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…)
SHINE 9 results: Eagles vs Havok steals the show, plus Leva finally commits Kimberly to Arkham Asylum
SHINE Wrestling returns to iPPV this evening with what is without doubt the most stacked card in company history – featuring, as it does, a Steel Cage Match main event to (presumably) cap off the long standing rivalry between Leva Bates & Kimberly, which currently stands at 2-2 after four matches (Bates won at SHINE 3, then after Kimberly turned heel at SHINE 5, she won their rematch at SHINE 6. On SHINE 7, Leva won a Last Woman Standing match, only to see Kimberly win the Fans Bring The Weapons/I Quit match at SHINE 8).
The show also sees the first Qualifying round of the SHINE Title tournament, which takes place at SHINE 11 in July – with eight hopefuls looking to advance to the single elimination tournament. In a first time ever dream match, Madison Eagles takes on Jessicka Havok, while Sweet Saraya Knight battles Su Yung. VALKYRIE stable members Rain & Ivelisse Velez will also see tournament action, against Jazz & Angelina Love respectively. And that’s not even all. Jump through after the page break to follow results as they come in from the Orpheum in Ybor City, FL. (more…)
SHINE 8 results: Valkyrie remain unbeaten, Havok forced to respect Sky, Bates/Kimberly in insane brawl
Since the formation of Rain‘s Valkyrie stable at SHINE 6, the group has been on a tear – going 3-0 against SHINE talent at SHINE 7 – but with the roster banding together against the renegades at the conclusion of the last show, and the addition of the debuting Angelina Love – it just might be the start of the turning of the tide – with the team of Angelina Love, Amazing Kong, Mia Yim & Christina Von Eerie combining to take on Rain (making her return from injury), Ivelisse and Made In Sin in the main event.
Also on the show, Kimberly and Leva Bates have each picked a “poison” for the other in their potentially feud-ending double stipulation match. Leva chose “Fans bring the weapons”, and Kimberly selected “I Quit”. High stakes also in the match between Reby Sky and Jessicka Havok, which is being billed as a “Career vs Respect” match. Simply put, if Havok beats Sky, Sky’s time in SHINE is over, but if Sky can overcome the larger, stronger and more vicious Havok, Havok will have to stand in the middle of the ring and admit on the mic that she respects Sky.
Follow results as they come in with us after the jump. (more…)
Ringbelles Roundup (19 March 2013) – TNA One Night Only tapings, Bellatrix, GLOW documentary & more
WARNING: Spoilers lay within.
TNA Wrestling is saying goodbye to the Impact Zone in Orlando, FL by hosting a series of One Night Only pay-per-views. In last week’s Roundup, we discussed the Knockouts Knockdown all-women show which saw a number of former Knockouts turn down the offer of being there. At the time, Traci Brooks was one of the women who had declined the offer, but it was not because she was holding a grudge of any description, tweeting “I had to say no to TNA for the KO ppv as I couldn’t make it that day. No other reason”.
Payton Banks (Rain) and Winter (Katarina Leigh) pointed out last week that they had also been asked but said no, while Salinas (Shelly Martinez) vlogged that she wasn’t asked. However, it was the former Roxxi who came out and explained in detail why she didn’t go back for Sunday’s show.
Nikki Roxx (who was messed around during her two stints in the promotion) spoke to the Greg DeMarco show about her turning down the offer, saying, “You can only get kicked so many times… I think that I had finally had enough. They had trouble treating me very well to begin with and I felt like I was being a glutton for punishment every time I went back… I felt like it was the right time to tell them no. It was like one of those bad relationships where you keep trying to get away from it… You can’t treat people badly and then hope that they’ll come back and hang out.” (more…)
Ringbelles Roundup (12 March 2013) – Former Knockouts decline return, Mae Young turns 90, and more
On Sunday, TNA records an all-female version of the One Night Only pay-per-views which it is using to run in the months when it’s not presenting one of its big PPVs like Genesis, Lockdown, Slammiversary or Bound For Glory. Entitled Knockout Knockdown, it is advertised as a show to determine the true Queen of TNA. It is possible that the show will be a tournament if it is going to determine an overall winner, and to make it an occasion, TNA invited former members of the Knockouts roster to be part of it.
It probably didn’t go as well as they had hoped.
