It’s day three of the indie wrestling barrage with two more huge shows. I’ve got the late afternoon slot as Shimmer returns to iPPV for the first time in a year. We’ve only got one match announced but what a huge opportunity for LuFisto as she takes on Cheerleader Melissa for the Shimmer Championship.
-Taped from New Orleans, LA
-Commentators: Dave Prazak and Amber Gertner
The S-N-S Sisters (Navaeh and Sassy Stephie) vs. The Buddy System (Heidi Lovelace and Solo Darling)
PBP: Both of these teams have been figuring prominently in Shine recently. Stephie and Navaeh lost their opportunity to win the Shine tag team titles last night at “A Wrestling Odyssey.” This is Darling and Lovelace’s first time teaming in Shimmer. Feeling out process between Lovelace and Navaeh. Darling comes in and armdrags Navaeh. Navaeh grabs hold of the arm. Darling rolls underneath and tags Lovelace back in. Stephie tags in too. Armdrag and back kick. Darling bulldog on Stephie. Navaeh kicks Darling to break up the pin. Stephie forearm as we get a heat segment on Darling. Darling rolls Stephie up, but Stephie locks in chinlock. Roll-up by Navaeh gets two. Darling misses an enziguri and sends Navaeh into the corner. Lovelace goes to work. Kicks for everyone. Stephie tries powerbombing Lovelace. Navaeah spears Lovelace. Double spinebuster. Stephie covers and gets three.
Analysis: Very traditional heel versus babyface type match as they kept it basic. Darling was the one who took most of the offense. The working over of Darling at least made sense with her being the debuting star and eventually taking the loss. An okayish match to start the show.
Winner (s)/Rating The S-N-S Sisters/**
Veda Scott vs. Leva Bates
PBP: From a conceptual standpoint, I don’t think this is a good match-up. These two are both babyfaces. Plus, they’re not exactly the greatest of athletes and need someone to really carry them. We start quickly with nearfalls. Bates with a side kick to Scott’s face. Scott with a kick to the midsection. Cross body gets two. Scott ties Bates up like a pretzel. Bates counters into a chinlock. Bates with overhand chops. High kicks to Scott’s chest. Running knee. Bates with springboard double knees. Bates with a low dropkick. Bates drives Scott’s head right into the mat. Scott whips Bates into the corner. Leaping forearm. Back drop driver by Scott. Scott rammed into the top turnbuckle. Kick. Scott with a shot as Bates is on the top rope. Bates battles back. Pepsi Plunge. Bates pulls out the victory.
Analysis: They kept it short and simple. Bates is the more established Shimmer competitor and quite over with the fans, so I think putting her over in a quick match is a good idea. Bates hit the Pepsi Plunge quite well at least.
Winner (s)/Rating: Leva Bates/*1/2
Vanessa Kraven vs. Kay Lee Ray
PBP: This is a double debut, and they’re both international stars. Kraven is from that far off world Canada. Ray from Scotland. Kraven is at least six feet tall and much bigger than her opponent. Kraven shows off some early power. Shoulder blocks by Ray fail. Enziguri by Ray to the side of the head. Dive met with a forearm. Leg kicks. Headscissors. Powerslam by Kraven gets two. Choking along the bottom rope. Chop in the corner. A second chop. Running shoulder block. Snap suplex. Stomps in the corner. blind charge misses. Hard kick, snapmare, and dropkick by Ray. Clothesline by Kraven. Skull crushing. Cross body. Ray matrixes out of the kick. Ray elbows out of a German suplex. Off the ropes. Kraven hits the German suplex proper this time. Series of kicks to the back. Elbow drop and leg drop. O’Connor roll by Ray gets two. Off the ropes with a kick and another two count. Clothesline by Kraven. Ray sent into the corner head first into the corner. Chops by Kraven and she even licks her fingers. Ray comes back with chops. Kraven looks amused and sends her back down. Running cannonball to the corner misses. Running forearm. Whip reversed. Flying forearm by Ray sends Kraven down. Swanton bomb connects. Kraven rolls out to the floor. Ray hits a tope suicida. Ray tosses Kraven back in the ring. Ray to the top rope. Kraven grabs her by the throat. Powerbomb position. Sunset flip and Ray gets three.
Analysis: This turned into a very fun big versus little match-up. Ray in particular wrestled a smart match and looked very competent against a much bigger opponent. Kraven has some good power offense. Both of these women should be brought back.
