Ringbelles Roundup (12 February 2013) – WSU, Saraya Knight, Serena Deeb, TNA Gut Check & more

The two big stories coming out of Women Superstars Uncensored’s An Ultraviolent Affair were Jessicka Havok retaining the WSU Championship by beating Athena with a top rope Air Raid Crash, and LuFisto defeating Mercedes Martinez in a Falls Count Anywhere match to become the next number one contender. However, after the latter match, a double-turn took place, with Mercedes Martinez turning heel and LuFisto turning babyface.

As a result, Martinez is now the aggressor in all the big-name women’s promotions in North America. Previously, WSU had been the exception to the rule, with her smiling and playing nice while in SHIMMER, NCW Femmes Fatales and SHINE, she was hankering for the jeers of the fans. Likewise, WSU was the only place where LuFisto was working heel. What that now means is that there is a status quo amongst the big players on the continent, so fans don’t have to work out whether they should be cheering or booing somebody. While this makes it easier on the audience, does it create a natural harmony that isn’t necessarily needed?

What I mean by that is that having it being deliberately jarring, it set WSU away from the pack, making their own rules about the wrestling world. Instead of falling in line with everyone else, it stood under its own spotlight, and also allowed fans of the Hart Foundation feuds in 1997 to get a bit of nostalgia from the Canadian hero LuFisto being booed against the rugged American in Mercedes Martiez, with the roles switched in Femmes Fatales. They were some fun times, as you could certainly tell when the WWF was holding Raw or a PPV in Canada or the US based on the reaction of the wrestlers on the show. Plus, it gives some wrestlers a chance to use their characters in a different way – for example, how often do you see LuFisto wrestle heel these days?

On the flip side though, the double turn is logical for where WSU may want to go for title challenges for Havok. LuFisto as a heel against a heel Havok would leave fans confused as to who to support, while Havok v Martinez has been done to death for now and is in need of a rest. In addition, Mercedes has done pretty much everything you can do as a babyface in WSU. Having held the title for just shy of three years, then challenging to win it back and entering a heated feud with a new interloper, she had achieved all she could as someone at the top of the card. Admittedly, she will now be the number two heel in the promotion behind Havok, but that’s correct considering who holds the belt right now. While it seems to fall in line with what other promotions may be doing, WSU has a direction and a goal in mind, though this writer doesn’t think the trigger should be pulled on Havok v LuFisto just yet…

Fantasy booking alert, everyone.

Instead, how about this: Former heated rivals WSU Champion Jessicka Havok and Mercedes Martinez team up against a common enemy in LuFisto, who enlists the help of protege and friend Kalamity. Have the Canadians win, and that sets up LuFisto/Havok, and also has WSU working with the Femmes Fatales storyline of Kalamity defending her International Championship against Martinez on March 1 in Montreal, which could spill back into the US. Regardless of whether it’s Havok pinned or Martinez, Jessicka can assert that despite losing, that was a tag match where the title wasn’t on the line, and in a singles contest, LuFisto is facing a different sort of challenge. Plus, it makes the championship reign look in jeopardy and gives the programme more time to simmer.

Either way, I’m intrigued as to where WSU goes with Havok v LuFisto, as it has all the makings of a titanic clash that hasn’t happened anywhere yet. I’m sure quite a few fans would pay to see that one live.

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Back in the day, wrestlers used to consider it something to be proud of to be spit on, have fans come after you and possibly attack you. Some wrestlers have been stabbed or shot at by audience members – which in a weird way is good for business, and shows that whatever you’re doing to antagonise them is working. Since most fans are now clued up to wrestling being a work and more about the art of what is going on rather than being a legitimate sporting contest, that has faded, though if you do a Twitter search for a wrestler’s name, you can still see elements of fans getting really pissed off by what someone is doing – CM Punk being an obvious example. In a weird way, getting directly insulted online seems to be the new badge of honour.

Saraya Knight seems to have managed to tick both boxes, in a roundabout way.

