Tremendous Tirades: SHIMMER Women Athletes Vol. 15

Posted by Larry Csonka on 05.16.2008

Awesome main events highlight this volume of SHIMMER as Sara Del Rey defends the SHIMMER Title against Amazing Kong while Sara Stock and Daizee Haze battle for the #1 contender’s spot!

SHIMMER Women Athletes Vol. 15

The Jezebel Eden Black vs. Amber O'Neal

Amber O'Neal plays the complete diva bitch here in SHIMMER, which I approve of. They actually call Black “INDY-RIFFIC.” Apparently that is a nickname of hers. Arm drag by O'Neal to begin, a hip toss and O'Neal celebrates. Lock up and a slam by O'Neal, and she fixes her hair. They lock up, arm drags by Black and then a slam. O'Neal rolls to the floor, tries to pull Black to the floor but that fails. Black pulls her back in, lays the boots to her and chokes her over the middle rope. Chops by O'Neal, chokes her out again on the ropes and then slams Black to the corner. O'Neal with boots in the corner, forearms and then an Irish whip but Black manages a roll up for 2. O'Neal goes back to the choke, gets a suplex and a cover for 2. O'Neal with a body lock and then a cover for 2. She slams her to the corner, boots to Black, a whip and reversal and O'Neal gets a head scissors in the corner. Snap mare and Hennig neck snap by O'Neal, and a cover for 2. Neck vice by O'Neal, takes some time to pose and then goes back to beating her down. O'Neal with a hair pull, and drops down on the back of Black. Off the ropes, chin breaker by Black, suplex try countered and as they shoot off the ropes they clothesline each other. They trade shots from their knees, BITCH SLAP by O'Neal, chops and then Black back with forearm strikes. O'Neal with a backslide for 2. X-Factor by O'Neal, a bit off, and she covers for 2. O'Neal grabs the hair of Black, the ref admonishes her and Black slaps on the Garden of Eden! O'Neal was too close to the ropes and Black has to break the hold. Black blocks a punch and leaps into the Garden of Eden and O'Neal now has to tap!

Winner: The Jezebel Eden Black @ 9:50 via submission

A fine match to open the show. The crowd loves Black and LOVES to hate O'Neal for being too much of a diva. They played their roles well, and this was a fine opener.
RATING: **½


Portia Perez & Nicole Matthews vs. Lorelei Lee & Ashley Lane

Young Miss Perez gets the “you look 12” chants as she gets ready for the match. Lane looks like she came from the Torrie Wilson/Kelly Kelly mold. I will say that I do appreciate Lane and Lee wearing similar gear to look like a team. They chant “past your bedtime” at Perez, ok, that’s tremendous. Lee and Perez shake, Perez goes on the attack, but takes some hip tosses. Matthews tags in, arm drags by Lee and Lane tags in. Lane is debuting here in SHIMMER. They gets some arm drags, off the ropes and Perez nails Lane from behind allowing Matthews to level her with a clothesline. Side back breaker by Matthews, chokes her out and they work quick tags in the corner as they beat Lane down. Perez gets a cover for 2, and then goes back to choking out Lane. Lane manages a roll up for 2. She’ll get a tag, Lee in and starts to clean house. Slam on Matthews, slam on Perez. Standing moonsault and a cover for 2. Lane tags in, forearms to Matthews, but she gets a bridging northern lights suplex for a close 2. Lane comes back with a flatliner and gets 2 as Perez pulls the ref off of the count. Lane grabs Perez but Perez rakes the eyes, double leg takedown and covers for the win. It looked like she got too far from the ropes, and was going for the cheap heel pin; that apparently wasn’t meant to be.