Winner (s)/Rating: Kay Lee Ray/**3/4
Ivelisse (Shine Champion) vs. Kimber Lee
PBP: The Shine championship is not on the line as she is replacing Barbi Hayden on the card. Hard lock-up and an armdrag by Ivelisse. Lee grinds down on the left arm. Exchange of arm work. Another arm drag by Ivelisse. Lee grabs Ivelisse’s head. Chop and armdrags. Lee misses one. Kick by Ivelisse. Kick to the head gets two. Lee sends Ivelisse face first into the turnbuckle. Choking along the middle rope. Ivelisse sent into the middle turnbuckle. Into the middle turnbuckle once again. Lee licks her hand and chops Ivelisse a couple times. Ivelisse battles back with chops of her own. Back and forth. Lee hits a lariat. Lee with a camel clutch. Ivelisse battles out. Big boot by Lee. Choking along the bottom rope. Ivelisse lands on her feet and hits an elbow. Clothesline in response by lee. Back to the choking. Clubbering blows across the back. Delayed vertical suplex. Lee misses a big splash. Ivelisse gets the crowd into the match. Forearms back and forth. Kicks from Ivelisse. Running rana connects quite well. Ivelisse misses a charge and ends up on the apron. Kick to Lee. Almost a curb stomp on the top rope. Lee hits a chinbreaker. German suplex. 1-2-NO! Hard kick to the head and two for Lee. Bicycle kick misses. Ivelisse leans in and stuns her. CODE RED! Done. Ivelisse wins.
Analysis: The thing I love about both of these women is the intensity they bring to the ring. Some great strikes and incorporation of strikes. Lee continues to impress and improve. For Ivelisse, I hope she can get more chances with Shimmer since she’s developed into a strong performer. Great back and forth throughout the match and a finish that made sense. Fun times.
Winner (s)/Rating: Ivelisse/***1/4
-Nicole Mathews has something to say before her match. There was supposed to be a Shimmer tag team title rematch against 3G but no Portia Perez. Mathews claims to have a partner instead. Madison Eagles gets invited into the ring. Eagles wants to win her second championship. Some fun back and forth on the microphone. Would be even better if we could understand everything they’re saying. They hug and pull each other’s hair. Best promo segment on any WWN show so far.
Candice LaRae vs. Athena
PBP: There’s no reason this shouldn’t be one of the best matches on the show and possibly the weekend. Code of honor followed before the match. Immediate roll-up by LaRae for two. Off the ropes. Crucifix blocked. Athena sets her in the firemen’s carry. Rana by LaRae. Kick. Stomp of Athena down to the mat. Running senton. Clothesline by LaRae misses. Athena brings LaRae down. Handspring elbow. Double knees misses. Ballplex attempt but Athena elbows out. Roll-up exchange. Boot to the midsection. Small package exchange. Both women roll around the ring and Bryce Remsburg has no idea what to do. Both women are dizzy and they miss moves. Athena spinebuster on LaRae. Kick to the side of the body. Bodyslam on LaRae. LaRae hits a rana that sends Athena to the corner. Yoshi Tonic gets two. Kick by Athena. Another one to the head. Neckbreaker and butterfly suplex. 1-2-NO! Athena ties LaRae up in a submission. LaRae transitions into a cover for two. Athena with a boot. LaRae headscissors into the Octopus stretch. Athena sends LaRae into the corner. Athena grabs the boot and hits a leg cradle suplex. LaRae with a series of forearms. Drop toe hold sends LaRae into the middle rope. Leaping kick from Athena. Double stomp misses. LaRae DRIVES Athena’s head into the mat. LaRae with a cutter and Athena bumps in the most disgusting way. Athena sends LaRae into the corner. Ballplex into the corner. LaRae covers. Athena grabs the bottom rope. I guess it’s the Vaginaplex given Athena is a lady. Athena placed on the top rope. LaRae goes for the Moustache Ride. O-Face! Athena gets the win in a very good match.
Analysis: Tough to pick a better opponent for LaRae to debut against than Athena. Great back and forth between two of the best women in North America. Nice false finish with LaRae hitting her finish but being unable to get the win. Athena looks even better since coming back from injury. I expect big things from both athletes moving forward.
Winner (s)/Rating: Athena/***1/4
Mercedes Martinez is going to defend her Femme Fetale championship and lays down an open challenge. Out comes Courtney Rush. She accepts. Match is on.
