's the likely candidate to represent Mexico in the tournament.

Having wrestled for 10 years, she's already a veteran in the business and still not yet 30. With the success of Andrade "Cien" Almas, is WWE looking to sign a female wrestler to appeal to the Latin American market, as they have tried with a series of male wrestlers? If so, Zeuxis is a superstar to keep your eyes on.

#7 Rhea Ripley

Round 2?

Rhea Ripley impressed a lot of people in her first Mae Young Classic appearance, where she advanced to the second round, ultimately being eliminated by Dakota Kai. Since then, she's made a few appearances on NXT, but these have only been sparse.

It would be a mistake not to put Rhea back in the tournament, as she has tremendous potential at only 21 years of age and with a certain charisma that's hard to teach. It would be nice to see her get deeper into the tournament this time!

#8 Zoe Lucas

WWE has apparently been impressed with Zoe Lucas.

According to Casey Michael, WWE talent scouts were impressed with Zoe Lucas at Shimmer's event in New Orleans over WrestleMania weekend. Zoe would be one of the newer wrestlers in the tournament, having debuted in 2015, but she shows a lot of promise. Will the Mae Young Classic be a sort of tryout for her?

Representing England in the tournament, you can be sure she'd take advantage of the opportunity if it came her way.

#9 Marina Shafir

One MMA horsewoman.

The announcement a little while ago that Marina Shafir, one of the "MMA four horsewomen," signed with WWE didn't come as a surprise. Given her friendship with Ronda Rousey and current NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler, her marriage to Roderick Strong, and the long-rumored "horsewomen vs. horsewomen" match, it was easy to see coming.

As such, Marina Shafir is guaranteed to get a push in the tournament. Unlike Shayna Baszler, however, she's a complete newbie to the world of professional wrestling, so don't expect the same push Shayna got last year.

#10 Jessamyn Duke

Another MMA horsewoman.

Along with Marina Shafir's signing came Jessamyn Duke's, and as such, WWE now has all four "MMA horsewomen" under their banner. The same scenario thus applies. Jessamyn Duke will get something of a push in the tournament this summer, but since she's also a neophyte, the kind of push Shayna Baszler got is unlikely.

It will still be interesting to see how WWE promotes the upcoming horsewomen vs. horsewomen encounter.

#11 Deonna Purazzo

There's a familiar face.

If you've watched NXT for a while, you'll recognize Deonna Purazzo, who has numerous appearances at Full Sail under her belt. She was also an alternate for last year's tournament. As such, she has a strong chance of appearing this time.

Her NXT appearances saw her putting over stars like Asuka, and that's what I would expect to happen in this year's Mae Young Classic, perhaps with the aforementioned Duke and Shafir.

#12 Chelsea Green

The former Knockouts Champion might get the call to Full Sail.

After recently departing from Impact where she made quite the name for herself, Chelsea Green, also known as Laurel Van Ness, is available to appear in the Mae Young Classic this year. With only four years in the business, she's nevertheless impressed a lot of fans, and at only 27, her future is very bright. She's just the kind of competitor WWE would bring into a show like this and offer a contract to if she impresses.

#13 Jordynne Grace

Will this young talent find her way to Full Sail?

Casey Michael believes that Jordynne Grace has a strong chance of participating in the tournament this year. Admittedly, it's only his hunch at this time, but one could see her as being someone WWE would have on their radar.

She already has seven years of experience in the industry and is still only 22 years old. Incredibly strong for her size at only 5'1," some feats of strength from her would impress the crowd at Full Sail.

#14 Kacy Catanzaro

How will the gymnast do in the ring?

One of the more notable signings for the women's division over the past year has been the hiring of American Ninja Warrior alumnus Kacy Catanzaro. Her signing was announced at last year's Mae Young Classic and she had her first match this past April.

Her appearance in the tournament is guaranteed, even if only to just get her some experience. However, given the high-profile nature of her signing, a good run for her isn't out of the question. It will be interesting to see how her gymnast ability translates into the ring.

#15 Shadia Bseiso

Another high-profile signing.

WWE signed Jordanian TV personality Shadia Bseiso last October. It was the first time that a Middle Eastern Arab woman had signed with the company. Since WWE loves its tag of "making history" with its women's division, we can expect Shadia to enter the tournament.

