SHIMMER - WOMEN ATHLETES presented its "4th Anniversary Celebration" on Sunday, November 8, 2009 before a sold out Eagles Club in Berwyn, IL. Volumes 27 & 28 of the SHIMMER DVD series were filmed during the course of the taping. Here's what went down...
SPARKLE (pre-show)1. SHIMMER Tag Team Champion NICOLE MATTHEWS defeated SKILLED DEATH ARTIST #2 after hitting Last Rites on the masked competitor. Matthews saw what appeared to be someone dressed as a ninja enter the ring, and came out to object on the microphone. Matthews shouted "Ninja please," and agreed to fight on the pre-show to demonstrate what happens to people who are guilty of gimmick infringement.
2. KACEY DIAMOND & SASSY STEPHIE (w/ Mademoiselle Rachelle) defeated KIMBERLY KASH & LEVA BATES in a tag team contest. Stephie and Kash made their return to SPARKLE competition here. The French Canadian Kacey made her way to SPARKLE from the NCW Femmes Fatales promotion in Montreal, while Leva is a newcomer out of the state of Florida who appears for Full Impact Pro.
Prior to the start of the DVD taping, a new SHIMMER highlight video produced by Nicholas Andrews premiered on the video screen, titled "Revolution in Four." It can be viewed online at the link below.
SHIMMER VOLUME 27One of the women who has been a part of SHIMMER from day one, NIKKI ROXX, opened the show with a video segment taped outside the Eagles Club prior to the event. Nikki recapped her history with the company, working her way up from the preliminary ranks to main event status, and then taking a hiatus from SHIMMER competition. Since returning to the company, Nikki has done battle with some of the newer additions to the roster, and said that tonight she has been given the opportunity to prove that she still belongs at the top of the card. Roxx stated that tonight she would end the year and a half long reign of MsCHIF as SHIMMER Champion.
1. MALIA HOSAKA defeated TENILLE after a Canadian backbreaker drop.
A segment was shown on the video screen of SHIMMER Tag Team Champion PORTIA PEREZ from her home, out sick with the Swine Flu. Perez read a note from her doctor prohibiting her from appearing on the show. ALLISON DANGER immediately came out to the ring and said Portia was lying about her illness, and was simply afraid to be a fighting champion and scared to get in the ring against her. Portia's partner NICOLE MATTHEWS came to the ring to defend Perez. While Danger had her back turned to the entrance, KELLIE SKATER took this as a cheap opportunity to jump Danger from behind. Referee PJ DRUMMOND hit the ring and called for the opening bell.
2. ALLISON DANGER defeated "The Rate Tank" KELLIE SKATER following the Old School Expulsion. The "indie-structible" Skater put up a strong fight against Danger, including an impressive exchange of chops, before falling to the SHIMMER veteran.
SHIMMER Correspondent AMBER GERTNER interviewed CAT POWER in the locker room. Cat said that she is in SHIMMER to be successful, and wants the strongest competition in the future. Cat said that she was embarrassed by ARIEL in her SHIMMER DVD debut match, and tonight she wanted a chance to even the score against her in a rematch.
DAIZEE HAZE was welcomed to the ring by the fans in attendance, and explained that she is currently sidelined with injury, after suffering nerve damage in her neck which has caused severe pain in her back. Though she may be out of the ring as an active wrestler, she remains a huge part of SHIMMER as the trainer of the SHIMMER course at the ROH Wrestling Academy, and offered to help out in any way possible. Senior referee BRYCE REMSBURG extended the offer of a Troubleshooting Referee position during her hiatus, and Daizee gladly accepted, promising to call everything right down the middle.
3. "The International Home Wrecking Crew" RAIN & JETTA (w/ Lacey) defeated RACHEL SUMMERLYN & DAFFNEY with a lungblower combo, followed by Jetta's stranglehold submission. Rachel began the match for her team, and ultimately, wrestled the entire match for her team, as the darker side of Daffney began to emerge in this one. At several points in the bout, a worn down Summerlyn was in position to tag Daffney in, but she would conveniently turn her back to Rachel just as she was close enough to tag her in. During the closing moments of the match, Daffney just hopped off the ring apron and walked back to the locker room, leaving a distraught Rachel all alone against the Home Wreckers.
4. CAT POWER defeated PORTUGUESE PRINCESS ARIEL with the Cat Nap, avenging the loss from Volume 18. This match saw DAIZEE HAZE's first appearance as a SHIMMER referee.
