Courtney Rush gets #1 Contender match with Cheerleader Melissa; Entire FFXII card now revealed
The breaking news that Kalamity would be taking an undetermined time off from pro wrestling left a hole in the card for Femmes Fatales XII in Montreal on July 6th – not only in general due to the important part Kalamity has played as a featured performer on every show to date, but also more specifically because just a few days ago, she was scheduled to take on Courtney Rush in a clash of top contenders on that show.
However, Courtney was not left needing a new opponent for very long – as she is now scheduled to face the current SHIMMER Champion Cheerleader Melissa next month. The match, which will see neither Rush’s Bellatrix Title nor Melissa’s SHIMMER Title on the line, will have high stakes. Whereas Rush vs Kalamity was considered an unofficial top contender’s match in the NCW:FF rankings, this match is outright billed as a #1 Contender Match – with the winner getting a title shot at the winner of Mercedes Martinez vs Sweet Cherrie. Rush/Melissa is a rematch from their SHIMMER Title match on SHIMMER Volume 55, which was won by Melissa – but in Femmes Fatales, Rush is on a three fight win streak, and will be looking to use this match to not only secure herself a shot at the NCW:FF International Championship, but to lay down a marker to SHIMMER management as well that she is capable of beating Melissa. (more…)
Jazz out of SHINE Championship tournament – now updated with solutions and tournament brackets
One of the women who would have likely been a favourite to win the SHINE Championship tournament at SHINE 11 on July 12 has had to bow out of the show due to ongoing injuries.
VP of Talent Relations Lexie Fyfe took to the promotion’s website to say:
I just got off of a very long and painful phone call with Jazz. Her doctor has informed her that she is indefinitely out of action due to her ongoing severe neck injuries.
She was in low spirits and very upset that she is going to have to miss the biggest night for SHINE so far.
She has promised to do all the rehab that her doctor has suggested and stated that she will be back to claim what she says is rightfully hers.
Everyone at SHINE would like to take this opportunity to thank Jazz for all that she has done for this company and would like to wish her a complete and speedy recovery.
In light of this and Allysin Kay‘s suspension, SHINE officials will be making a statement shortly regarding the status of the SHINE championship tournament.
AIW doubles up on Girls Night Out this October
Ohio’s Absolute Intense Wrestling has announced the return of its successful Girls Night Out all-female shows – only this time with a twist, announcing not one, but *two* new shows, taped back to back on October 6th. Both shows will emanate from the regular home of AIW, Turner’s Hall in Cleveland – and one of the shows will feature an already announced main event of Allysin Kay defending the AIW Absolute Women’s Championship against top contender Veda Scott.
Kay, who won the title at Girls Night Out 6 on April 15, 2012 has been on a tear in the promotion, standing head and shoulders above everyone else to date. Veda Scott comes into GNO 9 & 10 not only as one half of Hope & Change (the current AIW Tag Team Champions, with Gregory Iron), but also having won two matches in one night at Girls Night Out 8 (including a four way ladder match) to secure this shot.
With SHIMMER already announcing a weekend of shows on October 19th in Berwyn, IL, Bellatrix 7 set for Oct 6th in the Norwich, UK and (one would anticipate, at least) shows to be announced from NCW: Femmes Fatales and SHINE Wrestling around that same time, October looks like it might end up as quite the month for fans of female grappling.
Kalamity stepping away from pro-wrestling
In a breaking news story today, it has been announced that former NCW:Femmes Fatales champion Kalamity is stepping away from the wrestling business. No reason was given, and we have been asked to respect her privacy at this time. The official announcement came from Kalamity’s trainer LuFisto on facebook this afternoon. She writes:
Dear fans and wrestling colleagues,
It’s with infinite sadness that I do have the duty to announce to everybody that Kalamity won’t be wrestling anymore, at least for an undetermined period.
No comments will be made besides this one and no questions will be answered. Please know that Kalamity is not sick. This decision is really personal to her and we please ask you to respect her privacy and personal life.
