SHINE 10 results – title tournament qualifiers, and is Valkyrie’s grip on SHINE starting to weaken?
We know four of the competitors who will be part of the tournament to determine the first SHINE Champion. Saraya Knight, Jazz, Rain and Jessicka Havok all booked their slot by winning their qualifiers at SHINE 9 last month. However, one of those women is putting her position on the line this evening – Havok will face Portia Perez after the two engaged in a Twitter spat.
Elsewhere on the card, the remaining four title tournament slots will be determined, with Nikki Roxx, Allysin Kay, Leva Bates, Taylor Made, Mia Yim, Mercedes Martinez, Santana Garrett and Kimberly all vying to get into the tournament for the title. Rain will also wrestle Angelina Love again in a match where her Valkyrie cohorts will be banned from ringside, and Daffney – who quit as a ring announcer to become a manager again – will start to size up potential clients.
You can watch the event live on iPPV by clicking here – alternatively, click the jump and follow as we provide live results. (more…)
Ringbelles Retro: Past Queen & King of the Ring matches, plus a pre-WWE AJ Lee
This weekend sees Women Superstars Uncensored return to iPPV (click here to order) with its Queen and King of the Ring show – changing the gender titles around from how it has been since the gimmick started back in 2006. As well as the intergender tournament – which is being held in conjunction with Combat Zone Wrestling, moving away from having the male roster members come from National Wrestling Superstars – the show will also see a singles male v female contest with WSU Champion Jessicka Havok facing CZW’s Sami Callihan.
The first winners of the tournament were Julio Dinero and Kara Slice – the latter of whom found fame in WWE as Cherry, the sweet but put-upon girlfriend/sister of Deuce and Domino. Last year’s victors were Mike Dennis and Jennifer Cruz, though Cruz has faded out of the WSU picture in the 12 months since her regal victory.
We have two matches for this week’s Retro, both of which have been released for free by WSU in the past couple of days to whet your appetite ahead of this Saturday’s event. The first is from the first round brackets in 2009, with then-WSU Tag Team Champion Miss April - now better known as WWE’s AJ Lee – alongside her trainer Jay Lethal taking on Trixie Lynn & Helter Skelter. We also have former Extreme Championship Wrestling colleagues Jazz & Balls Mahoney facing Amber O’Neal & Bison Bravado from the opening round in 2010. Admittedly, the photo we’ve used for this post gives away the result of the first match, but take a watch and see what you think. (more…)
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…)
TNA Knockouts PPV taping features Serena Deeb’s return match; Daffney shows up independently
Well, it had a difficult birth – with most of the former Knockouts banding together and turning down offers to work the show – but TNA have managed to put together a Knockouts only PPV as part of their taped “One Night Only” series after all, and managed to pull a coup out of the bag by featuring Serena Deeb‘s first match since October 2011. Deeb took on fellow OVW trainee Mickie James in the match, which it is believed will likely air in the July or August slot on TNA’s One Night Only calendar. (X-Travaganza will air in April, the Jokers Wild Tag Tournament in May, and TNA’s live Slammiversary will air in June). All of the early matches were termed as qualifiers for the main event “Queen of TNA” Gauntlet match, which is TNA’s Royal Rumble style timed-entrance Battle Royale with the final two facing off in a pinfall/submission standard match.
Interestingly, one former Knockout did show up despite not being booked – as Daffney, fresh off resolving litigation with the company, was seen protesting the show with an “I’m here independently” sign (in reference to her threat to challenge the so-called ‘Independent Contractor’ clause in TNA contracts).
Click back after the break for an exclusive pic of Daffney & Amber O’Neal at the show, along with full results, which also saw the return of other former Knockouts, a former Diva, Gut Check competitors and independent talent (more…)
Bombshell Ladies Of Wrestling #3 live results – now updated with thoughts
Bombshell Ladies Of Wrestling crowns its first champion today, culminating a tournament which started back in October. There have also been some unexpected twists and turns, with pullouts and substitutions along the way.
