Mae Young Classic 2017: WWE Opened the Door and a Generation Walked Through

Kay Lee Ray and Princesa Sugehit are ideal opening-round guides because both understand how to make six minutes feel complete. Ray pushes the pace with the Gory Bomb and aerial offense, while Sugehit counters with veteran timing and a crisp Code Red before turning the match toward submissions. Nothing is wasted. The crowd learns quickly that the tournament will reward different international styles rather than force everyone into one WWE rhythm. Sugehit eventually traps Ray in the Fujiwara armbar for the submission. Losing Ray this early feels slightly disappointing because she clearly has more to offer, but the match succeeds at its main job: establishing the tournament as serious, lively competition from the opening bell.

Serena Deeb's return story does much of the emotional work here. After years away from WWE, she looks composed and experienced against the less polished Vanessa Borne, who gets several useful moments without controlling the match for long. Borne's headbutt and neckbreaker give her enough offense to avoid feeling like a prop, but the transitions are occasionally loose and the six-minute runtime limits any deeper story. Deeb gradually settles into the rhythm, creates separation, and finishes with the spear. The match is not memorable on its own, yet it serves two purposes well: reintroducing Deeb as a veteran worth taking seriously and giving Borne a developmental showcase without exposing her too badly.

Baszler's first tournament match is designed less as a contest than as a declaration. Zeda brings enough martial-arts background to justify the shoot-style framing, but Baszler's purpose is to look colder, stronger, and more legitimate from the start. She refuses the handshake, dominates the grappling exchanges, and makes every strike feel like a warning to the rest of the bracket. Zeda briefly searches for a guillotine, only for Baszler to counter, hit the Falcon Arrow, and lock in the rear-naked choke. The entire thing is over in a little more than two minutes. That makes the match hard to grade highly as wrestling, but the characterization is excellent and immediately separates Baszler from everyone else in the tournament.

Jazzy Gabert looks like a star the moment she walks through the curtain, and Abbey Laith benefits enormously from having to survive that presence. Gabert throws her around, controls the center of the ring, and gets the Full Sail crowd to believe the smaller Laith is in real danger. Laith sells the power beautifully, then begins finding openings through speed and technique rather than pretending she can match strength. The Alligator Clutch finish is especially effective because it ties the tournament directly to Mae Young while giving Laith a clever escape from an overwhelming opponent. Gabert's early elimination feels like a missed opportunity, but the match itself is one of the best examples of the first round using a simple size story well.

Mercedes Martinez spends this match looking like a veteran who realizes she has underestimated a first-time live opponent. Xia Li is still raw, but her kicks create just enough danger to make Martinez sharpen up after a relaxed opening. That shift becomes the story. Martinez stops playing with the rookie, lands the spinebuster, and finishes with a surfboard variation into the dragon sleeper. The bout lasts only a few minutes, so it cannot develop beyond that basic arc, yet it gives Li a credible first showcase and allows Martinez to enter the tournament without exhausting any of her bigger-match offense. The developmental purpose is obvious, but the execution is cleaner than most matches built around a giant experience gap.

Evers and Belle produce the first match where the tournament's compressed format works against the wrestlers instead of helping them. Belle stalls and tries to play the arrogant veteran, while Evers answers with power and urgency, but the chemistry never settles. Several transitions feel disconnected, and the crowd gradually loses interest despite Evers showing flashes of impressive athleticism. Her springboard leg drop stands out because so little else lands with the same clarity. The finish comes suddenly when Evers catches Belle with an inside cradle. Nothing is disastrously botched, but the match feels like two different ideas that never become one story. In a first round full of competent short matches, this is the clearest example of why not every pairing clicks.

Even at twenty years old, Ripley already carries herself differently from most of the developmental wrestlers in the field. She has size, posture, and confidence that make the result feel obvious before the bell. Salinas gets a little movement and resistance, but the match exists primarily to let Ripley demonstrate power without overcomplicating the presentation. The full-nelson slam ends things quickly. There is not enough time for the bout to become a real competitive test, and Salinas never receives a sustained near fall that changes the audience's expectations. Still, as an introduction to a future centerpiece, the match works. The most interesting thing about it is how clearly Ripley's upside is visible years before the fully realized version of the character arrives.

Yim and Logan produce one of the most complete first-round matches because they wrestle with urgency without rushing through the structure. Yim uses hard strikes and experience to control stretches, while Logan answers with raw toughness and a willingness to trade rather than retreat. The seated-strike exchange gives the match personality, and the closing sequence improves when both women start reaching for suplexes instead of simply repeating signature offense. Yim finally creates the opening for Eat Defeat and gets the pin. Seven minutes is still short, but both wrestlers leave with identities intact. Logan looks like someone who can survive a fight, and Yim looks like a veteran capable of adjusting under pressure. It is one of the first round's easiest matches to recommend.