I am so proud of everything she accomplished in the past years under my tutelage. She worked very hard as she always took on challenges with determination. She was a wonderful student but mostly, she is a wonderful human being and I love as if she were my own daughter. (more…)
Courtney Rush takes on Kalamity at Femmes Fatales XII; One more try for Perez and Pink Flash
NCW:Femmes Fatales today announced the latest two additions to their July 6th Femmes Fatales XII card – one is a battle of two of the promotion’s top stars, while the other is a second attempt at doing a match that was originally meant to take place at Femmes Fatales XI this past March.
In the first of the announced matches today, “The Oncoming Storm” Kalamity will battle Courtney Rush – both coming off high profile main events at FFXI, but both with very different results. Whereas Kalamity lost her grip on the NCW:FF International Title to challenger Mercedes Martinez in a hard-hitting affair, Courtney Rush pulled off a potentially career defining win over Allison Danger to secure the Bellatrix World Title. The Bellatrix Title will not be on the line in the match, but pride, momentum and rankings certainly will be. Kalamity needs a victory to return her to winning ways and prepare herself for another run at Martinez (and a chance at retribution), while Rush needs a victory to confirm her status as an emerging Femmes Fatales headliner in her own right (she is on a three fight win streak) and perhaps continue a run towards an eventual match with the winner of the Mercedes Martinez/Sweet Cherrie main event. (more…)
Perez, Nakagawa & Knight to make Australian debuts
New Horizons Pro Wrestling has a history of bringing the world’s best female wrestlers to Perth, Australia for matches which fans in the country would normally not have the opportunity to see without a mammoth amount of air travel. Nikki Roxx, Mercedes Martinez, Sara Del Rey and Cindy Rogers have all made the trip from the US, and as we speak, Amazing Kong is Down Under wrestling for the promotion.
On the weekend of July 26 and 27, NHPW presents its Global Conflict show, which certainly lives up to its name, as four countries are represented – and the representatives from the non-native nations are all making their Australian debuts… (more…)
Veda Scott to collide with MsChif in Ring Of Honor
It’s been building up for two months, and now it’s going to happen – Veda Scott will face MsChif at Ring Of Honor‘s next TV tapings in Baltimore, MD on June 23.
The hostilities between the pair in the promotion began following a 4-way match on the April 6 broadcast involving the former SHIMMER Champion, Scarlett Bordeaux, Athena and Cherry Bomb. Beofre the contest, Scott interviewed MsChif, who was interrupted by Truth Martini, who wanted her to become one of his Hoopla Hotties. In the end, it was the Wrestling Goddess who got the duke after an O-Face on Cherry Bomb, costing MsChif her unbeaten streak since the return of both her and the Women Of Honor division to the promotion. Afterward, Scott tried to talk to MsChif inside the ring but received a faceful of green mist for her trouble. (more…)
Mickie James wins third Knockouts Title
She may not have fully turned over to the dark side yet, but Mickie James was pretty ruthless en route to winning the TNA Knockouts Championship on last night’s episode of Impact Wrestling. She defeated Velvet Sky by clipping the defending titleholder’s injured left leg, hitting a low DDT and getting the fall to begin her third run with the Knockouts strap.
As for the match itself, it was pretty poor, with huge pregnant pauses in places where nothing was happening during sequences. Sky’s selling of her leg was sporadic at best, holding it and limping then running ropes and putting weight on it moments later without a problem.
As mentioned, James’ heel turn isn’t complete, though tendencies were shown by clipping Velvet’s leg, when she had said after losing a title match last month that if she had been “more heartless“, she would have taken the belt at the time. On this occasion, glimpses of that heartlessness was shown, and it paid dividends. (more…)
Christina Von Eerie & Kimber Lee debut at NCW Femmes Fatales XII
Announcements building up the card for NCW Femmes Fatales XII on July 6 are starting to trickle out, with two women set to make their debuts in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and another match set to take place featuring four women who were meant to clash back in March…
The first new face to debut is Christina Von Eerie, who is on the crest of a wave at the moment. As well as pinning former SHIMMER Champion Saraya Knight during a six woman tag as part of volume 57 last month, the mohawk-sporting punk will also squeeze in a trip to Japan before beating to Montreal, with her set to challenge Kairi Hojo & Natsumi Showzuki for the Goddesses of Stardom Tag Team Championship at Stardom’s June 2 show in Tokyo, Japan alongside former doubles champ Kyoko Kimura. On July 6, she will face rising star Angie Skye, who has been impressing on Femmes Fatales shows, and also caught the attention of a lot of fans as part of her SPARKLE matches before the most recent SHIMMER tapings.