Winner: Portia Perez & Nicole Matthews @ 4:54 via pin

This was ok, no mistakes, fine work but in the end this was just a short tag match.
RATING: *½


Serena Deeb vs. Jetta

Jetta does not like the American crowd because she’s a snooty British chick. Jetta is debuting here for SHIMMER as from what I can tell the company keeps working to keep things fresh. Deeb works the arm out of the lock up to begin, Jetta counters but Deeb gets an arm bar. Danger is killing me here com commentary, “That’s a lot of purple…” and “Jetta’s a big old purple cheater, a purple cheater eater.” Wow. Deeb continues her work of the arm, drops the leg and then back to the feet. They work some counters, Deeb in control still and now gets the side headlock. Chops on the corner by Deeb and really lights her up. Jetta does the British corner deal, gets a roll and then an EYE POKE OF DOOM to Deeb! She works the arm, and as the ref checks on Deeb she bites her hand! Jetta takes her to the corner, gets some chops of her own and then lays the shoulders into Deeb in the corner. Deeb counters another charge into a roll up for 2. Backslide by Deeb gets 2. Double leg into a jackknife pin for 2. Forearms by Jetta, spinning neck breaker and a cover for 2. Jetta working the arm as she tries to hyperextend the elbow. Chops by Jetta in the corner, but then misses a corner charge and Deeb gets a roll up for 2. Drop toehold by Deeb sends Jetta into the corner, she rolls to the floor and then rakes the eyes of Deeb as she enters back into the ring. Off the ropes and a clothesline by Jetta, goes for a slam but Deeb counters, slams Jetta onto all four corners and gets the drop toehold and then gets a variation of the skull fucker and covers for 2. Deeb off the ropes, but Jetta ties her up and then nails a straightjacket lung blower, rolls through into the Jinsei Shinzaki's Heavenly Lock~~~~~! Deeb has to tap.

Winner: Jetta @ 10:05 via pin

A solid bout here, as Deeb is a really good 80’s style face and Jetta was the perfect bitch heel. Nothing mind blowing, but they clicked pretty well, Jetta got the big debut win, and I love her finish sequence. Someone in TNA or the Fed needs to steal that. Now, someone steal it.
RATING: **¼


-Becky Bayless interviews Allison Danger. They discuss her loss to Rogers in Florida (Vol. 14) and Danger says that despite being on a losing streak, she is dedicating herself to winning the title. Unfortunately for her she gets interrupted by Cindy Rogers, who claims that in order to move up in the ranks, Danger was going to have to go through her. Rogers then attacks, and we’re going to have us a match!

Allison Danger vs. Cindy Rogers

They brawl, off the ropes and a Thesz press by Danger. Drop toehold by Danger, chokes her on the ropes and then gets a baseball slide. They brawl on the floor now, Rogers slams Danger to the railing and then slams and grinds her face on the railing. Rogers then slams her shoulder first into the railing, and then they continue to brawl around the ring. Finally we get back into the ring, Rogers lays the boots to Danger and then drops the elbow to the back. Rogers with a Russian leg sweep and gets 2. They trade forearms from their knees, fight up to their feet and a face jam by Rogers gets a cover for 2. Clotheslines by Rogers, Rogers reverses a backslide, shoots off the ropes and gets a running Regal style knee to the head and a cover for 2. Danger misses a shining wizard and Rogers covers for 2. Suplex by Rogers, floats over into a cover for 2. Rogers lays the boots to Danger in the corner, but Danger fights back and gets a neck breaker and a cover for 2 as Rogers got the boot on the ropes. Old School Expulsion by Danger and that is all.

Winner: Allison Danger@ 7:20 via pin

A fine match in the confines of the show, but after hearing about the history of them through commentary (Street Fight, 2 of 3 Falls, Dog Collar) it seems like a very anti-climatic way to blow this off.
RATING: **


The Minnesota Homewrecking Crew (Lacey & Rain) vs. The Portuguese Princess Ariel & Josie