Storm's charisma does most of the heavy lifting in a match that lasts barely four minutes. She enters with the swagger of someone already comfortable performing for this audience, and Raymond's size gives her a natural obstacle to work around. The actual wrestling is neat but brief, with Storm using quick movement to avoid getting trapped in a power match. The finish is the weakest part. Raymond misses a splash and Storm catches her with a rollup that feels more abrupt than decisive. That prevents the bout from becoming a true showcase, but Storm's presence is obvious and the crowd immediately treats her like someone who could go deep in the bracket. The match is remembered less for its action than for how quickly Storm announces herself as a tournament star.

Kai spends most of the match selling because that is the easiest way to make Devi's physical strength matter. Devi's rope-walk armdrags and military press are visually impressive, and the tournament benefits from showing a style the audience has not seen much of in WWE. The limitations are clear, though. Devi's offense comes in isolated pieces, and Kai has to provide most of the connective tissue between them. Once Kai finally creates space, the entire match flips in seconds. A running kick and top-rope stomp end it immediately. The structure works because it presents Kai as vulnerable but dangerous, a smaller wrestler who can lose control of a match and still finish it with one opening. It is useful characterization even if the wrestling remains rudimentary.

Belair and Beckett are both visibly unfinished characters here, yet the physical talent is impossible to miss. Beckett uses size and strength to make Belair work from underneath, while Belair's conditioning and explosiveness let her answer with power offense of her own. The match is sharper than expected because neither woman overreaches. They keep the exchanges direct, use the contrast in body types, and avoid the sort of complicated sequence that can expose developmental timing. Belair's hair whip gets the memorable reaction, but the spear is the cleaner finish and puts her through to the next round. The crowd does not yet see the fully formed EST character, but the athletic foundation is already obvious. Beckett also looks credible enough that the loss does not erase her.

Niven and Garrett create one of the round's best style clashes because both women understand how to make the size difference entertaining rather than restrictive. Niven dominates when she catches Garrett, but she also sells hurricanranas and tornado DDTs with enough generosity to make the smaller wrestler's offense credible. Garrett brings speed and optimism, while Niven gradually turns the match back toward power. The crowd is loud for both, which helps every momentum swing feel more important. Niven finally catches Garrett and plants her with the Michinoku Driver for the win. Seven minutes is enough because they never waste time on generic control holds. Niven comes out looking agile, dangerous, and unusually versatile for a wrestler of her size, while Garrett leaves with a strong showing.

LeRae enters with immediate audience support, and the match is structured around her absorbing punishment long enough to trigger the comeback everyone is waiting for. Michelle shows useful variety, including enough striking and movement to avoid becoming anonymous beside the more familiar opponent. LeRae's selling keeps the five-minute match from feeling like a foregone conclusion. Once she finds the opening, the pace quickens and the top-rope swinging neckbreaker gives the finish a satisfying visual. The match is too short to become much more than a showcase, but it succeeds because the audience already wants to invest in LeRae and the structure gives them a clear emotional route. Michelle also gets enough offense that the victory does not feel like an effortless formality.

Evans and Conti are both early in their WWE development, but the match has more personality than many pairings at the same experience level. Conti leans into judo throws and a meaner attitude, while Evans uses athleticism and the ring environment to create openings. Neither character is fully formed, yet the contrast is already easy to understand. The exchanges remain simple, which helps both women stay within what they can execute cleanly. Evans' sunset driver finish is the standout spot because it looks far more dangerous and polished than the rest of the match suggests. The bout is not smooth enough to be called a hidden gem, but it is a valuable snapshot of two wrestlers learning how to turn physical tools into television characters in front of a forgiving crowd.

Savoy's technical reputation becomes the story because González is too large for her usual suplex-heavy offense to work easily. González uses size well, forcing Savoy to look for leverage and submissions rather than pretending strength does not matter. The match stays compact and logical. Savoy gets caught during several attempts to create movement, then finally turns a fireman's-carry position into a cross armbreaker for the submission. There is not much emotional heat, and the short runtime prevents González from showing more than a basic power game. Still, the finish makes sense and gives Savoy a cerebral identity heading into the next round. The bout is more functional than memorable, but it reflects the tournament's generally strong emphasis on making each pairing feel slightly different.

Sane and Blanchard deliver the first match that feels too good for the opening round. Blanchard attacks with real urgency, using stiff strikes and a nasty middle-rope Codebreaker to make Sane's advancement feel genuinely threatened. Sane's connection with the crowd is immediate; even the tease of her elbow drop creates a reaction bigger than many matches' finishes. The spear out of the corner is explosive, and the final Diving Elbow lands like the signature move of someone the audience already believes can win the tournament. Blanchard's elimination is the downside because she clearly has the talent for a deeper run, but that also makes the match feel consequential. Sane does not simply beat another prospect; she beats someone who looks like she belongs near the top of the field.

