So far in WWE, there have been two Mae Young Classic tournaments, and they have seen some amazing wrestling take place. WWE brought in tons of top talent for both tournaments, and the company wasted no time in signing the vast majority to a contract.
The likes of Shayna Baszler, Rhea Ripley, and Tegan Nox all started out with the tournament and have become major stars. But what about the wrestlers that WWE passed on and chose not to sign?
10 Priscilla Kelly
Priscilla Kelly is a great wrestler who is currently putting in fantastic work for MLW and has also made appearances for AEW as well. She's a very talented wrestler who is also a great talker, and while she didn't thrive in the Mae Young Classic, she's grown massively as a talent since then.
Kelly is someone who would have been a great fit in WWE and is someone who could have really grown within the company, developing along the way.
9 Kaitlyn
When WWE brought Kaitlyn back for the Mae Young Classic, fans were really pleased to see her back. She was a big personality during her time and enjoyed a run with the Divas Championship, and she was great to see back.
However, WWE chose not to sign her for some reason. Kaitlyn could really have added some great experience, especially to the NXT stars, but she was simply left to go on and not kept, which was a mistake.
8 Hiroyo Matsumoto
Another great wrestler that WWE should have picked up was Hiroyo Matsumoto. She was part of the second Mae Young Classic and proved that she had the potential to be a major talent.
While she didn't run far in the tournament itself, Matsumoto has proven herself to be a great talent in Japan. Her in-ring work is superb, with her strong style really being something that could have worked in NXT just as it did for Asuka or Kairi Sane.
7 Ayesha Raymond
When the first Mae Young Classic took place, NXT UK was something of a pipedream for the company. However, it would have made sense if WWE had hired Ayesha Raymond at the time, as she would have fit right into the roster.
Ayesha Raymond is a really experienced talent that could have added plenty to NXT UK down the line. Helping out younger talent, Raymond would have been a smart hire on WWE's behalf, but instead, the company let her go after the tournament.
6 Allysin Kay
Allysin Kay has worked as a top star in several different places now, having thrived in TNA as Sienna, she seemed like a great choice to bring in for the Mae Young Classic. Her hard-hitting style is great fun to watch, and she's also a great talker as well.
However, rather than joining WWE, Allysin Kay ended up signing with NWA where she really has thrived. Proving she is capable of leading a women's division, it is clear that WWE missed a trick on this one.
5 Zeuxis
Zeuxis is an incredible professional wrestler, and she really offers something that nobody else on the current roster can, which is why WWE should have signed her to a contract.
Having a Lucha libre in the women's division would really make a nice change, and there is certainly a place for that right now. Even if Zeuxis wasn't set for a major push, she could still have had a strong spot in the company.
4 Aerial Monroe
While she competed as Aerial Monroe in the Mae Young Classic, most wrestling fans know her as Big Swole. While WWE passed on her, AEW didn't, and since then, she has impressed working for the newest wrestling company on the block.
Big Swole has been a big part of women's wrestling in AEW, and she has proven to be a really fantastic character. She has tons of fight and spirit and is someone who is only going to keep growing in the company, which WWE missed out on.
3 Aubrey Edwards
Even though Aubrey Edwards is technically a referee, she is still someone that WWE probably regrets not signing. Edwards worked the Mae Young Classic and also did several NXT shows, but wasn't kept on by the company.
However, she has proven herself to be one of the best referees in wrestling during her spell with AEW. She's created an amazing personality for herself, and she has proven to be very entertaining as well as someone WWE would have benefitted from having on its roster.
2 Meiko Satomura
WWE fans were incredibly excited when it was revealed that Meiko Satamoru was going to be part of the second Mae Young Classic. Satomura is one of the women's wrestlings biggest ever names, and she proved just how good she is during the tournament.
Satomura made it all the way to the semi-finals, which gave fans hope she'd be signed. She impressed and had some great performances, particularly against Toni Storm, and she could really have added to the division, but in the end, WWE opted not to sign her.
1 Tessa Blanchard
Without a doubt, when it comes to the person WWE regrets signing, Tessa Blanchard is at the top of the list. She was impressive in the original Mae Young Classic despite going out early, and it was clear she was going to be a big deal in wrestling.
Everyone expected her to join WWE, and she did make a few NXT appearances, but then the company didn't sign her. Since then, she's become arguably the biggest female wrestling star outside of WWE, even winning the men's World Title with TNA.