The WWE has confirmed the next wave of competitors slated to participate in next month’s inaugural Mae Young Classic Women’s Tournament, announcing five more names via an ESPN exclusive this Thursday.
Tessa Blanchard, Abbey Laith (formerly Kimber Lee), Alpha Female (Jazzy Gabbert), Taynara Conti and Kavita Devi will all be among the 32-woman tournament field. The five women join previously confirmed participants Lacey Evans, Toni Storm, Sarah Logan and Princesa Sugehit, who were announced last week.
Videos by PopCulture.com
The growing list indicates that the upcoming tournament will feature talent from around the world, similar to last year’s Cruiserweight Classic WWE network exclusive. Confirmed participants include international stars from both independent wrestling and fighting sports alike, as well as recent NXT recruits and legacy names that may be familiar to WWE fans.
Tessa Blanchard is a third generation star with roots steeped in professional wrestling. The 21-year-old is the daughter of Tully Blanchard (one of the original Four Horsemen), the stepdaughter of NWA standout Magnum TA and granddaughter of Joe Blanchard, who trained Dusty Rhodes.
Hailing from Charlotte, North Carolina, Blanchard has competed in the UK, China and Japan, trained with 205 Live superstar Cedric Alexander, and garnered praise from The Rock for her work in the upcoming movie about WWE superstar Paige, “Fighting With My Family”
Up Next: Several Names Confirmed For Mae Young Classic
Abbey Laith (fka Kimber Lee) is arguably the most decorated of the five announced contestants, having been the first woman to hold the Chikara Grand Championship, as well as being a long-tenured tag team champion everywhere from Shine to Shimmer to WSU. She has previously appeared in NXT including a recent match with Ruby Riot and in a battle royal to determine the No. 1 contender to the NXT women’s championship.
Jazzy Gabbert, better known as Germany’s “Alpha Female,” has been wrestling for sixteen years and picked up the accolades to show for it, being a former Pro-Wrestling:EVE Champion and World of Stardom Champion. She has also competed in TNA/Impact and professional MMA.
Taynara Conti and Kavita Devi are both newcomers to WWE. Hailing from Brazil and India, these international stand-outs have backgrounds in judo, powerlifting, and MMA. Devi was trained by WWE superstar The Great Khali, and is a key player in his Continental Wrestling Entertainment promotion as Hard KD.
In addition to these five, it’s been confirmed that NXT talents Bianca Blair and Daniella Kamela have qualified for the tournament, where they will appear as Bianca BelAir and Vanessa Borne, respectively. WWE superstar Becky Lynch has recently fueled rumors that UFC fighter Shayna Baszler will be a participant, and ex-WWE wrestler Serena Deeb is supposedly in talks as well.
With the three weeks until the Mae Young Classic tapings take place — and twenty-three more contestants to be announced — more names should be expected soon.
[H/T ESPN, Cageside Seats]
More: WWE’s Natalya Names her Favorite and Most Feared Opponents