Laith and Evers improve on their first-round work by giving the audience a more competitive and athletic second-round match. Evers is far more comfortable here than she was against Marti Belle, using power without losing the rhythm between moves. Laith counters with speed, kicks, and the kind of experience that lets her survive the heavier offense without turning the match into pure comeback structure. The stereo bicycle-kick knockout spot wakes the crowd up, and Evers' top-rope powerslam creates the best near fall. Laith eventually responds with a powerbomb into the Alligator Clutch for the pin. The match gives Evers a much-needed rebound performance while confirming Laith as one of the tournament's most reliable workers. Five minutes feels surprisingly full.

Deeb approaches the size mismatch intelligently, using headlocks and control rather than trying to outmuscle Niven from the start. That gives the match a clear strategy and allows Niven to look imposing without reducing Deeb to helplessness. Deeb eventually earns a few surprising power moments, including a suplex, but the effort required to move Niven becomes part of the story. Niven's agility remains the key difference. She lands the Vader Bomb cleanly, adjusts when Deeb dodges a top-rope attack, and catches the attempted spear before planting Deeb with the Michinoku Driver. The finish ends Deeb's redemption run, but she leaves with credibility intact. Niven, meanwhile, looks increasingly like one of the field's most adaptable wrestlers rather than merely its largest.

Martinez deliberately slows Sugehit down, which makes tactical sense but also leaves the match feeling less lively than the talent involved suggests. Sugehit keeps trying to pull the bout toward lucha movement and the Fujiwara armbar, while Martinez insists on strikes, control, and measured counters. The slower pace communicates that Martinez is conserving energy for a longer tournament run, but it also removes some of the spark that made Sugehit's first-round match enjoyable. Sugehit's tornado DDT and submission attempt provide the best resistance before Martinez escapes, regains control, and finishes with the fisherman buster. The match is professionally executed and easy to follow, yet it feels intentionally held in reserve. Martinez advances looking seasoned rather than spectacular.

Belair looks like a future star here because Sane gives her room to demonstrate everything that separates her from a normal developmental prospect. The stalling vertical suplex shows raw power, the 450 splash creates the best near fall of the tournament to this point, and the hair whip gets a huge crowd reaction that Belair immediately knows how to exploit. Sane is still the emotional center, selling the punishment while gradually creating openings through speed and timing. The match never feels like a showcase for one woman at the expense of the other. When Sane finally lands the Diving Elbow, the result feels earned and Belair feels elevated in defeat. Ten minutes gives them space to build real drama rather than simply trade impressive moves.

Storm is already operating at a level of comfort that Evans has not reached yet, so the match becomes a useful contrast between a polished independent star and a developing WWE prospect. Evans continues to show creativity with the ropes and environment, but several moments still feel like ideas being tested rather than fully natural instincts. Storm keeps the match grounded, bumps cleanly for Evans' offense, and never lets the pace drift. Once she decides to finish, the Strong Zero ends the bout decisively. Five minutes is not enough for a major match, but it is enough to reinforce Storm's tournament identity as someone who can work fast, hard, and confidently without needing elaborate setup. Evans leaves with useful experience and no real damage to her future presentation.

Yim is the first opponent who really meets Baszler's physicality rather than simply surviving it. She strikes hard, dives to the floor, and hits a sitout powerbomb that briefly forces Baszler to fight from underneath. That changes Baszler's aura in a useful way because the former fighter now has to solve a wrestling problem instead of merely imposing one. Yim's missed 450 creates the opening. Baszler pounces, locks in the rear-naked choke, and gets the submission without wasting motion. The post-match Four Horsewomen stare-down gives the bout an extra layer of attention, but the wrestling itself is good enough to stand without it. Yim exits after two strong tournament performances, while Baszler advances with her legitimacy enhanced rather than protected by easy opposition.

Ripley looks like the bigger future star physically, but Kai is the better wrestler for this particular moment and the match leans into that difference. Ripley controls with size and confidence, while Kai keeps surviving long enough to create short windows for her kicking offense. The balance is much better than Kai's first-round match because Ripley can sustain pressure without the action feeling disconnected. Kai's selling makes every comeback matter, and the tree-of-woe double stomp provides a finish that suits her character perfectly: dangerous enough to end a match even when she has spent most of it underneath. Ripley loses without looking diminished, and Kai advances as the experienced underdog whose offense can suddenly change the outcome. It is efficient developmental storytelling.

Savoy finally gets enough time to display the technical skill her nickname promises, using rolling double-underhook suplexes and smooth submission transitions to control LeRae without reducing the match to holds. LeRae's popularity gives Savoy a natural heel role, and the crowd responds whenever Candice escapes or starts a comeback. The match is mechanically strong and never drags, though it lacks the dramatic stakes of the tournament's bigger second-round pairings. LeRae eventually creates separation, climbs, and lands the top-rope neckbreaker for the win. Savoy's tournament ends without a signature moment, but she looks technically excellent in defeat. LeRae advances with momentum and enough physical credibility to make the upcoming Baszler match interesting even before the obvious size and style contrast is considered.