NCW Femme Fetales Championship: Mercedes Martinez (champion) vs. Courtney Rush
PBP: Martinez attacks before the bell rings. Rush with elbows. Martinez sent down to the mat. Rush hasn’t even taken her sweater off. Elbow sends Martinez out of the ring. Martinez sits in a chair. Rush just patiently waits back in the ring. Martinez goes back in the ring… and then sits down on the other side of the ring. Martinez back in the ring after Prazak gets all his plugs in. To the corner. Rush with a series of forearms. Remsburg separates Rush. Shot to the eyes. Right hand. Headlock by Martinez. Series of forearms in the corner. Big right hand. Side headlock takeover. Applied headscissors by Rush. Rush really torques down on it. Martinez grabs hold of the arm. Headlock by Rush. Martinez chop. Shot to the jaw. Overhead suplex by Rush. Front facelock. Vertical suplex. Rush grabs Martinez’s legs. Brings her away from the ropes. Into the sharpshooter as is a requirement for Canadians. Martinez out of the hold. Regal Stretch. Rush crawls to the bottom rope. Middle rope choke by Martinez. Martinez with boots. Cover for two. Series of rights and lefts. Rush sent into the top turnbuckle. Chop in the corner. Chop and shoulder blocks. Whip across. Choking on the middle rope. Shoulder blocks. Series of stomps. Double underhook. Rush continually blocks the attempts. Rush back drops Martinez. Rush with a running boot. Forearm by Rush. Butterfly suplex. Both women are down. Rush covers and gets two. Martinez hits a spinebuster. Rush small package gets two. Roll-up for two. Backslide but Martinez gets out of it. O’Connor roll and no dice. Spear by Rush. Rush goes for the sharpshooter. As Martinez heads to the ropes, Rush pulls her to the middle of the ring. Rush drags her toward the middle a second time. Martinez finally reaches on a third time. Rush grabs a hold of Martinez. Martinez holds onto the ropes. Back drop driver. 1-2-3. Martinez wins.
Analysis: This was a bit slower paced than the previous two matches but still solid. The crowd had trouble engaging with the match because the last two matches were so action packed. I still liked what I saw. Rush is an rising star similar to Athena, and Martinez is one of the best veterans in the world of women’s wrestling. The sharpshooter tease was a wonderful false finish. Not as much of a fan of the actual finisher as Martinez hits the back drop driver literally out of nowhere and gets three. Good action but didn’t quite hit the level of the previous two.
Winner (s)/Rating: STILL NCW Femme Fetales Champion- Mercedes Martinez/***
-Nikki Storm almost has a promo cut off by music. She berates the Shimmer fans in fine fashion. Storm calls herself a champion of the galaxy.
Nikki Storm vs. Thunderkitty
PBP: I can think of a lot of ways to use Storm. Didn’t think of this match. Mat wrestling to start. Shoulder block and headlock takeover by Thunderkitty. Thunderkitty sends Storm to the corner and back to the side headlock. Single leg crab. Thunderkitty sends Storm into the corner. Thunderkitty driven into the corner head first. Storm continually drives her into the turnbuckle. Clubbering blows to the back. Thunderkitty driven head first into the mat. Snap suplex. Thunderkitty with chops. Kick to the midsection by Storm. Cravat. Snapmare. Drop toe hold and dropkick by Thunderkitty. Back suplex. Storm with a boot to the midsection. Thunderkitty grabs the claw. Storm hits a Perfect Storm and gets the win.
Analysis: This was not a good professional wrestling match. Let’s move on very quickly and never speak of this again. Nikki Storm is really good as a personality, and I hope she gets opportunities to wrestle some top flight athletes next week in Berwyn.
Winner (s)/Rating: Nikki Storm/*
Hikaru Shida vs. Evie
PBP: Alright, this is more my speed. Expect lots of kicks. Shida is a top star out of the Ice Ribbion promotion and is now a free agent. Evie is from New Zealand and made her debut last year in Secaucus for Volume 53. Code of honor is followed. Feeling out process. Full nelson exchange. Series of ducks and dodges. Neither women can hit their strikes. Off the ropes and Evie takes her down. Solid kick to the back of the head. Snapmare and kick. A second kick. Running kick to the chest and a two count. Whip to the corner and a clothesline. Face wash. Running face wash. 1-2-NO! Running boot from Evie as Shida hangs out by the ropes. Running kick. Shida plants Evie face first into the mat. Knee lift. Evie sent head first into the top rope. Whip across. Shida with a running knee strike. Whip across by Shida. Running knee strike. Shida tries a Boston crab. GIANT SWING! Kicks from Evie. Shida with a backbreaker out of the firemen’s carry position. Boston crab, a smart follow-up following the backbreaker. Shida transitions into the half crab. Vertical suplex. Running knee strike avoided. Evie ducks the charge. Missile dropkick. Evie with a uranagi backbreaker for two. Running yakuza kick by Evive. A second one. 1-2-NO! Right hand and a forearm by Shida. Evie with forearms of her own. Shida shoves her off the top rope. Superplex, almost looked similar to the over the top suplex Michael Elgin does. 1-2-NO! Strike exchange. Forearms by Shida. Huge kick by Evie. Step-up enziguri and falcon arrow by Shida. 1-2-NO! BUT SHE DID THE DEAL! Running knee to the face and three.
