‘Mae Young Classic 2018’ – Episode 1 Review
Welcome to the first Mae Young Classic 2018 review, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and we have lots of action from some of the best women wrestlers in the world. Here we go!
Match #1: Tegan Nox def. Zatara in a First-Round Match
The following is courtesy of WWE.com:
The 2018 Mae Young Classic has gotten off to a very shiny start for Tegan Nox. Back from a torn ACL and competing for the first time on WWE Network, the Welsh Superstar rose to victory against tough-as-nails Chilean competitor Zatara in a fast-paced collision. The masked luchadora ruthlessly targeted Nox’s surgically repaired leg, even applying a wrenching deathlock that twisted Nox’s limbs like a pretzel. The Girl with the Shiniest Wizard wouldn’t stay down, however, and after avoiding Zatara’s attempted back splash, Nox clobbered Zatara with the Shining Wizard leaping knee strike to guarantee passage into the Second Round, where she will face the winner of Isla Dawn vs. Nicole Matthews.
My Take: This was quite good and gave Nox a big win to set her up as one of the big stars for the tournament. Zatara has potential and both her and Nox could be a fine pairing for further wrestling cards any-where in the world.
Match #2: Rhea Ripley def. MJ Jenkins in a First-Round Match
The following is courtesy of WWE.com:
In her first outing on WWE Network, new NXT signee MJ Jenkins showed plenty of charisma, style, grace and grit; she even threw in a few crowd-pleasing dance moves, but none of that was enough to counter Rhea Ripley’s cruel combination of bad attitude and terrifying power. Ripley, who rejected a pre-match handshake, was put on her heels by Jenkins’ hot start, which saw the native of Brooklyn, N.Y., spin Ripley around the ring with armdrags. The Afrolicious Superstar also took to the air, downing the audacious Aussie with a springboard dropkick late in the match. Despite her smooth moves, Jenkins wound up trapped in Ripley’s organ-quaking pump-handle powerbomb moments later. The powerful slam echoed throughout Full Sail Live and paved the way to round two for the Mae Young Classic’s meanspirited mosh-pit pugilist.
My Take: This was a hard-hitting match that made Ripley look like a woman possessed. This was a lot of fun and a real shot to the arm.
Match #3: Lacey Lane def. Vanessa Kraven in a First-Round Match
The following is courtesy of WWE.com:
No one in Full Sail Live was more cognizant of Lacey Lane’s severe size and experience disadvantage against 6-foot-2 ring veteran Vanessa Kraven than Lane herself. Fortunately, the high-flying Lane planned accordingly and executed her strategy to near perfection. Lane (who hails from Winter Park, Fla., and was a clear hometown favorite) evaded The Mountain’s long reach in the early goings, employing a stick-and-move game plan. She ran into trouble after Kraven caught the diving Lane and slammed her face-first onto the ring apron. Kraven then hung Lane upside down on the ropes and endeavored to chop Lane’s chest into hamburger meat. Back inside the ring, the Canadian powerhouse crushed Lane with a cannonball in the corner and stretched Lane’s spine with an over-the-shoulder backbreaker. The Mountain’s second attempt at a cannonball missed the mark, however, opening the door for Lane to plant Kraven’s shoulders into the mat with an explosive Crucifix Bomb to score a stunning three-count.
My Take: This was a nice little burst of a match that gave Lane some legitimacy in a big wrestling league.
Match #4: Main Event – Meiko Satomura def. Killer Kelly in a First-Round Match
The following is courtesy of WWE.com:
If there were any lingering doubts about Meiko Satomura’s reputation as one of the world’s most gifted grapplers, those were laid to rest following her expert takedown of NXT UK Superstar Killer Kelly in the First Round. After an initial feeling-out process — during which Kelly showed no signs of being intimidated by her renowned opponent and even landed big kicks against the certified master striker — Satomura shifted into high gear: She deftly sprang off the turnbuckles with an armdrag on Killer Kelly and seamlessly transitioned into a Boston crab before turning the hold into an airtight STF. As the WWE Universe sat in awe of Satomura’s brilliant offensive flurry, Kelly doggedly concentrated on reaching the ropes to force a break, which she achieved.
Despite the headwinds, Killer Kelly not only stayed in the fight, but she pushed Satomura to the brink of defeat, including locking Satomura in a Dragon Sleeper while both women hung upside-down on the turnbuckles. Killer Kelly followed up with a fisherman suplex, but Satomura broke free of a subsequent German suplex, nailed Kelly with a Pele kick and finished her off with a spine-compressing Death Valley Driver for the win. Satomura now moves on to the Second Round, while Killer Kelly’s Mae Young Classic run ends here, but that didn’t stop both Superstars from shaking hands after the match — a respectful acknowledgement of the wildly intense battle they had endured. And it’s still only the First Round…
My Take: This was the best match of the night and one of the best of the week. I really liked both of them here and if this main event is an indication of how good this tournament can be, then this will be a great one.
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Final Verdict: 4 out of 5 – This whole card came across really well. These matches were all a lot of fun and are as good as anything else in wrestling right now.
