Four more participants confirmed for WWE Mae Young Classic


WWE has confirmed four more participants for the 2018 Mae Young Classic.
After reporting to the Performance Center this week, Deonna Purrazzo has been officially announced for the tournament. Tegan Nox (the former Nixon Newell), Jessie Elaban, and Reina Gonzalez were also confirmed for the Mae Young Classic today.
Purrazzo was one of the alternates for the first Mae Young Classic and was included in a dark match at last year’s tapings. She wrestled for Ring of Honor, Stardom, and independent promotions both in the United States and internationally before signing with WWE. She was originally scheduled to wrestle at All In this September, but her going to WWE means that she won’t be able to be on the show.
Nox is from Wales and wrestled on the UK indies and internationally before signing with WWE in 2017. She was supposed to be in the first Mae Young Classic, but a torn ACL prevented her from being in the tournament. She returned to the ring at an NXT house show this April and recently got her new WWE name.
Elaban and Gonzalez are both signed to WWE and regularly wrestle on NXT house shows. Gonzalez lost to Nicole Savoy in the first round of last year’s tournament.
Kaitlyn, Rhea Ripley, Io Shirai, Nicole Matthews, Jinny, Kacy Catanzaro, Purrazzo, Nox, Elaban, and Gonzalez have now been confirmed for this year’s tournament. It will feature 32 participants and will be taped at Full Sail University on August 8 and 9.