The Genius of the Sky and The Virtuosa collide in a clinic of scientific wrestling. Video courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.

To say Io Shirai and Deonna Purrazzo had each other well-scouted ahead of their Quarterfinal showdown would be a gross understatement. In a brilliant display of back-and-forth technical wrestling, The Genius of the Sky and The Virtuosa kept up with each other move-for-move, leaving the WWE Universe in complete awe.   

Shirai took big risks, including a suicide dive and a springboard dropkick, while Purrazzo’s methodical mat attack threatened to eliminate Shirai from tournament competition. There was no closer call than when Purrazzo, after drilling Shirai with three consecutive German suplexes, locked in the Fujiwara Armbar in the match’s waning moments. Mustering all the strength she could find, Shirai came back from the verge of tapping out and countered with a crossface. Purrazzo escaped the hold, but there was no avoiding the knee strike that followed. Shirai then fired off a Meteora in the corner before taking flight with an Asai Moonsault to claim the hard-fought victory.