WWE Mae Young Classic: Episode 4 Review

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Candice LeRae def. Renee Michelle in a First Round Match

It's rather well-known by this point, but LeRae is the real-life wife of NXT star Johnny Gargano, and she's an underdog in the ring much like he is. Michelle needs more experience before she can be considered good, but LeRae was able to carry her through a majority of the matchup and make it passable. Regardless of whether she wins the tournament or not, LeRae should end up with a WWE contract once it's over.

Lacey Evans def. Taynara Conti in a First Round Match

Evans wasn't much more than a pretty face the few times we saw her on NXT TV earlier this year, but I love her backstory and how she's fighting for her family. It gave her an all-new purpose and allowed me (as well as the crowd) to root for her in this match. I believe Conti has already signed a developmental deal with NXT, so while she is a work in progress, she showed signs of being a skilled heel eventually. The in-ring work was better than expected, so that was a plus.

​Nicole Savoy def. Reina Gonzalez in a First Round Match

Savoy's pre-match video package made her out to be a machine inside the squared circle and as "the queen of suplexes," but we hardly saw any of that here, which was disappointing. In fact, Gonzalez was on offense for the better part of the bout, and then Savoy won out of nowhere. I'm not saying she isn't talented, but she wasn't showcased the way she should have been. Fingers crossed we see more of that in the second round from her.

Kairi Sane def. Tessa Blanchard in a First Round Match

This was easily the matchup I was anticipating the most given Sane's track record of having outstanding matches and Blanchad being one of the best women's wrestlers on the independent circuit today. Sure enough, they did not disappoint and contested an excellent match. Blanchard pulling out everything in her arsenal in a desperate attempt to put Sane away was wonderful and the crowd absolutely adored Sane before losing their minds when she teased her famous elbow drop. It's a thing of beauty, by the way, in case you've never seen it. I wish Blanchard would have prevented her from doing it at least once or twice, but other than that, this was a strong conclusion to the first round.

Overall Show

The first four episodes of the Mae Young Classic are in the bag and it's left a very positive impression on me so far. Only Rachel Evers vs. Marti Belle from the second round was abysmal; all the other matches ranged from decent to great. As for this installment, it was enjoyable on the whole and the main event was exceptional. Still, the commentary from Jim Ross and Lita isn't cutting it for me, but they aren't so bad that they're unbearable to listen to. Rather, they just aren't living up to their potential as a team. The second round is where things will really start to pick up, so I'm looking forward to that batch of episodes dropping next Monday.