AIW's Girls Night Out 7 and My Weekend with Sassy

Shenanigans! Courtney Rush v Veda Scott

This isn't going to be your 'traditional' review. Since this was only my fourth independent wrestling show, I'm going to write about my trip as well as the show itself. The whole thing was very fascinating, since I'd been invited to stay with a friend who was competing on the show: one Sassy Stephanie. She offered to let me stay at her house which was incredibly generous of her and as a result, I got a glimpse into the life of a professional wrestler. This is solely the view of a fan who is also a friend of some of the women, and by no means am I claiming to "be in the know" about the business or claiming to be part of the business. I have no "insider knowledge." I'm just a fan who now has a better appreciation of the life independent wrestlers live.

Thanks to something that came up right before I left, my departure was delayed and I didn't actually leave Louisville until 5 p.m. So I didn't get to Sassy's house until about 10 or 11p.m. Once I got there, she made pancakes for us (which was the first time I'd ever had home made pancakes instead of frozen - they were delicious!) and we watched some of the shows she had recorded during the week. Before I went to sleep she made me watch "A Christmas Story", a movie I had actually avoided for years. I couldn't tell you why. But since we were going to the Christmas Story house Saturday before the show, she forced me to watch it. No, seriously, I was tied to the couch with those little eye pincher things that kept my eyes open. It was torture! Kidding, I actually liked it. She also showed me her luggage that she had already packed for the weekend - since she had a show on Saturday and Sunday, she was prepared with one huge suitcase, a backpack for her gimmicks, plus video equipment. All in all it was a huge amount of stuff she needed for the shows. This wasn't unusual, Steph informed me. She had to be prepared with her outfits, makeup, regular clothing, plus merchandise like shirts, programs, photos, etc. She couldn't afford to forget anything.

Saturday she got me up at 10 so I could shower before we had to leave. "The Wrestling Goddess" Athena was flying in and Steph was picking her up from the airport. Before we left the house, Diana (Steph's best friend) came over as she would be going to the shows and helping with merchandise as well. All three of us piled into my mini-SUV and we got to the airport just as Athena arrived. I thought this was really cool and a true pleasure - I'd donated to the fundraiser to get Athena to Girls Night Out 7 and here I was getting to hang out with her.

Athena is not only a fantastic wrestler and a great personality but the woman behind the character is utterly hilarious. She had me in stitches the whole day! Even though she hadn't seen "A Christmas Story" either she knew enough about it to know about the items in the house that were interactive. When we got to the house, all of us took part in the various things, such as dressing up in the pink bunny suits, pleading for Ralphie's life whilst under the sink, posing with the Ryder BB gun and the leg lamp, and trying on the various hats that were worn in the movie. It was a lot of fun!

Sassy took us to Melt's, which had great food. During the whole time, I tried never to be a pest or ask too many questions - I remembered that I was Steph's friend but also a fan that was outside the business. Plus, I wagered Athena and her didn't get to hang out very much so I wanted to keep to the background as much as I could. From Melt's we went to the venue, and I got to see what happens during an independent show before it actually starts. I helped Steph set up her table and I helped her out with something else she wanted done during her match with Athena. (Right before we went into the house, she got a notification that Leah Von Dutch and Cherry Bomb weren't going to be at the show, so she would be wrestling Athena.) I talked to Veda and Mia before the show started but mostly kept to the side watching everyone set up and the women go through their paces in the ring.

Eventually the show got under way and I was treated to my first Absolute Intense Wrestling experience. The first match was Athena v Sassy Stephie, which, I thought, should have been higher on the card because of the caliber of the athletes. Nonetheless, the two had a great match, Sassy throwing in some great lines during it. When Athena hit her finisher, the "O Face", the crowd popped huge. She got a "please come back" chant afterwards, which was most deserved. Despite thinking they should've been higher on the card, it was a fantastic way to kick the show off.

Thunderkitty (left) v Trash Cassidy (right)

Thunderkitty took on Trash Cassidy in TK's debut match. This was only Trash's second appearance for AIW, and given that I was unfamiliar with both, I went into this one completely blind. Thunderkitty's gimmick is that she is an "old time" wrestler and she is playing it to the hilt. The one piece outfit, her language, her personal ring announcer, coming out to no music - it all works brilliantly and makes her stand out. Trash...I'm still not too clear on her gimmick, other than she wears a lot of different colouring clothing to go along with her multi-coloured hair. Although she did throw out a great line: "I didn't know I was wrestling Mildred Burke!" The match was decent, but Trash got a "please don't come back" chant afterwards. Ouch.

AIW's first female tag team match was next, and it was due to the lobbying of Annie Social's manager Sammy Geodollno that made this match happen in the first place. She recruited Nikki St. John (also making her AIW debut) to team with Annie and they faced off against Heidi Lovelace and the returning Angel Dust. Right off the bat, something was screwy as Heidi kept looking at her phone before the match, and the two times Angel tagged her in, Heidi would hit a move and tag back out, the last time being after Angel had taken a beating from Social and Nikki. The match was good, both teams worked well together. The reason for Heidi's actions became clear afterwards when she hit Angel with a sweet enziguri and joined up with the three. The new all-female stable is known as "The Social Network" and Sammy looks to be their mouth piece from now on.

The manager with the Philly Swagger is looking to make a statement with her group. Sammy may be new to the managing scene but she looks to be someone to watch out for in the future. I had seen Angel on a previous GNO show DVD and thought she was a good worker. Although I don't care for Annie Social, I do admit her character is better than her wrestling. She's still just passable in the ring. Nikki I had seen in a SPARKLE match in March and had thought she was good; here, she worked well with Social as a partner and the other two women as opponents. Heidi looked good as well - overall, I look forward to seeing more out of all of them, especially the new stable, in the future.

Melanie Cruise v Kimber Lee looked like it was going to be a one-sided affair but Kimber actually got in some good looking offense and won with a roll up after Melanie missed a top rope leg drop. I've seen Cruise at SHIMMER and she's good for her size. This was my first time seeing Kimber, and after hearing so much about her, I can see why people are talking. She's one to watch going forward. (I realize I keep saying this was my first time seeing a lot of these girls, knowing most of them were booked on previous AIW shows. In my defense, I've only seen GNO 4 and didn't have time to watch the others before Saturday!)

Under Pondo Rules (which meant no DQ, no count outs, falls count anywhere) "Crazy" Mary Dobson fought Lil' Naughty, another woman making her AIW debut. I hadn't ever heard of 'Lil Naughty, but Dobson I'd seen a lot of hype for, mostly in conjunction with the hardcore style of wrestling. Which is the type of match that happened here. There must have been hundreds of thumb tacks that were spread out in the ring, some of which went into Dobson's own mouth as well as her head and other body parts. She got the pin after spreading some of the tacks onto Naughty's stomach, then doing a senton onto her. Dobson was bleeding heavily from the forehead after this match.

