9/26 MAE YOUNG CLASSIC 2018 – EP. 4: Io Shirai vs. Xia Brookside, Rachel Evers vs. Hiroyo Matsumoto, Taynara Conti vs. Jessie Elaban, Isla Dawn vs Nicole Matthews

MAE YOUNG CLASSIC II – EPISODE THREE
PREMIERED ON SEPT. 26, 2018
TAPED IN ORLANDO, FLA. AT FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY
AIRED ON WWE NETWORK

Announcers: Michael Cole, Renee Young, Beth Phoenix.

-This week’s episode of the Mae Young Classic kicked off with a hype video for the final 8 women in the tournament, introducing the card for the night: Rachel Evers vs. Hiroyo Matsumoto, Jessie Elaban vs. Taynara Conti, Isla Dawn vs. Nicole Matthews, and Io Shirai vs. Xia Brookside.

(1) Rachel Evers vs. Hiroyo Matsumoto

-The show itself kicked off with a crowd shot, and Michael Cole introducing himself and his colleagues, Beth Phoenix and Renee Young. Getting right into the action, they cut right to the introduction video packages for the first two competitors.

-“The Queen of Strong Style”, Rachel Evers video played first. A clip of Hawk and Animal being accompanied to the ring by Evers’ father, Paul Ellering, was shown as she talked about being a 2^ndgeneration wrestler. She said last year, she lost her focus during the Classic and this year it will not happen again. “Lady Godzilla”, Hiro Matsumoto’s video was up next. She says she will destroy everything with her elbow, her lariat, and her body attack. Once you see her in the ring, you will not forget her.

Analysis: Both video packages were pretty good at hyping the fans for the match. Evers, to me, came off a bit more timid than she probably should have. I didn’t get a sense of drive to win from her promo.

–Full Sail favorite, Rachel Evers, made her way to the ring first to a massive pop from the crowd. She showed a lot of energy in her entrance getting the crowd to their feet. The announcers hyped her family lineage, as Kassius Ohno was shown in the crowd cheering her along. Matsumoto entered next to a rather lukewarm reaction from the crowd. Renee Young talked about how excited she is to see Matsumoto in this contest, and how she once asked Matsumoto who her dream opponent is. She was shocked to learn that dream opponent is none other than The Undertaker!

-The two barely touched hands for the ceremonial handshake before the Full Sail crowd erupted in “Fight Forever!” chants. The bell rang, and they stare each other down from across the ring as the crowd got louder and louder for the bout. They locked up and battled for control for quite some time before separating. Some back and forth offense between the two, attempting to clothesline one another yet neither budged from the blows.

-Matsumoto finally took Evers to the mat, but Evers tripped Matsumoto and hits a basement dropkick for a two count. She follows it up with a gut-wrench suplex into a cover for two. Evers kicked Matsumoto in the face, but Matsumoto retaliates by stunning her off the ropes and climbing to the top for a missile dropkick into a cover for two. Matsumoto tossed Evers across the ring by her hair followed by a series of elbows to the back of the head.

-Matsumoto backs Evers into the corner, and laid her across the middle turnbuckle for a running knee strike into a double knee off the middle rope for two. Evers fights back, reversing a Saito Suplex and nailed a Spinebuster on Matsumoto. The two make their way to their feet, and trade blows. Evers nailed a Bicycle Kick and a cutter followed by a running senton for two. The crowd seriously got behind Evers, but Matsumoto seemed to battle back and get the upper hand until Evers hit an impressive springboard leg drop for two and a half. Matsumoto gets the upper hand once again, and hits Evers with a nasty Lariat for two. Matsumoto tried getting Evers to her feet, but Evers rolled her up for two. After Matsumoto nailed a German Suplex on Evers, Evers pops back up with a Big Boot only to be hit with another powerful Lariat. Matsumoto lands a deadlift powerbomb, followed by a Saito Suplex to secure the victory with a pinfall over Evers.

WINNER: Hiroyo Matsumoto at 9:45

Analysis: I really enjoyed this match. Both women were hard hitting, crisp, and had great chemistry with one another. Even in her defeat, Evers came out looking very strong.

The hype packages for the next two competitors were up next.