When asked on Twitter, Angelina Love, Nikki Roxx (Roxxi), Traci Brooks & Amazing Kong (Awesome Kong) all revealed that they were not going to be part of the proceedings and Dark Angel (Sarita) is also unavailable as she is in Japan. Considering the impression that each of them made to the division and the contributions that they made, for them to decline or not be in the country speaks volumes about what they may feel about TNA these days. (more…)
SHINE 8 card: Eight Woman Warfare, Leva & Kimberly pick some poison and a career is on the line
On the heels of a well received SHINE 7 iPPV which saw the newly formed VALKYRIE stable complete a clean sweep of victories, going 3-0 across the board, the newly released SHINE 8 card offers the Home Team a chance to gain a measure of revenge in the form of an eight-woman tag team main event. Rain will lead VALKYRIE, consisting of Made In Sin (Allysin Kay & Taylor Made) and this week’s TNA Gut Check contestant Ivelisse Velez, against a team consisting of Amazing Kong, Mia Yim, the returning Christina Von Eerie and the debuting Angelina Love. The heel team picks itself, naturally, but it’s an interesting choice on the Kong side, as it seems that the people who ran in to help at the end of SHINE 7 (Nikki Roxx, Santana Garrett, Tracy Taylor & Su Yung) have all been passed over in deference to Von Eerie & Love. We have no great issues with the choice, as the match looks tasty in any event, but it seems a shame that someone like Santana, who has been quietly improving show by show and looked to potentially have a chance to move up the card, remains anchored to the midcard. (more…)
SHINE 7 results – Valkyrie does the clean sweep while Leva Bates beats Kimberly
After aligning at the conclusion of SHINE 6 – the video of which you can watch after the jump – the five members of Valkyrie are all in action tonight as part of three matches which form the card for SHINE 7, taking place this evening at the Orpheum in Ybor City, FL. The highest-profile match features Rain returning from a wrist injury suffered at SHINE 5 against the woman who was used as the target for the formation of the stable, Amazing Kong.
Elsewhere, April Hunter debuts alongside her buddies in Made In Sin (Allysin Kay & Taylor Made) to take on Mia Yim and the West Coast Connection of Su Yung & Tracy Taylor. The final Valkyrie member, Ivelisse Velez, faces the debuting LuFisto in what is an intriguing match.
The main stipulation match on the event sees Leva Bates and Kimberly square off again, only with it being a Last Woman Standing match. We will see if Kimberly can double her win count in SHINE, or if Leva can tame her unhinged former tag team partner. We discuss the match in greater length in our preview which was written when the card was announced, which you can jump to by clicking here.
You can order the event right now by clicking here to go to WWNLive.com. If that’s not possible, click the jump to see the results as they happen by hitting refresh – and later on, we’ll offer our thoughts on the show, which is likely to produce a number of developments. (more…)
SHINE 7 card: Valkyrie in action, LuFisto debuts, plus Leva & Kimberly knock it up a notch
Afer last month’s big conclusion to the SHINE 6 iPPV, we’ve been having a look down the card for SHINE 7, which lands two weeks from now in Ybor City, FL. Surprisingly, all the members of the quintet known as Valkyrie will be in action, which means one wrestler returning from injury, and another making her SHINE in-ring debut.
In the main event, Amazing Kong - the woman who suffered the beating at the end of SHINE 6 at the hands of the stable – looks to gain a measure of revenge against Valkyrie’s leader Rain, who will be returning after breaking her wrist at SHINE 5 back in November in a tag match where she and Mercedes Martinez took on Kong and Jazz, with the Rhythm and Bruise tandem gaining the victory. Elsewhere, April Hunter officially steps into the ring with her Made In Sin charges of Allysin Kay and Taylor Made to face the trio of Mia Yim, and the West Coast Connection of Su Yung and Tracy Taylor (with Taylor making her first SHINE appearance since SHINE 3 back in September). On paper, this seems to be set up for a heel win, though stranger things have happened in wrestling.
The final Valkyrie member faces her biggest challenge so far in SHINE, as Ivelisse Velez faces the debuting LuFisto in singles action. The outcome of this encounter is harder to predict, as even though the Super Hardcore Anime has more experience under her belt, Velez has four other women watching her back and protecting her interests. This is set to be an explosive encounter, though for us at Ringbelles, we feel the real money match is away from the Valkyrie action… (more…)
Ringbelles Retro: The Beautiful People… pre-TNA
In a recent interview with WrestleShark, Velvet Sky admitted that she has been bugging TNA to do all they can to tempt Angelina Love back to the company and reform the Beautiful People, much like they were doing during the tail end of last year after both had left the promotion. She admitted that their heel run in 2008 was their favourite time – and I would tend to agree, as they were arguably the most over heels on the show. However, as she told us last November, Angelina has no real interest in re-signing with TNA at the moment.