5. "The Croatian Panther" WESNA BUSIC & MELANIE CRUISE defeated ASHLEY LANE & NEVAEH in tag team action with a double team variation of Melanie's Cruise Control slam. The Ohio tandem were able to hit their signature STO/Yakuza kick combo on Cruise, however Wesna broke up the pin attempt, and got the match back on track for her and her protege, leading to the victory.
LUFISTO appeared on the video screen in the locker room. She noted that she came up short in her title match on Volume 26 against MsCHIF, but that she learned from that match, and just needed one more opportunity at the title to become SHIMMER Champion. She said nobody else was as deserving of a title shot as her, and was immediately confronted by an agitated AMAZING KONG. Just as the two were about to fight, DAIZEE HAZE stepped between them and said that she has a peaceful solution to their tension. Daizee suggested that they face one another in a match, and assured them that she would personally see to it that the winner of the bout would receive a SHIMMER Championship match in the future.
6. CHEERLEADER MELISSA defeated SHIMMER Tag Team Champion NICOLE MATTHEWS following the Kudoh Driver. Matthews came to the ring carrying both of the SHIMMER Tag Team Championship belts, in her partner PORTIA PEREZ's absence. Melissa had the advantage in the early going, until Matthews delivered three hard kicks in the corner to Melissa's knee, and then relentlessly went after that body part. Melissa was able to survive Matthews' signature lariat, but was able to counter out of a Last Rites attempt and nail Nicole with the devastating Kudoh Driver for the three count. On the heels of Matthews' singles outings against Daizee Haze on recent DVDs, this was another strong showing for Nicole in one-on-one competition against one of SHIMMER's best.
7. SARA DEL REY defeated "Everybody's Favorite Girlfriend" JESSIE McKAY via submission with a jujigatame. Del Rey focused on McKay's arm for the duration of the bout. Jessie held her own with Del Rey, including busting out the School Girl Crush for a close nearfall during the closing moments. Post-match, McKay received a standing ovation from the fans in attendance for her efforts.
8. AMAZING KONG battled "Super Hardcore Anime" LUFISTO to a double countout. Both wrestlers brawled through the crowd and out the back door of the building. During entrances for the next match, they once again fought through the crowd, back toward the ringside area, and then back to the locker room, with referees and wrestlers trying to break it up as the fans chanted "Let them fight!"
9. In her SHIMMER debut, AYAKO HAMADA defeated "The Latina Sensation" MERCEDES MARTINEZ following a 2nd rope Hama-Chan Cutter. The bout was a fifteen minute mix of hard hitting strikes and technical wrestling, showcasing the pure wrestling side of Ayako's repertoire.
10. SHIMMER Champion "Your Soul's Tormentor" MsCHIF defeated NIKKI ROXX following the Desecrater to retain the title (her twelfth defense). The fans in attendance showed their support for both women for the duration of the match, wrestled with good sportsmanship shown by both athletes. Nikki was able to kick out of MsChif's 2nd rope Death Valley Driver, but failed to hit the Barbie Crusher before falling victim to the Desecrater.
Heading into intermission, DAIZEE HAZE announced that due to the double countout between LUFISTO and AMAZING KONG resulting in no clear winner between the two, for the first time ever, the SHIMMER Championship would be defended in a Three-Way Elimination Match, as they would both face MsCHIF for the belt in the main event of Volume 28.
SHIMMER VOLUME 281. PORTUGUESE PRINCESS ARIEL defeated MALIA HOSAKA following the Dariel. Shenanigans ensued during this one, including Hosaka's "second" Lexie Fyfe On A Stick (a cutout artist's rendering of her on a pole) being "ejected from ringside" by the referee.
2. MELANIE CRUISE made short work of KIMBERLY KASH, scoring the pinfall after hitting Cruise Control.
3. ASHLEY LANE & NEVAEH got back on the winning track by scoring the victory against KACEY DIAMOND & SASSY STEPHIE (w/ Mademoiselle Rachelle) following the STO/Yakuza kick combo on Stephie.
