When the excitement passed away, all the emotions went down to minimum, all the enthusiasm got cold - there came the time of the overview. The historic tournament, was controversial. It's historic and all of these 32-women deserved to be in it - some more, other less.
Today we posted a short gallery of 5 names. Here we will add one more. 6 names who almost made it to WWE MYC. They were so close to it that they almost could taste it - 5 replacement and 1 with bad luck. This short list makes me reconsidering my misplaced enthusiasm over the PCenter's newest names. No, I still love to see Lacey Evans, Vanessa Bourne, Bianca Belair, Zeda and Xia Li, working for NXT with all of my heart. But today, after I put my emotions in order I can honestly say, that some of them were over-pushed and these 5 names deserved to be there instead of being replacement. We had 17 names representing the United States, while we should have several names representing Italy, Tonga and more for Canada! I'm kind of pissed!
I hope that the taped episodes, will worth the wasted nerves and spilled out emotions.
6-names. 5-excluded. 1-injured before the tournament's opening. 5- names set as 'Alternatives', if some of the main 32-women received an injury.
BARBI HAYDEN (US)
I don't know if there is a women's wrestling fan, who doesn't even hear bout Hayden. She is iconic young indie wrestler. She appeared at Impact One Night Only: Knockout Knockdown. She competed against many of today's top indie names, including Ivelisse and Taeler Hendrix. Barbi is someone who can shake the ring and bring some kind of more-experienced-Dana-Brooke look and action. Barbi is far away from the doll look, and at the same time she got a lot of it. So, it's nice that WWE noticed and kind of honored her, as 'replacement'.
CHANGE PLACE: I prefer to switch Barbi with Lacey Evans. Lacey is really good future Superstar and she needs to be promoted to NXT's TV roster. Actually, her first TV win was on MYC and that brings this question to us: Why someone, who even did't win a match to qualify for the tournament and had several losts in NXT was pushed into the historic tournament? Her place is in WWE NXT. Her role in the MYC was to be a second-round ordeal for Toni Storm (sorry for the spoiler). Role that others can played, as well too! We want to see Lacey competing, but is MYC was the right place and time? Especially when you have 5 experienced and hard working, wrestling business loving women, on the back seat? That is so controversial!
DEONNA PURRAZZO (ITALY)
Haven't you asked yourself: Hey we have Tessa Blanchard and Rachael Evers and that's great, but where is Deonna Purrazzo?
Weeeell, here she is! On the backseat, with the Italian flag flag of a country that was represented in CWC, but not in MYC! They prefer to have 17 United States competitors, instead of more nationally diverse list.
I'm really disappointed and sorry , for this one especially. I can survive the missing of the other 4 - it's painful, but I can deal with it. But not inviting Purrazzo, to the official list is sort of a crime against fans (and Italy). I get it Barbi Hayden, Lei D'Tapa and Jessica James were sort of unknown faces for WWE Universe (many of the WWE Universe is not interested in WWE women's division, many of us are looking and for indie talents and all-women promotions). Nicole Matthews had only one appearance on WWE Network. But Deonna was almost the part of the family competing and appearing on several occasions. Why did they screwed her up? I hope that there is a reasonable explanation.
CHANGE PLACE: If I can I will switch Deonna with Vanessa Borne. That is a fair trade, as we know that Vanessa is one of my most favorite future prospects in WWE NXT. SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER! Borne didn't pass the first round! She was eliminated by Serena Deeb! That was her role! After a single, clean TV win (I'm not recognizing the referee's decision reverse in her debut match against Cross, sorry), she ended defeated. She was over-pushed, after a long hiatus, from live events and TV. And now, when I know, that competitors, like Purrazzo and Mathews, were pushed back in the replacement, I am kind of disappointed. Nothing personal, just analyzing!
JESSICA JAMES (UNITED STATES)
Jessica James is sort of a new face for WWE Universe. She was selected to be an 'alternative' and she was booked to win a tag team Dark match at MYC, with Deonna Purrazzo as a tag team partner versus Nicole Matthews and Barbi Hayden. Yay, what a compensation! They received a Dark match! Hurray!