Rain and Ariel to begin, they trade some arm holds and such, Ariel rolls through, kips up and takes control. Rain tries the same, tries to kip up three times and fails (on purpose) and Ariel drops the leg on the arm and then covers for 2. Lacey now tags in and Ariel tags in Josie. Josie has lost a good amount of weight here and looks really good. Side headlock by Lacey, Josie counters out and works for a backslide and gets it for 2. Arm drags follow, and gets an arm bar, tag to Ariel and they double clothesline Lacey and a cover for 2. Snap suplex by Ariel, tag back to Josie and a gut wrench into a Canadian back breaker and then into a version of the Gory special and Rain in with a dropkick to stop that. The Crew gains control with some double teams, double kicks to the back and Rain covers for 2. Rain ties up Josie in the ropes, gets a dropkick and then tags Lacey back in. Josie tries to come back with rights, but a full nelson by Lacey, tag to Rain and she gets a dropkick to Josie. Rain chokes her out again, shoots her off the ropes, and a counter into a sunset flip by Josie gets 2. Rain then levels her with a clothesline, and then the Boston crab/camel clutch combo by the Crew. Lacey now works the single leg crab, Rain runs around the ring and pulls Ariel off of the apron to stop a tag, SNEAKY! Lacey tags in Rain and they beat down Josie in the corner, snap mare and then a missed elbow by Rain. She misses another and Josie then gets a single arm DDT and BOTH ladies are down! They get to their feet and we get tags to both Ariel and Lacey. Ariel tosses Rain to the floor, SPINEBUSTER on Lacey gets a close 2. Lacey floats over and out of a slam, lung blower and a cover for 2. Forearms by Ariel, Josie grabs Lacey and they execute a 2nd rope Hart Attack! Josie gets dropkicked to the floor, allowing the Crew to get a spike tomikaze (double team Unprettier) on Ariel for the win.

Winners: The Minnesota Homewrecking Crew @ 10:01 via pin

This was a strong formula tag match, that’s a good thing. The Crew are a fun tag team as they do the more old school double teams, distracting the ref, moving him instead of being in the ring for 30-seconds at a time. Ariel and Josie worked well together as a team, and Josie dropping some weight is noticeable in her ring work as she did well.
RATING: **½

-After the match Lacey carries poor Rain to the back as Josie checks on Ariel.

-Daffney and MsChif discuss their upcoming match with The Experience, believe it or not, there is some screaming involved.

Cheerleader Melissa vs. Alexa Thatcher

Both ladies are fan favorites here in SHIMMER, so the crowd is split early. They lock up, off the ropes and a shoulder block by Melissa drops Thatcher. Lock up and Melissa works the arm, wristlock and Thatcher gets a handspring to reverse the hold. Roll through, kick off and Melissa gets the arm bar back, Thatcher grabs and front flips and then gets a headlock and takedown. Melissa tries to roll her, they work to their feet now and Melissa counters to a hammerlock. Off the ropes, a shoulder block and then a body slam by Melissa. Misses the Muta elbow, Thatcher off the ropes and gets a head scissors. Melissa down in the corner and Thatcher gets a running knee strike Cactus Jack style. Irish whip, reversal and Thatcher hits the corner. She gets knees, goes for a RANA, but Melissa counters it into a Boston Crab. Melissa works to a single leg crab and steps on the head of Thatcher, but she gets the ropes. Melissa immediately gets the CURB STOMP and a cover for 2 as Thatcher grabbed the ropes. Thatcher rolls to the floor, Melissa follows and clubs away at the back of Thatcher. A whip to the barrier by Melissa, breaks the count and back out and whips Thatcher back first to the steel steps. Back into the ring we go and Melissa covers for 2. Kudo Driver try, Thatcher flips out and gets a roll up for 2! Melissa then takes her down with a clothesline and gets the chinlock. Thatcher escapes, but Melissa gets a belly to back suplex and covers for 2. Thatcher then counters a suplex into a roll up for 2. Melissa with a shot to the back and a snap suplex gets 2. Kudo Driver try again, but Thatcher counters it into a bulldog and gets a cover for 2. They trade forearms mid-ring, chops by Melissa and she lights her up. Off the ropes, counter and a GERMAN by Thatcher! BOTH ladies are down now, but Thatcher crawls over and gets a cover for 2. Forearms now by Thatcher, off the ropes and after a counter of a German Melissa connects with the KUDO DRIVER and that is all.