I'm going to be completely honest: I did not care for this match at all. I don't mind hardcore style matches as long as they have a purpose and a storyline behind them - for instance, WSU's feuds usually build up and climax with a match that has uncensored rules (i.e. no rules). This was two people with no prior history that I was aware of (which, if I'm wrong, I hope someone corrects me) put into a match that had no back story, hence no actual reason for a "Pondo Rules" stipulation. If you're into random hardcore matches, this would've been great for you, but I'm not. Dobson has competed in REINA in Japan, and it's no easy task to be invited to train and compete anywhere in Japan. I would have liked to see more of what she learned over there as far as in-ring skill goes. Apparently she is scheduled to go back to REINA soon, hopefully this will expand her repertoire and she can start easing out of the hardcore-style matches. It's an easy way to make a name for yourself, but given that she is only 18 years old, doing that type of match can take a toil on your body later in life. Just ask LuFisto. Plus, is it really wise to have thumb tacks shoved in your mouth? Some of them were bent, granted, but some were not.

On a side note, at some point, Mary flung a few tacks into the audience where I was sitting. That was rather unnecessary. I found one embedded in my shoe Monday before I went to work - definitely the most unique souvenir I've ever gotten from a wrestling show.

Veda setting up for the kill.

After this, however, was one of the matches that sold me on coming to GNO7 - Veda Scott, with her client in AIW Gregory Iron, versus the "Suplex Machine" Courtney Rush. I expected shenanigans in this match and I got them in spades. Not to mention damn good wrestling. Rush presented Veda with a note that she supposedly signed, stating that Veda would agree to not sue Rush if she suffered any injuries after being suplexed. When Veda examined the paper up close (as she wasn't wearing her glasses), Rush smacked her through the paper. It was on after that. I knew Scott was a heel everywhere except SHIMMER and SHINE, but this was the first time I'd seen her as a heel in person. She was devious, sneaky and absolutely aggressive. Her aggression and Courtney's high energy made for a fabulous mix and it confirmed what I knew as soon as the match was announced - they worked incredibly well together and made for a great bout. Veda pulled out the win thanks to Gregory Iron's repeated interference but Rush got a "please come back!" chant from the crowd. All in all, one of the best matches on the card.

Sara applies the Royal Butterfly on Hailey.

The match following was the other that sold me on attending, considering the news that has been making the rounds. In a return match (a sequel to the one they had on a previous GNO show), Hailey Hatred took on Sara Del Rey. I'm a huge fan of both ladies, and considering the news about Del Rey, this would likely be one of the last times I could see her in person. I knew these two would put on a doosy and they did just that. It was twenty minutes of hard hitting awesomeness. If this is truly Sara's "farewell tour" then it was altogether fitting that she faced Hatred at AIW. They did not disappoint me at all. It was a privilege to see them in person.

Between this match and the main event, there was an intermission where the women came out to sell their merchandise, take pictures and have a chat with the fans. During this time, I moved away from where I'd been sitting (behind the table where Steph had set up shop) and took the time to buy a Kings of Wrestling shirt from Del Rey (her line was massive!) and tell her how appreciative I was of her work and thank her for helping make female wrestling respectable again. She seemed really pleased by the compliment, and I meant it - she's one of the women I consider the originators of the revolution in female wrestling, who helped make it respectable and showed that women are every bit as good as men.

"My fave little volcano" - that's me!

I also chatted with Courtney and congratulated her on her match. Plus I got a signed picture of her with one of the best inscriptions: "To Jenn, my fave little volcano!" Mostly however I hung back to observe everyone interacting and to watch the cage being put together. It was coloured a light pink, which was a nice touch I thought, and really high. I'd never seen a cage match live, so I had no way of knowing if it was a higher cage than most, but it looked like it. One thing I noticed, all the women were polite and great with their fans, but they also doubled as their own saleswomen. Which, they have to in order to supplement the pay they get from the promoter for working the show. Sometimes that extra money can make all the difference in the world. The women can't rely on others to always be there to help promote them, they have to be their own best promoter and spokeswomen. At the same time, they never came off as needy or pushy, they struck the right balance with the fans.

Mia kicked the shit outta Allysin.

As a thank you for me buying their lunch, Athena let me pick from the DVDs she had for sale and offered a discount on her "Team Athena" shirt which I thought was generous of her. I picked up the "Best of Athena Volume 2" seeing as I had Volume 1 already. Then it was time for the cage match and let me say that any cage matches I see in the future will have to try their very best to measure up to this one. Mia Yim and Allysin Kay's rivalry had grown since GNO5, after Yim broke Kay's nose, and Kay wanted to beat Mia without any interference from Flexor Industries, so what better way to keep things one on one than by putting them into a cage?

This match was utterly amazing. It kept fans on the edge of their seat by utilizing the cage just enough to make the spots mean something without overdoing it. Both wrestled extremely well, took risks and gave fans something special. The end came when both were at the top of the cage and Kay had Mia locked in a reverse jujigatame while dangling over the side. It was an incredible finish which had me praying for both women's safety. They earned a standing ovation from the crowd, one they fully deserved.

Scariest. Woman. Alive.

A few words about both women, this was the second time I'd seen Allysin Kay live, the first time being at SPARKLE. I thought she did well then, and given that in WSU there's more of a focus on her as a destructive force than on her wrestling skills, I was looking forward to seeing what she would do here. I'm convinced now that there is a lot of depth to Kay - not only does she have the character, the attitude and the charisma down pat, but she has a range in her that I've seen with Stephanie as well. Both can do the brawling, beat down style that we've seen in WSU, but both are also great when it comes to technical wrestling. It's tremendous to see another woman that is capable of having all types of skills.

Choke out on the top of the cage!

Mia Yim is a woman whose career I've followed since her SPARKLE debut in September 2010. She was still a rookie at that time but her progress since then has been simply amazing. She has several stints in Japan under her belt, which helped sharpen and broaden her skills, and has made an impact in several promotions such as Combat Zone Wrestling (taking part in the first intergender TLC match against Greg Excellent which she won), SHIMMER, Anarchy Championship Wrestling, Ring of Honor (granted, more as Prince Nana's valet than a wrestler but still, it's big considering ROH has a television show), and AIW. It is remarkable how much she has grown as a character and a wrestler, yet she remains the sweet, down to earth, unpretentious woman I met two years ago. Every time I see her, she gets better and better and I always make it a point to tell her how proud I am of her. Plus, she just recently graduated from college, like Steph, and being a student as well as a wrestler is no easy task. The sky is the limit for Mia.

Me, Courtney Rush and Sara Del Rey. Thank you.