Also announced to make her first appearance in Quebec will be Kimber Lee, who – like Von Eerie and Skye – is on a roll at the moment. As well as debuting in SHIMMER on the volume 53 iPPV, she followed that up with some great showings in Berwyn, IL the following week for the DVD tapings, falling to Athena and Evie but getting a win over Shazza McKenzie. She has also solidified her standing by reaching the finals of Women Superstars Uncensored Queen and King of the Ring tournament, and as also tussled with Saturyne at Wrestling Is Fun. Lee’s match has not been announced yet, but we’re promised it will be revealed soon. (more…)
WWE releases Audrey Marie & Anya from deals as part of developmental reshuffle
In a quick shuffle of developmental talent, presumably to make room for incoming talents, WWE have released a handful of NXT competitors today. Of note to this website, the only developmental Divas being released are Ashley Miller, who competed under the name Audrey Marie and Anna Bogomazova, who competed as Anya.
Ashley Miller, of Houston, TX finishes up after approximately two years in the developmental system. She is a former holder of the (now deactivated) FCW Divas Championship, a title she won in September 2011, which was a mere three months after her debut. Of late, Audrey has been very much kept in the background as far as the WWE developmental Divas have been concerned. Her last taped match came on the NXT tapings held on May 5th, when she lost to Emma in a match which is due to air on May 30th. (more…)
Bellatrix 6 card – plenty of first-time matches
Until today, the only match which we knew was going to be taking place at Bellatrix 6 on June 23 was Rhia O’Reilly defending the British Championship against Erin Angel – a match which is likely to deliver, especially since they have tangled twice in the past month with each claiming a victory over the other. However, the promotion has now revealed what its big roster featuring a lot of debuting women will be up to on the show, and there are quite a few first-time encounters on the card… (more…)
Bellatrix 6 roster revealed, many new additions
It’s been a pretty Euro-centric sort of week here at Ringbelles, so we may as well continue in that ethos…
The roster for the Bellatrix 6 iPPV on June 23 has been revealed, with a lot of new names featuring in the lineup. Nine European nations are represented on the show, with women from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Norway, Finland, France, Italy, Germany and Portgual being represented. Representing England are regulars Saraya Knight, rising star Penelope, RQW European Women’s Champion Liberty, rookie Chanel, Destiny, Skarlett, Erin Angel and Violet O’Hara. Other roster members returning are Italian Queen Maya, Northern Ireland’s Rhia O’Reilly and Norway’s Miss Mina, as well as Finn Aurora Flame and France’s X-Cute Sweet, who have both been absent since Bellatrix 2 11 months ago.
There is also an influx of Scottish talent heading to Norwich. Nikki Storm, Carmel Jacob, Bete Noire and Kay Lee Ray all make their debuts, while Viper makes her first appearance in the promotion since teaming with Destiny at WAWW The Return in November 2011. Rounding off the roster are Germany’s Alpha Female and Portugal’s Perfect Athlete Shanna making their first Bellatrix appearances, making it a roster of 20 women participating. (more…)
Rhia O’Reilly to challenge for Pro Wrestling: EVE title
It’s been a big week for Rhia O’Reilly. On Saturday, she enjoyed her best match of the year so far in a losing effort to eventual Fierce Females Scottish Champion Kay Lee Ray as part of the excellent Luke… Who’s Yer Da? card. On Monday, it was announced that she would defend her British Championship against Erin Angel at Bellatrix 6 on June 23. However, before she gets to that contest, she takes part in her highest stakes match to date.
On the same day that she is celebrating the third anniversary of her official debut at Pro Wrestling: EVE‘s first show – where she lost to Sara-Marie Taylor, but rebounded later on, teaming with Becky James to beat April Davids & Jenny Sjodin and Carmel Jacob & Taylor in a 3-way – it was announced that she would challenge Nikki Storm for the promotion’s championship at the Queen of the Ring show on May 25 in Nottingham, England. (more…)
PWWA returns to action August 3rd
Australia’s PWWA has announced today that they have a show booked for August 3rd in Parramatta, Sydney, NSW at The Roxy. While PWWA branded matches continue to be a spotlighted part of PWA shows, this will be the first all female event for the company since last October’s show in another Sydney suburb, Casula.
