Here’s Who The Women Of Ringside Want In The 2nd Mae Young Classic

With the 2nd Mae Young Classic coming this summer, we here at Ringside are super excited for another tournament showcasing the best female wrestlers from around the world. But who do we want in the competition? A few recognizable faces, hidden gems, and returning legends. Katie and Sandra let us know who they want competing for a shot at the trophy and a chance to take on Shayna Baszler.

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Sandra’s Picks

There are many rumored participants for the second edition of the Mae Young Classic and boy I am excited. Here are my favorites for the upcoming tournament, and I will warn you, there are some exciting participants on my list!

Toni Storm

That’s right, Toni Storm is one of the favorites to make her return to the tournament. She is also rumored as the potential winner, mainly due to the fantastic match she put on with last year’s winner Kairi Sane.

Nixon Newell

My next pick is almost a guarantee. Nixon Newell was set to compete in last year’s Mae Young tournament but suffered a rather unfortunate injury right before the competition. Since her recovery, she has been doing a bunch of house shows with the likes of Candice LeRae and Dakota Kai.

Mandy Leon

Okay, listen up WWE. I have been mentioning this major talent since last year. She would be a top sign for the brand in my book, and there is no better way to debut her than letting her show what she can do in the Mae Young Classic.

While she may look like a cross between Maryse and Nikki Bella at first glance, this girl has a lot of uniqueness to offer. Like Maryse, she can bring glamour, but she also has Ring of Honor experience that will do her well in the WWE.

Zeuxis

I would love to see Zeuxis permanently in the WWE, but me picking her for this line-up is pure speculation at this point. The reason why I put her up here is that she left her promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre so that she could be looking for a permanent spot in the WWE.

Zeuxis is not just any indie talent though. She has more than 10 years of experience, so her veteran status means she can work a crowd and put on a good show. The WWE would be mad not to pick her up at this point; it all depends if they believe she is marketable. Despite her ten years of experience, she is still quite young too.

Katie’s Picks

I’ve already named six women who I believe are likely to appear in the second annual Mae Young Classic, but here are four women I genuinely hope are included in this year’s tournament – likeliness be damned.

Kaitlyn

Against all odds, Kaitlyn found success in WWE in an era when the women’s division was an afterthought. Recently, she’s gotten back in the ring following a nasty divorce and battle with addiction. Serena Deeb had a similar redemption story and received a warm welcome when she participated in the inaugural Mae Young Classic; I don’t doubt that fans would be even more excited to see Kaitlyn back in a WWE ring even if it’s only for a short while.

Zelina Vega

Zelina Vega seems like an obvious pick for this year’s tournament, and frankly, I can’t believe I didn’t think of her inclusion until just now. While she’s mostly been known as a manager extraordinaire in WWE, she has extensive experience in the ring and is a former women’s tag team champion. The Mae Young Classic would be a perfect venue for Vega to show off her in-ring skills.

Chelsea Green

Chelsea Green made quite a name for herself wrestling as jilted-bride-turned-psycho-heiress Laurel Van Ness in TNA, and she’d certainly be a high-profile addition to the 2018 Mae Young Classic. Additionally, Green has worked with WWE before: she appeared on Raw in 2014 as Daniel Bryan’s physical therapist in the awful Brie Bella-Stephanie McMahon storyline and placed fourth among the women on the sixth season of Tough Enough. Now that she’s proven she has what it takes to rise above, I think she’s earned a spot in this year’s tournament.

Madison Eagles

Back when I started watching wrestling again in 2009 after a seven-year hiatus, one of the names I kept coming across in my internet research was Madison Eagles. As I would soon learn, Eagles is a pioneer of modern women’s wrestling. To this day, she remains the only woman to reach No. 1 on the PWI Female 50 without wrestling for WWE or TNA, and she’s trained several notable women wrestlers, including Peyton Royce, Billie Kay, and Shazza McKenzie. If the Mae Young Classic is meant to highlight the best of the best women wrestlers from around the world, WWE would be remiss not to include Eagles.