After the show, I watched as the wrestlers (male and female) helped take apart the cage, the ring, the guard rails and everything else related to the show. Some fans stuck around to chat with a few of the wrestlers, but most cleared out allowing the women time to breathe and talk with each other. For most, they would be on the road again in hours, going on little sleep to get to the next destination for a show (such as Steph and Athena, who had an early flight back to Texas for an ACW show on Sunday). Yet they still took the time to talk to catch up. I talked with Veda and complimented her on the match with Courtney, and then was fortunate enough to get a photo with both Del Rey and Rush - a picture I will treasure.

Last notes on the show itself: overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my first AIW show. The majority of the matches were great, everyone worked hard to put on a great show, everyone from the wrestlers to the behind the scenes people were friendly, and the atmosphere was good. The audio was clear for the ring announcer and other in-house announcements, the building was a good, open space and there was enough room it felt like.

The only drawbacks I saw were how quiet the crowd was. A lot of women got no reaction at times, despite them doing their best to engage the crowd. They popped at times and the last three matches got good to great reactions, but on the whole it was quieter than I expected. One thing that was both a plus and a minus was the fact that some of the male talent were in the audience trying to make noise and get the crowd going. I was impressed by this, as it showed that the guys wanted to help the women succeed and make the show even better. However, with any audience, there is always that "one guy" who has to make inappropriate remarks. This time, it was someone who sat in front of me. I thought from the way he interacted with others that he was part of the AIW roster, but the owner informed me that only two male workers were at the show and both were sitting by the front door. My apologies for the false information!

Overall, I highly recommend buying Girls Night Out 7 and attending an AIW show at one point. You won't be disappointed.

After the show we drove through the rain to a nearby Dennys, where we were joined by some of the crew and wrestlers. I stayed quiet mostly, laughing at the stories being shared and watching the shared camaraderie. Despite being tired, everyone looked like they were in good spirits - well, everyone except for the hostess who had to accomodate a large number of people at a late hour.

We drove Athena to the nearby hotel and dropped her off. She reached around the seat to give me a hug and a thank you for driving her, which was no trouble at all. If anything, it was awesome to spend the day with her. It's cool for me to know that the wrestlers I'm fans of are also genuinely nice people, and I believe Athena is just that. After that, we headed back to Steph's house and along the way, two frogs tried to kill themselves by hopping into the middle of the road. I'm swerving (in the rain) to try and avoid them and Steph says, "Just hit them! If they want to die then so be it!" I'm like, no! I don't want to be a frog killer! She says, "Just think of it like a live edition of Frogger." I laughed so hard I had to stop at a stop sign and wait until I could breathe before we could go on!

By the time we got back to the house and settled in, it was 2 a.m. We had to be up early again to head out, as Steph had another show to do in Marietta, Ohio. When she invited me to stay with her, she said I could go with her to Remix Pro which I accepted. She was set to wrestle Sara Del Rey for her Remix Pro women's title, and I wasn't going to pass up that match since I had liked the one they had had at Girls Night Out 4. We were out the door early again Sunday to drive over to a friend's house who was also going to pick them up. Due to traffic issues, we got there in time for the show but too late for Steph to set up shop at her table. Fortunately Diana took care of that so she could sell her stuff at intermission.

The crowd was very different for Remix than AIW. For instance, there were a lot of children which helped generate a lot of crowd noise, plus there were several mentally handicapped people. Everyone was into the show and it was fun to see how seriously fans still take it. Steph played a heel to Del Rey's face and when she won the title, it got a mixed reaction. However, once they shook hands, most people started cheering for Sassy. So you can imagine the surprise on people's faces when Hailey appeared to challenge for the belt. The match was set for later in the show (the bout before the main event in fact), so Steph was able to come out as champion for intermission.

Steph looks good in gold.

It was during intermission that I observed how it can take a toil on wrestlers when interacting with fans. It helps if you're good with people, like Sassy is, and I asked her if she was naturally good with people or if it was something that came over time. She had worked in a doctor's office previously, where she had learned to interact and handle people with all sorts of disabilities. It made me smile several times seeing how great she was with the kids and the people with handicaps. She never shied away from a hug or from talking to anyone who came up to her. So many of them congratulated her on the title win and hoped that she would retain against Hailey.


Despite being a heel, when Hailey won the belt, a lot of the crowd was disappointed. I studied the audience and saw that, while Hatred got a large reaction when she pinned Steph, quite a few people looked sad and surprised. I could identify - I was one of them. It made no sense to take a local belt and put it on a lady who was heading back to Japan in a few days. Most Remix fans would most likely not see any of the title defenses (if it was defended over there at all), and how would it make the belt anymore prestigious than it would having a champion that lives in Ohio? It makes no sense to me as a fan. While I don't blame Hailey like a lot of people do, I felt (and still feel) Sass deserved better. This mistake is on Remix. I've read that some fans felt Hailey should have refused to do it. Perhaps, but if you follow that logic, it leads to asking why Steph didn't refuse to do the show period. I didn't ask her this, as it's not my place - instead I admire her willingness to go through with it. It shows her professionalism in the face of a foolish decision by the promotion. Nonetheless, it was a taste of the politics I had heard so much about in wrestling.

I didn't like it.

Hailey and I, sweet woman.

After the show, before Steph came out (I swear, I think she's one of the last people to leave any show she is at!), I chatted with Hailey who was glad to see me. I finally got my picture with her and was able to wish her safe travels when she went back to Japan. I saw Del Rey, but seeing as how before the show started, fans got a chance to have a picture with her and the Remix Pro Champion Facade, and I had partaken (she smiled when she saw me and said, "Long time no see!"), I wasn't going to bother her further. Instead I waited with Diana until Steph came out. She managed to sell a few more pictures, and thanked the fans who expressed their disappointment with her loss.

Finally it was time to leave and it was here we had to separate. Her, Diana and her friends were going back to their town and I was heading home. It was about 8pm-ish and the sun was on it's way down. I hugged Diana and Sassy, and thanked her again for her hospitality and the whole experience.

Somehow...my GPS thought the best way to get me home was take me from Marietta down into West Virginia and hang a right at Charlestown. This included driving through buckets of rain which, combined with night time, wasn't a great mix at all. Fortunately I was a lot more awake than I had been earlier (poor Diana who rode with me on the way to get the limo was subjected to me almost falling asleep at points and swerving the car) but good God it was a long drive! Didn't get home until 1 a.m. I fell in my bed like I'd been away for five years.

On the way home, however, I got to thinking. I reflected on what I had seen and experienced over the weekend. I thought about the long travel the men and women in independent wrestling do in addition to being college students and/or having jobs outside of wrestling. I thought about how they had to make sure they packed everything they would need, including plenty of merch. I thought about how they had to put on their best faces for the fans, even when they were tired or hungry. I thought about how they had to put up with the political bullshit and try to remain a professional so as to not disappoint the fans who had paid money to see them. I thought about the pay they got which was not nearly as much as they deserved. I thought about how critical it was to sell as much merchandise as possible at every show.

