WWE Mae Young Classic: Episode 6 Review

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Toni Storm def. Lacey Evans in a Second Round Match

Storm was showcased in her first round match, but this match was more about Evans, interestingly enough. Evans has a great look and a great backstory, but she isn't nearly as polished in the ring yet as Storm, so it was an odd approach to take. That isn't to say that style of match doesn't work because it did with Kairi Sane vs. Bianca Belair, but this wasn't as good in my opinion. That said, it was a well-wrestled matchup and a nice way to open the episode.

Shayna Baszler def. Mia Yim in a Second Round Match

These two have history together, so it shouldn't have come as any surprise that they produced an excellent match here. I didn't know how skilled Baszler would be coming into the Mae Young Classic, but she has really impressed me thus far with what she's capable of. As an actual mixed martial arts fighter, her gimmick is that she can lock in a submission out of nowhere, so the story they told was terrific and the finish was fantastic as she caught Yim in a submission off the top rope and tapped her out for the victory.

Dakota Kai def. Rhea Ripley in a Second Round Match

While the in-ring action wasn't as smooth as it could have been, both of these women are so energetic and charismatic that it made up for that. Kai's kicks are explosive and always a blast to watch, and Ripley is a star on the rise at only 20-years-old. It's typically tough to work a babyface vs. babyface match, so they had an uphill battle from the get-go. Kai is the more experienced of the two and advanced as she should have, but I'm looking forward to seeing more of Ripley if she has since been signed by WWE.

Candice LeRae def. Nicole Savoy in a Second Round Match

Savoy didn't shine the way many had hoped she would in the first round, so I figured the second round would be better for her. Although this was a decent match, largely thanks to LeRae's connection with the crowd, Savoy failed to leave a lasting impression in my mind. She hit more suplexes here than she did in her previous bout, but perhaps coming off the ACL injury, she isn't back to 100% yet. Needless to say, LeRae was the right choice to advance to the quarterfinals.

Overall Show

After the awesomeness of Episode 5, Episode 6 couldn't quite measure up. That isn't to say it was bad by any means; in fact, it was enjoyable for the most part and all the matches were solid. Baszler vs. Yim was the best of the bunch, so certainly make time to check that contest out when you get the chance. This closed out the second round, so the next two shows will feature the quarterfinals and semifinals of the tourney before the finals take place live next Tuesday night after SmackDown Live.