However, before the pair teamed up in TNA, they also worked together on the indie circuit, as evidenced in the match we have for this week’s Retro from October 5, 2007 – about a week and a half before both competed in the Gauntlet Match to crown the first Knockouts Champion at Bound For Glory. They under their indie guises of Angel Williams and Talia Madison – form two thirds of a 3-way at a Prestige Entertainment show, with the third opponent being Nikki Roxx, and has Daffney as the special guest referee. (more…)
Ringbelles Roundup (29 January 2013) – Trish Stratus, National Pro Wrestling Day, Pro Wrestling: EVE & more
It was announced during last night’s episode of Monday Night Raw that Trish Stratus would be inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame this April as part of the WrestleMania XXIX weekend. As expected, the wave of congratulations came from wrestlers past and present like Lita, Mickie James, Beth Phoenix, Layla, Gail Kim and more, as well as personalities both inside and outside of the business like Jim Ross, Lilian Garcia and Snooki. Indeed, there are a lot of supporters of the Torontarian, and she was quick to react to the announcement:
I still can’t believe it. I’m just so honored to be taking my place alongside WWE’s greatest, as a wrestling fan – I’m kind of blown away! It’s simply amazing.
The 37-year old joins the Fabulous Moolah, Mae Young, Sensational Sherri, Sunny and Wendi Richter in the Hall, and is the most modern Diva to be inducted, though this provided a sticking point for some who felt that while she was worthy of going in, it was ahead of others who they felt should go in first – Leilani Kai, Bull Nakano and Madusa were names which cropped up, as well as Lita, whom Stratus’ career ran parallel with for damn near the entirety of their runs.
Now, while I’m not the biggest Stratus fan in the world, I’m fair – and without a doubt, Trish deserves to be in that Hall of Fame, and as far as the criteria of this particular one is concerned, is more worthy than the others. If we were discussing the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame or the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in Amsterdam, NY, then Stratus would get nowhere near the ballots, but for WWE’s version, all you have you do is get the green light from one Vince McMahon – and when it comes to that element, Stratus was always inevitable, as she was a model WWE employee. (more…)
Ringbelles Retro: Action from ChickFight I
If it wasn’t for ChickFight, there would be no Ringbelles. Stew and I met at ChickFight VII in Great Yarmouth, England in January 2007, in the first of the series to take place in the UK, as the rest would until cards ceased in 2008. Before that, the first six events (which were all tournaments which would tend to take place over two days) were presented by Californian promotion All Pro Wrestling – and the Retro we have for you today is from the inaugural event, held in Hayward, CA on the 29th and 30th of October in 2004…
Hailey Hatred and Candice LaRae had been eliminated from the proceedings in the first round by Nikki Roxx and Princesa Sugheit respectively. Christie Ricci fell at the semi final at the hands of Cheerleader Melissa after advancing by beating Tiffany (no, not the former ECW General Manager), while Roxx missed out on making to the final when she was defeated by Sugheit – for the record, the luchadora won the tournament by beating Melissa in the final. Because they were at a loose end for the second day, Hatred, LaRae, Ricci and Roxx all met in the ring in what was supposed to be a tag team match. However, one of the participants wasn’t happy with that arrangement, and decided to make some changes… (more…)
In Video: Fights at Florida Underground Wrestling
The day after SHINE 5 entered the history books back in November, a number of the roster stayed on in Florida to be part of a card for Florida Underground Wrestling as part of a new working relationship between the two promotions. It meant that around half of the card featured women’s matches, headlined with Made In Sin (Allysin Kay and Taylor Made) meeting Rhythm and Bruise (Jazz and Amazing Kong) in tag team action.