I realised that I had had no clue how hard this life really is. The travel alone had worn me out, and I'd not even done half as much as other women do. Combine that with the pressures and the stress of the other factors I mentioned above and it's a wonder that anyone gets into wrestling. Some do it to get to WWE, but others are content with remaining outside the mainstream. It makes me appreciate the ones that are in there, giving it all they have, putting up with all the baggage that comes with the job. They must truly have a passion for wrestling - otherwise, why would anyone remain in it at the independent level? There's little money and no fame beyond a small group of fans. Love for the sport is what drive the women and men here.

As a fan, all I can say is with all my heart thank you. Thank you for not giving up in the face of all you have to go through. Thank you for putting your heart and soul into what you do. Thank you very much - I appreciate it more than words could ever say.

A special thank you to Sassy Stephanie, for allowing me to write this, as well as for her hospitality and her trust. It means more than you'll ever know. If at least one person has a greater appreciation for the life of an independent wrestler after reading this, then I have accomplished something.

Support the promotions that respect female wrestling and give them a platform to perform on as athletes. Support the women that bust their asses for us. They deserve it.

What is a Dream?

Merriam Webster dictionary describes a "dream" as: a : a strongly desired goal or purpose <a dream of becoming president> as number four on the list of definitions. We all have dreams. Some are big dreams, some are small, but all are important to us, despite how they may look to others.

The Kings and Queen of Wrestling. Picture by Mike Mastrandrea

I can imagine how people reacted to when Sara Del Rey stated that working for World Wrestling Entertainment was a goal of hers. Actually, I can do more than that, I've read reactions online to when she's stated that. Everything from, "That's awesome, hope she makes it!" to "Why would they hire her? She's not a model and isn't attractive." Some reactions were far worse. It's ironic, no one ever said that she wouldn't make it because she wasn't a great wrestler. Her nickname "The Queen of Wrestling" may have come about from when she was partnered with The Kings of Wrestling, Claudio Castagnoli and Chris Hero, in Ring of Honor, but it's a nickname that truly defines her. She is the Queen, one of the best wrestlers in the world by far.

Sara made her debut in 2001 and never looked back. She mostly stayed on the west coast but then began to branch out. She was trained by some of the best in the business, such as the All Pro Wrestling boot camp where she was trained by Bryan Danielson, and in the New Japan Pro Wrestling Inoki Dojo. You want to talk about promotions? She's wrestled for promotions in Japan, Mexico, Canada, Australia and all over the United States...

All Pro Wrestling.
A to Z in Japan (formerly ARISON).
Impact Zone Wrestling (not to be confused with Total Impact Wrestling/Impact Wrestling).
Lucha Libre Femenil.
Big Time Wrestling.
Pro-Wrestling Iron.
Pro-Wrestling Guerrilla.
Alternative Wrestling Show.
Revolution X.
Independent Wrestling Association: Mid-South.
Ring of Honor.
SHIMMER Women Athletes.
ChickFight.
CHIKARA Pro.
All-American Wrestling.
WORLD-1.
Full Impact Pro.
New England Championship Wrestling World Women's Wrestling.
Pro-Wrestling Unplugged.
Jersey All Pro Wrestling.
Canadian Wrestling Revolution.
International Wrestling Cartel.
Pure Wrestling Assocation.
New Elite Wrestling.
Carolina Wrestling Association.
Pro-Wrestling Association of Queensland (Australia).
Squared Circle Wrestling.
Northern Championship Wrestling Femmes Fatales.
Real Championship Wrestling.
Anarchy Championship Wrestling.
Remix Pro.
Absolute Intense Wrestling.

I'm sure I'm missing some, but that's enough to drive home the point, which is that when promotions want a solid, dependable worker, they bring in Sara Del Rey, be her opponent man or woman. Her matches are always superb and she can bring out the best in anyone. She lives for the gym and for wrestling. You never hear a shred of gossip about her. People of both genders want to work with her. Whole divisions have been built on her hard work and dedication.

SHIMMER's First Champion

On the first volume of SHIMMER, her and Mercedes Martinez went to a 20 limit time draw and Allison Danger on commentary said that if someone wanted to know what female wrestling was all about, she would show them that match. I would as well. If someone wanted to know what females are capable of, I'd show them a Sara Del Rey match. She was SHIMMER's first champion, beating Lacey in a title tournament, and the first woman in the promotion to become a double champion when Courtney Rush won the tag team titles for them in March of 2012. She won the eighth Torneo Cibernetico in CHIKARA last year by being the last woman on her team to survive, and came close to winning the Grand Championship in the same promotion, only falling to Mike Quackenbush after a hard fought contest.

It is a bittersweet feeling for us fans - we hate to lose someone, especially when they are as good as the Queen. Her upcoming matches for AIW (against Hailey Hatred, someone she faced a few years ago at AIW and also in JAPW - it will be a vastly different match at Girls Night Out 7 considering how much both women have changed), CHIKARA (she faces current Grand Champion Eddie Kingston in a title match), Remix Pro (Sassy Stephie is challenging for her title there), and SHINE (a dream match - Jazz v Sara Del Rey is the main event for their very first show) will be well attended by fans who want to see her on her last rotation.

Yet, we are not truly losing her. She is moving to another stage in her career. We should be happy for her. Despite jaded and cynical fans reactions to this news, this is a dream for Sara. I'm of the mind that if you are a fan of someone, you follow and support them in all their decisions (except, you know, if they're harming themselves or other people). I know fans who stopped following Awesome Kong when she signed to WWE, which I found petty. A person doesn't stop being who they are or stop being capable of what they can do just because they sign to another company. Considering what all Sara has accomplished in her storied career, there was not much else to achieve on the independent scene. Wrestling Manami Toyota and Aja Kong (the latter her hero) in CHIKARA was achieved in 2010 and 2011 respectively. She has toured the world, wrestling in several countries. Really, what else is there left, aside from the CHIKARA Grand Championship?

It's a shame for Ring of Honor, considering she had just came back to the promotion to combat the so-called "First Lady of ROH" Maria. However, given their financial situation is up in the air, no one can blame her for choosing WWE. Lets face facts - the money is better in WWE. I'm sure they don't pay their Divas as well as their Superstars, but they don't need to take other bookings or second jobs, and if they are injured the company takes care of them. Plus, there is the obvious advantage of television exposure if she makes it out of FCW.