Thatcher stays folded up and sells this like death as referees have to come in and help her from the ring.

Winner: Cheerleader Melissa @ 10:25 via pin

Another good match here kids. Even with both ladies being faces, they kept the crowd active the whole way through. Thatcher isn’t “on Melissa’s level” so to speak, but the match was worked well enough that you thought she had a legit chance against Melissa. The outside brawl led to Melissa working the back and a few Kudo Driver tries, which was finally Thatcher’s end.
RATING: ***


GRUDGE MATCH: The Experience (Lexie Fyfe & Malia Hosaka) vs. The Scream Queens (MsChif & Daffney)

Some will remember Lexie Fyfe as “Hilary Clinton” from Raw a while back. MsChif and Cheerleader Melissa (Managed by Daffney) dealt the Experience their first tag team loss in SHIMMER (Vol.12 I believe.) MsChif and Daffney scare the ref with their screaming. Daffney and Hosaka to begin. They play the crowd a bit, and we’ll begin with a test of strength. Hosaka trips her down, Daffney bridges and then tries a monkey flip, that doesn’t go well but Hosaka recovers it and then goes to work on the knee of Daffney. Chops by Hosaka, and Daffney scurries away and tags in MsChif. MsChif screams and HOSAKA TAKES A BUMP! HAHAHA! Fyfe tags in now, works the arm and then gets a variation of the octopus hold and then slams the arm of Fyfe down. Snap suplex by MsChif and floats over into a cover for 2. Fyfe now gets a leg trip and goes to work on the knee of MsChif. MsChif escapes but Hosaka tags in and works a knee crank. MsChif kicks her away and tags Daffney in. Slam by Daffney, gets a monkey flip but her knee is hurting after a cross body. Hosaka gets a dragon sleeper, tags Fyfe back in and off the ropes with a double team clothesline for 2. Fyfe works the knee, drops the elbows and get a knee crank. She now stands and gets a leg drop and wraps up the legs, tags Hosaka and Fyfe with the Flair style drops to the knee with it draped on the ropes. Hosaka slams the knee off of the ring apron. Off the ropes, Daffney slams Hosaka down by the hair. That doesn’t last long as Hosaka chokes her out and then tags Fyfe in. She continues kicking away at the leg, as MsChif screams; that’s what she does. Fyfe slams the knee of Daffney to the mat, and then works the spinning toehold. OLD SCHOOL! Hosaka tags in, lays the boots to the knee and mocks Daffney. Hosaka is a great bitch. Fyfe tags back in, full nelson applied and as Hosaka tries a kick, Daffney ducks and she kicks Fyfe. TAG to MsChif! She cleans house, counters a double suplex into a double DDT! All four ladies in now, whips to the corner and Fyfe gets a pendulum on MsChif as Hosaka takes control of Daffney. Double team gourd buster on Daffney and that’s all.

Winners: The Experience @ 11:05 via pin

Another fine tag match. One thing I do appreciate here about SHIMMER is that even though they don’t have tag titles, they do have established tag teams to add something to the card. Hell, they have a better tag division than WWE does. These ladies had the background, which also helps things out. I was expecting a little more from the bout, the work was good, but got a little tedious in the middle. Nothing bad at all, but this just didn’t excite me all that much.
RATING: **½