On the undercard, Heidi Lovelace faced fellow Ohio Valley Wrestling regular Sojo Bolt (Josette Bynum), Nikki Roxx took on Niya, Santana Garrett wrestled Sassy Stephie, and Marti Belle tangled with Leva Bates. All of the matches are after the jump, so click away and enjoy the five matches in their entirety. It’s a great opportunity to see Made In Sin, as the only chances to see Allysin and Taylor as a team so far have been on SHINE – which you have to pay to see – or at SHIMMER, which have not been released on DVD yet. Their schtick is a riot, so stick your pinkies up and get on board. (more…)
Rematches ahoy at SHINE 6
After a month off, SHINE Wrestling returns on January 11 with SHINE 6, and a number of long-standing feuds may be settled, or more fuel may be thrown onto these fires…
For starters, Jessicka Havok and Reby Sky will collide once again after Havok won their match at SHINE 2 and then went after her opponent after the bell. The pair also had a face-off at SHINE 4 when Sky prevented her rival from delivering further punishment to Leva Bates after their contest.
The main event was meant to be a rematch between Jazz and Mercedes Martinez after their match at SHINE 2 was thrown out before it even started and after facing each other in tag team action at SHINE 5 in November. However, Jazz has had to remove herself from the card – marking the first show she will have missed – and Martinez will now face Jazz’s partner on SHINE 5 - Amazing Kong, which is more than a suitable replacement… (more…)
SHINE 5 results – the return of Amazing Kong (now updated with thoughts)
SHINE Wrestling headlines its SHINE 5 show with the worldwide return of the former Kharma in her first match since January, with Amazing Kong teaming up with Jazz as Rhythm and Bruise to take on the tandem of Rain and Mercedes Martinez.
It’s the main event of a pretty stacked card in Ybor City, FL, with another of the mouth-watering outings being Jessicka Havok facing Nikki Roxx in a rematch of the Women Superstars Uncensored contest which helped to put Havok on the path to the top, while Kimberly looks to end her run of losses by teaming with Leva Bates against Made In Sin – Allysin Kay and Taylor Made – video of which you can see in this month’s SHINE Scouting Report.
We’ll be bringing you results as they happen, but why not buy the show for yourself, watch live and leave a comment with what you think about the show…? (more…)
Rhia O’Reilly has issues with HONOUR
Sometimes, even with the best intentions, you can still raise the ire of someone, and that’s exactly what has happened with HONOUR‘s article about the new partnership between Rhia O’Reilly and Amazon Ayesha Ray. She took to YouTube to talk about how she is not merely the instigator of fights and leaves them for Ray to finish, displaying her newly-won WAWW British Championship as proof that she can get it done by herself.
Elsewhere in HONOUR’s 2nd anniversary issue – which is now being released on a bi-monthly basis – Nikki Roxx, Athena and Veda Scott are all interviewed, there is a look at SHIMMER‘s latest DVD releases and Mercedes Martinez‘s shoot interview, how AIW‘s Girls Night Out series has grown, and a new feature which will track the progress of eight women – including Brooke Tessmacher, Courtney Rush and Evie – over the next year.
Click the picture to jump to the latest issue, and click after the jump to see O’Reilly’s video response. (more…)
Ringbelles Roundup (24 July 2012) – SHINE, PWWA, Raw 1000 & more
There was been a lot of talk about SHINE Wrestling in the lead up to the first Internet PPV on Friday night, and plenty more afterward, with plenty of comments from both people who where there, as well as fans who watched online.
For that reason, we asked Joe Vitale – who was at the Oprheum in Ybor City, FL – what he thought of the show, as he got to experience the atmosphere first hand. Below are some of his reactions:
“I like the setup for the show; it felt like a good introduction to the characters and styles of the workers and it was nice that almost all of the ladies came off like individuals to be interested in rather than “Brunette girl 1″… I really like how well the heels interacted with the crowd, Jayme Jamison and Allyson Kay/Taylor Made made fans out of my non-wrestling friends.”
Overall, one can view the show as being a big success, which built to a tremendous crescendo with Sara Del Rey falling to Jazz in the main event. Nikki Roxx and Rain may only wrestle on a limited basis these days but had a good outing which shows that they have a lot to offer both in in-ring activities but also knowledge that they can impart onto younger talent. Mercedes Martinez and Leva Bates had a tidy outing that set Martinez up for an apparent match against Jazz on SHINE 2 on August 17, and Bates proved that despite wearing a Spider-Man outfit, slinging webs and hanging upside down, there is a wrestler in there who can work, and is ready to get serious. (more…)
SHINE 1 results – updated with images and thoughts
Take a look at the front page – there’s a lot to do with SHINE on there, and with good reason, as this could be the start of something pretty exciting. Monthly Internet pay-per-views featuring women’s wrestling – it’s an enticing prospect, and we at Ringbelles are looking forward to seeing what happens.