The most recent change is in the title match, which is now a triple threat after Sienna DuVall had to pull out due to injury. As a result, the planned semi-finals and finals have been scrapped, with the three remaining contenders – Missy Sampson, Sumie Sakai and Katarina Leigh – all meeting in a 3-way to determine the first champion. Elsewhere, the other marquee match is between Amy Lee and Amazing Kong, in what will likely be a hard-hitting affair.
You can watch the show unfold for yourself on iPPV from Highspots, though we will also be updating results after the jump, so keep hitting refresh to keep up with all the latest developments. (more…)
Ringbelles Retro: Before they were stars
When you’re starting out, you’re working everywhere you can to get experience and build a reputation for yourself. While you may not be so keen on the ethos of the show, if you can square it with yourself, then that’s all that matters.
Women’s Extreme Wrestling may not have the best of reputations – and we’re not keen on the sexual overtones on their shows – but in its defence, it was holding regular all-women’s shows in front of enthusiastic crowds and were shown on pay-per-view and released on video and DVD. As a result, it was a great place for aspiring female grapplers to get some more exposure – the good kind.
The video we have for you as part of today’s Retro is the full WEW Return of the PWO show from May 7, 2005, featuring a number of names who have gone on to bigger and better things. As well as established names like WEW Champion Jazz and Tammy Lynn Sytch, you can see women like Mercedes Martinez, ODB, Lacey, Amber O’Neal, Krissy Vaine and Simply Luscious. In addition, there are a couple who found fortune under different names such as Talia Madison (who is now Velvet Sky) and Cle-Ho-Patra (AKA Shelly Martinez, Ariel or Salinas). As mentioned – you may not agree with the ethos of the promotion, but it gave aspiring wrestlers the chance to do their thing, and for that, it may be worth giving it a chance and watching the video after the jump. (more…)
In Video: Bombshell Ladies Of Wrestling
As we said at the time, Pro Wrestling Syndicate‘s Bombshell Ladies Of Wrestling did not enjoy an easy birth. However, with its third show announced for February 9 in Metuchen, NJ, it seems to be finding its feet – and is headlined with Amazing Kong taking on Amy Lee, as well as the tournament semi finals.
The first show saw the first round matches take place on the 8 match card, with Christina Von Eerie meeting Cherry Bomb in the main event. Also on the show, RQW European Women’s Champion Queen Maya made her US debut against Sumie Sakai, and Annie Social fought Alexxis Nevaeh.
The card was meant to be broadcast on iPPV, but PWS decided to dump that idea when it decided that it wasn’t happy with the quality of the stream. However, the show from October 11 in Rahway, NJ was recorded – and now it has been edited and posted online for everyone to see ahead of February 9. If you want spoilers, the results are right here, but if you want to watch the matches without knowing the results, click the jump and enjoy. (more…)
Bombshell Ladies Of Wrestling results
Thursday seems to be a peculiar day to launch a new promotion, but that is what happened this week when Bombshell Ladies Of Wrestling made its debut in Rahway, NJ. Promising a tournament to crown its first champion, sixteen women would be paired down to 8 on the first show, with the next rounds taking place on subsequent shows. However, the birth of Pro Wrestling Syndicate‘s all-women offshoot division has been anything but a smooth one – in fact, this one could be described as breached…
Firstly, there is the abbreviation of the promotion’s name, which put off some wrestlers. Angelina Love was approached to appear on the show, but declined due to the acronym being BLOW. Others – both wrestlers and fans – have been critical of the overly smutty nature of the name, though as Annie Social discussed with us earlier this week, it was thought up as a tongue in cheek, less serious approach to wrestling – and as PWS themselves have pointed out, nobody complains about a promotion on TV with the initials TNA. (more…)
IndyGurlz War Of The Roses 3 results
Mia Yim racked up one of the biggest wins of her career to date last night at IndyGurlz War Of The Roses 3 at the Elks Lodge in Boonton, NJ when she defeated LuFisto in the main event.