Do I believe this is the start of the rejuvenation of the women's division? To be very blunt, no. Considering at the moment that AJ is the only woman who is receiving any attention from the creative writers, and she isn't even the champion, it doesn't look good. Kharma is supposedly training for a return but who knows when that will be, even if it happens? Down in NXT/FCW things look good, the stand out being Britani "Paige" Knight who came in with a wealth of knowledge thanks to having been wrestling since she was 15 (18 when she was signed) and growing up in a family of wrestlers. Otherwise you have Ivelisse "Sofia Cortez" Velez who was Juliette the Huntress on the independents, and despite how it appeared on Tough Enough, she has looked great down in the developmental camp. Most recently you have Buggy Nova, who is apparently going under her real name of Natalie. She's a West Coast independent wrestler who competed for NWA Hollywood and Big Time Wrestling. She made her SPARKLE debut in October 2011 and was well received by fans. Her look is somewhat 'alternative' and is sure to make her stand out. However, just because there is a good crop in FCW/NXT does not translate to time and attention on RAW or Smackdown.

At the end of the day, however, this is about Sara Del Rey. This is about a woman who is crossing another achievement off of her list. This is about another woman proving those who said she wasn't "tv friendly" wrong. This is about another woman breaking barriers.

The Queen waves to her loyal subjects.

This is about a woman who had a dream and is going to see it come true. This is what matters in the end. I offer my wholehearted congratulations to her - you did it Sara! All the best for the future!

A Shift in WWE Female Talent?

Mo4r Buggy?

It was reported today that independent wrestler Buggy Nova has appeared at a FCW house show. This would suggest that she has been signed to a WWE Developmental Deal, and you can read more details here: http://ringbellesonline.com/2012/06/21/buggy-nova-appears-on-fcw-show/

I find this very interesting as it seems to strengthen the recent trend of signing women that are outside of the normal "Diva" standard. Back in late 2010/early 2011, the mold was completely broken when the news came out that Amazing Kong (Kharma) had been signed. It was a dream come true for the woman who had worked all over the world and had made it known her ultimate goal was to get to WWE. In September 2011, a contact was officially signed by Britani Knight (Paige) despite rumors that they had signed her earlier in the year, and she reported to FCW in January 2012. Now you have Buggy Nova, who has a decidedly gothic look to her. Three women who are trained wrestlers with stand out looks - is this shift in WWE hiring permanent or just a phase?

We saw back in the early 2000s a handful of women that were already trained before being hired, such as Molly Holly, Jazz, Lita and Gail Kim. Combining them with the women who were already there (Ivory, Jackie), and women who were trained in WWE developmental (Trish, Victoria), you had a roster packed full of women that were not only beautiful but talented in the ring. When the Diva Search came along, however, the trend started to shift towards hiring women that were supermodel beautiful but no previous experience whatsoever. A bunch of women were hired and fired, barely blips on the screen. There were a few that stuck it out and became pretty good in the ring, such as Michelle McCool, Eve and Layla. There were also a few that were hired with previous training, such as Mickie James, Beth Phoenix and Nattie Neidhart. But in the past few years, with 1-2 minute Divas matches, no promo time to speak of and getting shifted off of RAW when there was no time for them, the women's division has been lifeless.

That could change with the aforementioned three women. Plus you have Ivelisse (Sofia Cortez), Audrey Marie (who was trained solely in FCW but is steadily improving), and possibly Tenille (who was never actually signed to a developmental deal, opting to have shoulder surgery instead and who may or may not be signed after all). If WWE is staying on this course, allow me to suggest five names who have actively expressed a desire to be signed by the company. They are beautiful and extremely talented, and would need either little or no time in FCW to adapt to the "WWE Style" of wrestling.

The Queen of Wrestling

*Sara Del Rey. This woman has done just about everything there is to do on the independent level. Her matches are stellar, be it against men or women, and her promo skills are excellent. She is driven, focused, hard working and dedicated. Plus, you never hear a bad word about her professionally or personally. She eats, breathes and lives the gym/wrestling. A few years ago, TNA reportedly turned her down because she "didn't have enough of what the Beautiful People (Angelina Love & Velvet Sky) have." Quite the insult, considering Del Rey can out-wrestle both of them. She is an asset for any company, and considering she has stated her goal is to make it to WWE, they should definitely hire her.

Everybody's Favourite Girlfriend

*Jessie McKay. "Everybody's Favorite Girlfriend" is all set. She already has "the Diva look" (SHIMMER even built a rivalry around this between her and Nicole Matthews) and a skill set that would easily adapt to the WWE style. In interviews she has repeatedly said she wants to be hired by TNA or WWE. A former PWWA Women's Champion, she was trained by the best in Australia, namely Madison Eagles. Jessie is also hard working and dedicated. An added bonus is the fact she is young, and has experience playing heel and face (whereas Del Rey is a stronger heel), and can make either work for her. On top of all that, who doesn't like a pretty woman with an accent? She would fit right in.

The Blossom Twins

*Hannah and Holly Blossom, the Blossom Twins. With the exit of the Bella Twins, Nikki and Brie, WWE may not be looking for another set any time soon. However, if they were, Hannah and Holly more than fit the bill. The two were a mainstay in former WWE developmental camp Ohio Valley Wrestling for a few years, although they have shifted back to their homeland of England, competing for Pro-Wrestling EVE and other various promotions. These two women are natural born faces, being cute and sweet as the cupcakes they frequently offer, have worked with numerous women with different styles (therefore having the bonus of a lot of knowledge and experience), and they're harder to tell apart than Brie and Nikki were. The Blossoms have expressed a desire to be signed by either WWE or TNA. Despite the fact OVW is now TNA's developmental camp, knowing they made OVW their home base in America could lend itself as a bonus in their favor. If WWE wants more Twin Magic, Hannah and Holly would be the perfect Twins to turn to.

The Super Hardcore Anime

*Lufisto. My personal bias aside, Lufisto has more than earned a spot in the so-called big leagues. Much like Del Rey, the Super Hardcore Anime has done almost everything on the independent level, including getting a law overturned in Ontario that prevented inter-gender wrestling, helped start an all-female sister promotion to NCW called "Femmes Fatales", wrestled in hardcore death matches, been around the world, developed into a fantastic technical wrestler, has a terrific character that can be deadly serious as well as hilarious and came back from serious health problems to sculpt her body into a well oiled machine. A fifteen year veteran, her knowledge and experience is off the charts. She is a dedicated professional, always giving her all in every match. There are several things she brings to every place she competes, and WWE would be no exception. Lufi has given her all for this business and it would be wonderful for a broader audience to see even a fraction of her talent, drive and courage.


These five would all bring something unique to the table. Will any of them get a shot? If I'm realistic (and I'm always pessimistic when it comes to WWE), then probably not. But the fact that the 'E has signed 3 very different women to the roster is a positive step forward. Only time will tell if this is a permanent shift or not.

The Dark Knight of SHIMMER (March 17th & 18th tapings)

Come on, I had to use that title. Nothing else fit!