Jessica has 7-8 years, almost decade experience in pro-wrestling. She competed for SHINE, SHIMMER, CHIKARA and more. It's nice to see this kind of veteran, sitting on the replacement bench and winning a Dark matches. That was ironic. In the light of the fact that we had International All-Women's Tournament, with more that 50% competitors from USA, I will not put James in the 'switch'. If I was able to do it I will replace Reina Gonzalez with her, just because Reina is less experienced and because she represented USA, with 16 others, so the trade would be kind of equal.
LEI D'TAPA (TONGA)
This one as a replacement, was pleasant shock for me, like Barbi Hayden! I didn't know that WWE even suspect that this gorgeous scary Amazon existed!
I followed Tapa since her days in OVW. I was happy when she was signed to Impact Wrestling. Then to GFW. She had several historical matches in her career against Taeler Hendrix, Blossom Twins, Gail Kim and most importantly Awesome Kong. Of course Kim 'help' in the form of verbal revelation 'She can't wrestle', 'helped' Tapa, to be released from TNA/Impact Wrestling, insteda of being trained and her skills to develop.
I think that Tapa, is a interesting powerhouse type competitor, who might stay strong next to the likes of Jazzy Gabert, Jessicka Havok and Kia 'Awesome Kong' Stevens. And at last: How many women from Tonga you can see in this International All-Women Tournament? None.
CHANGE PLACE: This 'sassy, sassy' Miranda Salinas or Nicole Savoy. Or Reina Gonzalez. Lei D'Tapa will be a great choice. Especially in front of Miranda Salinas and Rein's lack of experience.
NICOLE MATTHEWS (CANADA)
17-United States represents and zero Canadians!
Canada gave a lot of legends to WWE and the world of wrestling. Trish Stratus, Edge, Chris Jericho and more are all Canadians. Canada has one of the greatest pro-wrestling bases in the world and in the end, one of their amazing talents is set back, as an 'alternative'. That is one thing that pissed me off. They throw 17 from the United States, experienced and inexperienced women in a historical tournament, while they had the opportunity to make the tournament with more diverse list, with more great schools around the world.
No France, No Canada! How they made a balanced Cruiserweight Classic Tournament, without that much of US competitors and they were not able to do a Mae Young Classic the same way. What mind decided to put Deonna Purrazzo and well established talent like Nicole Matthews on the 'replacement' bench! Nicole who is a SHIMMER Tag Team Champion and wrestler with a lot of accomplishments is pushed back, in the name of really green talents exposure and over-push!
CHANGE PLACE: Reina Gonzalez, Miranda Salinas, Vanessa Borne, Lacey Evans, more. Nicole Matthews was far better choice as a Canada's representation in many ways. The listed girls, they will have their chance in NXT, but what about Matthews?
NIXON NEWELL (WALES): THE UNLUCKY ONE
Why someone so green, like Miranda Salinas was signed to the MYC? Because another young prospect was so unlucky, to receive a torn ACL! So Salinas is replacement, who had luck, to compete in round 1, losing it!
Yes, that is the reason Wales, UK, to not be represented like England and Scotland. They Nixon Newell, the promising Wales wrestler had been taken away by the bad luck. Newell, had every chance to reach far in the tournament, but that injury steal that chance from her. We hope to see her in the future.
OVERVIEW:
Aside from my frustration and disappointment, I still respect and enjoy WWE's effort to capitalize on their women's Revolution thing. There are a lot of great and unexpected names involved, kind of too much new and green faces, who belongs to NXT TV Roster (excluding Bianca Belair and Xia Li, who belonged to MYC, too).
Every woman of these 32, worked hard and we are not underrating their skills and training. But sometimes, to choose inexperienced instead of experienced and well known is not the total good choice. We want to see new faces. We want to see them in NXT. This tournament was able to give the indie workers a stage and opportunity to shine bright. At the end we learned that several big names were excluded.
Whatever! The history will be made at September 12, when the already known finalists, will compete for the prize to be the inaugural May Young Classic's Winner.
My most serious doubt after all is what will happened with all of this amazing women, with all of this strong stamina, momentum that WWE and these indie Superstars received? Can we hope to see a all-women WWE Network show, like 205 Live, that is for the Cruiserweights? Or we will hear only rumors for this type of show and we will watch them jobbing on NXT?
I hope not! But only the time and WWE will show us!