On the show last October, New Zealand standout Evie defended the PWWA Interim Championship against Kellie Skater in their third big meeting. The match actually ended in a 30 minute draw, allowing Evie to retain her title. Of course, the reason why there was even an Interim Championship to begin with was the long term injury to regular PWWA Champion Madison Eagles, who missed the entirety of 2012 due to a knee injury. Although no matches have yet been announced, one could speculate that the show may see the unification of the PWWA Championship and the PWWA Interim Championship (in keeping with the general rule of Interim Championships), but that is strictly speculation at this point.
As you’ll note, the graphic above shows the “Big 5″ PWWA stars (Shazza McKenzie, Madison Eagles, Evie, Kellie Skater & Jessie McKay) – all of whom recently travelled to the US and competed for SHIMMER and SHINE – and one would expect the usual suspects from Australia and New Zealand to be there too. The UK’s Amazon worked on the October show, and the previous show to that featured Nicole Matthews (and the first SHIMMER Title defence outside the US), so international guests are not an impossibility. In fact, PWWA have invited any interested female wrestlers to give them a holler via email for information.
We will, of course, bring you news of the card as it is officially announced.
Remaining SHINE title tournament qualifiers announced for SHINE 10
At SHINE 9, four women – Saraya Knight, Rain, Jessicka Havok & Jazz – qualified for the promotion’s upcoming title tournament due to take place in July. On May 24, the remaining four women will compete to qualify as part of the SHINE 10 lineup.
Fresh off her victory in the main event of SHINE 9, Leva Bates will look to get into the title hunt when she faces Valkyrie member Taylor Made. Elsewhere, the loser of the Arkham Asylum Cage Match, Kimberly, will look to get back to winning ways when she takes on SHINE’s rising star and ultimate baby face Santana Garrett.
Mercedes Martinez – who seems to have incurred the ire of Daffney through her actions at SHINE 9 where she gatecrashed and spoiled Nikki Roxx‘s birthday celebration – wrestles Mia Yim, who was part of the main event of SHINE 8 and was a sixth of the trios tag at SHINE 9, while Roxx rounds off the last of the qualifying matches, when she steps into the ring against Taylor’s Made In Sin tag team partner and fellow Valkyrie member Allysin Kay. (more…)
Jessicka Havok booked in intergender match at WSU Queen & King of the Ring iPPV
Women Superstars Uncensored was presented with a problem in its preparation for May 11′s Queen and King of the Ring iPPV. Its title match between WSU Champion Jessicka Havok and LuFisto – which came about after Havok defeated Athena and LuFisto beat Mercedes Martinez at An Ultraviolent Affair on February 9 – had to be scrapped due to the Super Hardcore Anime requiring surgery for a fractured kneecap, suffered during the SHIMMER Volume 53 iPPV on April 6.
With most of the roster tied up in the mixed tag team tournament, the promotion decided to get creative with an opponent for Havok, so WSU released a video with the titleholder throwing down a challenge based on what happened at the Combat Zone Wrestling show on the evening following An Ultraviolent Affair, and she wanted to take on LuFisto’s opponent in the mixed tag team match which took place.
Havok and Sami Callihan had an exchange or two in the match, and that wasn’t forgotten by the WSU Champion. In the video released last week, Havok lamented WSU for not finding her a challenger, then got proactive by calling out CZW’s Best of the Best XI tournament winner, though it would be six days of tentative waiting before the challenge was accepted, meaning that next Saturday in Voorhees, NJ, Jessicka Havok will take on Sami Callihan in a non-title, interpromotional, intergender affair. (more…)
Daffney to become a manager in SHINE?
Looks like SHINE 9 was the straw which broke the camel’s back when it came to Daffney.
