Revolution Now

Imagine. Imagine having a dream. Imagine working your whole life for it. Now imagine you are told, time and again, you aren't "(fill-in-the-blank) enough."

Ever since I could remember, everything inside of me just wanted to fit in...

"You aren't tall enough."
"You aren't strong enough."
"You aren't 'built' enough."
"You will never succeed. Just give up. You aren't good enough."

Imagine transforming yourself, losing weight, changing your look, changing your style - but it still isn't 'enough."

I was never one for pretenders, everything I tried to be just wouldn't settle in...

Imagine feeling despair in your heart, and slowly, after years of hearing those words, believing that they are true. Imagine growing harder, hearing critical words from the peers you look up to most. "...Takes it too seriously.."

I get the feeling just because everything I touch isn't dark enough that this problem lies in me...

Now imagine taking a stand. Fighting back. Determined to become the best no matter what. Imagine striving for that goal and having it slip through your fingers, coming so close, only to be prevented by people who feel themselves to be better than you. Pinnacles of arrogance.

You don't scare me, although I'm small - I'm bulletproof and I'm ten feet tall...

Now imagine a chorus of voices swelling up in support, more and more building up until the momentum sweeps you away, propelling you towards your dream. Imagine that wave sweeping away all obstacles in it's path, until you are so close it is almost in your grasp...

You may think I'm talking about the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Daniel Bryan. While there are many similarities in their stories and their paths, the person I am speaking of has had major challenges to her health as well as obstacles to her goals. That's right, her. The person I am speaking of is the "Super Hardcore Anime", LuFisto.

Back in late 2012/Spring of 2013, LuFisto was engaged in a war between Mercedes Martinez and then-SHIMMER Champion, Saraya Knight. LuFi and Martinez had been battling in several promotions such as where the feud began (NCW Femmes Fatales), over to Mercedes' stomping ground in Women Superstars Uncensored, a brief skirmish in SHIMMER Women Athletes and back to Femmes Fatales where, in March 2013, LuFisto challenged Saraya Knight for the SHIMMER belt. She might have won, if not for Mercedes running in to clock her in the head with a chair, allowing Knight to get the win via referee stoppage. LuFi might have gotten her revenge, if not for an accident that shattered her kneecap at SHIMMER 53 the following week. This took her out of action until the Fall of 2013 - something that she discussed along with various other, personal topics in a podcast you can listen to here: http://ringbellesonline.com/2013/05/03/wow-podcast-56-with-lufisto/

Upon her return, she discovered something new about the new SHIMMER Champion, Cheerleader Melissa. Her old ally had become more arrogant, more dangerous, and more of a bully. After defeating Leva Bates to retain the belt, Melissa kept beating on the smaller woman until the recently retired Allison Danger tried to make the save. Unfortunately Melissa went after Danger's head, knowing full well about the stroke that forced her to retire, but before she could do any damage, LuFisto came out to run her off. This touched a nerve on the part of the Super Hardcore Anime: LuFi had suffered a stroke a few years ago, as well as heart problems, yet had been fortunate enough to heal and resume her career. She didn't take kindly to Melissa beating on one of her friends who was also a stroke victim. Martinez and LuFisto resumed their war, with LuFi getting a victory via Burning Hammer on Saturday. Sunday, Volume 60, saw her challenge Melissa for the SHIMMER belt, proclaiming she was going to stand up for everyone who had been a victim of the Cheerleader's vicious streak.

Unfortunately, the Canadian came up short in her quest. However, after the match, Mercedes ran in to double team LuFi until Kana made the save. During, Melissa had been busted open and was pouring blood down her face. This prevented Melissa from competing on Volume 61 - her own streak of wrestling on each SHIMMER volume came to an end, but she still made an appearance. Sixty one saw Mercedes and LuFisto go to battle once more in a Falls Count Anywhere match that took them all over the Eagles Club in one of the most brutal matches in the promotion's history. Towards the end, Melissa ran in and blasted LuFi with the SHIMMER belt, leading to Martinez hitting a Fisherman's Buster on a chair to get the three. It was a shock to see the two SHIMMER originals standing tall over the prone LuFisto as the boos rained down on the two arrogant women.

The saying goes that you can't keep a good man down, and that goes for a good woman as well. At Femmes Fatales XIII, it was planned to be LuFisto and her protege Sweet Cherrie taking on Mercedes Martinez and her Montreal ally, Saraya Knight in a No Disqualification Anything Goes match. But plans change and instead of Saraya beside Mercedes it was none other than the SHIMMER Champion Cheerleader Melissa. All four did battle in Montreal which saw LuFisto put Mercedes through a table with a Death Valley Driver then get the victory over Melissa via Burning Hammer. A most satisfying result which may have been the final tipping point for the SHIMMER Powers That Be to announce LuFisto would get another shot at the belt. In April 2014, on their second iPPV, the two would go toe to toe again but this time there was an added stipulation: this would be a Best 2 Out of 3 Falls match. LuFisto immediately went into intense training to prepare herself physically and mentally for the challenge.

April 4th. New Orleans, Louisiana. Two legends of female wrestling put another notch in their history book. Like an orchestra that starts out softly only to build into a crescendo of symphony, so did the match start out slow as each woman went through a "feeling out" process. The two exchanged holds, not wanting to give the other an advantage, until LuFi managed to hit the Mangalizer for the first pinfall. However, due to confusion about the allotted rest time between pinfalls, Melissa caught LuFisto off guard with an Air Raid Crash to get the second pin. From there, both women went into overdrive as they brawled around ringside, each determined to be the victor. As we had seen in battles past, the Super Hardcore Anime may have had victory in her grasp...had not Melissa pulled referee Bryce Remsburg into harm's way, taking him out long enough for Mercedes to run in and blast LuFi with her Femmes Fatales title, allowing Melissa to sneak out another win.

This was the second time that saw LuFisto denied a win over her opponent thanks to outside interference. The second time that saw victory pulled from her fingers. The second time that the Two-Woman Power Trip worked together to beat down the woman that is determined to stop them no matter the cost. A woman that is fighting for the one who can't fight, for those who have been beaten and broken along the way. A woman who is fighting for justice, who is chasing a dream that she dared dream whilst going down this path. A woman who has been the victim of injustice, that has seen her dream denied through no fault of her own.

This weekend, we already know that LuFisto will finally have the backup she deserves - her tag team partner, Kana, will be by her side as they battle Cheerleader Melissa and Mercedes Martinez on the first SHIMMER volume to be taped Saturday, Volume 63. Yet, if they win with even odds, will we see LuFisto get justice? Will we see her get a fair chance at the gold belt that is currently around the waist of someone who has tarnished it with her actions?

I'm only a man with a candle to guide me...

Will a woman who has remained true to herself, despite all odds, despite all pressure to force her to change herself into something, someone she is not...will she be able to finally catch hold of her dream without losing herself in the process? Or will she give in to the temptation to behave as her opponents have and win at all costs?

I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside of me...

Everything comes down to this weekend. I feel we shall see the ultimate outcome of this war between two giants of wrestling in tiny Berwyn, Illinois. As for me, I shall be watching in the Eagles Club to bear witness to either the Super Hardcore Anime overcoming all odds and lifting the SHIMMER Women Athletes title over her head in final victory...or...

No. There is no other option. This weekend we must see justice done. We must see the underdog defy all odds. We must see LuFisto rise to the top of the mountain, head and belt held high. And we will urge her on with our own revolution. The "Yes Revolution"? Not quite. The Oui Revolution! Oui! Oui! Oui! WAR LUFISTO~!