During WrestleMania week, WWE announced that they would be hosting a 32-woman tournament this summer, akin to the Cruiserweight Classic or the WWE United Kingdom Championship tournament. The tournament airs in August, but tapings begin in the middle of July, so WWE has started to reveal some of the names of the competitors. From indie veterans to wrestling newcomers, WWE has announced a very diverse group of women.
Tessa Blanchard
Fans of NXT might recognize Tessa Blanchard from a couple one-off appearances, but most wrestling fans will recognize her last name. Blanchard is a third-generation wrestler, with her father being WWE Hall of Famer Tully Blanchard and her grandfather, Joe Blanchard, being a wrestler and a promoter. Blanchard debuted in 2014 and has competed across the globe.
Toni Storm
At just 21 years old, Toni Storm became the first Progress Women’s Champion, and she still holds the title today. Even though she is so young, she already has eight years of experience under her belt. The New Zealand native has wrestled in numerous countries and captured several championships.
Lacey Evans
Fans who have watched NXT over the past few months should recognize Lacey Evans. Evans (formerly known as Macey Estrella) joined the WWE Performance Center in April 2016 and she has occasionally been featured on NXT. Before joining WWE, Evans was a member of the Special Reactions Team in the United States Marines.
Abbey Laith
Abbey Laith just got her new WWE name a couple of days ago, so fans will recognize her under her previous name, Kimber Lee (or Kimberly Frankele in her few NXT matches). Laith was one of the most prominent women in independent wrestling before joining WWE, capturing several championships in Shimmer, Shine, and Chikara, where she was the first woman to win their Grand Championship. Laith has trained under 205 Live’s Drew Gulak.
Taynara Conti
If Taynara Conti does not ring a bell, it is because she is brand new to the wrestling world. WWE officials caught wind of Conti when she was competing in the 2016 Olympic judo trials. Having both a black belt in judo and a blue belt in jiu-jitsu, Conti has been preparing for her debut since October of 2016.
Jazzy Gabert
Being the biggest woman in the tournament so far at 6’1”, Jazzy Gabert is more than an impressive physique. Representing Germany, Gabert has been competing for 15 years throughout Europe and Japan. She has held multiple championships in Japan’s World Wonder Ring Stardom promotion, and when she is not wrestling, she competes in MMA.
Sarah Logan
Known primarily for her work in the independent scene as “Crazy” Mary Dobson, Sarah Logan competed throughout the United States before training in Japan under the tutelage of former WWE Light Heavyweight Champion Taka Michinoku. Logan has been featured on NXT every couple of months, most recently in a great showing against Peyton Royce.
Princesa Sugehit
Princesa Sugehit is by far the most experienced competitor in the Mae Young Classic, debuting in 1996. Sugehit has competed in CMLL and AAA (Mexico’s top promotions), and has won a few championships in Lucha Libre Feminil. Her greatest accomplishments, however, might be the handful of Mask vs. Mask matches she has won over the past two decades. The lucha libre veteran will provide a unique amount of experience and a new style to the field.
Kavita Devi
WWE fans will not recognize Kavita Devi, but they will recognize who she trained under. Representing India, Devi is a “top competitor” in Continental Wrestling Entertainment, a Punjab-based promotion run by former WWE World Heavyweight Champion, the Great Khali. Devi might be one of the stronger women in the tournament, with a background in powerlifting.
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With only nine women announced for the Mae Young Classic, the field is already incredibly diverse. There are several women who have been wrestling for at least a decade, and some who have only been training for a few months. The field can only improve, with rumored entrants like Japan’s Kairi Hojo and Io Shirai or a potentially returning Serena Deeb (former member of CM Punk’s Straight Edge Society). With taping expected to start in a couple weeks, WWE should be announcing the rest of the name soon.