Analysis: The hallmark of these two athletes is the their ability to strike, and boy did they deliver here. Great outing for both women. Not really too much to say except I really enjoyed what these two brought to the table.
Winner (s)/Rating: Hikaru Shida/***1/2
Shimmer Tag Team Championship: 3G (Kellie Skater and Tomoka Nakagawa) vs. Nicole Mathews and Madison Eagles
PBP: The interplay between Eagles and Mathews comes off so well. Total high school stuff but it feels realistic. Mathews and Eagles even fight for camera time during ring introductions. Mathews heads out of the ring. The story between Eagles and Mathews is easily better than anything Evolve or DG USA is doing. Skater and Eagles exchange arm work. Skater headlock. Test of strength. Skater grabs a camel clutch. Eagles covers and blatantly holds onto the ropes. Skater grapevines the legs. Eagles grabs Skater’s arms and places her foot in the back. Skater shoves Eagles away. Double tag. Mathews wants a test of strength. Nakagawa has to leap to lock fingers. Nakagawa holds onto the headlock. Mathews grabs the hair. Mathews whipped to the corner. Nakagawa with a flying hip attack. Mathews forearm. Back and forth they go. Drop toe hold into the middle rope. Dropkick by Nakagawa. Double teaming from the champions. Assisted dropkick. Assisted splash. Nakagawa covers but only gets two. Knees from Skater to Mathews. Vertical suplex by Mathews. Kicks by Skater. Mathews taken down. Kick to the chest by Skater. Nakagawa with a shot to the back. Cartwheel and dropkick. More double teams. Skater bulldogs Mathews into Nakagawa’s knees. Eagles blind tag. Forearms from Nakagawa. Dropkicks send Eagles down. Eagles takes Nakagawa to the corner by the hair. Heat segment continues. Eagles and Mathews continue trying to one up each other. Nakagawa blocks a suplex attempts and gets a roll-up for two. Backslide. Hard kick by Mathews. Nakagawa with another roll-up. Clothesline from Mathews. Enziguri by Nakagawa. Skater dropkick on Eagles. Clothesline for Mathews. Back elbow. Another dropkick on Eagles. Swinging DDT on Mathews. Nakagawa with a sliding clothesline on Mathews. Skater covers and gets two. Reversal of the Irish whip. Rolling elbow by Mathews. Brainbuster by Eagles on Skater. Cover for two as Nakagawa breaks the count. Mathews whipped to the corner. Dropkick off the middle rope. German suplex by Eagles. Mathews shoves her own partner and covers herself. Skater with an ankle lock on Mathews. Eagles refuses to help at first but finally kicks Skater. Mathews holds Skater. Eagles kicks her own partner in the face. Gamanguri by Nakagawa. The Hangover. Skater covers and the champions retain.
Analysis: Very good wrestling from these two teams. Great storytelling in particular from Mathews and Eagles as there was clear tension between the two throughout and it ultimately cost them the match. Fairly simple concept. Not sure why other promotions can’t execute as well as Shimmer did in this particular match.
