A great Mae Young Classic will end with Toni Storm v. Io Shirai at Evolution

Celebrating women’s wrestling is what WWE Evolution is all about. Adding an epic Mae Young Classic final to the card just elevates that goal.

After weeks of great matches on the WWE Network, Toni Storm and Io Shirai face off to determine the second winner of the inaugural Mae Young Classic. Two of the best the world has to offer, Toni and Io’s journey to this moment is surely one to remember.

Last year, it was all but certain that Io would be a member of the WWE team prior to the first MYC. She didn’t end up being in it due to a neck injury and a heart issue, and was able to return to Japan. While there, WWE was able to see her thrive, looking as healthy as ever. Having both Io and Kairi Sane in the fold is any fans dream, and the MYC is a way to bring them together again, if she were to win.

In the tournament, Io was able to beat Xia Brookside, Zeuxis and Deonna Purrazzo. A last-minute change gave Io a tough challenge in Rhea Ripley. Tegan Nox was expected to face Io, but she injured herself in the match against Rhea. This last-minute match did very well, and helped propel Io to the finals.

On the other side, you have Toni Storm. Her overall charisma just oozes superstar in WWE. Traveling all over the world, Toni has made a name for herself as one of the most decorated female wrestlers of the past few years. Winning titles in Progress, IPW and Stardom, the Mae Young Classic was made for her. Last year, Toni impressed in the first MYC tournament, beating Ayesha Raymond, Lacey Evans and Piper Niven, before losing to eventual winner Kairi Sane. This year, Toni came back with a vengeance.

In what is considered a stacked Mae Young Classic, Toni beat Jinny, Hiroyo Matsumoto, Mia Yim and the legendary Meiko Satomura to get to the finals. Now, she faces off against an opponent she is very familiar with in Io.

We can talk about the other matches on the Evolution card, but these two may end up giving fans the match of the night. It is a clash of two styles that are different but feel similar. In front of a fresh crowd of passionate fans, who are into giving women’s wrestling a chance, this showcase might be the one WWE needs to achieve their goal.

For both Io and Toni, this is another match with a goal greater than a title to claim. Women’s wrestling is stronger than ever, and these two are at the forefront of true change.