After witnessing what she views as insolent and disrespectful behaviour, the former WCW Cruiserweight Champion has decided that enough is enough, and a change of direction is required. In a statement on the SHINE website, she writes:
An Open Letter to you all ~
Last spring when I first got together with Sal, Howard, and Lexie about forming a new Womens Federation I cannot tell you how exciting it all was. To be a part of a revolutionizing product from the ground up has been such a fullfilling project and I am so proud to watch it soar. BUT – and it’s quite a big but – it seems as though things have changed in my absence from the locker room.
From early on I found myself a little disheartened by some of our athletes’ attitudes. Throughout our first year, quite a few of the ladies on our roster have shown a lack of good sportsmanship and have been very disrespectful to myself, SHINE management, and the other women that work for our company. And it all came to a head at SHINE 9. (more…)
WWE & E! team up for Divas reality show
It has been discussed for a while – provisionally for the WWE Network, which is seemingly still a long way from becoming a reality – but today, WWE and E! made the announcement that a new series featuring five current and two new Divas will launch on the entertainment channel on July 28. Titled Total Divas, it is one of five new reality shows the channel is launching in the near future. This one will follow Natalya, Funkadactyls Cameron & Naomi and Nikki and Brie Bella, with WWE’s press release insisting that it will “[highlight] the professional and personal lives of WWE’s leading ladies”, as well as “complete and utter access to the backstage workings of WWE, the show examines the preparation and fallout from matches, [and] the romantic entanglements of a WWE locker room”.
As mentioned, there will also be two new Divas, hired as part of a privately-held Diva Search which happened recently. They are Natalia Eva Marie – who will be known as Eva Marie – and Joseann Alexie Offerman - who will will be repackaged as Jo-Jo Offerman. (more…)
SHINE 9 card: “Arkham Asylum” Steel Cage match, plus Qualifiers for first SHINE Title tournament
With SHIMMER weekend done, all roads lead to Ybor City this Friday night for SHINE 9 on iPPV via WWN. Although news of the main event – billed as an “Arkham Asylum” Cage Match between Leva Bates & Kimberly (watch Bates lay down the challenge here) – has been known for a couple of weeks, some of the other marquee matches have now been announced for what is looking like it could be one of SHINE’s biggest shows to date.
With SHINE now on the verge of creating their first champion, the promotion have announced that they have selected 16 competitors, the first eight of which will first battle in four one-on-one Qualifier matches at SHINE 9 this week. Next month at SHINE 10 on May 24th, the next eight challengers will make up a further four Qualifiers. This all leads to SHINE 11 on July 12th, which will see the eight final competitors battle it out to be crowned the first SHINE Champion in a one night single elimination tournament. With the roster for SHINE 9 full to the brim with international competitors coming off SHIMMER last weekend, the talent pool for the Qualifiers so far is deep and rich, and features two former SHIMMER Champions, current champions in WSU & PWWA, a former WWE Women’s Champion and a former TNA Knockouts Champion. (more…)
Maria Kanellis on ROH, WWE, Kelly Kelly & Playboy
Looks like our most recent Women Of Wrestling Podcast interview with Maria Kanellis has been a big hit. With thousands of downloads in the last 24 hours, the First Lady of Ring Of Honor‘s feelings and memories on a number of subjects has generated a lot of interest.
She’s also clarified her position with ROH, after reports saying that she was looking to bid farewell to the company:
I never said that I was done with Ring Of Honor. I just said that WWE had contacted me… Ring Of Honor is still my home.
As part of the interview, Maria discusses how far down the road she got with negotiations for a return to WWE, and her thoughts on rumours that her proposed return was nixed:
I don’t think that the Bella Twins could be so immature – I always found them to be very mature and business minded so I can’t imagine them doing that. Unfortunately we may never know the truth unless we get it from the horse’s mouth. I try not to play too much into rumours because that can get you into a lot of trouble. (more…)
SHIMMER co-founder Allison Danger to retire from competition this weekend in Berwyn, IL
In sad news coming out of SHIMMER Women Athletes today, it has been announced that the promotion’s co-founder Allison Danger is to retire from in-ring competition, with her last appearances coming this weekend in Berwyn, IL. This weekend, of course, will be the tapings block for Vols 54-57. The news comes just days after SHIMMER fans got to bid farewell to Ayumi Kurihara at SHIMMER Vol 53 on iPPV.