It all kicks off tonight with SHINE 1 from the Orpheum in Ybor City, Florida (order here), headlined by the “Queen of Wrestling” Sara Del Rey meeting the “Female Fighting Phenom” Jazz, and also features seven other matches. We urge you to buy the iPPV to check it out for yourselves, or watch the replay on Video On Demand – but if you can’t, we have the results and goings-on after the jump, and will also have some thoughts on the show coming too. Keep refreshing the page for results and developments as they happen as we jump into SHINE… (more…)
Shine Wrestling: Scouting Report
This Friday, Shine Wrestling debuts with their first of what is planned to be monthly iPPVs through WWN. A sister promotion to SHIMMER, Shine has really impressed with its roster to date – an interesting mix of big names, cult favourites and promising indy stars. As a handy reference tool, we’ve knocked up mini scouting reports for each of the women involved. Keep it to hand when watching the show, and if you don’t recognise somebody, scroll down and you’ll know all you need to know in seconds
Sara Del Rey
Queen of Wrestling … Former SHIMMER singles and tag team champion … almost universally praised as the “Best In The World” … regular in Chikara, where she achieved her career dream of facing (and defeating) Aja Kong at last December’s JoshiMania … earlier this month main-evented for NCW: Femmes Fatales in Montreal … California native now lives in Florida … Originally trained by (amongst others) Bryan Danielson, she has adopted his LeBell Lock as one of her finishers … Master of inter gender matches, Del Rey will challenge Eddie Kingston for the Grand Championship of Chikara next weekend in Portland.
Jazz
Female Fighting Phenom … Louisiana native is the oldest woman on the active Shine roster … Former competitor in the original ECW and in WWE … Two time former WWE Women’s Champion, defeating Trish Stratus both times … Inducted into WSU Hall of Fame in 2010 … Main-evented WSU’s first ever iPPV ‘Breaking Barriers’ vs Mercedes Martinez in 2010 … Had a memorable brawl with LuFisto at NCW: Femmes Fatales VIII in Montreal in March … Married to former WWE wrestler Rodney Mack, with whom they run a wrestling promotion and training school in Louisiana … Still has a lot to offer.
DVD Review: SHIMMER volume 39 (27 March 2011)
Cheerleader Melissa continues her quest towards Madison Eagles‘ SHIMMER Championship, while Jessie McKay and Nicole Matthews settle their feud in a best of three falls match.
Results
1. Kellie Skater defeated Courtney Rush with a Skate And Destroy.
2. LuFisto beat Sassy Stephie with the Mangalizer.
3. Rachel Summerlyn made Mena Libra tap out to the Texas Cloverleaf.
4. 3S (Hiroyo Matsumoto & Misaki Ohata) beat Pretty Bitchin’ (Nikki Roxx & Ariel) to retain the SHIMMER Tag Team Championship – Matsumoto pinned Roxx following an Exploder Suplex.
5. Mercedes Martinez pinned Britani Knight with a Fisherman Buster.
6. Daizee Haze & Tomoka Nakagawa defeated Mia Yim & Jamilia Craft. Nakagawa pinned Yim with a Fisherman Suplex.
7. Jessica James pinned Athena after hitting the Hard Boiled Egg.
8. MsChif beat Sweet Saraya with a Desecrator.
9. Serena Deeb defeated Portia Perez via DQ when Perez hit Deeb with a cookie sheet.
10. Nicole Matthews beat Jessie McKay in a best of three falls match. Matthews took the first fall with a tights-assisted O’Connor Roll, McKay equalised with multiple Schoolgirl Crushes, and Matthews scored the third fall with the Vancouver Maneuver.
11. Cheerleader Melissa & Ayako Hamada beat Madison Eagles & Sara Del Rey when Hamada rolled up Eagles for the pin.
Highlights
• 3S continue their run as SHIMMER Tag Team Champions and establish themselves as the most over team in the promotion’s history with a second successful title defence over Pretty Bitchin’.
• Both Sweet Saraya and daughter Britani Knight are defeated by SHIMMER originals, MsChif and Mercedes Martinez respectively. The former sees the Knight’s manager Rebecca Knox get involved in the match but gets her comeuppance when a Saraya basement dropkick goes awry.
