Mae Young Classic Episode 4 Recap – Insane

The 32-women single-elimination tournament makes its way to the WWE Network after months of hype. It’s the Mae Young Classic. Featuring 32 of the finest female athletes from across the globe, competing for the chance to be crowned the first ever winner of the inaugural tournament. This episode marked the closing of the first round with another main event that lived up to the hype, preceded by unsurprising additions to the Sweet Sixteen.

Kairi Sane def. Tessa Blanchard
Kairi Sane has already established herself as a star in WWE.

It might seem premature, but considering the hype that went into the tournament that her name alone carried, she seems already like a shoe-in to win the whole thing. This is a spoiler-free zone so that remains to be seen.

But I’ll be damned if third-generation Tessa Blanchard didn’t give her the best first WWE match she could have hoped for.

It felt like the biggest match of the tournament so far, with JR and Lita emphasising just how popular Sane was (and is) in Japan, and how she is one of the favourites in this inaugural women’s wrestling tournament. In a short version, the match the two had was very good, even though I felt the main event of Niven-Garrett was more unpredictable and overall carried a little bit more drama. Sane was already a name that American audiences wanted, and needed, to see on their screens for a long time. This was the most sublime way to do that.

But this was more about getting Sane over and providing a first round match that we can simply enjoy from a match quality standpoint, even if the result was somewhat predictable.

Throughout the match, Blanchard did look as though she would win as a result of utilising a combination of hard strikes, and a FIERCE looking codebreaker on Sane who was perched on the second turnbuckle. Blanchard had Sane weakened on the ropes and went for her spine, with a running dropkick and European uppercut on the lower back of the Japanese sensation.

Alas, Sane fought back with valour of a thousand lions and was able to counter Blanchard’s vicious offense with her patented elbow drop finishing move that the crowd popped HEAVILY for, that earned her the 1-2-3.

As both women hugged after the match, it became obvious that we couldn’t have hoped for a more suitable close to a largely impressive and enjoyable first round. I look forward to what Sane can bring further to the WWE as she faces Bianca Belair in the next round.

Candice LeRae def. Renee Michelle
Another woman who carried a lot of hype coming into the Mae Young Classic was Candice LeRae. Mrs. Johnny Gargano, whose experience was emphasised in her match with the otherwise unknown Renee Michelle, had another ideal introduction to the WWE audience at Full Sail. It definitely was known by the end of the match that Candice Wrestling could (and should) have a prosperous career in NXT/WWE.

Michelle’s most noteworthy trait in her match against the heavy favourite LeRae was that she was flamboyant. She otherwise came across very wooden in her pre-match promo and didn’t establish much of a presence, other than she sold Candice’s winning second rope neckbreaker perfectly.

One drawback of the match, other than Michelle’s rather unauthentic means of gaining control, was also that the sequences they had just looked as though they were hitting athletic moves, rather than having a wrestling match. Absolutely nothing wrong with that on the surface, and it is a welcome break to the matches we have seen, but I can’t help but feel it’s a little too ineffective. The speed with which these were executed wasn’t exactly Ricochet-Ospreay. But again, nothing to discredit from the performers who did everything they could.

Also, can we talk about how great Candice LeRae’s pop punk theme song sounds?

Nicole Savoy def. Reina Gonzalez
The biggest thing I took from watching this match was how WWE are emphasising the MMA-style competitors, and their submission holds.

On an original program far removed from WWE’s sports entertainment shows, it seems most fitting to emphasise the most athletic, gifted in-ring technicians from across the globe. It defines exactly what the Mae Young Classic should be. WWE have outlined clearly how deadly and legitimate these competitors are, and how a single submission hold can win them the match.

It worked for MMA-trained Nicole Savoy, who, like Shayna Baszler (another example) won with a single cross armbreaker that she cleverly countered from the fireman’s carry hold that the powerful Reina Gonzalez had Savoy trapped in. It was noteworthy how JR and Lita alluded to Savoy’s shoot-style training from Josh Barnett, like Baszler, and now I want to see them square off more than anything.

Gonzalez looked impressive in the moments she was given to showcase her strength, but Savoy’s presence as a ruthless submission and suplex specialist who looks like she could kill you earned her the victory. I was stoked going into the match and it delivered as best it could. Gonzalez’s size and height advantage didn’t mean much in the end.

This was the best example of a slobberknocker, as JR should have said at some point in the match.

Lacey Evans def. Taynari Conti
It was judo versus marine training, yet somehow turned into Brazil versus USA at some point in the match.

It’s a shame that people feel the need to chant “USA” against a non-American competitor, especially when Brazilian judo expert Taynari Conti didn’t do anything explicitly anti-American. It takes away from the lack of storyline in the match.

I get how Evans is a patriotic symbol of defiance and solidarity as a former member of the US Marine Corps. But the match the two had was fine, and the Mae Young Classic thus far hasn’t exemplified any kind of America-versus-the world stereotype. I was hoping it would have waited but alas, no.

If you mute the match, it’s all the more enjoyable. Conti’s judo throws are unique and decent looking, while Evans’ athleticism that we’ve seen on NXT a few times looks more refined and polished here. Conti hit a tilt-a-whirl face slam after trying to go for a footstomp on Evans who was tied up in the ropes. It looked somewhat awkward as Evans backed away before Conti could hit her, both women looked a bit confused, before Evans just punched Conti in the gut who was just waiting there for what felt like forever.

Aside from that brief timing mishap, this was fine and in hindsight, Evans was the ideal choice to win. What’s interesting from the post-match exchange is that neither woman seem to be done with each other. I foresee an eventual rematch down the line at some point.

Hey, it could happen.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWgLcza9iJE

So we have the following women in the Sweet Sixteen:

Abbey Laith
Shayna Baszler
Dakota Kai
Bianca Belair
Kairi Sane
Mercedes Martinez
Piper Niven
Princesa Sugehit
Nicole Savoy
Lacey Evans
Candice LeRae
Serena Deeb
Mia Yim
Rachel Evers
Toni Storm
Rhea Ripley

Somewhat I feel as though there is more of a reason to be invested in these women not just from the matches they have already had, but because they now have more of an intrigue to their upcoming match-ups.

This episode earns a 7/10. While overall consistent in the quality of the matches and the flow of the series which was slick and excellently produced, it couldn’t match up to the 3rd episode main event which is match of the tournament so far. Ideal winners all around and now I’m very much looking forward to what the second round brings.

I enjoyed the Cruiserweight Classic, UK Championship Tournament and Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic in the later rounds, so I am more hopeful than not.

Until next time!