Io Shirai vs. Zeuxis
Let's get started, shall we?
Round 2 continues with @shirai_io vs. @ZeuxisLucero RIGHT NOW on @WWENetwork! #WWEMYC pic.twitter.com/Qab9DcpgGH
— Mae Young Classic (@MaeYoungClassic) October 11, 2018
Up first there is Zeuxis and Io.
Zeuxis is the heel here. They start off with a bit of jockeying for position, and a lot of fast paced action. Io has control of the match in the beginning until Zeuxis blasts Io with a forearm after an attempted springboard maneuver and then sends her flying to the floor with a fast, hard dropkick. Io is favoring her arm, which Zeuxis has honed in on, including using a short arm scissors. Hard kicks to the shoulder and a Meteora do not give Zeuxis the win she wants.
Beautiful Moonsault by @ZeuxisLucero…
…only problem is there's nobody home! #WWEMYC @shirai_io pic.twitter.com/snYyGlyO4a
— Mae Young Classic (@MaeYoungClassic) October 11, 2018
Io fights back with sudden offense and a Meteora of her own, twice. She follows with a suicide dive. Io locks in a submission of her own that is countered into a short arm scissors, into a pump handle into a michinoku driver. Zeuxis with a moonsault but misses and Io takes advantage with a dropkick going for her moonsault and she’s countered. Io counters a Spanish Fly attempt with a top rope frankensteiner, a Meteora to the back of the head, moonsault, ball game. The moonsault looked off, but Zeuxis did do her best to save it.
More from Io and Sho Funaki backstage weighing in on the familiar foe she’ll face in the next round, Deonna Purrazzo.
Thoughts: Zeuxis aggression sold it for me here. She made Io have to work for that victory, and the match was very fast paced and hard-hitting. Io and her knees looked rough, especially that Meteora to the back of Zeuxis’ head. I do hope we see a bit of offensive variation from Io next round. But it was a solid effort. Io was urgent, Zeuxis was aggressive and it told a neat story, even if the match never really left first gear and could have gone on longer.
