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What's the story?
After yesterday's news that former Diva's Champion Kaitlyn will return to WWE to participate in the 2018 Mae Young Classic, the competitor announcements are now coming thick and fast.
The first Superstar to return from the first edition of the tournament has now been confirmed - as NXT's Rhea Ripley has been announced for the show, as per WWE Australia and South Adelaide newspaper The Advertiser.
In case you didn't know...
Rhea Ripley signed to the WWE Performance Center last summer ahead of the first Mae Young Classic where she was the youngest competitor involved. The 5-foot-7 powerhouse slammed her way into the second round of the competition when she defeated Miranda Salinas with a full-nelson slam before falling to New Zealand’s Dakota Kai, also currently signed to NXT, in a closely fought match.
According to WWE, Ripley, who competed in Japan before joining NXT, is considered one of the strongest women in the WWE PC weight room - which is definitely backed up in the video below. Ripley also bears a huge unique similarity to Nikki Bella, as her strong striking ability can be traced back to her soccer playing background.
The heart of the matter
WWE has confirmed today that NXT’s Rhea Ripley will make her second appearance in the Mae Young Classic, competing alongside 31 other women on WWE Network later this summer - one of which being former WWE Divas Champion Kaitlyn.
Ripley’s hometown newspaper - The Advertiser in Adelaide, South Australia - reported that the 21-year-old will also take part in the international tournament, with Ripley herself retweeting it and added her own determined reaction.
The Australian NXT star then added another tweet, possibly hinting at the continuation of a rivalry from her appearance in the first ever Mae Young Classic with New Zealand's Dakota Kai.
What's next?
Well, the names are coming thick and fast now, with WWE hinting that more names will be announced very soon!
The Mae Young Classic will begin on Wednesday, August 8 and finish on Thursday, August 9 and will take place at Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida. There is no news yet as to when it will be available on WWE Network, with rumours saying the end of the summer is most likely.
What do you think about Rhea Ripley's involvement, and who else would you like to see announced for the Mae Young Classic? Let us know in the comments.
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