As SHIMMER Volume 53 approaches – with her defending the title against Cheerleader Melissa in a steel cage – the volatile Brit has revealed that she has received some pretty inflammatory messages, as she explains in this post on the promotion’s Facebook group:

For your favourite little Tinkerbell to be champion they have to beat me!!!! All the clapping, cheering and yelling in the world isn’t gonna make them all of a sudden beat me to become Shimmer Champion. I am not giving that belt up easily and will do what I have to do to keep it!! So stop with the private messages threatening me and the death threats, I really don’t give a shit but I will hunt you down, rip your heads off and piss down your necks!

It’s a statement that shows the mettle of a 20+ year veteran. After all, as she has told this website in previous podcasts, she has been attacked by gypsies, had her kneecap torn off and went blind for a month and a half. While some may get unnerved by overzealous fans making threats online, she’s taking it in her stride – much like wrestlers of yesteryear, seeing it as a weird compliment that you’re doing your job as a heel properly, especially when you must imagine that wrestling fans on the Internet know that wrestling is a work. As a result, you would think that they would know better, but when someone sucks you in, you lose all sense of what’s real and what’s not – probably why some like the idea of being scared witless by horror movies.

However, where there is someone who is hated, there is a counter-balance, with someone who is loved to the nth degree. She returns on April 6.

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As documented earlier, Serena Deeb makes her return to wrestling on SHIMMER volume 53, a year and a half after suffering a massive concussion during her match on volume 44. Nobody would have blamed you if you thought this day would never come, considering how bad the injury was, and the length of time she has stayed away from wrestling, save for a recorded piece for SHIMMER last March. However, she ventured into New Jersey on Saturday to visit the Pro Wrestling Syndicate show headlined by Jerry Lynn against Lance Storm, tweeting that she was “Blown away by the clinic put on” by both men, and ending it with “I love wrestling. Grateful to have seen that”. In retrospect, we may have Lynn and Storm to thank for Deeb making the final decision to return.

Despite the basis of Portia Perez’s argument against her during their feud, Serena Deeb IS SHIMMER. Her growth from a face on the undercard to a fiery competitor, main eventer and asset to the shows was a great story of development, and the reaction when she returned to the promotion on volume 33 on September 11, 2010 may be one of the loudest and most visceral reactions I have ever been a part of. She is beloved, and I can’t help but ponder the prospect of ultimate heel Saraya Knight standing across a ring from ultimate babyface Serena Deeb. The mere concept is exciting – I can’t fathom what the reality would be like.

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“In January, we launched the Gut Check Challenge as an online competition to give many independent wrestling stars a chance to showcase their talents and potentially earn a spot on the IMPACT WRESTLING roster.

However, due to a number of issues with the voting – and in fairness to all the competitors – we have decided to suspend the Gut Check Challenge.

We will be re-launching the contest in the near future with a new voting system that will eliminate the voting issues. Stay tuned to our website for updates – and thank you for your continued support of TNA and IMPACT WRESTLING.”

We’ve had our reservations over the whole Gut Check vote, but decided to give it the benefit of the doubt, despite the fact that TNA announced four different start dates before it officially kicked off. Even before it officially started, the polls were up and open for anyone to see and have a say on before all the votes were void ahead of the start of the legitimate poll. Once it was launched, a number of names started heavily campaigning for fans’ support – LuFisto, for example, was running away with things in her bracket.

And then, a glitch happened which meant that multiple voting could occur. Rather than sort the problem, TNA noticed too late, meaning that many duplicate votes had been rendered – presumably with no way to establishing which were surplus and which were the original vote. As a result, TNA decided to let it go, but the problem with that is that it no longer resembles any kind of democracy – it’s just a case of flooding the poll by voting, and voting again and again and again. Essentially, it boils down to how many times someone can sit in front of their computer and repeat the process ad nauseam.

