WWE Evolution: 10 Things WWE Got Right

6. The Card Placement For That Mae Young Classic Final

Toni Storm Io Shirai
WWE.com

For an example of the importance this Mae Young Classic tournament holds in WWE, look at the card placement of Toni Storm vs. Io Shirai.

They were on third, coming after the opening nostalgia kick of seeing Trish Stratus and Lita do their thing and the spot-heavy Battle Royal. In that sense then, Storm and Shirai had the spotlight all to themselves as the first one-on-one match Evolution had. That, my friends, is one hell of a show of confidence from the decision-makers.

Fans in Uniondale were right up for the kind of back-and-forth efforts the MYC has become known for over the past two years. Although Storm vs. Shirai ended up being rather short at a touch over 10 minutes, it ticked every box, and it was clear both women could easily work twice as long without losing any match momentum.

This was a featured spot for Storm (in particular). Despite being the star of the segment however, WWE subtly shone a deserved light on Mae Young's legacy. It was only right that she'd have a stiff match to honour her own ruggedness.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.