The announcements for the Mae Young Classic 2018 are winding down, as three more names were revealed today, solidifying 26 of the 32 names for the tournament, which will tape next week on August 8 and 9 at Full Sail University. It will then begin airing on the WWE Network. With the final airing live as part of WWE Evolution on October 28, the Mae Young Classic may be held off to air during September. Another international flair in today’s announced competitors, with a Canadian, an American and another formidable foe from Japan.
VANESSA KRAVEN, Canada
A 14-year veteran of the indie scene, Vanessa Kraven began in the Quebec indies, primarily Northern Championship Wrestling (nCw) and International Wrestling Syndicate (IWS) in the early 2000s. In 2006, she debuted with IWA Mid South in the US (she took part in the 2006 Queen of the Deathmatches tournament), and the following year headed to Japan, where she began working with the likes of NEO Ladies, Ice Ribbon and Japanese Women Pro-Wrestling Project (JWP). She’s gone on to become a mainstay in the world of indie wrestling, working for SHIMMER (where she held the SHIMMER Tag Team titles for a year with Tessa Blanchard) and SHINE, as well as other Canadian promotions like Smash Wrestling and Ottawa promotions Capital City Championship Combat (C4) and Acclaim Pro Wrestling (APW). She’s the reigning and 2x Women’s Champion in nCw and the WWE adds “Kraven boasts a wide repertoire of hard-hitting moves, highlighted by her Cliffhanger Chokebomb, which is a two-handed sit-out chokeslam.”
HIROYO MATSUMOTO, Japan
Trained by All Japan Women‘s legend Mariko Yoshida, Hiroyo Matsumoto – aka “The Lady Destroyer” – started her wrestling career in 2006. A longtime regular of OZ Academy since 2008, Matsumoto has crossed over and worked for nearly every major joshi promotion in Japan, including Stardom, Sendai Girls, JWP, Ice Ribbon, and many more. She’s a 4x OZ Academy Tag Team Champion and held the OZ Openweight Championship for 350 days. She won the Sendai Girls’ World Championship last year, and is a former Goddesses of Stardom (Tag Team) Champion and 3x Artist of Stardom (Trios) Champion. She’s worked regularly with SHIMMER in the US since 2008, capturing the SHIMMER Tag Team titles on one occassion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmpvftA9-Xk
AERIAL MONROE, USA
The newcomer in relationship to the other two announced today, Aerial Monroe made her debut in 2015 after training with George South, her future husband Cedric Alexander and Impact’s Caleb Konley. She started off with Queens of Combat (QOC), but has blossomed into a star with SHINE. She’s works multiple promotions now, including Major League Wrestling (MLW), SHIMMER, RISE Wrestling and FEST Wrestling, and is definitely an emerging star on the indie circuit.
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x61wljp
CURRENT CONFIRMED MAE YOUNG CLASSIC LINE-UP
- Xia Brookside, England
- Kacy Catanzaro, USA
- Isla Dawn, Scotland
- Kavita Devi, India
- Jessica Elaban, USA
- Kaitlyn, USA
- Reina Gonzalez, USA
- Jinny, England
- Karen Q, USA
- Killer Kelly, Portugal
- Vanessa Kraven, Canada
- Lacey Lane, USA
- Mercedes Martinez, USA
- Hiroyo Matsumoto, Japan
- Nicole Matthews, Canada
- Aerial Monroe, USA
- Tegan Nox, Wales
- Priscilla Kelly, USA
- Deonna Purrazzo, USA
- Ashley (Madison) Rayne, USA
- Rhea Ripley, Australia
- Meiko Satomura, Japan
- Io Shirai, Japan
- Toni Storm, Australia
- Mia Yim, South Korea
- Zeuxis, Puerto Rico
