RIPPA Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 Mercedes Martinez vs. Xia Li Rachel Evers vs. Marti Belle Rhea Ripley vs. Miranda Salinas Sarah Logan vs. Mia Yim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted August 28, 2017 Author Share Posted August 28, 2017 I have a problem with them literally saying it was Xia lI's first wrestling match. I feel like that undermines the credibility of the tournament when someone with legit no ring experience is in it. And for those that didn't hear the story - supposedly they changed the finisher of the Evers/Belle match mid-match before Marti Belle was so terrible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCM Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 That Evers/Belle match was embarrassing. Belle was worse than someone wrestling their first ever match lol. Rhea Ripley is a good looking prospect. She has good ring presence for a 20 year old. I think she's been one of the most impressive in the tourney up to this point. Yim/Logan was the first legit good match of the first two episodes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamal Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 I really liked Mia/Sarah. Favorite match so far. I'm surprised the crowd didn't turn on Marti/Rachel. That was just sad and awkward. Miranda Salinas was alright for a last minute sub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sky Blue Sam Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 Seen people on Twitter complaining about Marti - who WAS terrible - but Evers was utterly dreadful. Her bumping was all over the place, her strikes were shit and she looked barely trained. Embarrassing. The fact that Xia Li looked vastly superior to both Belle and Evers doesn't reflect well on them either. Li had a better, more unique look than either, her offence looked good and she moved around like she knew what she was doing. Lot of potential there. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamal Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 1 hour ago, Sky Blue Sam said: Seen people on Twitter complaining about Marti - who WAS terrible - but Evers was utterly dreadful. Her bumping was all over the place, her strikes were shit and she looked barely trained. Embarrassing. The fact that Xia Li looked vastly superior to both Belle and Evers doesn't reflect well on them either. Li had a better, more unique look than either, her offence looked good and she moved around like she knew what she was doing. Lot of potential there. I agree. This wasn't all Marti. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerva Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 I was wondering why they would think Marti Belle belonged in this tournament and after the match with a Rachel Evers I still think so. I can't believe that Abby Laith vs Rachel Evers in the 2nd round is going to suck. Really impressed with Rhea Ripley. Ton of personality and really good kicks. Don't see much of a chance in the 2nd round but like to see her more Sara Logan has always been good. Not sure I am digging this Kentucky farmer idea given that I have seen her as Crazy Mary Dobson so many years and don't remember that part. best match so far of the Mae Young Classic which is a no brainer when you have TNA's best women in years with Mia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.H. Posted August 29, 2017 Share Posted August 29, 2017 I dug Xia Li quite a bit, though time will tell if she is more than just flashy strikes. Lord that Belle/Evers match was... something... just not something I care to watch again James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamp, broken circa 1988 Posted August 29, 2017 Share Posted August 29, 2017 I know this is not the most common opinion, but the thing I like most about these network tournaments has been the matches of Indie Darlings vs. Very Clearly Underprepared Randos (see Kenneth Johnson Vs. Tozawa) because even if it's not objectively good, I still think it's super interesting. Mercedes/Xia Li falls firmly in that territory where I remember seeing Mercedes in IWA-Mid South and Xia Li is raw as all fuckin' hell and it's just fun to see that kind of awkward pairing play out. Again- not good, but glad they put that kind of stuff on TV. you sure couldn't get a cheap bodak yellow done before the tournament for Marti? you really sure? anyways, Marti Bell started stalling immediately and talking shit as if making a direct play for my heart. The actual match was pretty good character work for Bell, and Rachel is good at firing up. Not... not a lot of particularly convincing stuff, but, other than that, I had a good time. Also, larger wrestlers doing roll-ups is my favorite. Hearing that the weirdness was from a very abrupt audible makes sense. Rhea Ripley is the most Australian Australian I've seen in wrestling and that's delightful. Also how much she loves her own song is kind of infectious. Miranda's shit-eating grin is fucking awesome. Both of their stuff looks good in a vaccum, which was kind of what this match was, but it's hard to estabilish motivation that soon. I can see both going onto doing big stuff. Sarah Logan seems like she could go from being fun to a nightmare very quickly and I hope one day her character work gets to take advantage of that, because like the casual way she brings up "I KILLED STUFF FOR FOOD, WRESTLING'S NO BIG DEAL" was amazing. I have heard of Mia Yim for years and years but never actually seen her. She seems alright and very modern. Loved it after it devolved into a brawl after a show of not-the-greatest brawling. JR calling Tajiri Handsome was fucking weird. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DreamBroken Posted August 29, 2017 Share Posted August 29, 2017 Love Rhea Ripley so far, very impressed by her, she looks great. Still super cool seeing Mercedes Martinez involved in WWE. Xia Li was definitely not bad for a first time match. Feel bad for Marti Belle as I always liked her on the indys. Mia/Sarah was good as would be expected. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norwegian Rudo Posted August 29, 2017 Share Posted August 29, 2017 10 hours ago, Jamal said: I agree. This wasn't all Marti. The difference is Rachael has looked good elsewhere, especially considering her experience. Marti has always been shit. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSJ Posted August 31, 2017 Share Posted August 31, 2017 On 8/29/2017 at 2:26 AM, Norwegian Rudo said: The difference is Rachael has looked good elsewhere, especially considering her experience. Marti has always been shit. I was quite surprised that Rachael looked as green as she did considering her work previously. Much as I'd like to, I can't put the blame entirely on Marti, but geez that was bloody awful to watch. Let me call it right now, in ten years we're all going to be talking about when the WWE Womens' Champion, Rhea Ripley started her phenomenal run in the first Mae Young Classic. As for the commentary, Lita isn't great, but she's pretty inoffensive; J.R. on the other hand has gone from the best in the business to one of the worst and it's been sad to watch and even sadder to listen to. Josh Barnett is good enough to keep J.R. in check, Lita not so much... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turk128 Posted August 31, 2017 Share Posted August 31, 2017 Mercedes Martinez has a solid nasty attitude, I dig her. Rhea Ripley... holyshit, I can totally see why they are high on her, incredibly athletic and fast but in control (she moves with the speed of the guys without looking like she's full tilt running). And she's only 20! How many in ring years does she have under her belt?! Sarah Logan vs. Mia Yim: damn fine match, best Logan has looked so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricR Posted September 1, 2017 Share Posted September 1, 2017 We reviewed episode 2 at Segunda Caida. I really liked Xia Li, loved her look and style, hope she sticks around. Evers looked like she had no idea what moves she was actually doing, like she would pick up Belle and just kind of drop her. http://segundacaida.blogspot.com/2017/08/mae-young-classic-episode-2.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quackhell Posted September 1, 2017 Share Posted September 1, 2017 Evers/Bell was almost as awkward as the match/shoot with Evers featured on the latest botchamania. Rough stuff. Hopefully Evers bounces back in the next round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eivion Posted September 1, 2017 Share Posted September 1, 2017 Martinez/Xia was better than expected seeing that it was Xia's debut. Xia has a long ways to go, but I really like her look and offense. Evers/Marti might have been the worst first round match. I can see why so many people were down on Belle when she was announced. Rhea/Salinas was nice enough. Logan/Yim was pretty good and the first real look I've had of either. Hope they find some interesting things to do with Logan in NXT. Kind of surprised Yim hasn't been hired yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Sugar Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Echoing a lot of sentiments about Yim/Logan. It took a little too long to get to the seated punch-out, but I enjoyed it once they got there. Solid match. Martinez was great, too. Such attitude and really slick in the ring. Nice to see them giving some indy vets a chance to work with youngsters while also showing off what they can do. Didn't think JR's disdainful comments about high school gyms was necessary, but I guess that's what the WWE likes to hammer home sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 Glad to see Mercedes still has that it-factor. I'll always remember my ex-girlfriend yelling "THE BITCH IS EVIL!" as she put some hapless girl through the wringer at a JAPW show way back in the day. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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