Here are the full results, courtesy of Pat Laprade, who attended the show:
1. Jana defeated Jessie “Bonesaw” Brooks.
2. Sienna DuVall beat Mistress Belmont & Cherry Lane in a 3-way when she made Lane tap out to the Diva Trap (front guillotine choke).
3. Leva Bates pinned Kimber Lee following a superkick.
4. Fire & Ice (Amber O’Neal & Angel Orsini) beat Jessie Kaye & Kacee Carlisle when O’Neal pinned Kaye with an STO.
5. Sassy Stephie (substituting for April Hunter, whose mother passed away this week) defeated Kylie Pierce (who replaced Sumie Sakai).
6. Mia Yim pinned LuFisto with the SkyYim (Skytwister press). (more…)
ArenaChicks announces monthly iPPVs starting later this year; Jazz & Reby Sky advance in title tournament
Big news coming out of the ArenaChicks taping at the CWF Mid-Atlantic Sportatorium this past Saturday night with the company announcing a new commissioner, adding two new names to the ‘Final Four’ tournament and announcing the intention to go monthly with iPPVs starting later this year.
The new commissioner of ArenaChicks is none other than former WWE/ECW star Shelly Martinez, who announced that it was her job to take ArenaChicks to the next level, and to move the title tournament along a little quicker. Due to the enforced withdrawal of Sara Del Rey from the tournament, Martinez made the match between Reby Sky and Amber O’Neal for Del Rey’s place in the ‘Final Four’. Sky ended up pinning Amber O’Neal to secure the #2 spot in the tournament following interference by Jazz, who blasted O’Neal with her Jazz Stinger.
Jazz followed up by taking on Impact Wrestling’s Rosita in tournament action, having by all accounts a fantastic match with her, before dumping her with a sit-out slam for the three count. Jazz takes the third spot in the tournament. Already advanced is Angel Orsini. (more…)
Jenny Rose wins IndyGurlz Grand Prix, plus semi final video
Life seems to be going well for Jenny Rose. The 20-year old has been making believers of many since returning to the US following a 6 month stint in Japan, primarily wrestling for Kyoko Inoue‘s Diana promotion. It was there where her former guise of Jamilia Craft was jettisoned and Jenny Rose was born, which the Philadelphia native has insisted is closer to the real her than the masked Craft character ever was. As well as wrestling – and teaming with – Jessie “Bonesaw” Brooks in Women Superstars Uncensored, she won the WXW-C4 Women’s Championship last week, and continued that run last night by winning the IndyGurlz Grand Prix tournament in Boonton, NJ last night.
Defeating Brooks (who reportedly has new gear, which is great as the old blue and red bodysuit was nothing to write home about), Kylie Pierce and Veda Scott, Rose won the title belt which was to be given to the sole survivor, though it is unclear if this is meant to be received as an award, or is an actual championship that is to be defended. Either way, it’s a massive shot in the arm for the youngster, who is seemingly making 2012 her year.
Click after the jump for results, brought to us courtesy of David Muscarella, as well as fan footage of one of the semi final matches. (more…)
Ringbelles Roundup (17 January 2012)
When I looked at the card for the Bull Nakano EMPRESS retirement show, I was surprised at what I saw. Not the card itself, which looked very appealing, but the order in which the matches would take place. Unlike American shows which have a card, but barring the main event, you probably won’t know the exact order of the matches. When it comes to Japan, the match listing is usually the order in which those contests would take place. Surprisingly, the singles match featuring veterans and legends Ayako Hamada and Aja Kong would OPEN the show, while the final match on the card would be between two women with comparatively little experience – one had just three years under her belt, while the other had debuted just 15 months ago.