Much like Kurihara, it’s an accumulation of nagging injuries over the years which has seen Danger decide to finally hang up her boots after a thirteen year career which has seen her compete internationally across four continents. While it’s sad to see Danger bring down the curtain on her active career, at least it’s a decision that has been taken with careful consideration for her future health and wellbeing, and one that will see her continue to have an active and valued role backstage in the company. It has yet to be determined on which Volume Danger’s retirement match will be, nor has her opponent been announced at this time.
We’re sure there will be plenty more news about this as Danger’s final weekend as an active in-ring competitor comes to a close this weekend in Berwyn. If you haven’t got your tickets yet, get them now and make your plans to be in the Eagles Club this weekend.
LuFisto off weekend’s SHIMMER tapings with fractured kneecap; WSU bout with Havok also off
For those who saw SHIMMER Vol 53 this past Saturday on iPPV, they’ll have seen a very scary moment during the four way SHIMMER Tag Team Titles match when Montreal’s “Super Hardcore Anime” LuFisto flew off the top rope to the outside with a moonsault, and crashed and burned on the concrete floor in a sickening thud.
After not moving for several seconds, LuFisto managed to struggle back to her feet and re-enter the match – including hitting a Burning Hammer on Taylor Made to eliminate the team of Made in Sin from the contest. Soon after, LuFisto was pinned by Kellie Skater, eliminating her and her partner Kana from the match. Adrenaline is a crazy thing, and nobody has ever doubted LuFisto’s toughness for one second – but the days that followed have told a different story. After returning home and icing the knee, she tweeted “Swollen knee, no weird colours. Looks better. #positive #wrestlingYAY” – but there was worse news when she went to see a doctor earlier today.
In an open letter published on her facebook, LuFisto revealed that following an X-Ray on the injured knee, she actually suffered a fractured kneecap on that landing, and as a result is looking at at least 2 months out of action, and may require surgery depending on the opinion of an orthopedist this weekend. What that means is that her booking this weekend at SHIMMER is now off, as is her challenge for the WSU World Title at the “Queen & King of the Ring” show on May 11th in Vorhees, NJ, where she was scheduled to face Jessicka Havok. Click through after the jump for the full text of LuFisto’s open letter. (more…)
Rebecca Knox signs developmental deal with World Wrestling Entertainment
News has broken today, courtesy of Irish newspaper The Herald, that Rebecca Quin, 26 – who has competed internationally as Rebecca Knox – has signed a developmental deal with World Wrestling Entertainment. According to The Herald, “A trial in Florida secured her a two-year developmental deal with WWE” and links Quin’s potential with that of former WWE Champion Sheamus (Stephen Farrelly), quoting the Dublin native as saying “I want to make the most of this opportunity. Sheamus has shown that Irish pro-wrestlers can go all the way to the top”.
Quin, who has been mostly out of action since a serious injury back in 2006, made a memorable return to SHIMMER Women Athletes in March of 2011 in a non-wrestling role, managing The Knight Dynasty of Saraya & Britani Knight on their debuts, and more recently made an in-ring return for Fight Factory Pro-Wrestling (FFPW) in Bray, Ireland. The return was intended to be, and was, in fact a very low key affair – but when we heard of her return, we got on the ball immediately and spoke to Knox a few days after her return in an exclusive audio interview where she discussed how it felt to get back in the ring, as well as her future plans. Since then, she was also a guest on FeckTV.com‘s Unique Lives – viewable on YouTube – this past January, where she discussed the various paths her life has taken her down.
It seems like a new – potentially very bright – path has opened up for her now, so we’ll take this chance to wish her all the best, and look forward to seeing her in WWE.
– Stew Allen
Mixed tag match bumped from WrestleMania card
Under normal circumstances, now would be the time when we would do a review of the match which occurred on the previous night’s PPV offering, pointing out what happened, what we liked, what we didn’t and whether it was a successful contest. However, for WrestleMania XXIX, we won’t be needing to do that, as for the first time since WrestleMania 13 back in 1997 – ostensibly before WWE started calling their women “Divas” – no women competed on a WrestleMania card. (more…)
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