Sticking with LuFisto’s case, she went from runaway leader to 5th in her bracket. Despite TNA also moving the goalposts to allow the top three names to go through, it meant that she would have not made it into the subsequent rounds. As mentioned last week, it was at this point that she and Athena threw in the towel, and I called it a farce. Resetting the data just illustrates that TNA felt that way too.

So far, no date has been set to start the vote again – though it will likely move a number of times before it begins – but considering so many wrestlers and fans have had their fingers burned by this, does anybody have any belief in the Gut Check vote anymore? Nobody could blame you if you don’t, as what was purported to be an opportunity for a lucky someone has degenerated into something that is considered a joke.

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Elsewhere on the site, we have matches from Santana Garrett and the Beautiful People before their TNA days. In addition, we reviewed ACW’s American Joshi Queen Of Queens 2012. Click the links to check them out.

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The best of the rest

WWE
Bill DeMott praised fellow trainer Sara Del Rey for her work with the Divas… Cameron made her in-ring debut on WWE Main Event, teaming with fellow Funkadactyl Naomi to beat Tamina Snuka & Aksana… After their match at the Royal Rumble was postponed and following an embarrassing segment on the following night’s Raw, Kaitlyn will finally defend the Divas Championship against Tamina Snuka on Sunday at Elimination Chamber.

TNA
In an interview with The Big WrestleShark Show, Velvet Sky says during her time away from TNA that she never considered going to WWE. She says she has also been requesting for TNA to bring back Angelina Love and reunite the Beautiful People… The Blossom Twins have been invited by TNA to train for another shot at a contract with the promotion. Ostensibly, that means they’ll be back at Ohio Valley Wrestling… Tara is still defending the Knockouts Championship on the house shows despite what happened at the tapings in the UK at the end of last month.

North America
LuFisto debuts for SHINE on February 22 on SHINE 7. Also on the card, Rain faces Amazing Kong, April Hunter debuts in a 6-woman tag alongside Made In Sin against Mia Yim, Tracy Taylor & Su Yung, while Leva Bates faces Kimberly again – this time in a Last Woman Standing match… Buggy Nova hinted that she will be returning to wrestling in March in Tampa, FL… Leah Von Dutch has announced that she will be touring Europe in May… Amy Lee told Kayfabe Wrestling Radio that Luna Vachon deserves to be in the WWE Hall of Fame. She also said that Rain, Portia Perez, Mercedes Martinez, LuFisto, Allysin Kay, Mia Yim, Tina San Antonio and Marti Belle should be employed by WWE – she said that Jessicka Havok should not yet, because she’s not “experienced enough”… Canadian National Wrestling Alliance Women’s Champion Sammy “Bambi” Hall is down to the final four in the running for the Cauliflower Alley Club Future Legend award. Cheerleader Melissa won it in 2004, and Mariko Yoshida was given the honour in 2006… Christina Von Eerie has been added to SHIMMER’s shows in April. Meanwhile, it’s been revealed that new joshi names will debut for the promotion in Berwyn… Amazing Kong will be a special guest star at CHIKARA’s show on March 8 in Ybor City, FL… Women Of Wrestling will be running a house show in Bethlehem, PA on March 24 as a test run. If it’s a success, more may follow… Missy Sampson won the Bombshell Ladies Of Wrestling Championship on Saturday in a 4-way match featuring Katarina Leigh, Sumie Sakai and Sienna DuVall… Shantelle Taylor (Taylor Wilde) has been announced for a Slammin Ladies shoot on the weekend of March 15. Since retiring a year ago, she married and has been living in the south of England. Her Twitter indicates that she is now living back in her hometown of Toronto, Canada… Tammy Sytch has been speaking to Kayfabe Commentaries about how she went and bought alcohol as soon as she came out of one court hearing, her time in jail, how WWE was upset with her being in the news during Linda McMahon’s senate campaign, how she “probably” has a mental illness and how she has lied during numerous shoot interviews. Part of me thinks it’s probably cathartic to do it, but it also feels a bit exploitative.