• Haze and Nakagawa earn a SHIMMER Tag Team Title shot by remaining undefeated, beating Mia Yim & Jamilia Craft.
• The Serena Deeb/Portia Perez feud that began following Deeb’s return to the promotion after her release from WWE the previous year continues and starts to involve weapons.
• Nicole Matthews and Jessie McKay put their on-off feud to bed after their best of three falls match after trading victories in singles and tag matches.
• Ayako Hamada pins Madison Eagles to earn a shot at the SHIMMER Championship, much to the chagrin of Cheerleader Melissa, who wanted to get the pin to earn the shot for herself. (more…)
Review: WSU – Best of 2011
A look back at the choice cuts of Women Superstars Uncensored from the promotion’s iPPVs and DVD releases.
Results
The Final Chapter (January 22)
Jessicka Havok pinned Nikki Roxx with an Air Raid Crash in an Uncensored Rules match
4 Year Anniversary (March 5)
Mercedes Martinez defeated Serena Deeb with a Fisherman Buster to retain the WSU Championship
4 Year Anniversary (March 5)
Alicia beat Jazz with a Yakuza Kick
J-Cup (April 2)
Brittney Savage defeated Sassy Stephie with an Ace Crusher to win the tournament
Uncensored Rumble IV (June 25)
Kristin Astara b Jillian Hall via DQ
Uncensored Rumble IV (June 25)
Jessicka Havok defeated Alicia in an Uncensored Rules match after Alicia’s mother threw in the towel
Uncensored Rumble IV (June 25)
Cindy Rogers made Allison Danger tap out to the TCB
Martinez v Lexxus (August 6)
Serena Deeb beat Annie Social with a spear
Great Championship Wrestling (September 24)
Jessicka Havok pinned Rain following an Air Raid Crash to win the Spirit Championship
Breaking Barriers 2 (November 19)
April Hunter made Jennifer Cruz with a head and arm submission hold
Breaking Barriers 2 (November 19)
Melina beat Lexxus with the Sunset Split
Highlights
• Serena Deeb‘s heel character is just superb. She’s an old-school rulebreaker, using cheap tactics, mouthing off to the fans and getting more and more annoyed as the match with Mercedes Martinez continues. At one point, she even yelled at her own hand after an attempt at an overhand chop didn’t elicit the loud slap that she had hoped for. Brilliant.
• The ending of Alicia v Jazz was abrupt, but so hard hitting that you never questioned the credibility of the ending. A straight knockout from a Yakuza Kick saw the veteran Jazz soundly defeated. She got on the mic after the match, made no excuses, said the better wrestler won and put over the fans.
• You can see how 2011 was Jessicka Havok‘s year in WSU. She is featured three times on the DVD, more than anyone else – and that includes WSU Champion Martinez, who is only featured once.
• Cindy Rogers went for it in her final match against Allison Danger, and it showed.
• Serena Deeb and Annie Social beat the piss out of each other. It took a while to get going, but when it did, goodness gracious.
Click after the jump for more thoughts. (more…)
Girls Grand Prix: opening matches announced
Two weeks ago, we reported about Squared Circle Wrestling setting up a new tournament called Girls Grand Prix, to be held in Binghamton, NY on February 24. At the time, the names which had been announced were Rachel Summerlyn, Sara Del Rey, Portia Perez and Serena Deeb (should she be fit to wrestle following her concussion). Today, 2CW has announced the other four participants in the tourney, as well as the opening round matches.
Joining the announced quartet will be former World Women’s Wrestling Champions Nikki Roxx and Alexxis Nevaeh (AKA Lexxus in Women Superstars Uncensored), as well as Canadians (and potential smash hits for 2012) Cherry Bomb and Courtney Rush. Having the experience and East Coast history of Roxx and Navaeh as well as the youth and added international flavour of Rush and Cherry Bomb (to go with fellow Canuck Perez) makes for an interesting dynamic. It could have been the same local faces for the most part, but those additions mean that it has a unique edge to it all. (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…)
SHIMMER Volumes 43 & 44 results and thoughts
Day Two of SHIMMER is in the history books, and now that the smoke has cleared from the shimnanigan-filled afterparty, it’s time to go back and review an absolutely amazing day of action. In my opinion, Day Two (encompassing Vols 43 & 44) was a stronger day of tapings than Day One, featuring many great matches and topped off with a history making Vol 44.
