After unveiling its latest round of recruits, WWE is now announcing one of them will take part in the Mae Young Classic II along with Performance Center hopefuls.
Joining the latest names are Deonna Purrazzo, Tegan Knox, Jessica Elban, and Reina Gonzalez.
Here’s what WWE had to say about each woman:
Tegan Nox: Making her long-awaited WWE Network debut will be Tegan Nox, from Welsh Valleys, South Wales. Nicknamed “The Girl with The Shiniest Wizard,” the 23-year-old Nox signed with WWE last summer after spending several years wowing audiences throughout the United Kingdom and beyond. Weeks after arriving at the WWE PC, however, Nox tore her ACL in practice, which put her on the shelf for 10 months and prevented her from competing in the inaugural Mae Young Classic. After a lengthy rehabilitation, Nox finally debuted at an NXT Live Event earlier this year and hasn’t looked back. Will the ever-exciting Nox — who is known for her daredevil maneuvers inside the ring, as well as her devastating Shining Wizard knee strike — make up for lost time in this year’s tournament?
Deonna Purrazzo: As originally announced by Sporting News, new signee Deonna Purrazzo, who reported for training this week at the WWE PC, will also compete in this year’s 32-woman tournament. Going by the moniker of “Virtuosa” on the independent scene, the 24-year-old Purrazzo is widely hailed for her highly technical in-ring style. Making her pro debut in 2013, Purrazzo has wrestled throughout the United States, as well as in Japan, England, Puerto Rico and Canada, and she is known for finishing off opponents with her favorite hold, the Fujiwara Armbar.
“I know everyone, all the girls here, are so excited for this Mae Young Classic,” Purrazzo told Sporting News in an exclusive interview. “To be able to work with them and to try to further women’s wrestling together, I’ve very excited for that.”
Jessica Elaban: Also vying for the 2018 the Mae Young Classic trophy is former collegiate volleyball player and NXT rookie Jessica Elaban. Standing 5-foot-10, the rangy Elaban has been pegged as an up-and-comer to watch since joining the WWE PC last May. An athlete her entire life, Elaban also excelled at soccer, basketball, track and dance before setting her sights on the squared circle. Having spent the past year learning under the WWE PC’s world-class coaching staff, Elaban looks to prove that she can hang with the world’s best female wrestlers, despite being a relative newcomer to the ring.
Reina González:Returning to the Mae Young Classic is hard-hitting powerhouse Reina González, a second-generation wrestler from Texas. The 6-foot-tall daughter of Ricky “Desperado” González, Reina played basketball at Sam Houston State University before following in her father’s footsteps. She joined the WWE Performance Center in October 2016 and participated in the inaugural Mae Young Classic last summer, where she battled Nicole Savoy in the First Round. Though she came up short in that outing, González was praised by WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross for her rugged aggression.
These competitors join previously announced women including:
- Kaitlyn
- Rhea Ripley
- Io Shirai
- Nicole Matthews
- Jinny
- Kacy Catanzaro
Mae Young Classic II tapings will take place on Wednesday, August 8th and Thursday, August 9th from Full Sail Live in Orlando, Florida.
WWE will be revealing more participants in the coming weeks.
What do you think of these four competitors? Who do you want to see them face off against? Are you excited? Sound off in the comments below.
