In Video: A few words for Allison Danger…
A week ago, Allison Danger announced her retirement from in-ring competition during the taping of SHIMMER Vol 57 in an emotional moment that didn’t leave a dry eye in the house.
Of course she’s not leaving wrestling for good – she’ll continue in a backstage role at SHIMMER – and while everybody there that weekend was fortunate enough to be able to say their own personal thanks to the woman herself, we kinda figured that Danger deserved something more. So, without her knowledge, we started recording video messages across the weekend with the idea of putting them together as a lasting tribute to someone who has meant so much to so many.
Now that the woman herself has had a chance to see the video, we happily share our video with the Ringbelles readers. Some messages are heartfelt, some are funny… some are, well, you’ll see… (more…)
SHIMMER Volumes 56 & 57 DVD taping results (now updated with thoughts and photos)

After the events of yesterday, SHIMMER returns for its DVD tapings for volumes 56 and 57.
Expected to continue on from yesterday’s tapings include the quest by the Global Green Gangsters to secure another Tag Team Title shot at the Canadian Ninjas; Saraya Knight‘s reign of terror is being curbed by the officials; meanwhile, Jessicka Havok wants to leave more bodies in her wake, and Cheerleader Melissa is looking to retain the SHIMMER Championship. Also, these tapings mark the final matches for Allison Danger, who retires from the ring on volume 57.
As with yesterday, we will bring you results after the jump, along with pictures on thoughts on the show in due course. For now, click into the results and enjoy. (more…)
SHIMMER Volumes 54 & 55 DVD taping results (now updated with live thoughts and photos)

It’s the kickoff to SHIMMER’s Vols 54-57 tapings in Berwyn, IL at the Eagles Club with Vols 54 & 55 being recorded today. We’ve got a big preview of the Vol 54 taping up already, and we’ll be updating this page with results after the conclusion of both of today’s volumes. As noted in the preview, we’ll be back with thoughts and pictures from the event at some point thereafter. Enjoy!
(more…)
WOW Podcast #52 with AIW’s John Thorne
Episode 52 with AIW Promoter John Thorne
This Friday, Absolute Intense Wrestling brings their Girls Night Out franchise to iPPV via Smart Mark Video – so we’ve invited one of the AIW owner/promoters John Thorne onto the show to explain exactly why you should consider paying $14.99 of your hard earned cash on the show. We talk preparations for the show on the final week, Taylor Made‘s late pull-out and the addition of Addy Starr, the idea of iPPV (and whose idea it was) and the financial state of the company. We go back to the early days of GNO and talk about how important Hailey Hatred was to getting the first show off the ground, favourite shows so far, and how they’ve improved through each event. We talk the current status of former AIW Women’s Champions Mickie Knuckles and Jessicka Havok, touch on an AIW Women’s Champion who never was, and the 2012 ascent of Allysin Kay and Mia Yim to the main event – including the amazing finish to their Steel Cage match last August. We discuss the Indiegogo campaign to get Athena to GNO 7 last year, and John offers his opinion on some of the WSU/Drew Cordeiro twitter-drama from last week, and touches on an aborted GNO/WSU invasion/merger angle. We talk Allysin Kay’s mystery opponent for Friday (and maybe get a hint…), the formation of The Social Network and help give the final push for the iPPV on Friday. Some really interesting insight here from someone who was anything but a women’s wrestling fan a few years ago.
Follow John Thorne on twitter ! John Thorne on facebook
AIW Official Website ! Smart Mark Video on Demand
(left click on picture to stream, right click and “save as” to download)
DVD Review: ACW Fourth Annual American Joshi Queen of Queens (24 June 2012)
Anarchy Championship Wrestling returns for its fourth American Joshi Queen of Queens tournament with Rachel Summerlyn looking to defend her crown, with Jazz and Jessicka Havok making their ACW debuts. Also on the card, Portia Perez challenges Angel Blue for the American Joshi Championship.
Results:
American Joshi Queen of Queens – quarter-finals
1. Athena made Su Yung tap out to a leg submission.
2. Christina Von Eerie beat Veda Scott with the 138.
3. Rachel Summerlyn pinned Jazz with a Gory Bomb.
4. Jessicka Havok defeated Lady Poison with a roll-up. Summerlyn stayed at ringside and distracted Poison to allow Jessicka to get the pin.
Non-tournament matches
5. Matthew Palmer defeated Rodney Mack with a superkick to retain the Hardcore Title.
6. Darin Childs & Khris Wolfe retained the ACW Tag Team Championships by beating the Lost Boys, Electric Company, & Mojo Bravado in a 4-way dance.