I have been home since Monday the 19th, and I put off this entry because I wanted to do SHIMMER and the women who wrestled on it justice. But I really don't know if I can. SHIMMER is always an experience. Always. But this time was different. There were several new faces replacing some established ones, and two major players who are on the sidelines due to injury were sorely missed (we love you Serena Deeb and Madison Eagles!). We saw story lines introduced, titles change hands and (as always) tremendous wrestling you probably can't see anywhere else outside of Berwyn.

This set of tapings also proved that a lot of assumptions made about SHIMMER were inaccurate. For instance, one of the main complaints about the company is the lack of story lines. In these volumes you'll find:

-The re-ignition of the feud between Sweet Saraya Knight and Cheerleader Melissa that has five years of history behind it. Not to mention Saraya's escalating level of violence over the four volumes. That in and of itself was a story line.
-The unlikely formation of the tag team of Courtney Rush and Sara Del Rey ("Queens of Winning"/"Death Rush"). Their partnership is quite the odd couple and should make for interesting unfolding over the next year or two.
-The determination of Kellie "Rate Tank" Skater to become more than a comedy act. Her 4 matches did much to showcase this, as well as the experience she picked up during her time in Japan. No more "open challenges" - this Tank is ready for battle.
-The moral struggle of Jessie McKay. After being threatened by Saraya to do whatever it took to pin Melissa, she had to choose between winning at all costs or remaining true to herself. It was a conflict that played out in her match against the champion, and one that many fans felt truly involved in. I know I did.

That's only a few I could name. Another criticism of the promotion was how predictable the title reigns are, mostly the main championship. Everyone expected Melissa to leave this weekend as the champion. Some probably thought Ayako Hamada and Ayumi Kurihara would also retain (I admit, I'm one of those people). This past weekend effectively proved there are never any guarantees. I can understand some fans' frustration (especially with Melissa losing the title so quickly) but if you can look past that, the title changes made sense. It wasn't "Vince Russo booking" as I heard someone in the crowd say after the show ended (when told about this remark, one SHIMMER woman said derisively, "Fuck Vince Russo." Sums it up.); there is reasoning and thought behind both title changes. I'll get to that though.

I can't do justice to the matches, so I won't try. Needless to say these are must-buy volumes when they come out. Instead I want to give my thoughts on the women, the story lines, the atmosphere - just the whole thing. I'll certainly talk about some of the matches, but as far as trying to give something like a top five or top ten or give them star ratings, forget about it. I never saw a 3 star match. They were all 4 and 5's in my opinion.


The Next Generation

We saw a few more fresh faces for these volumes. Some (such as Athena, Mia Yim, Davina Rose) had been at SHIMMER before while others (such as Veda Scott, Rhia O'Reilly, NY Knockout and Shazza McKenzie) were either making their presence known or debuting altogether. I want to start with one woman who really upped her game the entire weekend, only losing once - "The Wrestling Goddess" Athena.

Athena immediately resumed her feud with Mercedes Martinez on the first volume (number 45) and the match was stellar. The referee pretty much let it go, leading to some devastating spots and her getting the win with her "O Face". This finisher has to be seen to be believed. I'm not sure how it hasn't broken someone's neck yet, the way it's designed, but both Athena and her opponent always take care to make sure it's properly set up before hitting it. Her only loss came to one half of the Canadian Ninjas, Nicole Matthews on Volume 46. Number 47 had her pinning Sassy Stephie in a superb match, but her against Ray on number 48 was just as good as her versus Mercedes.

One criticism I'd heard from several folks about Athena was that she was great at spots but there wasn't much wrestling from her. I think some of that was dispelled by the great showing against Ray, which brought out a technical side to her that we hadn't seen before. In my view, it solidified her as well rounded and with the potential to become one of the best in the world. Charisma, skill, looks, personality - she has it all. I hope she gets the chance to work in Japan and learn from them as it would only increase her skill level.

Plus, all her matches were higher up on the card than before. Athena really elevated herself after this set of volumes and it shouldn't be long before she gets a title shot. We may well be seeing her as SHIMMER champion in the future.

Davina Rose and Mia Yim made an unlikely tag team which only saw each of them have one singles match over the weekend, but their partnership worked. (There were a lot of people paired up in tag teams due to the large roster, but by and large most of them worked well together.) Davina is still finding her personality but she makes a good babyface with her look and stature. Mia has come a long way since I first saw her at SPARKLE in September 2010. Her time in Japan served her well and both finally achieved their first win in SHIMMER when Mia hit her corkscrew moonsault on Mena. Davina's only singles match was against the fearsome Saraya Knight, which was mostly one-sided, whereas Mia faced Jessie McKay in her only singles that was highly competitive and evenly matched. She may have lost but she shined during it. Both ladies still have a ways to go, and more years to put under their belt, but they are well on their way to becoming solid, dependable wrestlers.

Veda Scott was a SPARKLER last October who made it onto Volume 44 in a losing effort against Taylor Made. This time she was in a few more matches and learned quite a bit from her opponents. I can't help but feel that Veda has all the traits to make it far in wrestling, although maybe that's personal bias speaking. So does Shazza McKenzie, a newcomer from Australia that made her SHIMMER debut. Both women are talented, enthusiastic, energetic, beautiful and eager to learn. They made for a random tag team but they had chemistry together and separately. Shazza wrestles in PWWA, alongside Madison Eagles, Kellie Skater and Jessie McKay. Seems like Australia is a breeding ground for greatness along with Canada.

KC Spinelli had been part of SPARKLE before but she hadn't really 'clicked' with me until this time around. She has a unique look with her hair and gear, and I thought she was Canadian since she mostly wrestles in ECCW, but it turns out she's from New Jersey. That detail made for a fun match between her and someone who made her SHIMMER debut from the west coast, the "New York Knockout" Nikki (although here she was announced as "New York Knockout", dropping the Nikki). Their New York v New Jersey thing in their match was hilarious. Spinelli competed in SPARKLE back in October 2011 so this was also her debut onto the main volumes as well. Nikki has had a heated rivalry on the west coast against Allison Danger, and apparently impressed enough to gain a spot. Like I said, Spinelli clicked with me and definitely stood out. So did Nikki, she has a great look, tall, athletic and her Brooklyn accent is ear-catching. Both women did well against their respective opponents and it was nice to see the new additions stand out.

I'm not sure if Irish import Rhia O'Reilly will return to SHIMMER but I daresay her presence would be welcome from now on. I first saw her in Pro-Wrestling EVE at their first show taping in the spring of 2010, and in the space of two years she has improved tremendously. She has a real presence, her wrestling has gotten better and since turning heel her character has caught fire. By a happy chance, St. Patrick's Day fell on the first day of taping and her match against Courtney Rush was hilarious and a great way for her to debut. Back in March 2011, Rhia had traveled over on her own dime to compete on SPARKLE. She had no guarantee that she would be on the main card, yet she still came. That takes real dedication and it payed off. If she continues to up her game, she could be another version of Rebecca Knox, SHIMMER's original foreign heel. Her outings at the EVE v Ice Ribbon shows in October 2011 and EVE's "No Man's Land" iPPV were great and I thoroughly enjoyed her matches against Rush, Shazza, and Taylor Made.