Japan
Wonder Of Stardom Champion Yuzuki Aikawa and Goddesses Of Stardom Natsuki*Taiyo & Yoshiko retained their titles on Sunday in Osaka… Mayumi Ozaki & Yumi Ohka won the OZ Academy Tag Team Titles from Ayumi Kurihara & AKINO on Sunday in Tokyo.

Europe
Phobia will return for Bellatrix on March 24. She hasn’t been on the shows since Bellatrix 2. Becky Mason and Bacardi have also been announced for Bellatrix 5 next month – it will be Mason’s first in-ring booking since she broke her wrist in training… Pro Wrestling: EVE is promising three international names for its Queen of the Ring show on May 25. One of them is more than likely Emi Sakura… Penelope became the number one contender to Skarlett’s Herts and Essex Wrestling Women’s Championship after beating Lady Lory on Saturday… Alpha Female and Shanna were given some interview time as part of the Gut Check segment on TNA’s Backstage Pass show. They were portrayed in a favourable light, while a few of the guys were buried.

Mexico
Jennifer Blake’s profile is back on AAA’s website after going missing last week… Fabi Apache told La Neuva Espana that her son isn’t interested in becoming a wrestler – and she’s glad about that.

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Results

February 5: CMLL (Mexico City, Mexico) – Dalis la Caribeña, Estrellita & Marcela DQ Amapola, Princesa Blanca & Princesa Sugheit

February 6: WWE Main Event (Jacksonville, FL) – Cameron & Naomi b Tamina Snuka & Aksana

February 6: WAVE (Tokyo, Japan) – Sawako Shimono b Rydeen Hagane; Tsukasa Fujimoto b Moeka Haruhi; Morley & Hanako Nakamori b Ryo Mizunami & Aya Yuki; Shu Shibutani, Kana & Ayumi Kurihara b GAMI, Ayako Hamada & Yuu Yamagata; Misaki Ohata & Mio Shirai b Yumi Ohka & Cherry

February 6: Ohio Valley Wrestling (Louisville, KY) – Jessie Belle b Heidi Lovelace

February 7: TNA Impact Wrestling (Manchester, England) – Miss Tessmacher b Tara

February 8: Ribera Steakhouse Produce (Osaka, Japan) – BADBOY Hido, Crypt Keeper, Evil Warrior Dark Ranger, Freddie Krueger, Hisakatsu Oya & Miss Mongol b Battle Ranger Z, Flying Kid Ichihara, Masanobu Kurisu, Ricky Fuji, Tetsuhiro Kuroda & The Shooter

February 8: Can-Am Rising (Windsor, ONT, Canada) – Leah Von Dutch b Allysin Kay

February 8: Absolute Intense Wrestling (Cleveland, OH) – Veda Scott & Gregory Iron b Obaryon & Kodama

February 8: Shropshire Wrestling Alliance (Telford, England) – Sweet Saraya b Penelope

February 8: Rockstar Pro Wrestling (Dayton, OH) – Nevaeh & Jessicka Havok b Heather Owens & Cameron Starr

February 9: WWE Saturday Morning Slam (Jacksonville, FL) – Kaitlyn b Natalya

February 9: WWE (Champaign, IL) – Alicia Fox b Aksana

February 9: Herts and Essex Wrestling (Takeley, England) – Penelope b Lady Lory

February 9: Independent Pro Wrestling (Harlan, KY) – Amazing Maria b Roxxie Starr to win the IPW Women’s Championship

February 9: Ice Ribbon (Saitama, Japan) – Aoi Kizuki b Miyazaki; Miyako Matsumoto b Meari Naito; Tsukushi b Risa Sera; Hamuko Hoshi b Tsukasa Fujimoto; Hailey Hatred & Kurumi b Aoi Kizuki & Hikaru Shida

February 9: Florida Underground Wrestling (St Petersburg, FL) – Su Yung b Brittney Savage

