Mae Young Classic results, Oct. 10, 2018: Kaitlyn, Yim clash with Quarterfinal spot at stake

Io Shirai's ballistic offense collides with Zeuxis' hard-hitting power game. Video courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Just like it’s a bad idea to try to lecture Neil deGrasse Tyson about astrophysics, it’s unwise to take to the air against The Genius of the Sky.

Zeuxis found this out in her duel with Io Shirai. Although Zeuxis controlled much of the action thanks to a punishing attack that included targeting Shirai’s shoulder and dumping Shirai on her head with a nasty Michinoku Driver, the luchadora erred when she took to the top rope.

Zeuxis’ first misjudged a moonsault (Shirai’s preferred method for finishing off opponents) and wound up eating nothing but canvas. She rebounded enough to go for her signature top-rope maneuver, La Dulzura, moments later, but The Genius of the Sky countered with a hurricanrana that sent Zeuxis flying. Shirai then rammed her knees into the back of Zeuxis’ head like a battering ram before connecting with a moonsault of her own to claim the pinfall and secure her spot in the Quarterfinals.

See action-packed photos from the Oct. 10, 2018, edition of the Mae Young Classic, featuring an aerial battle between Io Shirai and Zeuxis, a duel between submission expert Deonna Purrazzo and martial arts specialist Xia Li and more.

In a battle of NXT Superstars, Deonna Purrazzo squares off with Xia Li in Second-Round action. Video courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.

Xia Li’s self-described “spicy” style of combat is known to create pain for her opponents, but this week it was Deonna Purrazzo’s submission prowess that blew up the Scoville scale.

This battle of NXT Superstars saw Purrazzo soften up Li’s left arm and shoulder in preparation for the Fujiwara Armbar. Li reversed The Virtuosa’s first attempt at the hold by rolling up Purrazzo for a near-fall. When the action returned to a standing base, Li used her educated feet to keep Purrazzo off-kilter.

Her enthusiasm got the best of her, however, when she sprang off the turnbuckles at Purrazzo. In one smooth motion, The Virtuosa dodged the attack and swept Li into the Fujiwara Armbar. Purrazzo then amplified the hold by pulling Li’s other arm like a lever, almost causing Li’s elbows to touch behind her back. The painful twist did the job, and Li submitted. With the win, Purrazzo now moves on to face Io Shirai in the Quarterfinals.

The Girl with The Shiniest Wizard takes on the ever-calculating Nicole Matthews. Video courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.

Nicole Matthews is a cagey ring general, but all the veteran knowhow in the world couldn’t prepare her for the utter unpredictability of Tegan Nox’s Shining Wizard.

Matthews seemed to have Nox’s number at various points in the match — for example, when she nailed Nox with a forearm blow as Nox soared through the ropes for a suicide dive.

However, when Matthews went for a modified Boston Crab (the same move she used to defeat Isla Dawn in round one), Nox spun free, staggered Matthews with a headbutt and crushed her with a topsy-turvy cannonball. In the blink of an eye, Nox followed up with a Shining Wizard to crumble the double-tough Canadian and take the win. Nox now looks ahead to a Quarterfinal battle against the brooding Rhea Ripley.

Kaitlyn looks to continue her comeback story against Mia Yim in the Second Round. Video courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.

It’s going to take more than a bad hand and the powerful opposition of Kaitlyn to stop Mia Yim. The Blasian Baddie, whose hand was bandaged after being injured in the First Round, pulled out the victory against the former Divas Champion in a gritty battle.

The fight went back and forth, with each woman employing a targeted strategy: Yim focused her strikes on Kaitlyn’s leg, while Kaitlyn concentrated on twisting and torquing Yim’s hand and wrist. 

Both competitors unloaded their heaviest artillery late in the match. Kaitlyn tasted Sole Food, Yim’s foot-to-face signature move, but she kicked out. In an equally amazing act of resilience, Yim stayed alive after Kaitlyn mowed her down with the Spear. Even more incredibly, Yim had the wherewithal to slip on a kneebar moments later. With her legs twisted into a pretzel and with nowhere to go, Kaitlyn tapped out.

Now that she’s eliminated the WWE veteran from the tournament, The Blasian Baddie prepares to meet Toni Storm in the Quarterfinals.