But whereas we had an influx of new blood, the SHIMMER mainstays continued to put on matches that were of the best quality. Some upped their game to new levels and some remained as awesome as they always are. Some ran solo and some formed unlikely partnerships that, while strange on paper, worked very well together. The Joshi contingent lost a few familiar faces but the new additions made up for those losses. There was a strong tag team presence throughout the weekend.


Tag Teams Replenish

Since becoming free from any obligations to TNA, Christina von Eerie returned and took up with an unlikely partner in MsChif. The Punk and Metal Connection teamed up on Volumes 47 and 48 after having good singles matches on 45 and 46. An interesting combination but I'm not sure if it will last beyond March. In her only singles match of the weekend, MsChif was specifically requested as an opponent by Jessie McKay, who wanted to earn a title shot by beating the former champion. Part of MsChif's appeal is her attire, and her gear in this instance was awesome. She sported a top hat and cane, and had the iconic artwork from "A Clockwork Orange" on the front and back of her shirt and pants. As a special bonus, whilst delivering a beating to the former Pink Lady, she began growling/singing "Singing in the Rain" - absolutely tremendous. Her tag match with Von Eerie against another interesting duo was chock full of comedy. It's a different direction for MsChif, who for years as been "Your Soul's Tormentor" - but even tormentors have a sense of humour.

That "interesting duo" I mentioned would be "The Oncoming Hatred" - Hailey Hatred and Kalamity. Champions in different promotions, they teamed up back in October in a losing effort to Melanie Cruise and Mena Libra in what people thought would be a one-time thing. Evidently they took notice that fans liked their combination, as each only had one singles match over the weekend, instead teaming together for their other three matches. Personally I loved the duo working as a team. They are both hard hitting, known for their strikes, and Kalamity can learn a lot from Hailey. Their win against another new tag team earned them a shot at the SHIMMER tag titles but they were unsuccessful. I'm a huge fan of both ladies and the more I can see them, the better! Hailey is a phenom and I'm incredibly happy we got her for all four tapings this time around. Kalamity is becoming more and more solid in the ring, and her character is a real departure from others in the promotion. Both are a pleasure to watch perform.

Plus, they were part of one of the absolute best matches of the weekend, in my humble view. The Oncoming Hatred faced a duo that, to my knowledge, had never partnered before anywhere. The World Famous Kana teamed with the Super Hardcore Anime Lufisto in a partnership of mutual respect and admiration. It made sense - in Kana's last match, Lufisto wrestled her and wound up losing. Yet whereas after facing Mia Yim, Sara Del Rey and Cheerleader Melissa, she refused to shake hands, this time she took Lufi's hand in a gesture of sportsmanship and respect. I'm not sure whose idea it was for them to team up but they made a tremendous tag team! Kana and Lufisto against Hailey Hatred and Kalamity. I'd absolutely wanted Lufisto to wrestle Hailey, but this match was beyond my wildest dreams.

It. Was. AWESOME. I tweeted that words failed me on how "f'n awesome" the match was and words STILL fail me. It has to be seen to be believed. Kana and Lufi were a superb team and I can only hope that they get a shot and win the SHIMMER tag straps. But not for awhile because the duo that currently hold said straps are one of the oddest pairings of the whole weekend...

It began with Sara pinning Leva Bates and continuing to assault her after the match. Enter the other half of ReGenerationX, Allison Danger, to make the save. Danger calls out Del Rey for her behaviour and tells her to find a tag partner, if she can - Del Rey has no friends. Death Rey scoffs, saying she has several hundreds of twitter followers. However the people she approaches (Melissa, Lacey - of all people! - Nicole) turn her down. Enter one Courtney Rush. She begs constantly to team with Del Rey, who shoots her down. In a twist involving SDR's weakness (gum), Rush tricks her into agreeing. Not only do they beat ReX...........on Volume 48 they win the tag team titles in a four way elimination match.

I'm not even going to try to describe what happened, either. It has to be seen to be fully appreciated. The dynamic of Rush and Del Rey is golden. It's been compared to Raven and Stevie Richards, which is a very good comparison. They have chemistry and Courtney's comedic timing was on point both days. Their skits were some of the funniest things over the weekend, and to say that them winning the straps was unexpected is an understatement! It's definitely going to be interesting to see where they go from here. Courtney has proven herself to be a total package as far as charisma, personality and skills go and I'm really happy to see her elevated. And the win makes Del Rey the first double crown (can't really say triple crown since there's only two belts in SHIMMER) champion. An extremely worthy woman to have been the first SHIMMER champion and now one half of the tag team champions.

I admit, I was disappointed when Ayumi Kurihara and Ayako Hamada lost the tag straps. I felt after changing hands three times in 2011 it would be nice for them to have a lengthy run. Maybe not as long as the Ninjas, but make it through a full set of tapings. However with "Death Rush's" win, I can let it go. HamaHara had a great set of matches, against the two debuting Joshi, Ray and Leon this past tapings; against Kalamity and Hailey; and in a dream match for the former, against Allison Danger and Leva Bates. (Not to mention their defenses over the weekend in October.) Elsewhere, Mena Libra and Melanie Cruise continue to form an imposing partnership as the bruisers of the company; and despite their singles runs, Portia Perez and Nicole Matthews have shown that they always have each other's backs and remain a dominant tag team as the Canadian Ninjas.

I have to put in a few words about ReGenerationX. Allison Danger is a vet and continues to show why she is an integral part of SHIMMER with her great matches leadership. When she took Leva Bates under her wing in March of last year, Leva's skill level in the ring has grown by leaps and bounds. She already had the personality and the charisma thanks to her love of all things geeky (seriously - X-Men, Doctor Who, Big Bang Theory, horror movies, comics, gaming - this girl is awesome!), but she was still slowly learning. Danger's tutelage has done wonders, but it's not a one-way partnership. Allison's role for awhile was taking younger rookies and gauging them when they came into the promotion. Now, thanks to teaming with Bates, she has reinvented herself and let her own geeky side out. Each time she wrestles she looks like she is having a ton of fun and it's fantastic to see her enjoying a renaissance of sorts in her career.