How she'll do is anyone's guess, but she's experienced in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which should be a solid foundation for a technical wrestling style. Her having a win or two in the tournament would also give the company a lot of publicity.

#16 Mayu Iwatani

Tranquilo?

According to Squared Circle Sirens, WWE sent out talent scouts to the Supercard of Honor event over WrestleMania weekend specifically to look at Mayu Iwatani. It's also notable that Stardom founder Rossy Ogawa made numerous appearances at WWE events over that same weekend.

Long considered one of the best wrestlers in the world and still only 25, Iwatani's participation in the tournament would certainly be a welcome boost to the match quality, though numerous observers have pointed out that she's unlikely to sign with the company in the near future, so expectations would have to be lowered as to how far she'll go.

#17 Kavita Devi

Another familiar face.

Kavita Devi appeared in last year's tournament, putting on a display of power before ultimately falling to Dakota Kai in the first round. Since then, she hasn't been seen on NXT television, though she did make an appearance in the women's battle royal at WrestleMania.

Since her slate is relatively clean, she seems the natural choice to reappear and represent India in the tournament, probably advancing to the second round this time.

#18 Barbi Hayden

We almost saw her last year.

A mainstay on the American independent circuit for the last few years, Barbi Hayden was another of last year's Mae Young Classic alternates. It wouldn't be too surprising to see her show up this time. Her elevated DDT finisher looks especially nasty and should make her stand out from the other contestants. Among those she's worked with have been Santana Garrett, who worked last year's tournament, losing in the first round to Piper Niven.

#19 Zeda

Zeda

will likely return this year.

Zeda hasn't been seen much since her loss in the first round last year to Shayna Baszler, but she has begun doing house shows for NXT. Like others from last year's tournament, it will be interesting to see how much she's improved since last summer.

Her last appearance in the tournament was all about putting over the threat Baszler presented. As such, the match was short. Will it be longer this time?

#20 Lei'D Tapa

We've seen her in NXT before.

One of the better known alternates from last Year's Mae Young Classic, Lei'D Tapa was an Impact mainstay and made an appearance in NXT last year, losing to Ember Moon. At 5'11," Lei'D would likely be one of the taller competitors in the tournament and could convincingly serve as its monster heel. Her fireman's carry stunner finisher is well-suited to that role as well.

Lei'D also has some MMA experience, so a meeting with Shafir or Duke might serve us something interesting and give them a familiar style to work with.

#21 Nicole Matthews

Nicole has an interesting history with NXT.

Nicole Matthews was another of the alternates for last year's tournament. A Shimmer mainstay, Matthews has also worked opposite no less than three NXT Women's Champions. In late 2016, she appeared in a squash match against then-champion Asuka. On the independent scene, she's worked opposite former champion Ember Moon (then known as Athena) and current champion Shayna Baszler.

With over a decade in the ring, Matthews would serve as a reliable hand for the newer and less-experienced talent in the tournament to work with.

#22 Xia Li

NXT's first Chinese signing will likely return.

Xia Li's match in last year's tournament, where she lost in the first round to eventual semi-finalist Mercedes Martinez, wasn't received very well. However, the Chinese superstar has begun touring the NXT house show circuit, suggesting that some improvements have been made from her maiden appearance.

Xia Li's style was unique, and it will be interesting to see how she can further incorporate it into her matches. Giving her longer time than she got before with a more experienced talent would make the most of the opportunity.

#23 Shazza McKenzie

Seem familiar?

Shazza McKenzie was requested so fervently for last year's Mae Young Classic that there were online petitions over the matter. McKenzie has had numerous years under her belt at Shimmer and a couple of NXT appearances to boot, including one this very month in a losing effort against last year's winner, Kairi Sane. Her earlier appearance saw her in a match against Emma.

With 10 years of experience under her belt, McKenzie would be another veteran for newer talent to work with in the tournament.

#24 Karen Q

Will Karen Q be China's representative?

One of Ring of Honor's women's division regulars, Casey Michael at Squared Circle Sirens considers her entry a strong possibility. Debuting in the ring in 2014, she'd be one of the newer competitors in the tournament, but she's already made a name for herself on the independent circuit. It wouldn't be surprising if WWE has her on their radar and will give her a tryout in the form of an entry into the tournament.