February 9: Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling (Vancouver, BC, Canada) – Kc Spinelli v Nicole Matthews went to a no-contest; KC Spinelli, Gurv Sihra, Harv Sihra, Artemis Spencer & Tony Baroni b Jamie Diaz, Scotty Mac, Alex Plexis, Nicole Matthews & Ravenous Randy

February 9: Combat Zone Wrestling (Voorhees, NJ) – LuFisto & Sami Callihan b Jessicka Havok & Adam Cole; Greg Excellent b Chrissy Rivera; Christina Von Eerie v MASADA went to a no-contest

February 9: Bombshell Ladies Of Wrestling (Metuchen, NJ) – Mia Yim b La Rosa Negra; Amber O’Neal b Shelly Martinez; Amazing Kong b Amy Lee; Star Man b Niki Nitro; Becky Bayless b Miss Adiva; Missy Sampson b Katarina Leigh, Sumie Sakai and Sienna DuVall in a 4-way to win the Bombshell Ladies Of Wrestling Championship

February 9: Pro Wrestling Synidcate (Metuchen, NJ) – Bonesaw b Craven Varro, Keith Migs, Lucifer Darksyde, Mia Yim & The Drunken Swashbuckler in a 6-way

February 9: Women Superstars Uncensored (Voorhees, NJ) – Nevaeh b Jessie Brooks; Christina Von Eerie b Kimber Lee; Veda Scott b Niya; Kalamity b Cherry Bomb; Chris Dickinson b Addy Starr; Jessicka Havok b Athena; LuFisto b Mercedes Martinez

February 9: Future Of Wrestling (Deerfield Beach, FL) – Santana Garrett b Dynamite Didi Cruz

February 9: TNA (Vicksburg, MS) – Tara b Velvet Sky

February 9: Ring Wars Carolina (Fayetteville, NC) – Fantasia b Persephone

February 10: Stardom (Osaka, Japan) – Act Yasukawa b Mayu Iwatani; Kairi Hojo & Yuhi b Eri Susa & Yui Yokoo; Kyoko Kimura & Hailey Hatred b Io Shirai & Kellie Skater; Yuzuki Aikawa b Natsumi Showzuki; Natsuki*Taiyo & Yoshiko b Nanae Takahashi & Miho Wakizawa

February 10: OZ Academy (Tokyo, Japan) – Chikayo Nagashima & Mio Shirai b Aja Kong & Hikaru Shida; Tomoka Nakagawa & Hiroyo Matsumoto b Dynamite Kansai & Manami Toyota; Tsubasa Kuragaki v Carlos Amano; Meiko Satomura b Sonoko Kato; Mayumi Ozaki & Yumi Ohka b AKINO & Ayumi Kurihara to win the OZ Academy Tag Team Championship

February 10: CHIKARA (Easton, PA) – Mark Angelosetti b Saturyne

February 10: AAW (Palatine, IL) – MsChif b Markus Crane

February 10: WWE (Cape Girardeau, MO) – Kaitlyn b Tamina Snuka

February 10: WWE (Louisville, KY) – Alicia Fox b Aksana

February 10: I Believe In Wrestling (Orlando, FL) – Lince Dorado b Aaron Epic, Gersom Sanchez & Santana Garrett in a 4-way

February 11: CMLL (Puebla, Mexico) – Dark Angel, Goya Kong & Marcela b Princesa Blanca, Princesa Sugheit & Zeuxis

Upcoming

February 13: Union (Tokyo, Japan) – Cherry & Mio Shirai v Masako Takanashi & Kaori Yoneyama

February 15: World Wide Wrestling League (Midlothian, Scotland) – Carmel Jacob v Sara-Marie Taylor

February 16: Pro Wrestling Elite (Ayr, Scotland) – Nikki Storm v Kay Lee Ray v Carmel Jacob

February 16: Squared Circle Wrestling (Niagara Falls, NY) – Sami Callihan v Rachel Summerlyn; Jessicka Havok v Christina Von Eerie

