Csonka’s Mae Young Classic (Ep. 7) Review

Csonka’s Mae Young Classic (Ep. 7) Review

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Mercedes Martinez defeated Abbey Laith @ 9:10 via pin [**¾]
– Shayna Baszler defeated Candice LaRae @ 3:10 via submission [***]
– Toni Storm defeated Piper Niven @ 7:45 via pin [***½]
– Kairi Sane defeated Dakota Kai @ 8:25 via pin [***¼]

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– Follow all of my reviews at this link.

– I reviewed the first four episodes of the Mae Young Classic, and you can check those out below…

* Episode 1
* Episode 2
* Episode 3
* Episode 4
* Csonka’s Early Mae Young Classic Takes
* Episode 5
* Episode 6

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Abbey Laith vs. Mercedes Martinez: They work the test of strength to begin; Laith then gets a takedown and attacks the arm. Martinez slaps the hit out of Laith, they go back to the ground and Martinez slaps Laith again. Chops follow and then big forearm strikes by Martinez. Martinez follows with kicks, Laith gets a cradle for 2 and then a jawbreaker. Arm drags follow for Laith, forearm strikes follow and then chops. Martinez cuts her off with a kicks, covering for 2. Martinez is selling the shoulder damage from her last match, which is appreciated. Martinez now lights up Laith with chops, but Laith fires back and hits the bicycle kick, covering for 2. Laith lays n kicks in the corner, but Martinez cuts her off and stomps away at her. Martinez hits a running forearm, a kick an then the basement dropkick in the corner. They work to the apron, Laith knocks Martinez to he floor with kicks and now heads up top. The high cross follows and both are down on the floor. Back in and Laith covers for 2. She looks for the alligator clutch again, but Martinez counters and tosses her to the floor. Laith counters a suplex, floats over and hits a German for a near fall. Laith goes for the clutch, Martinez counters out, hits a big boot and the fisherman’s buster and picks up the win. Mercedes Martinez defeated Abbey Laith @ 9:10 via pin [**¾] This was a pretty good back and forth match to kick of the show. It not only played well off of the Laith underdog angle, but they also brought in the “arm injury” of Martinez from her last match, which allowed Laith a lot of openings to keep it close until she ultimately went to the well once too often with the alligator clutch.

– We get a video package for Shayna Baszler vs. Candice LaRae.

Shayna Baszler vs. Candice LaRae: The winner of this faces Martinez in the semifinals. No handshake from Baszler. Baszler attacks at the bell, laying out Candice with a knee strike. Baszler misses a charging kick, allowing Candice to knock her to the floor. Candice follows with the suicide dive into the DDT on the ramp. Back in and Candice covers for 2. She then locks in the octopus, and then transitions onto the crossface. Baszler struggles for the ropes, but manages to roll out and into a side slam to escape. Candice stomps away at her, heads up top but Baszler cuts that off. Baszler looks for a suplex, they battle up top. Candice goes for the wild ride, but Baszler counters in mid air into the rear naked choke and Candice taps immediately. Shayna Baszler defeated Candice LaRae @ 3:10 via submission [***] This whole thing, the story, the match, the post math was really great. Baszler was the overconfident bully, who got way more than she expected from the fiery babyface. Candice gave it everything she got, but this continued the trend of Baszler countering an opponent and taking the win. The post match was also really well done, adding some more edge to Baszler’s badass façade. And that only works because Baszler is legit, and also because Candice is an amazingly sympathetic babyface. The action was short, but also good, exactly what it needed to be, but the overall presentation was great.

– Baszler refuses to let go of the hold, continuing to choke out Candice. Baszler finally releases the hold, as Johnny Gargano and trainers check on Candice. Baszler kicks at Candice as she’s being checked on.

– We get a video package for Piper Niven vs. Toni Storm.

Piper Niven vs. Toni Storm: they’re a bit playful to begin, Niven looks to work her size and power advantage, forcing Storm to the mat and going for near falls. They work a fun opening stretch onto a double bridge spot and shake hands. Storm picks up the pace, they work some nice counters until Storm bridges up and gets too playful, allowing Niven to hit a big splash. She follows with the corner splash, and then hits the running cross body for 2. Storm hits a desperation head butt, but Niven takes her down with a snap mare, hits a running splash and then a senton for 2. Storm manages to hit a backstabber for the double down. Storm tries to fire up, but misses the hip attack; Niven misses a cannonball, allowing Storm to finally hit the hip attack. Storm looks for a German, but Niven escapes and hits the Michinoku driver for a great near fall. Niven is pissed, hits the cannonball and heads to the ropes, but Storm snatches her off the ropes and hits a big German! Storm up top now, hits the top rope leg drop and puts Niven away. Toni Storm defeated Piper Niven @ 7:45 via pin [***½] This was a very good match, and I really liked the change in tone at the beginning. They were playful, having fun but they were never clowning. It was something nice in a tournament like this, especially following the Baszler/LeRae angle. They worked a clean and to the point back and forth match, coming down to the end where Niven took too much time to go to the ropes, allowing Storm to hit some big time offense and move on in the tournament. Piper Niven was really great in this tournament, showing that she more than belonged and may have earned herself a contract.

– They hug post match.

– WWE cameras catch up with Ronda Rousey, Marina Shafir, and Jessamyn Duke. They put over Baszler and then Bayley, Becky and Charlotte arrive. Rousey tells them to name the time and place.

– We get a video package for Kairi Sane vs. Dakota Kai.

Kairi Sane vs. Dakota Kai: After a friendly opening stretch, both fire up and work strikes and kicks. Sane hits a running blockbuster and then lays in big time chops. Kai cuts her off with a kick as Sane heads up top and then lays in kicks and a running knee strike, which gets 2. Kai keeps control, working kicks and covering for 2. Sane hits a desperation spear, and she’s pissed. She follows with chops and a dropkick, the standing double stomp follows and the cover gets 2. Kai trips her up and then destroys Sane with a big yakuza kick, which gets 2. Sane cut off the kick, attacks the knee and hits a spinning backfist. Sane up top and pulls Kai from the apron up top. Kai knocks Sane into the tree of WHOA, but Sane avoids the double stomp. Kai is favoring her knee and sane hits the flying forearm from the top, covering for 2. The sliding forearm follows, and Sane again gets 2. Kai hits the big head kick and Sane is down. She sets and charges, but misses the corner yakuza, hurting her knee again, Sane hits the Alabama slam, heads up top and hits the big elbow drop, putting Kai away. Kairi Sane defeated Dakota Kai @ 8:25 via pin [***¼] Much credit to both ladies, it’s not always easy to get the crowd this invited in a babyface vs. babyface match, but they did it. This was a good match, with Kai giving Sane a good fight, but the mistake of the missed kick (hurting the knee which she was having issues with), led to her demise.

– Next episode is Mercedes Martinez vs. Shayna Baszler & Toni Storm vs. Kairi Sane.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

I liked this episode, in ring wise it was very similar to episode 5 with lots of good, but this episode also had the advantage of the great LaRae/Baszler angle as well as the set up of the horsewomen vs. horsewomen match.