American Joshi Queen of Queens – semi-finals
7. Athena beat Von Eerie with the O-Face.
8. Havok defeated Summerlyn with the Air Raid Crash.
ACW American Joshi Championship Match
9. Angel Blue pinned Portia Perez with a roll-up to retain the title.
American Joshi Queen of Queens – finals
10. Athena defeated Havok to become the 2012 Queen of Queens. She got the pinfall following an O-Face across an open chair. (more…)
Ringbelles Roundup (25 December 2012) – Arisa Nakajima, Veda Scott, 100th Roundup & more
Emi Sakura has had a hell of a year, and it’s been well documented here at Ringbelles. Her success since leaving Ice Ribbon has included setting up her own promotion in Thailand, having it migrate to Japan, winning the JWP/Daily Sports Tag Team Championship, securing the services of Kaori Yoneyama then having her take her side in some sort of Stockholm Syndrome scenario, forming a team to invade JWP and then taking hold of the promotion’s crown jewel by winning the Openweight Championship. In addition, she defended the belt in the UK for the first time in its history and won the Pro Wrestling: EVE Championship on the same night. Indeed, it has been one hell of a year for the 36 year old. However, it seems as if 2012 is going to end on a mildly disappointing note.
Yesterday, 17-year veteran dropped the Openweight Title in the main event of Climax 2012 at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall after 57 days – the second shortest reign in the title’s 20 year history (for the record, the shortest was Devil Masami’s 32 day run which ended when the title was vacated for unknown reasons). She was beaten by current Tag Team Champion Arisa Nakajima, who has also enjoyed a tremendous 2012. (more…)
Ringbelles Roundup (27 November 2012) – Eve Torres, Tsukasa Fujimoto wins ANOTHER title, plus more
In a recent interview with Edge, he was asked why so many women are voluntarily choosing to leave WWE. His reply: “I don’t think they get a shot and that’s why most leave. No incentive.”
Now, I was all set to expand on this, but there is the flip side – what about the fortunate ones who do get a shot? Do they seize the opportunity with both hands? Well, one is certainly doing so at the moment, and she seems to be the only one on the main roster taking the her role as a wrestler deadly seriously.
Consider what WWE Divas Champion Eve Torres has been up to in the last week. She was featured in a profile video for American Latino which focuses a large amount of time on the self defence for women programme she offers – something that she believes very passionately about. She teamed up with the Gracie Academy for the Women Empowered DVD set, and has worked hard promoting women being able to take care of themselves in potentially dangerous situations.
The interview also saw Torres justifying her heel character in WWE by saying she is a woman who gets what she wants, and her holding the WWE Divas belt is proof of that. It’s weird logic, but she has a point – it gets around the fact that she is a heel too, even though she is purporting herself to be on the side of the good girls. (more…)
Hope & Change win the AIW Tag Team Championship
If you have seen Veda Scott in SHIMMER, you may be surprised by her antics in Absolute Intense Wrestling. Utilising her legitimate qualifications in law, Scott is using legal wranglings to secure opportunities for herself and her client Gregory Iron, who has tasked her with levelling the playing field due to him competing despite having cerebral palsy.
Thanks to Veda, Iron has a loophole in his matches which means that opponents have to pin him for a count of four instead of the regular three, and also used her powers to earn them a crack at the AIW Tag Team Championship at Hell On Earth 8 in Cleveland, OH on Friday.
According to Eric Girod, who was in attendance at the show, Scott came out during the proceedings to demand title opportunities for both herself and Iron. Acting President Matt Wadsworth made the decision to have them combine to wrestle for the tag straps against defending champions The Batiri, as there wasn’t enough space on the card for them both to receive title shots (combined with the fact that Allysin Kay was already set to defend the Women’s Title against KC Warfield – a match which she won with a triangle choke tap out). (more…)
SHIMMER Volumes 51 & 52 DVD taping results (updated with thoughts on both Vols and photo gallery)
After a bumper day 1 yesterday which saw a number of storyline developments in both title pictures and one of the best matches in the promotion’s history, SHIMMER: Women Athletes returns for the second day of its weekend of DVD tapings.
Yesterday, Ayako Hamada and Kana competed in an epic encounter which saw the veteran gain the victory, though both women came out looking stronger than ever. In the 5-on-5 main event of volume 50, ReGeneration X and the Tag Team Champions Canadian Ninjas had hands in eliminating each other – with Allison Danger ousting Nicole Matthews before being pinned by Portia Perez – while Cheerleader Melissa pinned singles titleholder Sweet Saraya to end the match, which could see them cross paths again at some point today.