February 16: Scottish Wrestling Entertainment (Dundee, Scotland) – Princess Sammii v Viper

February 16: Melbourne City Wrestling (Melbourne, Australia) – Sara Jay v Savannah Summers

February 16: Family Wrestling Entertainment (Brooklyn, NY) – Maria Kanellis v Angelina Love; Gail Kim v Katerina Leigh; Ivelisse Velez v Reby Sky

February 16: Wrestle Midlands (Dudley, England) – Alpha Female v Shanna

February 17: WWE Elimination Chamber (New Orleans, LA) – Kaitlyn v Tamina Snuka

February 17: Insane Championship Wrestling (Edinburgh, Scotland) – Bete Noire v Viper; Mikey Whiplash & Carmel Jacob v Jack Jester & Kay Lee Ray; Fiona Fraser v Nikki Storm v April Davids v Kirsty Love v Leah Owens v Kasey Owens; Rhia O’Reilly v Sara Marie Taylor

February 22: SHINE 7 (Ybor City, FL) – Rain v Amazing Kong; Leva Bates v Kimberly; Mercedes Martinez v Nikki Roxx; Allysin Kay, Taylor Made & April Hunter v Mia Yim, Tracy Taylor & Su Yung; LuFisto v Ivelisse Velez; Jessie Belle v Santana Garrett; Brittney Savage v Heidi Lovelace; Luscious Latasha v Tina San Antonio

February 22: Charity Appeal Wrestling Shows (Luton, England) – Dragonita v Alpha Female

February 23: Pro Wrestling: EVE (Sudbury, England)

March 1: Absolute Intense Wrestling Girls Night Out 8 (Cleveland, OH) – Sassy Stephie v Taylor Made; Annie Social v Crazy Mary Dobson; Leva Bates v Veda Scott; Kimber Lee v Athena; Jodi D’Milo v Addy Starr; Heidi Lovelace & Nikki St John v Angeldust & KC Warfield

March 2: Destination 1 Wrestling (Charlestown, IN) – Crazy Mary Dobson v Leva Bates

March 2: Vendetta Pro Wrestling (Santa Maria, CA) – Amber O’Neal v Terra Calaway

March 2: Extreme World Wrestling (Hastings, England) – Skarlett v Phillip Bateman

March 2: Norwegian Wrestling Federation (Oslo, Norway) – Penelope v Miss Mina

March 9: Women Of Wrestling (Las Vegas, NV)

March 15: North Shore Pro Wrestling (Quebec City, Quebec, Canada) – LuFisto, Franky the Mobster & Buxx Belmar Vs Giovanni, Maddog & Lucky Sabiti

March 24: Bellatrix 5 (Norwich, England)

March 24: Women Of Wrestling (Bethlehem, PA)

March 30: nCw Femmes Fatales XI (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) – Kalamity v Mercedes Martinez; Cheerleader Melissa v Jessicka Havok; LuFisto v Sweet Saraya; Sweet Cherrie v Sassy Stephie; Allison Danger v Courtney Rush

April 6: SHIMMER: Women Athletes (Secaucus, NJ) – Sweet Saraya v Cheerleader Melissa; Athena v Ayako Hamada; Mia Yim v Amazing Kong

April 13-14: SHIMMER: Women Athletes (Berwyn, IL)

April 27: Pro Wrestling: EVE (Sudbury, England)

April 27: Remix Pro Wrestling (Marietta, OH) – Sassy Stephie v Christina Von Eerie

May 4: ICW: Fierce Females (Glasgow, Scotland)

May 25: Pro Wrestling: EVE Queen of the Ring (Nottingham, England)

June 23: Anarchy Championship Wrestling American Joshi Queen of Queens (Austin, TX)

July 6: nCw Femmes Fatales XII (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)

- Lee Burton
- Photos by Dave Muscarella, Gilda Pasquil, WWE, Youji Kawauchi & Ben Ward

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