In male pre-show action, the team of Knight Wagner, Jordan McIntyre and the indiest man alive (a wrestler I failed to identify, but who wore the indytastic combination of a mask, t-shirt and pleather pants) defeated Team CLASH. After that, SPARKLE action saw Jett Riley & Kimberley Maddox beat December & Buggy Nova, while KC Spinelli pinned Su Yung with a hard powerslam.
Volume 43
1. LuFisto pinned Maja Svensson with the Mangalizer.
2. ReGeneration X (Allison Danger & Leva Bates) beat Sassy Stephie & Nevaeh after a Sonic Screwdriver on Stephie.
3. Nicole Matthews pinned Davina Rose with a Roll Of The Dice.
4. Hiroyo Matsumoto defeated Kellie Skater with a side suplex.
5. Saraya Knight pinned Ariel after a Sunset Flip Powerbomb.
6. Courtney Rush pinned Nikki Roxx following an Angle Slam.
7. Yumi Ohka pinned Mia Yim with a bridging Tiger Suplex.
8. MsChif pinned Tomoka Nakagawa after a Desecrator.
9. Mercedes Martinez & Athena went to a double countout. After the match, Athena wanted to restart, but Martinez walked off.
10. Jessie McKay pinned Britani Knight following a Boyfriend Stealer. Afterwards, Saraya Knight came out and berated Britani for letting down the Knight family name, and disowned her – suggesting she could put out a want ad and find a better daughter than Britani. Britani eventually snapped and the two brawled in a breathtaking extended pull-apart brawl. Britani vows to leave, but wants one match with her mother on Vol 44 to settle it all.
11. Serena Deeb pinned Portia Perez in an amazing no holds barred match, after spearing Perez off a table the two were standing on at the time.
12. Cheerleader Melissa defeated Kana after an Air Raid Crash. Post match, ring announcer Joey Eastman revealed that the win made Melissa the new top contender for Madison Eagles’ SHIMMER Championship.
13. SHIMMER Tag Team Titles: Ayako Hamada & Ayumi Kurihara (c) defeated Madison Eagles & Sara Del Rey to retain their titles after Hamada pinned Del Rey with an AP Cross.
Volume 44
1. Kellie Skater pinned Davina Rose after a Skate or Die.
2. Taylor Made pinned Veda Scott with a neckbreaker.
3. Kalamity pinned Tomoka Nakagawa with a Kalamity Driver.
4. Sassy Stephie & Neveah beat Ashley Lane & Mia Yim with a Kiss My Sass from Stephie on Yim. Former partners Nevaeh & Ashley Lane had already brawled to the back.
5. Serena Deeb pinned Yumi Ohka with a Spear.
6. ReGeneration X, Christina Von Eerie & MsChif beat Mena Libra, Melanie Cruise, She Nay Nay & Bonesaw when Von Eerie pinned She Nay Nay with a Pedigree.
7. Hiroyo Matsumoto pinned Jessie McKay with a side suplex.
8. Sara Del Rey pinned Courtney Rush with a Royal Butterfly.
9. Athena beat Mercedes Martinez via DQ when Martinez blatantly used a steel chair to attack the ankle of Athena. This seemed to cement a double turn, as Martinez was booed, while Athena was cheered. Athena pledged to get back at Martinez, but claimed she thought her leg was broken.
10. Kana beat LuFisto with the Kana Lock.
11. Britani Knight pinned Saraya Knight in a no DQ match with a Knight Light DDT.
12. SHIMMER Tag Team Titles: Ayako Hamada & Ayumi Kurihara (c) beat The Canadian NINJAs (Portia Perez & Nicole Matthews) after Kurihara pinned Perez after an Exploder Suplex.
13. SHIMMER Title: Cheerleader Melissa pinned Madison Eagles (c) with a rollup after escaping the Hellbound – NEW CHAMPION. After celebrating with the fans, Melissa was jumped and assaulted by Nicole Matthews, who claimed that this was “her time” now.
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SHIMMER volumes 41 & 42 results and thoughts
Day one of SHIMMER: Women Athletes is in the bag, with volumes 41 and 42 seeing some top class matches, strong debuts and some advancements in storylines, which should add intrigue to tomorrow’s event.
Before the tapings began, we were treated to two SPARKLE pre-show matches, with BoNayNayBugs (Jessie “Bonesaw” Brooks, She Nay Nay and Buggy) defeating Veda Scott, Kimberley Maddox and former WWE Developmental Diva Su Yung when Bonesaw nailed Yung with a double underhook DDT, and Allysin Kay & Maja (Mia) Svensson went to a time limit draw with KC Spinelli and Cherry Bomb.