Having said that, the match between Ice Ribbon’s ICEx60 and International Ribbon Tag Team Champion Hikaru Shida and Wonder Of Stardom and one half of the Goddesses Of Stardom Yuzuki Aikawa put forth a hell of a contest, and proved that they were worthy of headlining the card. Even more surprisingly, 28-year old Aikawa won the match in front of 3000 fans at the Tokyo Dome City Hall – though that could be indicative of the potential influence that she could have on joshi in the future…
Despite being trained in taekwondo for ten years, Aikawa made her living before becoming a wrestler as a bikini model and a singer in a girl group, selling picture books, DVDs and CDs, mostly down to her beauty and curvy figure. However, she packed it all in just over two years ago to make the transition to becoming a professional wrestler – funny, in the western world, it usually works the other way around. A year after making the switch, she debuted on October 31, 2010 as part of her own card which she produced, taking on Nanae Takahashi. You would imagine that considering that it was her own card, it was her first match and that she is a pretty woman, she would be eased into the situation by a veteran of the business.
No such luck. Takahashi defeated her, and as part of the deal, beat the shit out of her. (more…)
WOW Podcast #33 with Amber O’Neal
Episode 33 with Amber O’Neal
Audio Week concludes with the first Women of Wrestling Podcast of the new year, featuring the woman behind the ArenaChicks project, Amber O’Neal. The ArenaChicks will be at the LA WrestleReunion event at the end of the month, launching volume 2 of their DVD series and having a mini show at the event. Amber joins us to announce new names for the WrestleReunion taping, and discuss the concept behind the project. We hear about working the convention circuit (and the Gathering of the Juggalos) and a rundown on what to expect on Vol 2. In addition we talk about Amber’s career to date, including a story from her first match (wrestling Leilani Kai), help from Molly Holly, wrestling on a torn ACL for a year, shenanigans with Krissy Vaine as Team Blondage, SHIMMER and more.
Follow Amber O’Neal on twitter | ArenaChicks on facebook | Amber’s official website |
(left click on picture to stream, right click and “save as” to download)
Ringbelles Retro: The beginnings of Beth Phoenix
Did you know that Beth Phoenix wrestled for CHIKARA?
Well, that’s not strictly the case – in fact, Phoenix wrestled for Kiryoku Pro a sister version of CHIKARA which started out as a female-heavy promotion in June 2002, though featured a ten man tag match on the card. As we discussed with Mike Quackenbush on the most recent Women Of Wrestling Podcast, the promotion only existed for three shows – the latter two were joint cards with CHIKARA, before it was elected to do away with gender specifications and have the women and men wrestle each other.
Kiryoko Pro was a successful failure of a promotion. It showed fans that female wrestlers deserved to be regarded on an equal platform as men, and should not necessarily be separated from wrestling anyone they choose. This week’s Retro comes from the promotion’s final outing in collaboration with CHIKARA from November 23, 2002, around 18 months after Phoenix debuted, and before her Glamazon character had been esatablished. By the way, did you know that Phoenix’s first match was against Alexis Laree, AKA former WWE Women’s, Divas and TNA Knockouts Champion Mickie James? It’s funny how tight some wrestling circles can be, isn’t it? (more…)
Retro DVD review: SHIMMER volume 1
This retro DVD review is all ass-backwards. Instead of us doing a review of a show from days gone by, instead, it is the review which is old and it is of the (then) newly-released SHIMMER: Women Athletes volume 1 – a show that you can still buy as part of the Collectors’ Edition.
