By Dan Murphy and Matthew Hollie
5’1’’, 121, Monterrey, Mexico
2016 PWI Female 50 Ranking: n/a
Previous wrestling identity: Princess Sugey
Bio: Lucha libre star is the “grizzled vet” of the field, having made her pro wrestling debut in 1996. A lucha fan since childhood, she trained under Bello Kalifa, Carnicero Aguilar, and Centurion Negro. Known for her signature butterfly-styled mask, Sugehit has competed all over Mexico, including AAA, CMLL (where she held the REINA International title and currently holds the National women’s title), and Lucha Libre Feminil where she held the extreme, juvenil, and tag team titles. In 2004, she won the first ChickFight tournament, scoring wins over Candice LeRae, Nikki Roxx, and Cheerleader Melissa.
Style: Primarily a mat-based technician with a strong repertoire of submission locks and lightning quick cradles and roll-ups at her disposal.
What to Watch For: Chain-wrestling and quick roll-ups that will likely keep most off the competition back-pedaling. The Michinoku Driver and the hurricanrana are two of her go-to finishers.
Biggest Strength: Superior counter-wrestler. An opponent might be able to apply a hold to Sugehit, but good luck holding on to it. She knows escapes and counters to moves many of the rest of the field have never seen.
Biggest Weakness: Susceptible to early pinfalls. In Mexico, many of Sugehit’s singles matches tend to be best-of-three falls, and she has a habit of losing the first fall only to rally back and win the second two. Perhaps it’s her way of feeling out an opponent. There’s no room for that kind of thinking in a single-elimination tournament, and old habits die hard.
Diva-Dirt Odds of Winning: 10: 1
Summary: Sugehit is an interesting attraction, and a win over her is going to be a feather in the cap for anyone who’s able to put her shoulders to the mat. However, her age (37), style, and look are not currently what’s in vogue in today’s WWE. She would make for a very unlikely victor.
5‘8’’, 112, Glasgow
2016 PWI Female 50 Ranking: 28
Bio: Long-rumored to be on the short list of potential WWE prospects, the redheaded Scottish lass is a two-time Queen of Southside champion, Scottish women’s champion, and the reigning Insane Championship Wrestling women’s champion. One of SHIMMER’s most popular competitors, she has challenged for both the Heart of SHIMMER title and the tag title (with partner Mia Yim), but has yet to win gold in the U.S. She has had runs in SHINE and STARDOM and participated in TNA’s British Boot Camp in 2014, alongside Nikki Cross.
Style: SLAM! Wrestling one described her as a cross between Sabu and Lita, and we think that’s a pretty apt comparison. A high-flier known for doing “stupid stuff” (her words), Ray makes up for a lack of power with a variety thrilling daredevil dives and high-risk moves.
What to Watch For: Keeps opponents flummoxed with suicide dives and stiff kicks before going to the Gory Bomb for the win. If that doesn’t work, look for Ray to mount the ropes for a swanton. That usually does the trick.
Biggest Strength: High-energy, fearless offensive attacks. A natural babyface, Ray always brings the excitement.
Biggest Weakness: High risks can bring high rewards … but there’s a reason why they’re high-risk. If Ray misses on one of her signature dives or gets caught on the top rope and slammed, that’s likely to be the end of the match. Much like Jeff Hardy, she has shown a propensity to value entertaining the fans more than getting her hand raised when the bill rings.
Diva-Dirt Odds of Winning: 1:15
Summary: Regardless of her success in the MYC, Ray has a tremendous upside. She could bring a new aerial element to the NXT/WWE women’s divisions.
5’10”, 130, Parris Island
2016 PWI Female 50 Ranking: n/a
Previous wrestling identity: Macey Estrella, Macey Evans, Ruby Mobs
Bio: A former United States Marine, Lacey Evans has all the tools to be one of the best women’s wrestlers today. She signed with WWE in September 2014.
Style: Lacey has a technical style, more suited for her military pin-up persona.
What to Watch For: Armbar
Biggest Strength: Technically Sound. If five years in the military taught her anything, it has to be efficient on both sides of the battle.
Biggest Weakness: Promo. Needs plenty of work on that one.
Diva-Dirt Odds of Winning: 4:1
Summary: It’s one thing to serve her country, is another to becoming a star in women’s wrestling. I see Lacey as like a Michelle McCool-type athlete who works hard to get to where she is today.
5’9″, 139, Haryana
2016 PWI Female 50 Ranking: n/a
Bio: Kavita Devi may be new to this industry, but in the past she was a weightlifting champion in her native homeland of India. A student of former WWE Superstar The Great Khali, Kavita is bound to be a star in the making.
Style: Unknown. She’s an X factor. She’s likely to rely primarily on power, but there isn’t a lot of film to scout on her yet.
What to Watch For: Nothing as of yet.
Biggest Strength: Strength. Hence the fact she was a champion weightlifter.
Biggest Weakness: Inexperienced. She may be green, but she will be able to go with the flow of the match.
Diva-Dirt Odds of Winning: 1:15
Summary: While Davita has the least experience of the field, but she makes up for it with her ability to learn quickly. Look for that to be her advantage. The Mae Young Classic should be a learning experience for her. Any success she experiences along the way is gravy.
