What’s the story?
WWE recently confirmed that it will be holding a women’s tournament on the WWE Network this year, and this has set off speculation as to who would take part. Cageside Seats has added to that speculation by reporting that one name that is widely expected to be involved in the tournament is former TNA Knockouts Champion Jade, who some fans may also know as Mia Yim.
Jade is reportedly in Orlando right now.
In case you didn’t know...
Jade made her pro wrestling debut in August 2009, and signed with TNA in 2015, debuting as part of The Dollhouse, after impressing in CZW and Shine Wrestling. Jade quickly broke away from the group to become a singles star, and in April 2016 she defeated Gail Kim and Madison Rayne in a triple threat match to win her only TNA Knockouts Championship.
Jade/Mia Yim has long been considered one of the top women’s wrestlers on the planet, and her presence in the tournament would be a big deal, to say the least.
The heart of the matter
The success of the WWE Cruiserweight Classic in 2016 has opened up many doors for WWE, with many division and geography-specific tournaments planned for the future. After the United Kingdom Champion tournament took place in January to great critical acclaim, the promotion confirmed over WrestleMania weekend that it will be holding a 32-competitor women’s tournament later this year.
Women’s wrestling has exploded in coverage over the last couple of years, and as a result, fans are more aware of some of the great independent performers plying their trade outside of WWE.
In January of this year, Jade announced that she would not be re-signing with TNA, and this gave rise to speculation that it was only a matter of time before she arrived in WWE in some form.
Jade currently resides in Orlando, the same city in which the WWE Performance Center is located, and her participation in the Full Sail-based tournament makes sense for all parties involved.
What’s next?
WWE is yet to announce any of the names scheduled to take part in the tournament, but when the announcement comes, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Mia Yim listed. The former TNA Knockouts and Shine Wrestling champion is one of the top female wrestlers in the world today, and it is unlikely that WWE will overlook a performer of her calibre, especially considering that she is currently unsigned.
Author’s take
Having been a big fan of Mia Yim for over half a decade it would be a huge thrill to see her perform inside a WWE ring. She would almost certainly be a favourite to win the tournament, and one can only hope that this ends with her signing a full-time performer contract with the company.
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