#25 Reina Gonzalez

Another familiar face.

Reina Gonzalez appeared in a Battle Royal on NXT during the build to TakeOver: War Games, but hasn't been seen on the show since. However, she has started touring with the NXT house show circuit with many of last year's participants, and so we can expect her to appear much like we can expect her contemporaries.

Last year, she was knocked out in the first round in a sub-5 minute match with Nicole Savoy. Will the same happen this time, or will she go deeper into the tournament?

#26 Jinny

Jinny has been associated with WWE recently.

WWE recently announced a deal with PROGRESS wrestling, where the UK-based promotion would get some airing on the WWE Network. As such, we might expect a couple of PROGRESS stars in the tournament. Jinny stands out as one.

Jinny appeared alongside Toni Storm in New Orleans at WrestleMania Axxess. She's also been advertised for WWE UK events. Widely praised for her Fashionista heel character, Jinny would be great in a capacity against naturally likable babyfaces such as Nixon Newell, with whom she's worked in PROGRESS before.

It would be interesting to see what kind of getup she wears at Full Sail!

#27 Taynara Conti

Is a Taynara return on the cards?

Taynara competed at a few NXT shows over the year since she appeared in the inaugural tournament, and was even chosen to participate in the battle royal at WrestleMania. However, she still hasn't appeared frequently on NXT TV. It wouldn't be shocking to see her representing Brazil for the second time at Full Sail.

How much has she improved since the last tournament? Last time, she lost in the first round to Lacey Evans, another rookie. Perhaps we can see more from her if she's paired with a veteran in a longer match.

#28 Jessika Havoc

Will havoc run wild in the tournament?

Jessica Havok is well-known on the independent circuit and from her time in Impact. She's had history with former NXT Women's Champion Ember Moon and has also worked in the Stardom promotion in Japan, which WWE seems to be on good terms with. She has a unique look that would certainly add a monster feel to the tournament. Along with Lei'D Tapa, she would be an excellent Goliath for the tournament at six feet tall, and with over a decade of experience, would serve as a great hand to work with newer talent in the contest.

#29 Jessie Elaban

One of WWE's newest recruits.

Jessie Elaban reported to the Performance Center last year, making some appearances on NXT opposite the likes of current NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler and Lacey Evans. She'll certainly have her first major singles match in this year's tournament.

Elaban seems like a completely fresh canvas at the moment, so it will be interesting to see how one of the newer trainees at the performance center does. She'll likely be paired up with a veteran in the first round.

#30 Madison Eagles

Will many fans get their wish?

Judging by the chatter on forums and social media, a great deal of fans want to see Madison Eagles participate in this year's Mae Young Classic. It's not hard to see why. Her reputation precedes her. In 2011, she was ranked first on Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Female 50 list, an honor shared by names familiar to WWE fans - Mickie James, Michelle McCool, Gail Kim, Paige, Nikki Bella, Charlotte Flair, and Asuka.

Known from her title reigns in Shimmer, and with 17 years of experience under her belt, she would be one of the most battle-hardened veterans of the tournament, and a good run for her would be very useful in developing a series of greener talents.

#31 Cheerleader Melissa

One of the most legendary indie performers.

Debuting in 1999, Cheerleader Melissa would have the most experience of anyone in the tournament, and if we can indeed some Knockout alumni in this year's tournament, she's the most obvious candidate.

Like Madison Eagles, she's also a former #1 on PWI's Female 50 list. Her run on the independent scene is long and storied, and it would only be fitting that she would get an opportunity to shine on the stage of the biggest promotion at last. Her presence would also be a great boon for developmental talent to work with.

#32 Shirai

Will it happen this time?

Even with the announcement of Toni Storm's signing, the biggest news by far came from Japan. This week, Io Shirai dropped her Stardom championship, as expected, and essentially freed up her schedule. The chatter is that she's in talks with WWE again and with a cleaner bill of health this time.

Io is widely regarded as the best female wrestler in the world, and her entry in the tournament would be huge news with or without a signing. However, Io's goal has been to get into WWE on a full-time basis for a while now, and if she does indeed get her wish, she must be considered the heavy favourite to win the entire thing.

And with the perpetual frenemy, Kairi Sane likely to be NXT Women's Champion by the time of the final, expect things to get much more interesting in the women's division if it all happens!

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