Martinez finally shifts into a higher gear, and the tournament immediately benefits. Laith uses movement and kicks to keep the veteran from settling into control, while Martinez starts attacking with the urgency of someone who can see the semifinal within reach. The shoulder history discussed on commentary gives Laith a natural target and helps the match feel more strategic. Laith's top-rope clothesline to the floor and bridging German suplex create convincing near falls, but the Alligator Clutch is blocked when she needs it most. Martinez survives, regains position, and lands the fisherman buster for the pin. Nine minutes gives both wrestlers enough time to build a genuine quarterfinal, and Laith leaves after one of the tournament's most consistently solid runs.

The match works because it is so short. LeRae attacks with everything immediately, using the suicide dive, tornado DDT, and Gargano Escape to convince the audience that an upset might happen before Baszler can establish control. That urgency makes the crowd louder with every second Candice remains alive. Baszler eventually catches her on the top rope and turns the attempted neckbreaker into the rear-naked choke. LeRae taps, but Baszler refuses to release the hold and turns a clean tournament victory into an act of cruelty. The post-match behavior matters as much as the wrestling because it cements Baszler as the bracket's true antagonist. Three minutes would normally feel incomplete; here it feels like a perfectly timed ambush.

Storm and Niven use their real-life familiarity to create a match that feels loose, confident, and increasingly competitive. The opening test-of-strength comedy gives the crowd a moment to enjoy both personalities before the match turns serious. Niven uses splashes, sentons, and the Michinoku Driver to make Storm absorb damage, while Storm keeps searching for the German suplex that looks almost impossible against the larger opponent. When she finally hits it off the turnbuckles, the release feels earned. The top-rope leg drop finishes Niven after one of the most enjoyable seven-minute matches in the tournament. Both women show exactly why the event succeeds as a scouting showcase: neither needs a complicated story because their styles, charisma, and chemistry generate one naturally.

Kai enters visibly taped and limping, which gives the match an immediate physical question: can her kicking game overcome a damaged knee before Sane can exploit it? The pace is slightly more measured than expected, but the injury adds purpose to every exchange. Kai's corner boots produce excellent near falls, while Sane's spear remains one of the tournament's most reliable momentum-shifting moves. Kai misses the tree-of-woe stomp, lands awkwardly, and the knee becomes the opening Sane needs. A flying forearm creates separation, Kai misses another charge, and Sane lands the Diving Elbow for the win. The match is not quite the all-out sprint their styles suggest, but it becomes a hard-hitting quarterfinal with clear stakes and sympathetic selling.

The mentor-student history gives Baszler her first tournament match that feels personal without requiring a traditional WWE feud. Martinez knows the striking patterns, anticipates the grappling, and repeatedly forces Baszler to adjust rather than bully. That makes the early exchanges feel like a veteran testing how much the student has learned. Baszler's kneebar damages Martinez enough to shape the finish, even after Martinez escapes and lands the fisherman buster. The delay caused by the leg keeps her from capitalizing fully. Martinez fires again, but Baszler counters the next attempt into the Falcon Arrow and immediately transitions to the rear-naked choke. Martinez taps after a struggle. Baszler reaches the final by beating the one opponent presented as having the knowledge to solve her.

Sane and Storm produce the tournament's best match before the final because both wrestle like the semifinal matters more than simply showcasing moves. The opening chain wrestling establishes equality, then Storm's uppercuts and German suplexes gradually turn the match physical. Sane's dive to the floor is spectacular and frightening, especially in hindsight because she appears to hurt herself on the landing. She continues, targeting Storm's back while Storm responds by attacking the arm and creating a dramatic submission sequence. The top-rope leg drop nearly ends Sane's run, but Storm cannot cover immediately because of the back damage. Sane recovers, returns to that target, and lands the Diving Elbow to the kidneys. The finish rewards everything they built instead of merely ending with a signature move.

The final is simpler than the semifinal, but that simplicity fits the story WWE has built. Baszler attacks Sane's elbow arm immediately, trying to remove the one weapon everyone expects to decide the tournament. Sane survives by changing targets and repeatedly attacking Baszler's ribs, turning each comeback into preparation for the finish rather than random desperation. Baszler catches a top-rope attempt in the rear-naked choke, but Sane escapes by attacking the damaged ribs. The double stomp and corner forearm deepen the injury, and the Diving Elbow finally lands flush for the pin. The Las Vegas crowd reacts like the right person has won. Baszler still looks dangerous, while Sane's resilience becomes the tournament's closing image rather than a last-minute invention.