(2) Taynara Conti vs. Jessie Elaban

–The first Brazilian woman to compete in the WWE is back, as Conti said she is excited to be back in the MYC. She looked confident as she asked “Do you really think I won’t win this tournament?” and that she will show everyone that she’s the real black belt in the division. Jessie Elaban is introduced next. She says that every morning, she tells herself “Hey! You’re Amazeballs!” She said her in ring style is “Glumsy”, a combination of her goofy and clumsy self. She says she just wants to have fun, and hopes that fun leads to a victory.

Analysis: Even if Jessie’s character comes off as a bit of an aloof hippie, I really dig it. In this tournament of hard hitters and serious demeanors, it’s refreshing to see a bubblier and fun character. Of course, to me, this screamed “Conti is probably going to kick my ass.” Conti might be small, but the video package showed a bunch of judo throws that looked intense. She came off looking like a real threat to Jessie.

-Dana Brooke was shown ringside for the match, before Jessie Elaban skipped her way to the ring. The announcers hyped her bubbliness, energy and weirdness as well as her volleyball background. Conti makes her way to the ring next to a chorus of boos from the crowd. The announcers tout her black belt in judo, and her impressive victory to secure this spot in the MYC.

-Jessie extended her hand for the handshake, but Conti snubbed it by bowing to her as you would in martial arts. Jessie shook it off, and the two circled one another as the bell rang. They lock up, and Conti threw Jessie twice with judo throws. Jessie fights back with an elbow and some back kicks. She lands a running senton for two. She missed a corner attack on Conti, who then starts viciously attacking her arm. Conti took Jessie down and made a cover for two. She stomped on Jessie’s hand and worked her arm over, keeping Jessie on the mat.

-Conti is completely dominant as she rolled Jessie into an armbar, really torqueing the arm, wrist and hand. Jessie escaped, and laid in some strikes to Conti. Conti screamed “ARE YOU CRAZY!?” before grabbing Jessie’s hand and running the webbing of her fingers along the length of the ropes. Friction burns, maybe? Conti gets Jessie in the corner, and stomped a mudhole. She tried dragging Jessie away from the corner, but Jessie held on before Conti kicked her hand free. Conti went to kick Jessie in the corner, but she moved sending Conti’s shin into the bottom turnbuckle. Jessie retaliates with a catapult, dropkicks and strikes to the corner. She covered Conti for a near fall, but lost control of the bout shortly thereafter when Conti nailed a spinning side slam for the victory.

WINNER: Taynara Conti at 4:55

Analysis: A short, one sided match but pretty entertaining. For Jessie’s first match, she looked okay against the judo black belt, Conti. Jessie’s adorable demeanor is perfect for the babyface character she portrays and worked very well in the context of the classic. Overall, the match was just okay.

-Conti is shown in the center of the ring, in tears, celebrating her victory.

(3) Isla Dawn vs Nicole Matthews

-The Scottish native, Isla Dawn’s hype video played first. She said she takes a lot of inspiration from goddess worship, and she is prepared to just go into the match and fight. She’ll give it her all, and win the classic. Nicole Matthews, talking in the third person, said that “Anybody who has seen Nicole Matthews wrestle, they know right away what she can do.” She says she can beat anybody and doesn’t care if she hurts her opponent. She says since she was only an alternate in last year’s tournament, they never showed the best of the best. “How can you have a women’s revolution without Nicole Matthews?”

Analysis: I’m really looking forward to this match. The cockiness of Matthews really shone through in her video package, and Isla Dawn’s love for witchcraft and the occult was on full display.

-Matthews made her way to the ring first. Michael Cole touted her as a fierce competitor with wins over the likes of Becky Lynch and Asuka during her 12 year indy career. Dawn entered next to a pretty good reaction from the crowd. She slowly made her way down the ramp as Cole said she is a unique woman, and a lover of the occult.

-The two shook hands in the ring, with Matthews firmly holding on to the handshake as Dawn attempted to move to her corner to start the bout, showing a bit of aggression. They circled one another and locked up and Matthews took Dawn to the corner. They break up before locking again. This time, Matthews was taken to the corner. Another break up, and Matthews slammed Dawn to the mat. Dawn tripped her up and nailed a stomp to the back of the head and followed it up with a series of kicks to the face and midsection of a prone Matthews. Dawn bounced off the ropes and hit a running meteora to the chest of Matthews for a near fall.