No matches have been announced for volumes 51 and 52, though if yesterday was anything to go by, fans at the Berwyn Eagles Club are in for another treat. As with yesterday, the Ringbelles team is on hand to provide results, as well as photos and thoughts later on. Click the jump to keep up with what’s going on…
SHIMMER volumes 49 & 50 DVD taping results (updated with thoughts on both Vols and photo gallery)
It’s rolled around again. More than 30 female wrestlers have gathered at the Eagles Club in Berwyn, IL for the latest round of DVD tapings for SHIMMER: Women Athletes, which includes the milestone volume 50 later today. A number of matches have been announced, but before we get to that, results from last night…
At yesterday’s AAW show, Athena defeated Nicole Matthews, Kellie Skater & Christina Von Eerie in a four way match where Matthews and Skater spent much of the contest playing a game of one-up by doing moves on Athena, but after it descended into a four way brawl, Athena nailed Nicole with the O-Face for the pinfall. Later on, Sweet Saraya retained the SHIMMER Championship by pinning MsChif following a wild, building-wide brawl which left both women with very visible battle scars. The end came when Truth Martini interfered to spit green mist into the challenger’s eyes.
Today, some matches have been announced. For volume 49, Saraya defends her title against Athena, while the Canadian Ninjas put the SHIMMER Tag Team Championships on the line against LuFisto and Kana. Elsewhere, SHIMMER Originals Mercedes Martinez and MsChif square off in a rematch from volume 20, where MsChif retained the SHIMMER Title in one of the best title defences up to that point. Also on the card, Leva Bates tangles with Kellie Skater, while nCw Femmes Fatales International Champion Kalamity faces Ayako Hamada.
Meanwhile, for volume 50, the SHIMMER Originals of Martinez, MsChif, Allison Danger and Cheerleader Melissa are involved in a 10-woman elimination match – which we are dubbing SHIM-vivor Series II, where teams of five strive to survive – and a “first time in SHIMMER singles bout” will take place, though you can let your minds run riot as to what it will be.
We will be updating results intermittently throughout the day, so keep hitting refresh for results – and after the show, we’ll upload thoughts and maybe some pictures…
Joshi4Hope: Hatred defends Remix Title against MsChif

Joshi4Hope ran their fourth standalone show today at the Tokyo Kinema Club, headlined by the return of MsChif to Japan, where she challenged Hailey Hatred for her Remix Pro Women’s Championship.
1. Yuhi pinned Veda Scott (6:10) after a Firebird Splash.
2. Tomoka Nakagawa & She Nay Nay bt Maki Narumiya & Yumi Ohka (16:28) when Nakagawa made Narumiya submit to the CRB.
3. Ayumi Kurihara & Mika Iida bt Leon & Manami Katsu (15:32) when Kurihara pinned Katsu with a uranage
4. Hiroyo Matsumoto & Ryo Mizunami bt Arisa Nakajima & Aya Yuki (15:37) when Matsumoto pinned Aya Yuki after a backdrop suplex.
5. Remix Pro Women’s Championship: Hailey Hatred (c) pinned MsChif (17:12) with a running Ligerbomb
For ringside photography, and a pretty amazing bit of what can only be described as stop-motion animation of Yuhi’s Firebird Splash finisher on Veda Scott, visit Lady Go!. Hiroyo Matsumoto, Tomoka Nakagawa, Yumi Ohka and Ryo Mizunami are all scheduled to travel to the US this month to join MsChif & Veda Scott for SHIMMER Vols 49-52 in Berwyn, IL (Oct 26 & 27), while Matsumoto & Mizunami will stay in North America for NCW: Femmes Fatales X in Montreal, QC (Nov 3).
Ringbelles Roundup (25 September 2012) – Beth Phoenix departure rumours, Ice Ribbon issues & more
Following last night’s Monday Night Raw (which we will get to in a minute, be patient), Beth Phoenix was approached by fans outside the Times Union Center in Albany, NY, asking if the rumours about her planning to leave WWE and retire were true. Lords Of Pain reports that she replied she was neither leaving WWE or retiring in the near future.
To paraphrase Mandy Rice-Davies – a model involved in one of the biggest scandals of in British 1960s politics, the John Profumo/Christine Keeler affair and discredit of the Conservative Government at the time – “well, she would, wouldn’t she?”
Wrestling Inc was the first website to report that Phoenix was intending to leave WWE. It posted a piece last Thursday saying that they had heard from a source that she would be going in October. This was later picked up by other wrestling news sites, and was given extra weight by the Wrestling Observer, which says it has had it confirmed by other sources within the company. However, Phoenix is a professional, and will likely not be addressing the rumours – if she is leaving, she will do so in the right way, quietly slipping into the shadows, likely putting over remaining talent along the way. (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…)
DVD Review: SHIMMER Volume 45
Cheerleader Melissa defends her newly-won SHIMMER Championship against Nicole Matthews, Athena looks to settle the score with Mercedes Martinez, and four women make their debuts.
Results
1. Courtney Rush pinned Rhia O’Reilly with a Skyward Suplex.
2. Melanie Cruise & Mena Libra defeated Shazza McKenzie & Veda Scott. Cruise got the pin following a top rope legdrop on McKenzie.