SHIMMER Correspondent AMBER GERTNER interviewed CHEERLEADER MELISSA in the locker room. Melissa said that on the heels of two big victories, ending the feud against WESNA BUSIC with a knockout on Volume 26, and defeating 1/2 of the SHIMMER Tag Team Champions in NICOLE MATTHEWS on Volume 27, she is ready for bigger things. Before she could clarify what she had in mind, "The Rate Tank" KELLIE SKATER interrupted Melissa's interview by asking Amber when her interview time would be. Amber told her that she's not sure, and right now is Cheerleader Melissa's time. Skater asked "Cheerleader who?" She then proceeded to inform Melissa of her indie-structible Tank-like qualities. Melissa simply responded, "We'll see about that in the ring."
4. NIKKI ROXX defeated "The Croatian Panther" WESNA BUSIC with an O'Connor roll in a very even matchup between two skilled, well traveled wrestlers.
RACHEL SUMMERLYN came to the ring and expressed her confusion and disappointment on the microphone over what transpired on Volume 27 between DAFFNEY and herself. Rachel talked about how Daffney took her under her wing during her early period as a wrestler, and served as a mentor to her in the business. DAFFNEY came out in darker attire, said that she must not have done a very good job teaching Summerlyn, and then attacked her. A referee hit the ring and called for the opening bell for a match between them to begin.
5. RACHEL SUMMERLYN defeated DAFFNEY via disqualification when Daffney refused to break at the referee's five count. This wasn't much of an actual match at all, as it was simply Daffney in a quick rage dishing out punishment before the referee put an end to it. After the bell, Daffney continued to attack and choke Rachel until several referees pulled her out of the ring and escorted her back to the locker room. There is clearly more to be settled between these two women in the future.
6. "The International Home Wrecking Crew" RAIN & JETTA (w/ Lacey) defeated "Everybody's Favorite Girlfriend" JESSIE McKAY & TENILLE in a tag team bout.
7. CHEERLEADER MELISSA defeated "The Rate Tank" KELLIE SKATER following the Kudoh Driver. Skater showed virtually no fear getting in the face of Melissa prior to the match, and even grabbing her pompoms and mocking her. Whether it was toughness on Kellie's part or simply being delusional is up for debate, but her actions resulted in Melissa dishing out one of the most memorable beatings in SHIMMER thus far. Skater was slammed into the steel barricades a record setting number of times, before the action was brought back inside the ring. Kellie actually gained the upper hand on Melissa on a few occasions, but after attempting her Air Skater tight rope diving hurricanrana and simply being powerbombed for her trouble, The Rate Tank went down to Melissa's lethal Kudoh Driver.
8. "The Latina Sensation" MERCEDES MARTINEZ defeated CAT POWER after hitting the fisherman buster. Cat got her wish in top level competition after her victory against ARIEL on Volume 27. She put up a good fight against Mercedes, but in the end, one of the women who really put SHIMMER on the map four years ago scored the win.
9. SHIMMER Tag Team Champion NICOLE MATTHEWS defeated ALLISON DANGER after knocking her out with one of the SHIMMER Tag Team Championship belts. Late in the match, referee LAURA MATTANO was accidentally nailed in the corner by Danger as Matthews got out of the path of a running forearm. Troubleshooting referee DAIZEE HAZE slid into the ring to take over as official for the remainder of the bout. Given their history against one another, Matthews did take issue with Daizee right away, but continued the match. As she became frustrated that she couldn't put Allison away, Nicole retrieved one of the Tag Team belts from the corner and carried it to the center of the ring to use as a weapon. Daizee immediatelly took it out of her hands and went to place the belt outside of the ring, leaving her back turned to Matthews, who quickly grabbed the other Tag Team belt and nailed Danger with it before Daizee could see a thing. Daizee counted three and raised Matthews hand as the winner. Referee PJ DRUMMOND came to ringside to inform Daizee of what happened, but she said she didn't see it, and there was a three count, so her decision must stand. Post-match in the locker room, Matthews declared that she was carrying out PORTIA PEREZ's instructions by taking out Danger with the belt.