Winner (s)/Rating: STILL Shimmer Tag Team Champions-3G/***1/4
SHIMMER Championship Match – 2 Out of 3 Falls – 90 Minute Time Limit: Cheerleader Melissa (champion) vs. LuFisto
PBP: This is an excellent follow-up to last year when Melissa wrestled Saraya Knight in a steel cage at Volume 52. Since last year, Melissa has exhibited a darker side and pulled off the Bryan Danielson turn from 2005/6 quite well. Melissa with a running boot. Series of stomps almost immediately. Axe kick. To work on the midsection. Charge misses. Forearm from LuFisto. Cannonball. Melissa heads to the outside like a good heel should. Some stalling. Melissa controls LuFisto on the mat. LuFisto grapevines the legs. Melissa counters into the crossface. LuFisto tries to apply an armbar. Melissa locks her fingers together. Applied headscissors. LuFisto tries applying one of her own. Half crab by LuFisto. Ankle lock but Melissa quickly counters out. Hammerlock. Melissa with a hammerlock of her own. LuFisto counters one more time. Series of knees to the back. Series of moves into the headlock. Melissa rolls her up for two. LuFisto maintains the hold. Melissa with the applied headscissors. LuFisto goes back to the headlock. Knees to the back. Axe kicks to the back. Boot across the neck. LuFisto shoulder block. Melissa slaps LuFisto in the face and rolls her up for two. Headlock. Quick cover and two. Headblower by LuFisto. Basement dropkick. Rolling senton misses. Melissa covers for two. Melissa chinlock. Series of stomps in the corner. LuFisto rammed head first into the corner. Choking. Forearm and a shoulder tackle. Bodyslam. Off the ropes with an elbow. Air Raid Crash countered into a sunset flip for two. Melissa applies a reverse cloverleaf. LuFisto with right hands. Melissa sends her to the outside. LuFisto sent head first into the apron. Taunting kicks from the champion. Melissa deposits the challenger back out to the floor. LuFisto’s head slammed into the mat. Melissa with kicks to the knee. Elbows across the knee. Melissa with a Trailer Hitch. LuFisto grabs the bottom rope. Slaps to the back. CURB STOMP! Another cheap shot. Melissa plays such a great heel. Melissa climbs to the top rope. LuFisto runs into the top rope. Superplex. Both women are down. LuFisto counters strikes with some of her own. Flying forearm. Lariats. Elbow. Michinoku driver. 1-2-NO! Kicks to the back. Sliding clothesline. Ankle lock. Melissa teases tapping and giving up a fall but instead grabs the bottom rope. Boot to the back. Melissa tied up in the top and middle ropes. Kicks to the side of the head. Running splash across the back. 1-2-NO! Sleeper by Melissa. LuFisto is still alive despite having her arm drop twice. Back drop driver. 1-2-NO! Samoan drop from the champion. 1-2-NO! Air Raid Crash blocked. German suplex by LuFisto for two. Series of slaps. Boot from Melissa. To the top rope. Dropkick misses. Swinging Mangalizer gets three. LuFisto goes up 1-0
Running boot and Air Raid Crash. Melissa gets three. Melissa gets the second fall. Tied 1-1.
Back and forth with forearms. Melissa with choking in the corner. Charge misses. LuFisto with a flying hip attack. Dropkick to the corner. Right knee rammed into the post. Again with the forearms. Brawl continues all around the ring. LuFisto rammed head first into the apron. Choking along the middle rope by LuFisto. Melissa slap as LuFisto heads outside. Bodyslam on the floor. Choking…with the apron. Slap. LuFisto twists away at the left leg. Series of kicks. KneeDT. Melissa goes to the bottom rope. LuFisto is not happy. Spinning toe hold. LuFisto applies a Trailer Hitch. Melissa grabs the bottom rope. Melissa back elbow. Lariat. Series of right hands. Ground and Pound. Shoulder blocks go nowhere. They collide in the center of the ring. LuFisto German suplex. No sold. Melissa manages one of her own. Both women on their feet. Tiger suplex. 1-2-NO! Burning Hammer countered. Slap exchange. Takedown by LuFisto. Guillotine choke. Some kicks back and forth. LuFisto connects on a big one. Struggles to roll her over and gets 2.999999999999. Burning Hammer but Melissa sends her into the corner. Kick by LuFisto. Electric chair. LuFisto hits a nasty reverse rana. She puts the champion in position. LuFisto cross bodies the referee. Martinez nails LuFisto in the head with the belt. Melissa covers and gets three.
Analysis: This was heading toward classic status. Then we got a ref bump and a belt shot, two finishes that have already annoyed the holy hell out of me this weekend. I don’t understand why this went two out of three falls when the first two falls were ended back-to-back essentially. I don’t get why we saw a similar finish as Shimmer 61. This was a great athletic match where a lot of the work fell nullified because of the final couple minutes. I loved the match and the psychology. I’m not even saying we needed a title change for this to be successful. There’s got to be way to tell this story without a finish that’s been done a million times during the attitude era and beyond.
Winner (s)/Rating: STILL Shimmer Champion-Cheerleader Melissa/***3/4
Overall Thoughts: This was a better show than Shimmer 53 from an in-ring standpoint. Add in Mia Yim and it might be even better. Outstanding work from all the women involved. In basically all but one match. This was a huge chance for Shimmer to showcase their brand to new fans. Last year felt like a triple. This felt like a double. The finish may have helped the story but for fans who might be giving this a chance for the first time, is this really the type of finish you want represented in such a big environment. For the wrestling alone, this sure is certainly worth the price of admission.