It started out with a pool of 32 women from across the world. And then there were only two for the grand finale.
Kairi Sane took on Shayna Baszler in the finals of the inaugural Mae Young Classic Tournament. The match took place after SmackDown Live aired and was shown as a 30-minute special on the WWE Network. The stars were out in full force, including WWE legends, the Four Horsewomen of MMA and those of the WWE too.
It was a hard fought match that had the crowd on the edge of their seats, especially towards the end of the match. With unbelievable submission moves and some near falls, they told a compelling David vs. Goliath story, with their combined in-ring prowess and psychology.
Sane hit her big elbow from the top rope to pick up the win, and made women's wrestling history and etched her name in the history books as the recipient of the first ever Mae Young Classic award. She was felicitated by Triple H, Stephanie McMahon and Sara Del Rey.
So Kairi Sane becomes the winner of the first ever Mae Young Classic Tournament. Let's hope that this tournament paves the way for many women to take up sports entertainment, and choose it as a viable career path, following in Mae Young's legacy.