Back in February 2006, Stewart Allen decided to pick up a DVD of this new SHIMMER thing – based on Beth Phoenix v Allison Danger – and wrote a review for Figure Four Weekly. So let’s jump in the time machine and go back five and a half years to see what Stew’s first impressions of SHIMMER really were…
***
I was initially attracted to the idea of checking out the new SHIMMER promotion for the sole intention of being able to see Beth Phoenix in competition. I’ve been a fan of Beth’s in OVW for some time (where she works as the valet to Aaron “The Idol” Stevens) and while she’s quick to get physically involved in his matches, I’d never seen her wrestle a proper match. It was a further bonus that on this Volume 1 release, she happened to be facing Allison Danger – one of the relatively few other women I know from the US indy circuit. So, the promise of some Phoenix/Danger action coupled with the fact that the promotion name was based on a song title by one of my favourite bands (“Shimmer Like A Girl” by Veruca Salt) meant that I actually laid down some dollars and ordered a DVD from ROHWrestling.com. Yay me.
I’ve got to say, I was very surprised to hear that the DVD is reportedly one of ROH’s fastest selling DVDs of all time. “Why??” asked a friend of mine when I told him this piece of information. I honestly didn’t know. I know why *I* bought a copy – but what was the attraction for everyone else? Either way, I unwrapped the DVD with some excitement tonight and stuck it in the machine. Fingers crossed it won’t suck. (more…)
Fight Like A Girl: Amber Gertner
We’ve been letting you know about K&S WrestleFest’s A Hot Summer Night since the lineup started to be revealed back in May. Well, the time is upon us, and female wrestlers from the past and present are descending on Philadelphia on Saturday for the show. From recent stars like Candice Michelle, Shelly Martinez, Amber O’Neal and Annie Social to stars of the Monday Night Wars era such as Debra, Stacy “Kat” Carter, Torrie Wilson and Terri Runnels, all the way back to stars of the 80s and early 90s like Wendi Richter, Madusa, Heidi Lee Morgan and Mike McGuirk, they’ll all be there.
Someone else who will be there is SHIMMER‘s resident interviewer Amber Gertner, who granted Ringbelles some of her time before heading off to the Ramada Philadelphia Airport Hotel in Essington, PA to talk to us about the event. She also discusses how she reverts back to being a fan around the stars of yesteryear, how some of the attendees’ appearances are as rare as rocking horse-guano, and also talks about Highspots TV, a new project which Highspots is looking to promote. Listen in to get the opportunity to receive a free two-week trial, so you can see what you think of it…
(left click on picture to stream, right click and “save as” to download)
Don’t forget to leave us a comment below!
Follow Amber and Highspots on Twitter, and check out Highspots TV too
ArenaChicks results from Gathering of the Juggalos
It was always going to be a pretty ambitious start, but it seems like it has paid off for Amber O’Neal’s ArenaChicks project.
Throw together the elements of a midnight start, the fact that it was on the first evening of the Gathering of the Juggalos festival at Cave-In-Rock, IL featuring tens of thousands of visitors, and that it was the first real card that the promotion has ever put together, and the makings were there for it to fall over. However, it appears that everything went according to plan, and the best part about is that we won’t have to pay to see it. (more…)
ArenaChicks announces Juggalos card
ArenaChicks promoter Amber O’Neal has revealed the card for the promotion’s first ever show, which is due to take place at midnight on Thursday August 11 as part of the Insane Clown Posse’s 4-day long Gathering of the Juggalos 2011 event at Cave-In-Rock, IL.
Throughout 2011, O’Neal has worked a number of the Juggalo Championship Wrestling shows, and has formed a strong working relationship with the ICP, which has led to her gaining a slot at a festival which pulls in an average of more than 100,000 fans every year.
Previously, the matches compiled for the debut volume of ArenaChicks were amalgamated from a number of different shows hosted by CWF Mid-Atlantic Wrestling, based in Burlington, NC. This will be the first full-blown card put together by the promotion, with five matches announced for the twilight show, and it looks to be a strong lineup:
Amber O’Neal v Jessicka Havok
Sassy Stephie v Brittany Force v Allysin Kay
Angel Orsini v Josie (Sojo Bolt in TNA, and Lady JoJo in OVW)
Epiphany & Jenny Star v Taryn Shay & CJ Lane
Jazz v Izza Belle Smothers
DVD Review: ArenaChicks Volume 1
Firstly, an apology – I’ve been meaning to write this review for some time, but other commitments got in the way. However, these are excuses, and I’m remedying that right now by producing for you a review of ArenaChicks Volume 1.
