Mae Young Classic (2018)

The 2018 Mae Young Classic was a multi-night special event and tournament promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion, WWE. It was the second Mae Young Classic tournament produced and was constituted by a 32-competitor tournament exclusively for women from WWE's NXT brand division and wrestlers from the independent circuit. The tournament took place at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida and was taped on August 8–9, 2018 and aired on the WWE Network from September 5 to October 4 (round 1, round 2, quarterfinals, and semifinals). The tournament final match aired live as part of WWE's all-female pay-per-view Evolution, which was held on October 28 at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. The winner of this second tournament was Toni Storm.

Mae Young Classic
Official logo
Date	August 8–9, 2018 (aired September 5 – October 4) October 28, 2018 (final)
City	Winter Park, Florida Uniondale, New York (final)
Venue	Full Sail University Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum (final)
Mae Young Classic chronology
← Previous 2017 Next → Final

Background

In 2017, the American professional wrestling promotion WWE held a 32-woman tournament called the Mae Young Classic. It involved wrestlers from WWE's NXT brand and wrestlers from the independent circuit. The event was named in honor of the late WWE Hall of Famer Mae Young, who is considered a pioneer of women's wrestling.^[1] In April 2018, WWE announced a second Mae Young Classic tournament, following up on the 2017 tournament.^[2]

On June 22, 2018, WWE confirmed the tournament would once again have 32 competitors from NXT and the independent circuit, with the event being held at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida on August 8–9.^[3] On July 12, the first two competitors for the 2018 tournament were announced as Kaitlyn and Rhea Ripley.^[4] The tournament final match was scheduled to be held as part of WWE's all-female pay-per-view Evolution, taking place on October 28 at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.^[5]

On August 8, it was announced that the show would air every Wednesday on the WWE Network immediately after NXT, beginning September 5.^[6] Beth Phoenix, Renee Young, and Michael Cole were confirmed as the commentators for the event.^[7] In addition, the week prior to the first episode, WWE Network aired a bracketology special.^[8]

Qualifying match

NXT tapings – July 18 (Full Sail University – Winter Park, Florida)^[9]

No.	Results	Stipulations
1	Taynara Conti defeated Vanessa Borne	Mae Young Classic Final Spot Qualifying Match

Participants

Wrestler	Country representing	Ref
Aerial Monroe	United States	[10]
Allysin Kay	United States	[11]
Ashley Rayne	United States	[12]
Deonna Purrazzo	United States	[13]
Hiroyo Matsumoto	Japan	[10]
Io Shirai	Japan	[14]
Isla Dawn	Scotland	[15]
Jessie Elaban	United States	[16]
Jinny	England	[14]
Kacy Catanzaro	United States	[14]
Kaitlyn	United States	[17]
Karen Q	United States	[15]
Kavita Devi	India	[18]
Killer Kelly	Portugal	[19]
Lacey Lane	United States	[15]
M. J. Jenkins	United States	[11]
Meiko Satomura	Japan	[20]
Mercedes Martinez	United States	[19]
Mia Yim	United States	[19]
Nicole Matthews	Canada	[14]
Priscilla Kelly	United States	[12]
Rachel Evers	United States	[11]
Reina González	United States	[16]
Rhea Ripley	Australia	[21]
Taynara Conti	Brazil	[9]
Tegan Nox	Wales	[16]
Toni Storm	New Zealand	[16]
Vanessa Kraven	Canada	[10]
Xia Brookside	England	[12]
Xia Li	China	[11]
Zatara	Chile	[11]
Zeuxis	Puerto Rico	[15]

Broadcast team

Ring name	Real name	Notes[22]
Beth Phoenix	Elizabeth Kociański	Color commentator Hall of Famer
Cathy Kelley	Catherine Kelley	Backstage interviewer
Kayla Braxton	Kayla Becker	Ring announcer
Michael Cole	Michael Coulthard	Lead commentator
Renee Young	Renee Paquette	Color commentator
Sarah Schreiber	Sarah Schreiber	Backstage interviewer
Shadia Bseiso	Shadia Bseiso	Backstage interviewer

Tournament bracket

The following time limits were in place:

• Round One: 15 minutes
• Round Two: 20 minutes
• Round Three: 25 minutes

Round of 32 (Taped August 8) (Aired September 5, 12, 19, 26)

Round of 16 (Taped August 9) (Aired October 3, 10)

Quarterfinals (Taped August 9) (Aired October 17)

Semifinals (Taped August 9) (Aired October 24)

Final (October 28)

– Episode 1

Meiko Satomura

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– Episode 5

Killer Kelly

7:41[23]

Meiko Satomura

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– Episode 2

Mercedes Martinez

11:32[24]

Ashley Rayne

7:31[25]

– Episode 7

Mercedes Martinez

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Meiko Satomura

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– Episode 1

Lacey Lane

4:34[26]

Lacey Lane

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– Episode 5

Vanessa Kraven

4:50[23]

Lacey Lane

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– Episode 4

Taynara Conti

2:38[24]

Taynara Conti

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– Episode 8

Jessie Elaban

4:44[27]

Meiko Satomura

13:05[28]

– Episode 3

Toni Storm

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Toni Storm

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– Episode 5

Jinny

7:08[29]

Toni Storm

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– Episode 4

Hiroyo Matsumoto

9:17[24]

Rachel Evers

9:47[27]

– Episode 7

Hiroyo Matsumoto

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Toni Storm

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– Episode 3

Mia Yim

8:25[26]

Mia Yim

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– Episode 6

Allysin Kay

9:39[29]

Mia Yim

Sub

– Episode 3

Kaitlyn

7:09[30]

Kaitlyn

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– WWE Evolution

Kavita Devi

4:08[29]

Toni Storm

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– Episode 1

Io Shirai

10:20[31]

Tegan Nox

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– Episode 6

Zatara

6:10[23]

Tegan Nox

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– Episode 4

Nicole Matthews

3:45[30]

Isla Dawn

7:20[27]

– Episode 7

Nicole Matthews

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Tegan Nox

3:14[26]

– Episode 1

Rhea Ripley

KO

Rhea Ripley

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– Episode 5

MJ Jenkins

7:41[23]

Rhea Ripley

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– Episode 2

Kacy Catanzaro

7:04[24]

Kacy Catanzaro

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– Episode 8

Reina González

4:46[25]

Rhea Ripley

12:52[28]

– Episode 4

Io Shirai

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Io Shirai

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– Episode 6

Xia Brookside

3:16[27]

Io Shirai

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– Episode 2

Zeuxis

6:06[30]

Zeuxis

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– Episode 7

Aerial Monroe

5:06[25]

Io Shirai

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– Episode 2

Deonna Purrazzo

8:44[26]

Deonna Purrazzo

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– Episode 6

Priscilla Kelly

4:28[25]

Deonna Purrazzo

Sub

– Episode 3

Xia Li

5:45[30]

Karen Q

4:21[29]

Xia Li

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Aftermath

Performers on the tournament such as Deonna Purrazzo, Io Shirai, Jessie Elaban, Kacy Catanzaro, Kavita Devi, Lacey Lane, MJ Jenkins, Reina González, Rhea Ripley, Taynara Conti, Tegan Nox, and Xia Li already had signed contracts with the company. While Xia Brookside, Isla Dawn, Jinny, Killer Kelly, and winner Toni Storm had signed contracts with the company, performing on the NXT UK brand.

On August 25, 2018, Rhea Ripley started competing on the NXT UK brand, where she would eventually become the inaugural NXT UK Women's Champion.^[32]

On October 18, 2018, WWE announced that Mia Yim had been signed to a contract, performing on the NXT and NXT UK brand.^[33]

In February 2019, WWE announced that Karen Q signed to contract and training at the WWE Performance Center.

In September 2024, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) announced that Léi Ying Lee (Zhao Xia during the Mae Young Classic) signed with the company.

In December 2021, AEW announced that Mercedes Martinez signed to contract All Elite Wrestling.

On April 15, 2020, Deonna Purrazzo was released from her contract. Two days later, Taynara Conti and M.J Jenkins were also released from their contract as part of budget cuts due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On January 20, 2021, NXT announced they had signed Priscilla Kelly, where she would be competing under the new ring name Gigi Dolin.