Volume 41:
1. Nikki Roxx beat Kellie Skater with a schoolboy as Skater went for her Skate Or Die finisher.
2. Mercedes Martinez pinned Davina Rose with a Fisherman Buster.
3. Hailey Hatred pinned Kalamity with a running powerbomb. Hatred showed respect to Kalamity for her effort afterwards, but were attacked from behind by Mena Libra and Melanie Cruise.
4. Sara Del Rey beat Yumi Ohka with the Royal Butterfly.
Amber Gertner then brought out former SHIMMER Tag Team Champion Ashley Lane (AKA TNA‘s Madison Rayne) who called out Nevaeh after her former partner’s heel turn at AAW last night. The two got into a pull-apart brawl.
5. Kana (who was shown in video packages lanking Sara Del Rey and Cheerleader Melissa) made Mia Yim tap out from the Kana Lock (crossface chicken wing).
SHIMMER Champion Madison Eagles was presented with her award for being number one in the PWI Female 50, then talked trash about Serena Deeb, who was her challenger for the taping. Serena then cut the best promo of her SHIMMER career to express her desire to be the champion.
6. Ayako Hamada & Ayumi Kurihara defeated Daizee Haze & Tomoka Nakagawa to win the SHIMMER Tag Team Championship. Haze and Nakagawa came out beforehand to say they were taking the night off, but were forced into a defence. Nakagawa was pinned by Kurihara following two exploder suplexes.
7. Nevaeh b Ashley Lane with a German Suplex.
Daizee Haze returned to ringside to quit the promotion.
8. Cheerleader Melissa pinned Britani Knight following an Air Raid Crash. Britani’s mother Saraya gave her some verbal abuse after the match.
9. Portia Perez beat Jessie McKay after hitting her in the head with a chain wrapped round her fist, then wished rival Serena Deeb all the best in her title match, as she wanted to become SHIMMER Champion by beating her.
10. Saraya Knight defeated Allison Danger in a British rounds-based match. Danger got the first fall at the opening of round one; Saraya equalised by pinning Danger with her feet on the ropes in round three, and; Knight won the third fall in round four by pinning Danger with her forearm over her throat.
11. Hiroyo Matsumoto beat Nicole Matthews with a backdrop driver.
12. Madison Eagles retained her SHIMMER Championship after pinning Serena Deeb with the Hellbound.
Volume 42:
The taping began with a video of Sara Del Rey talking about Kana blanking her and challenging her to a match.
1. Mercedes Martinez beat Leva Bates with the Fisherman Buster, then kicked her a few times after the bell.
2. Mena Libra and Melanie Cruise defeated Hailey Hatred and Kalamity when Libra pinned Kalamity with the Ambassador Bridge (samoan drop with a bridge).
3. Tomoka Nakagawa defeated MsChif, LuFisto and Kellie Skater in a 4-way when Nakagawa pinned MsChif.
4. Yumi Ohka pinned Courtney Rush following a chokebomb.
5. Portia Perez made Davina Rose tap out with the Just Facelock. Perez had called for Serena Deeb to sit at ringside to watch her destroy Deeb’s protege. Perez refused to break the hold so Serena got in the ring to break it, only to be attacked by Nicole Matthews. The four then had a wild brawl which saw the locker room clear to break them up.
6. Nevaeh and Sassy Stephie defeated Nikki Roxx and Ariel.
7. Cheerleader Melissa pinned Christina Von Eerie following the Kudo Driver.
8. Athena won a 3-way featuring Jessie McKay and Mia Yim with the O-Face (leaping Stunner from the top rope).
9. Nicole Matthews beat Serena Deeb with the Roll The Dice after Portia Perez interfered. Deeb then challenged Perez to a no holds barred match for volume 43.
10. Ayako Hamada and Ayumi Kurihara retained the Tag Team Championship over Saraya and Britani Knight when Hamada pinned Britani. Saraya refused to help her daughter during the match, who she blamed for being soft after the match during a scathing promo, where she said “they” would want her anymore.
11. Kana beat Sara Del Rey via referee stoppage when she passed out in the Kana Lock.
12. Madison Eagles retained the SHIMMER Championship by beating Hiroyo Matsumoto with the Hellbound.
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