We first heard of a new project from ArenaChicks founder Amber O’Neal way back in 2009 when she spent the interval between DVD tapings at SHIMMER taking down email addresses from the fans for an upcoming venture. We didn’t hear anything about it for a year, and assumed it had come to nothing. Then we got wind of ArenaChicks – a new DVD series being produced with CWF Mid-Atlantic in the North Carolina area of the US. This is the first offering of what O’Neal is hoping to become another viable stage for female wrestlers to ply their craft, so let’s take a look and see what it’s like…
Now, unlike shows such as SHIMMER, NCW: Femmes Fatales, WSU and Pro Wrestling: EVE, ArenaChicks doesn’t produce one night of action – instead, it has individual matches on a number of cards and collates them all onto one show. For that reason, this is a collection of what you may refer to as exhibition matches, rather than having shows which build to a crescendo of a main event. Because of that, you need to remember the matches are filmed in chronological order, which means the best or highest profile match may not necessarily be the final one. (more…)
New titles coming soon – Ice Ribbon & ArenaChicks
Ice Ribbon has announced the tournament to crown a new champion. As previously reported before the site went live, 19 O’Clock Girls’ Pro Wrestling has plans to introduce a fresh title – the IW19 (Internet Wrestling 19) belt. The champion will be decided next Tuesday in a four-woman tournament, with Tsukasa Fujimoto vs Mika Iida in one semi-final, and Mochi Miyagi vs Tsukushi in the other, with the two winners meeting in the final to determine the first titleholder. (more…)
ArenaChicks Volume 1 released
The debut volume from Amber O’Neal’s North Carolina promotion ArenaChicks is now available to buy from Highspots.
1. Allison Danger vs. Mia Svenson
2. Sassy Stephie vs. Fantasia
3. Divina Fly vs. Kristen Flake
4. “Australian Football Rules” Mixed Tag Match
Amber O’Neal & Chiva Kid vs. Kellie Skater & Coach Gemini
5. Sara Del Rey vs. Allison Danger
6. Angel Orsini vs. Jessica Havok
7. “The Dating Game Match”
Winners go on all expenses paid date
Sassy Stephie, Brittney Force, Cecil Scott & Michael McAllister vs. Angel Orsini, Divina Fly, Ben Tyler & Roo-D LewisBONUS FEATURES
* Winners of the “Dating Game Match” go on their date
* Tribute to Sherri Martel 8-Women Tag Match
Amber O’Neal, Allison Danger, Persephone & Talia Madison vs. Cindy Rogers, GeeStar, Alere Little Feather & Becky Bayless
Amber and other members of the roster – including Allison Danger, Sassy Stephie and Becky Bayless were at WrestleReunion in Los Angeles last weekend to help hype the promotion and the DVD.
Flashback 2012: The Year in Podcasts
We have new listeners join us all the time, so for their benefit (as well as a nostalgic kick for our regulars), it’s time to look back at our shows in 2012, and maybe pick out a few shows you either get to listen to for the first time (or again). (more…)
December 29, 2012 | Categories: Commentaries | Tags: Alex Greenfield, Allysin Kay, Alpha Female, Amazing Kong, Amber O'Neal, Candi Divine, Cat Power, Cherry Bomb, Courtney Rush, Dave Prazak, Drew Cordeiro, Ivory, Jessicka Havok, Kellie Skater, Leva Bates, Lexie Fyfe, Little Egypt, Mickie Knuckles, Nikki Storm, Rhia O'Reilly, Rush Hour, Sensational Sherri, Stephane Bruyere, Sweet Saraya, Veda Scott, WOW Podcast | Leave A Comment »