Toni Storm hunts for the biggest victory of her career as she takes on the iconic Meiko Satomura in the Mae Young Classic Semifinals. Video courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.
Show
Mae Young Classic
Results
Time and location
Wednesday, Oct 24 | 9/8 PMC
Full Sail University
Winter Park, FL
Toni Storm triumphs in hard-hitting Mae Young Classic Final at WWE Evolution
Toni Storm has finally arrived. After a bitterly disappointing semifinal exit from the 2017 Mae Young Classic, the five-tool “Aussie Storm” defeated Japanese icon Io Shirai in a hard-hitting tournament final at WWE Evolution to win the 2018 all-women’s tournament.
Mae Young Classic Results : Quick Hits
Mae Young Classic Results : Full Details
Toni Storm def. Meiko Satomura in a Semifinal Match
ORLANDO, Fla. — In the biggest match of her career, Toni Storm not only took down decorated world-beater Meiko Satomura, but she also punched her ticket to the Mae Young Classic Final this Sunday at WWE Evolution.
The Semifinal clash was every bit as hard-hitting as it was expected to be. Satomura used her vast arsenal of strikes and submissions to push Storm to the brink of defeat, but The Lightning Down Under didn’t waver. Storm even trapped Satomura in a submission hold for more than a minute midway through the match, sapping the legend of energy and putting her in true jeopardy for the first time in the tournament.
As the excitement in Full Sail Live rose to a fever pitch, so did the action. Satomura kicked out after being hit with the Storm Driver, prompting cries of “This is awesome!” Storm, meanwhile, stayed alive after absorbing two of Satomura’s most devastating moves, the Death Valley Driver and the Scorpion Kick, much to the amazement of the WWE Universe. Satomura’s intensity kicked up a gear as she attempted a second Death Valley Driver, but Storm dug deep and countered with another Storm Zero, which put the icon down for the count.
Storm and Satomura tearfully embraced after the match, and WWE COO Triple H arrived to show his respect to Satomura before she returned to the locker room. Meanwhile, Storm (who was presented with flowers by inaugural Classic winner and reigning NXT Women’s Champion Kairi Sane) savored her career-defining victory, thanking the WWE fans for their continued support as she lives out her childhood dream.
Io Shirai def. Rhea Ripley in a Semifinal Match
Against the highly touted Io Shirai in the Semifinals, Rhea Ripley executed her ruthless game plan to near perfection. The Aussie with a bad attitude exploited her obvious strength advantage and was merciless in her drubbing of Shirai, causing Shirai to cry out in agony. Ripley tried to rob Shirai of breath as she targeted her ribs and did everything in her power to prevent The Genius of the Sky from taking to the air.
Despite enduring tremendous punishment, Shirai found a path to victory and emerged with her hand raised, setting the stage for a Mae Young Classic Final showdown against Toni Storm.
Shirai’s performance will go down in history as one of the grittiest comebacks ever witnessed inside the squared circle. After enduring Ripley’s onslaught for minutes on end, Shirai found enough of an opening to string together a sensational series of moves, culminating with a 619 and a missile dropkick, but that garnered only a near-fall.
Ripley prevented Shirai from attempting her Asai Moonsault and sent Shirai flying head over heels with a sky-high superplex. She then went for Snake Eyes, but Shirai slid out of harm’s way and threw Ripley into the steel ring post. Shirai quickly followed up with a Meteora and then, finally, soared through the air with the Asai Moonsault for the win.
Exhausted yet elated, Shirai was immediately congratulated and hugged by her longtime friend Kairi Sane. The Genius of the Sky then vowed to reign victorious this Sunday at WWE Evolution, before coming face-to-face and shaking hands with Storm on the entrance stage just days before they battle over the 2018 Mae Young Classic trophy at WWE’s first-ever all-women’s pay-per-view.
Toni Storm def. Io Shirai to win the 2018 Mae Young Classic
UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Toni Storm has finally arrived. After a bitterly disappointing semifinal exit from the 2017 Mae Young Classic, the five-tool “Aussie Storm” defeated Japanese icon Io Shirai in a hard-hitting tournament final at WWE Evolution to win the 2018 all-women’s tournament.
In a match that encompassed the entirety of both competitors’ very deep arsenals, Storm came at Shirai looking to keep The Genius of the Sky from taking flight, but Shirai — deservedly counted among the best competitors in the world — surprised her opponent by grounding Storm with submissions. The high-flying came soon enough, however: Storm scaled the turnbuckle, and Shirai capitalized on her position with a dropkick that knocked the Australian to the outside before following up with a gorgeous moonsault.
Storm, however, had a specialty of her own: Suplexes. The Lightning Down Under dumped Shirai on the ring apron with a belly-to-back that slowed her opponent’s momentum … or so she thought. Shirai kicked out of the first Storm Zero of the contest and surged back in a major way, dropping the Aussie with a 619 in homage to Rey Mysterio before stepping over her, Iverson-style, en route to an Asai Moonsault attempt. But Storm got her knees up as Shirai swooped down, and she pounced moments later with a second Storm Zero to win the match and the Mae Young Classic.
The two competitors embraced in the middle of the ring following the match, while Triple H, Stephanie McMahon and Sara Amato presented Storm with bouquets and the Mae Young Classic trophy. Both Storm and Shirai bowed in the middle of the ring, ending the Mae Young Classic with a fitting image. Win or lose, in many ways this night belonged to both. But the future belongs to Toni Storm.