#1 CONTENDERS MATCH: Daizee Haze vs. “The Dark Angel” Sara Stock

Crowd is hot for Stock as she wasn’t announced for the show according to live reports. Lock up, and a stalemate. Lock up, snap mare and a cradle by Stock for 2. Another for 2, La Magistral cradle for2. Haze with a roll up, and then a backslide both for 2. Stock powers up, Haze with a wacky bridging roll up and Stock with a counter into one and they stand off. That was fun. Takedown by Stock, they work headlock counters, kip up by Stock and an arm drag. She works the arm, Haze rolls out to counter and gets a waist lock. Stock escapes, gets a single leg crab on Haze. Haze counters that, but Stock gets a body scissors. Haze tries to bridge back for a pinning try, but Stock transitions into a headlock. Arm drags, rolling LUCHA counters and as Haze goes for a boot, Stock slams her down. More LUCHA arm drags, Haze into a roll up for 2. Stock misses a dropkick, Haze then misses an elbow drop and they pop up and stand off. YAY LUCHA! They play the crowd a bit, Stock pulls Haze off of the top so she can celebrate and then back to action. Test of strength, but Stock fires away with rights and knees instead. Off the ropes but Haze gets a head scissors, another and then a cross body for 2. Stock rolls to the floor for a powder, haze up top and Stock then goes to the apron and kicks her off. She lays the boots to her, a slam and elbow drop follow and she celebrates. To the corner they go, Stock scoops up Haze and proceeds to slam her to two corners and then gets a running sit out powerslam for 2. Haze battles back off the ropes but Stock gets a tilt a whirl back breaker. Stock now works a version of the torture rack from the knees, stands and Haze slides down and gets a roll up for 2. Stock goes back to some shots to the back, stomps and then an elbow drop. Haze with rights and lefts to Stock, but eats a right and is back down. To the corner and knees to the back by Stock. Irish whip, boot by Haze and then a 2nd rope sunset flip gets 2. Stock kicks her down, chokes her in the ropes and works shots to the back, staying focused. Side back breaker by Stock and into a knee crank. Knees to the back now, slams Haze down and covers for 2. Stock with boots to Haze, a slam try is countered into a roll up for 2. Haze with another roll up for 2. More knees to the back by Stock, slams Haze to the corner and repeatedly slams Haze to the corner. A dropkick in the corner by Stock, followed by a choke and then shots to the back. Haze blocks a German, and counters into one of her own and a bridge for 2! She folded her in half there. Forearms by Haze, off the ropes and a lariat by Haze! Another, double ax smash by Haze and a cover for 2. HEART PUNCH…YAKUZA KICK COMBO by Haze and Stock falls and rolls to the floor. Haze up top…HUGE CROSS BODY to the floor and wipes out Stock! Back in the ring goes Haze, Stock on the apron and gets tossed in, land son her feet and gets a belly to back suplex for a CLOSE 2! Stock argues with the ref, goes for the tiger driver, but Haze counters with arm drag only to be tossed to the corner. Chops by Stock in the corner, Irish whip and misses a clothesline. Haze gets a face buster and covers for 2. Haze now works an Indian deathlock with a bridge, Stock works for the ropes…is close and finally gets them for the break. Heart Punch countered, mind trip countered by Stock into a roll up and that is all!

Winner and #1 Contender “The Dark Angel” Sara Stock @ 19:45 via pin

This was a Fan-Fucking-Tastic match right here. They mixed in a nice amount of LUCHA, every thing clicked, they kept the crowd and this was just an awesome bout. There was a lot of hype about this match and I know some thought it was even better than I rated, but regardless, it was just great stuff.
RATING: ****

-Stock gives an interview after the match, saying she knew she would win. She proclaims that she is the best and will win the title on Volume 16.