10. SARA DEL REY defeated AYAKO HAMADA with a piledriver in one of the wildest matches in SHIMMER's four year history. The match began with both women exchanging the advantage inside the ring, and Hamada getting the upper hand on Del Rey. A frustrated Sara left the ring, and headed to the locker room, only to return with a steel chair in hand. Sara wound up nailing Hamada with the chair, forcing SHIMMER senior official BRYCE REMSBURG to call for the bell. As he raised Hamada's hand for the disqualification victory, she told him she didn't want the match to end that way, and asked him to re-start it. Del Rey agreed to continue as well, and Remsburg declared the match would continue, but this time with no countout and no disqualification! Ayako immediately dropkicked Del Rey to the floor, and a crazy brawl ensued. Both women fought through the crowd around the entire Eagles Club, hurling chairs at one another and utilizing the steel barricades. Back inside the ring, Hamada gained the advantage, utilizing the steel chair herself, including a chairsault off the top rope for a close nearfall. Ayako went for the 2nd rope Hama-Chan Cutter, but Del Rey blocked the attempt. Sara was able to survive a Thunder Fire powerbomb, as well as the AP Cross Diamond. Hamada went for a second moonsault to try to put Sara away, but Del Rey got her feet up, immediately nailed Hamada with the Koppo Kick, and followed up with the piledriver (the first time she's used it in SHMMER since the finals of the Title Tournament in 2007) to finally put Ayako down for the three count.
11. SHIMMER Champion "Your Soul's Tormentor" MsCHIF defeated "Super Hardcore Anime" LUFISTO and AMAZING KONG in a Three-Way Elimination Match to retain the title (her thirteenth defense). This was an eleven minute sprint, with all three women going for eliminations right off the bat in an attempt to narrow it down to a one-on-one fight for the SHIMMER Championship. Chif and LuFisto tried to join forces against Kong on a few occasions, but while some of their teamwork was effective, Kong's size and power outmatched their efforts in the end. LuFisto was the first woman eliminated from the match, after absorbing the Amazing Bomb and being pinned by Kong. It then became a question of who would walk out of SHIMMER's 4th Anniversary Celebration with the title. Would Kong pin Chif again (as she did on Volume 9) and become the third woman to hold the SHIMMER Championship, or would Chif somehow be able to survive against a woman who had never been pinned or made to submit in a SHIMMER ring? The closing moments of the match saw both women pull out all of their signature maneuvers. Kong nailed Chif with the Amazing Bomb, but Chif was able to kick out. MsChif got enough momentum to take Kong over with the Code Green for a close nearfall! As Kong was about to hit the Amazing Press off the ropes, Chif got back to her feet, and sent Kong soaring to the center of the ring with a top rope hurricanrana, for another close nearfall. Chif was able to hit the Desecrater on Kong, only for Kong to be the first woman to ever kick out of it in company history. Kong got Chif back up, this time for the Spiral variation of the Amazing Bomb (with which she pinned Chif on Volume 9), but Chif kicked out! Kong placed Chif on the top rope, and came charging into the corner. MsChif threw a kick, but Kong caught the kick, and threw Chif's leg over her shoulder. As Kong picked her up off the turnbuckle and carried her out of the corner, MsChif was able to trap Kong's arm, and grab her head for a huge elevated version of the Desecrater! Chif hooked the leg tightly and made history by becoming the first woman to pin Amazing Kong in SHIMMER! After the match, Kong got face to face with MsChif, but rather than continue to fight, she patted the champ on the shoulder in a sign of respect before exiting the ring and returning to the locker room as the fans celebrated MsChif's victory to close the show.
Photographers Gilda Pasquil, Walter Lippmann, Buddy LaMantia, and Ricky Havlik were in attendance, capturing the festivities on film for all to see. Look for galleries to be available from all four photographers at
www.SHIMMERwrestling.com during the coming weeks.
A big thanks goes out to the staff and management of 39TEN Lounge in Lyons, IL for a very enjoyable SHIMMER afterparty! We look forward to a continued relationship with 39TEN in the future.
We will head into production on SHIMMER Volumes 26 through 28 during early December. The Volume 26 DVD title is set for a likely release at
www.ROHwrestling.com during early January, with the 4th Anniversary DVDs to follow shortly thereafter.
SHIMMER will now take a winter hiatus during Chicago's snowy months, before returning to live action during the spring of 2010 to resume the filming of our DVD series. Fans can check out several of the SHIMMER stars during our off-season on women's wrestling events promoted by Jersey All Pro Wrestling on the east coast and NCW Femmes Fatales in Canada.
Everyone at SHIMMER would like to thank each of the fans who purchased tickets and sold out the Berwyn Eagles Club to celebrate four years of presenting live women's professional wrestling in the Chicagoland area. We've only been able to make it this long with your dedication to our product and financial support, both at the box office and through DVD sales around the world. Thank you for four tremendous years!
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