3. Sara Del Rey beat Leon following a big powerbomb.
4. Sweet Saraya made Davina Rose tap out to the Knightmare (half crab).
5. Jessie McKay beat Mia Yim with the Boyfriend Stealer.
6. Ray pinned Kellie Skater with a Phoenix Splash.
7. Hailey Hatred & Kalamity beat LuFisto & Kana. Hatred pinned LuFisto following a running powerbomb.
8. Ayumi Kurihara & Ayako Hamada retained the SHIMMER Tag Team Championship by beating ReGeneration X – Allison Danger & Leva Bates. Hamada pinned Danger with the AP Cross.
9. Athena defeated Mercedes Martinez with the O-Face.
10. SHIMMER Champion Cheerleader Melissa retained the title by beating Nicole Matthews with the Air Raid Crash. (more…)
In Video: AIW talks to Sara Del Rey & Veda Scott
Absolute Intense Wrestling is really getting into these candid, sit-down interviews with its stars. Last year, they talked with Mickie Knuckles, and since then, they have completed two more.
The most recent one is with Sara Del Rey, where she discusses getting into the business, learning with men, her debut, Ring Of Honor shying away from women wrestling on the shows and models learning to wrestle. It’s a nice 20 minute chat – for more information on Sara’s career, you can also listen to our Women Of Wrestling Podcast with her from two years ago.
Also after the jump is an interview with Veda Scott, where she discussed how much she researched wrestling schools before choosing the ROH Academy, debuting against Daizee Haze, being knocked out by Cherry Bomb, her SHIMMER debut and being perceived as a wrestler rather than as a sex object. And what do you know – we have a WOW Podcast with Veda too, so check that one out as well! (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.
A good half year for… a few others

Over the last week, we have given you our rundown on the seven wrestlers who have raised their stock in the last six months, all of whom have done so in various ways (and you can read about them all right here). However, as with all lists, there is always some discussion about whether the right choices were made. Believe us when we tell you that there was quite a bit of conversation on who should get the article treatment, as there were a number of names who were considered. With that, we bring you the ones who were on the list because of their achievements, but didn’t make the final cut… (more…)
nCw Femmes Fatales IX results
A big card of action takes place tonight in Montreal, Quebec, Canada as nCw Femmes Fatales IX strikes. The International Championship is on the line, a grudge spanning two promotions could be settled, and the most fearsome trio in women’s wrestling today head north of the border.
Current titleholder Kalamity faces her toughest test yet when she faces the challenge of Sara Del Rey, while former champion LuFisto takes on Mercedes Martinez following their brawl at Femmes Fatales VIII in March and subsequent encounter at WSU’s Uncensored Rumble V last month, where LuFisto cost Martinez the WSU Championship in the main event Casket Match against Jessicka Havok. And speaking of Havok, she and her Midwest Militia partners Sassy Stephie and Allysin Kay take on Courtney Rush and two mystery partners.
Elsewhere, Kc Spinelli meets former SHIMMER Champion Cheerleader Melissa, Sweet Cherrie and Cherry Bomb take on the Canadian Ninjas of Portia Perez and Nicole Matthews with the winners earning SHIMMER Tag Team Championship match at Femmes Fatales X on November 3 against whoever the titleholders are at that time. Click after the jump for a look at the matches, and we will update them as we get word, courtesy of Pat Laprade, who is in attendance at the show. (more…)
Athena wins ACW American Joshi Queen of Queens
Athena is your new Anarchy Championship Wrestling American Joshi Queen of Queens, winning a tournament in Live Oak, TX which saw new names challenging for the crown, and past participants also vying to make it to the top of the heap.
Daizee Haze took the original tournament in 2009, going through Portia Perez, Jessica James and Sara Del Rey; Perez won in 2010 be beating Haze, MsChif and Lady Poison, regaining the ACW American Joshi Championship in the process, and; 2011′s winner was Rachel Summerlyn, who defeated Christina Von Eerie, Perez and Athena to emerge victorious.
This year Summerlyn, Athena, Lady Poison and Von Eerie returned for the 2012 tournament, and were joined by debutantes Jessicka Havok, Jazz, Veda Scott and Su Yung. Also on the card, Perez looked to regain the American Joshi Title when she challenges the holder Angel Blue for the belt. Click after the jump and we will relay the results to you, courtesy of ACW and attendee David Muscarella. (more…)
Absolute Intense Wrestling is presenting its first iPPV through 


You’ll have seen the nose break, you’ll have watched the no holds barred rematch, you’ll have listened to Allysin Kay on the Women of Wrestling Podcast – and now the waiting is over, as Absolute Intense Wrestling presents Girls Night Out 7, headlined by a championship match in a Steel Cage, as Allysin Kay defends against Mia Yim in the match to settle their rivalry.

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 »