-Matthews tripped Dawn into the corner, and set her up for a unique neckbreaker from the 2^nd rope. She looked a bit confused, not sure whether to lock in a submission or go for a pin, before deciding to cover Dawn for two. She kicked Dawn in the back, and landed a backbreaker. Dawn tried to fight back, but Matthews kept the upper hand with a series of strikes in the corner. Dawn reverses with a running uppercut, but Matthews landed a clothesline for a two count. Matthews hangs Dawn up on the ropes, and kicked her in the chest a few times before making another pin attempt for two. Matthews lands some elbows to the jaw of Dawn, and trash talked Dawn as they trade blows. Dawn repeatedly kicks Matthews and then lands a running knee to the face.

-Dawn landed a side suplex followed by a fishermans suplex for a two count. The two trade blows again, and Dawn blocks a vertical suplex, reversing into a very sloppy looking Olympic Slam for a two count. The two once again trade blows, and Matthews reverses a suplex before laying in a Liontamer for the submission victory.

WINNER: Nicole Matthews at 7:21

Analysis: The match did not live up to my expectations, that’s for sure. The crowd was more or less dead for the entirety of the bout, which was probably due to the odd pacing of the match. There were quite a few spots that really seemed to throw off the overall flow, and several more that looked relatively sloppy. Thus far, I’d say this might be the lowest point of this year’s tournament. However, Matthews did get brownie points from me for busting out the Liontamer. For me, it will always be the superior hold to the Walls of Jericho.

(4) Io Shirai vs. Xia Brookside

-The final match of the first round pitted Io Shirai against Xia Brookside. Shirai’s video package was up first, and she talked about how Rey Mysterio Jr. was her inspiration. She says women’s wrestling is not lesser than men’s, and that they are the same. The 19 year old Xia Brookside was up next. She may lack experience, but said she is very honored to be here.  Clips of her and her father, the legendary Robbie Brookside, played as she said she wants to do it on her own and not live in her father’s shadow.

-Xia makes her way to the ring first making an energetic run down the ramp. She hugs her father ringside, as Cole mentioned that this will be the first time Robbie Brookside has ever seen her wrestle. Io Shirai entered the Full Sail arena next, as the crowd erupted in cheers for the Japanese native. Cole says she was named the top wrestler in japan three years in a row.

-NXT Women’s Champion, Kairi Sane was shown cheering on Shirai. Xia attacked Shirai at the bell with a series of strikes to the chest, followed by a head scissors. Shirai flipped through the head scissors impressively landing on her feet. Shirai fires back and gets Xia into the corner with a series of kicks and strikes. Xia fell to the mat, sitting in the corner and Shirai landed a brutal looking double knee to her face. Shirai made the cover for two. Shirai locked in a crossface, but Xia is able to fight out of it only to be met with a kick to the face.

-Xia makes her way to her feet, blocking a kick from Shirai and then took Shirai to the mat. Shirai retaliated with an uppercut, and another BRUTAL looking meteora to the corner. She climbed to the top, and landed an absolutely impressive moonsault on Xia for the quick victory.

WINNER: Io Shirai at 3:14

Analysis: For 19 years old, Xia Brookside certainly held her own in this quick contest. Her speed and agility, along with her pedigree (not the finishing move, her heritage) should serve her well in years to come. Io Shirai was just as crisp, powerful and agile as I’ve ever seen her. She took the newcomer out very quickly, showing that she will be a dominant force in this tournament.

Overall Analysis: Although entertaining, this episode did not quite hold up to the first three weeks, albeit just barely. Isla Dawn vs. Nicole Matthews was a rather sloppy contest, which was somewhat surprising to me. I’d have to watch the match again, but it seemed like some of the spots were flubbed by either competitor, so you can’t pin the blame on just one of them. Jessie Elaban vs. Tanyara Conti also fell a little flat. Thankfully, those two matches were sandwiched between two hard hitting and exciting matches, which absolutely began and ended the night on high notes.

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 9/19 MAE YOUNG CLASSIC 2018 – EP. 3: Mia Yim vs. Allysin Kay, Kaitlyn vs. Kavita Devi, Jinny vs. Toni Storm, Xia Li vs. Karen Q