SHIMMER TITLE MATCH: Sara Del Rey © vs. Amazing Kong

At the bell Del Rey charges Kong with a dropkick, which does nothing. Another and nothing. One to the knee and Kong is down. Kong rolls to the floor, SUICIDE DIVE by Del Rey! This ANGERS Kong! Back in the ring and they lock up, to the ropes and chops by Kong. They shove, boots by Del Rey, chops, off the ropes and Kong kills her with a Vader style body attack and then a splash, which gets 2. Kong tosses her to the corner, chokes her out, pulls her back in and drops the elbow to the knee of Del Rey. Del Rey counters into a cross arm breaker and then drops the knees to it, applies a kimura and covers for 2. Kong now chokes out Del Rey, tosses her off and kicks her down. An Irish whip and a corner splash by Kong. Kong lays the boots to Del Rey, who rolls to the floor. Kong follows, and slams Del Rey into the railing. She grabs a sign and slaps Del Rey with it. Slams her to the railing again. She tries another, but Del Rey reverses it and Kong collides with the railing. Del Rey slams her off of the steps, stand son her and then kicks her in the head. Kong is MAD and slams Del Rey to the railing. She then tosses her into the ring post headfirst. Kong back in as Del Rey tries to recover. Del Rey walks it off, comes back in and they go for the test of strength. Del Rey gets Kong to her knees, but she powers up and gets control and Del Rey is down to her knees. To the corner, kicks by Del Rey, a snap mare and back senton splash gets 2. Del Rey works the front facelock now, Kong to her feet and then gets a wristlock and BITES her arm! Irish whip and Kong misses the corner splash, Del Rey tries a snap mare, knee strikes and clubbing shots to the back. A dropkick connects and Del Rey covers for 2 as Kong gets the ropes. Kong then murders her with a clothesline, goes for a Boston Crab but Del Rey rolls her up for 2. Cross body try by Del Rey, caught and slammed down. Leg drop by Kong and a cover for 2. Head butt by Kong now, knees to the head and then stands on her head. Kong keeps on the attack, Del Rey tires to battle back, off the ropes and a reversal and back elbow by Kong. Kong bomb try, Del Rey drops down, counter with a kick and then lays the boots to Kong in the corner. Irish whip and a forearm strike by Del Rey. A snap mare and Del Rey works a surfboard now. She transitions into more of a stump puller and then knee strikes to the back. Kong is pissed, HUGE slap by Kong! An Irish whip and counter, German try by Del Rey, Kong escapes but Del Rey rolls her up for 2. Knees to the head, a hip attack and then a running boot levels Kong. Del Rey whipped to the corner, Del Rey to the 2nd rope and a moonsault wipes out Kong and she covers for 2. Royal Butterfly try, Kong backdrops out and gets a double under hook face buster and a cover for 2. Kong to the 2nd rope…AMAZING PRESS misses! Del Rey tries a German, Kong to the ropes, off the ropes and they collide and nothing. Again they collide, boots by Del Rey, off the rope, BACK FIST. FIGHTING SPIRIT~! BACK FIST lays out Del Rey, she pops back up…GERMAN SUPLEX to Kong! Both ladies are down now. They make it to their feet, Butterfly try, Kong out and a clothesline to Del Rey. Kong bomb blocked, kicks by Del Rey, ROYAL FUCKING BUTTERFLY ON KONG~! HOLY SHIT! Del Rey goes for the cover, but Kong nails a back fist. Both are down, the ref counts as both ladies struggle to their feet and in true Rocky II fashion Kong cannot answer the count, Del Rey does and retains the title.

Winner: Sara Del Rey @ 17:25 via Answering the Count

This was another great match. Totally different from the previous match, which had the LUCHA and technical reversals, as this was hard-hitting ass kicking here. The finish I understand as it protects the “undefeated Kong,” but it also deflated my excitement, as this was rocking along. Still great stuff though.
RATING: ***¾

-Kong is NOT happy with the result.

-We get a promo from Kong, who states that she underestimated Del Rey. She wasn’t pinned or submitted. She wants the title and promised to see Del Rey REAL soon.

Next SHIMMER Tapings!

The 411: SHIMMER Vol. 15 presents a solid under card; seven matches, including three tag teams matches, all with different styles and looks. As someone who doesn’t follow the promotion through a lot of DVD purchases, I found the commentary of Dave Prazak and Allison Danger to be excellent from a storytelling standpoint, as I never felt lost, quite the contrary, I felt completely informed. The under card did a great job of showcasing debuts, extending feuds and likely concluding one (Danger and Rogers.)

While the under card is solid, it is really just an appetizer for the double main course. Stock and Haze was super fun with LUCHA goodness and strong work. This wasn’t just “good” for a ladies match, this was a great pro-wrestling match. It felt important and commentary also helped put this over as big, since it was for a title shot. The main event also delivered in a different style. The two biggest dogs in the yard as JR may say went at it, it was hard-hitting, non-stop and again a great bout. The very solid under card and two great main events make this a must buy.

Final Score:  8.1   [ Very Good ]