The Mainstays and New Joshi Faces

Due to a conflict in schedules, these tapings were missing two long-standing Joshis - Hiroyo Matsumoto and Tomoka Nakagawa. One who had made an impressive debut back in October, Yumi Ohka was also absent (if she was going to be there that is, she may not have been booked) due to the same show that had Tomoka and Hiroyo on it in Japan. However, we got two new Joshis that took SHIMMER by storm - Ray and Leon. Both are high-flying masked competitors that I had not seen before but they're on my radar now. Their matches were some of the best in the weekend, including their tag title match against Ayako and Ayumi. That match had a ton of near falls and a ton of action that you had to really keep up with! "That was awesome" was chanted by the crowd for almost five minutes after the match was over - a testament to how fantastic it was. Those two will definitely be welcomed back with open arms if they choose to come.

Kellie Skater made it clear at the onset that she was tired of being seen as a joke, and with her stellar matches over the weekend, I don't see how anyone can take her as a comedy act anymore. Sure she still has her entrance (being announced as having "muscles so big they make the Incredible Hulk GREEN WITH ENVY!"), but once in the ring, she was a machine. The time she spent in Japan (from December 2011 to March 2012) has only improved her. Kana's only solo match was against Skater, and even though Kellie lost, it was one of the best matches I had ever seen her in. I'm very much looking forward to seeing the new, serious Rate Tank carve out a path for herself.

Kana, Lufisto, Sara Del Rey, Jessie McKay, MsChif, Sassy Stephie (minus tag partner Nevaeh, but accompanied by Mademoiselle Rachelle, who makes a fitting valet for Steph) - they all continue to be awesome as they always are. Mercedes Martinez had some stellar matches over the weekend (although almost all the matches I saw were stellar, so this may be a moot point!), against Athena, and getting two big wins against Kana and Hailey Hatred. Some have criticized that her heel turn hasn't taken or gone nearly far enough. But I like the subtle arrogance that Mercedes is radiating - she's always been confident but now the confidence has been turned up to 50 on the volume meter. The way she brushes her shoulder towards each of her opponents after beating them shows her contempt. It suits her character very well.


Missing but not Forgotten

Noticeable by their absence were two SHIMMER mainstays - one, the former SHIMMER Champion Madison Eagles, the other the Deebious One Serena Deeb. Both were out due to injuries that have put them on the shelf for the time being, but both sent touching videos in their place that touched everyone in attendance at the Eagles Club.

Madison spoke of her knee injury and though she tried to be the menacing, brooding Eagles we know her to be (even referring to herself as "Your Living Nightmare"), there was real emotion with a ting of sadness and determination in her voice. She vowed to come back when she was fully healed so she could compete with the best, since, in her words, that's what SHIMMER has to offer, the best female wrestlers in the world. Knowing her determination, I have no doubt Madison will return to us - better than ever.

On the second day, SHIMMER kicked off with a message from Serena, who gave the same heartfelt comments as Madison had, but in more gentle, less menacing tones. She regretted not being in attendance, and gave her best wishes for all the women in the locker room. She gave a special shout out to her protege, Davina Rose, which had to mean a lot to both women. It was a touching way to start Sunday's tapings off (and I believe Serena's video is up on YouTube), bringing tears to many people's eyes including my own.

No matter what happens, I wish both women all the best for the future. They have given us fans so much of their lives they deserve to be happy and completely healthy.


Knightfall

Neither of the Canadian Ninjas could get the job done. Nor could Jessie McKay (who struggled against the temptation to take the easy way out during her title match against Melissa, and successfully remained true to herself). So the person who had put a bounty on Melissa did it herself.

After five years, 'Sweet' Saraya Knight had her revenge against the woman who severed her kneecap at Real Quality Wrestling. The woman who had potentially ended her career with that brutal injury. She even choreographed how she would do it - in each of her matches against Davina, Veda and Shazza, Saraya put them in the Knightmare (a variation of a Boston Crab), torking back on their knee, to the point where she was disqualified in her matches against Veda and Shazza for not breaking the hold. She targeted their knees, foreshadowing what was to come.

To make sure Melissa got the point, Saraya ambushed her backstage, going after Melissa's knee with a wooden cane. The prey was weakened and in the match, Saraya went for the kill. I'm sure everyone in the audience expected a six-pier brawl, as had happened during her title defenses against Nicole and Portia (each going into the audience and around the Club) but to our surprise, it was almost a straight wrestling match. No going to the outside, no interference, no foreign objects. Each woman felt instinctively that they needed to win by submission, and we saw each do their best to put as many painful holds on each other as possible.

It was a glorious match. Saraya had been in a downward spiral all weekend, becoming progressively more violent and out of control. She had struck fans (which, I know a lot of people had problems with, but there were only two and each provoked her and knew what was coming. One man took off his glasses and leaned forward even), cursed at them, threatened them and at one point, in a wildly weird twist, named two people on the SHIMMER forum calling them out for comments they had made. After being DQed in the two matches mentioned beforehand it had taken several referees and wrestlers to hold her down and carry her out by her arms and legs. It was like she was becoming a wild animal - yet there was a method to her madness.

She had a plan, she even foreshadowed it, and in the end it worked. When I say no one in the crowd expected Melissa to submit, I mean NO ONE expected it. After all, she's Cheerleader Melissa. The Terminator of SHIMMER. The woman who feels no pain and does not stop until she has pinned her opponent. The woman who has chased the SHIMMER title for over a year. Who had finally achieved her dream last October, pinning Madison Eagles after a hard, brutal match.

Only to be confronted by a vengeful demon from her past. Who returned a knee for a knee, crippled her and stole her dream, cheating her out of her title by grabbing the ropes for extra leverage. Until the Volume comes out, the picture can be painted by several photos that have been taken of the match and it's outcome.

Saraya with her hand held high. Grabbing the belt. Laughing maniacally as she walks around the ring. LICKING the belt as Melissa stares in disbelief. The shock and outrage of the fans (including one small brunette with her hand over her mouth, eyes wide).

It was one of the most astounding moments in SHIMMER's history.

As we approach Volume 50, I can't help but feel like we have entered a new chapter in the promotion's story. Fans are buzzing about this and will no doubt keep buzzing until the next four tapings. Melissa has vowed to get the title she worked so long and so hard to attain back. Will she? Or will the Demon from the United Kingdom hold sway?

One way or another...SHIMMER has entered the era of the Dark Knight. How long that era lasts remains to be seen.


In summation, this set of tapings feels like a new chapter, not just with Saraya's win, but with more story lines, more backstage videos, the women showing more to their characters, and other noticeable shifts. Against the odds SHIMMER has succeeded and thrived and now draws fans from all over the world. Whenever my passion for wrestling starts to wane, along comes this weekend and not only restores it but also increases it.

My thanks to Dave Prazak, Allison Danger, everyone involved backstage, the camera men, the referees, Joey Eastman, Kevin Harvey and last but DEFINITELY not least every woman who makes the trek to Berwyn, puts on her gear and gets in the ring for us fans. Each and every one of you is appreciated!