Round 2, Episode 1
Rachel Evers vs. Abbey Laith
We hoped round two would include at least a few more advanced spots and we weren’t disappointed; there was a dive pretty early in this match (albeit not the prettiest one we’ve ever seen). Rachel Evers showed a bit more offensive ability than she did in the first round; however, it was not enough to conquer Abbey Laith.
Winner: Abbey Laith
Piper Niven vs. Serena Deeb
With two of the bigger names in the tournament featured, this match was noticeably longer than the one previous, and these girls made the most of it. Piper Niven’s move set is entertaining to watch, highly reminiscent of Kevin Owens’, and Serena Deeb showed a ton of endurance, kicking out of some nasty spots. In the end, Niven moved on to the quarterfinals with an impressive Michinoku Driver.
Winner: Piper Niven
Mercedes Martinez vs. Princesa Sugehit
This was a fast paced match and both of these ladies are clearly talented, but we expected more from round two. These two didn’t have the best chemistry and the entire match was kind of sloppy, including the abrupt finish.
Winner: Mercedes Martinez
Bianca Belair vs. Kairi Sane
Holla if ya hear me! Bianca Belair is obviously a Big Poppa Pump freak and we were digging it. She garnered some massive heel heat bullying Sane for the majority of their time in the ring together. There were several near falls in Bianca’s favor, including a stunning 450 near the end, but it wasn’t enough to bring down the ball of piratey sunshine and her magnificent elbow drop.
Winner: Kairi Sane
Round 2, Episode 2
Toni Storm vs. Lacey Evans
This bout featured a fairly even back and forth with quite a few counters and reversals. It was fun from start to finish, Toni Storm narrowly escaping with her Strong Zero.
Winner: Toni Storm
Shayna Baszler vs. Mia Yim
Shayna Baszler kept up her ultra heel reputation, refusing the pre-match handshake once again. We saw the second dive of the tournament, which was cool, but the best spot was the finish: Baszler caught Mia Yim out of a 450 with a rear naked choke she calls the Kirifuda Driver.
Winner: Shayna Baszler
Rhea Ripley vs. Dakota Kai
Rhea Ripley used the size difference to her advantage, dominating Dakota Kai for the majority of this match. Kai eventually made a comeback with a series of kicks and won the match with a double stomp from the top rope.
Winner: Dakota Kai
Nicole Savoy vs. Candice LeRae
Nicole Savoy was much better this week against Candice LeRae, as we suspected she would be. It’s no surprise that Candice was the one to move on to the quarterfinals, as she is one of the most talented, over wrestlers in the tournament.
Winner: Candice LeRae
Round 3 (Quarterfinals)
Abbey Laith vs. Mercedes Martinez
This match had a good story with Mercedes Martinez as the dirty heel and Abbey Laith as the persevering face. After some good back and forth, a few high impact spots, and tons of dirty offense from Martinez, she defeated Laith and moved on to the semi-finals.
Winner: Mercedes Martinez
Candice LeRae vs. Shayna Baszler
Both of these women put on an excellent show for this bout. The suicide dive into the DDT from Candice LeRae was one of the coolest spots in the entire competition. As much as we hated seeing Candice lose, it was the perfect way for Shayna to really cement her heel status. Baszler going back to kick an unconscious LeRae long after the match had ended was a great spot.
Winner: Shayna Baszler
Toni Storm vs. Piper Niven
These two had some fun with their face vs. face match, at one point shaking hands after a series of near falls. Despite being quite literally crushed by Piper Niven throughout the entire match, Toni Storm defeated Niven with a suplex off the top rope followed by a leg drop.
Winner: Toni Storm
Dakota Kai vs. Kairi Sane
She waited until the quarterfinals, but Kairi Sane unveiled her spear against Dakota Kai. It really is impressive that there is so much power in such a tiny person. Dakota Kai also got in a lot of good offense, Kairi Sane’s victory was probably the hardest fought thus far.
Winner: Kairi Sane
Round 4 (Semi-Finals)
Shayna Baszler vs. Mercedes Martinez
From the very start, it was clear that these two have history together. They were able to be pretty stiff with each other and both had strong performances. Shayna Baszler won yet again with her grisly rear naked choke.
Winner: Shayna Baszler
Kairi Sane vs. Toni Storm
This was an intense and physical bout featuring a number of high-risk spots. Kairi Sane always impresses and we can see Toni Storm going places with her talent and glam metal/party gimmick, but it’s not her time quite yet. Overall, a fantastic match between two future superstars.
Winner: Kairi Sane
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