** SHIMMER DVD Reviews by Brad Dykens **
November 8, 2009 – – – Berwyn, Illinois
SHIMMER Women Athlete’s Volume #28
SINGLES MATCH [ WATCH PREVIEW ]
Malia Hosaka vs. Portuegese Princess Ariel: Malia Hosaka came out with a cardboard cutout of her tag team partner, Lexie Fyfe, on a stick. Malia is a great veteran, but I’m not sure why Ariel is still part of the SHIMMER roster (she has evolved 0% since I first saw her). Lexie is out with an injury so Malia was trying to make it in the singles division. The funny part was Malia kept trying to tag Lexie on a stick into the match. Eventually the referee ejected Lexie on a stick from ringside. You can’t even make this stuff up! Ariel won the match. Malia flipped out. Hopefully this leads to an Ariel/Roxx vs. Experience feud.
SINGLES MATCH [ WATCH PREVIEW ]
Melanie Cruise vs. Kimberly Kash: Kim Kash is a perky blonde rookie with a tramp stamp. She was taking on a monster in the making by the name of Melanie Cruise, who has been guided lately by Annie Social (who was absent here). Cruise is being booked very strong due to her six foot stature, but she has a long way to go before she is competing in the main event. Kash had some brief success at the start by playing hit and run, but eventually she was squashed by the “large and in charge” Melanie Cruise. I like her.
TAG TEAM MATCH [ WATCH PREVIEW ]
Ashley Lane & Neveah vs. Sassy Stephie & Kacey Diamond w/Mademoiselle Rachelle: Who in the blue hell is Mademoiselle Rachelle? Whoever she is, she doesn’t belong in the wrestling business. Kacey Diamond, on the other hand, has a loud-mouth French-girl gimmick and is SUPER DUPER hot (like Maryse-hot). Why have I never seen Kacey Diamond before now? She is very comfortable in the ring. Sassy Stephie is a full-fledged heel now, and she has found a great tag team partner. The perky Ohio Girls recently lost the SHIMMER Tag Team titles, and are on their way out due to Ashley (aka Madison Rayne) going full time with TNA. I was hoping they would do the job and help launch this new tag team in the division. Unfortunately, the “time honored tradition” was not enforced here and the Ohio Girls picked up the victory – and that’s okay, too. This would be Ashley’s last appearance with SHIMMER.
SINGLES MATCH [ WATCH PREVIEW ]
Nikki Roxx vs. “The Croatian Panther” Wesna Busic: I can’t believe I used to think Wesna was cute, but that has gone slightly downhill. Fortunately she still has really amazing skill in the ring and can put on a great match with just about anybody. Going up against Nikki Roxx is gauranteed money as far as I’m concerned. This could have main evented any men’s wrestling event anywhere on the planet. Roxx looked sexy with long hair (back in the day), she looked hot with no hair (TNA), and she looks beautiful with shoulder-lenth hair (now). Wesna doesn’t really need to take any shortcuts in the ring, but she chooses to do so because she’s a heel. Wesna pounded Roxx with lots of hard-hitting moves, but Roxx endured and ended up winning with a quick roll-up! The match could have gone a bit longer, and could have been a bit higher on the card, but it was a good mid-card effort.
SINGLES MATCH [ WATCH PREVIEW ]
Rachel Summerlyn vs. Daffney: This is somewhat of a grudge match, as these two have previously feuded down in Texas. They re-ignited the fire on the last DVD when Daffney walked out on Rachel during a tag team match. Rachel came out and demanded an explanation from her “friend” as to why she abandoned her. Daffney came out and said when she met Rachel, all she knew was thumbtacks (hardcore wrestling). Daffney said Rachel asked her to teach her how to work, but admitted that she didn’t do a good job. Daffney attacked Rachel and the match began! But it didn’t last very long because Daffney was disqualified for refusing to break on a five count. Rachel snapped and suddenly fought back. They brawled and Daffney started choking the life out of Summerlyn. Dave Prazak said we’ve seen in the past that Daffney has a dark side. It took three referees to pull Daffney off of Rachel and they treated her like a mental patient. Daffney yelled that Rachel “will always be a rookie!”
TAG TEAM MATCH [ WATCH PREVIEW ]
The International Home-wrecking Crew (Rain & Jetta w/Lacey) vs. Jessie McKay & Tenille: The Home-wreckers came out and generated Home-wrecker-style heat like usual. These ho-bags are always so hot it’s difficult to hate them, but fun to play along. Jessie McKay teamed up with the incurably cute Tenille (but why would you want to cure her?). They are both from Australia, but some people think Tenille is Canadian because she trained there and got her start in some Canadian independents. Trust me, she’s an Aussie! Lacey snatched the microphone away from the ring announcer and did the Home-wrecker introductions properly. Rain & Jetta won the match with a new finishing move – the Doomsay Acid Rain!
SINGLES MATCH [ WATCH PREVIEW ]
Cheerleader Melissa vs. “The Rate Tank” Kellie Skater: Earlier on the DVD, Kellie Skater interrupted Melissa’s interview time and proclaimed that she was indestructable. Melissa suggested that they test that theory. So we have a match! I much prefer the cerebral assassin Melissa as opposed to the fan-friendly Melissa. Kellie doesn’t look like much but is a fine example of hard work and charisma equalling success. Kellie was fearless as she went up against Melissa, even putting her hands on the Cheerleader pom-poms (a definite no-no). At one point, Melissa grabbed Kellie by the legs and repeatedly swung her head-first into the metal guard rail. Back in the ring, Melissa proved that Kellie was, in fact, not indestructable by finishing her off with a picture perfect (safe) Kudo-driver!
SINGLES MATCH [ WATCH PREVIEW ]
Mercedes Martinez vs. Cat Power: Cat Power has been getting quite the push lately, with two recent victories, but I don’t think she’s ready to go over someone like Mercedes Martinez. On the other hand, just being in the ring with Mercedes is good for your career. I still think she’s the sexiest girl in SHIMMER right now. Purrr. Mercedes is the champion of the rival all-female wrestling group, so she’s been put in the position of having to help elevate other wrestlers, but never getting close to the SHIMMER title. Cat has done a good job inventing a lot of feline-friendly moves to compliment her character. Cat was allowed to look good in the ring, but eventually fell to the Fishermens-buster. Mercedes wins again!
SINGLES MATCH [ WATCH PREVIEW ]
Allison Danger vs. Nicole Matthews: I’m not saying Nicole Matthews is bad, because she has improved a lot since joining SHIMMER, but she pales in comparison to her tag team partner, Portia Perez. With Portia out of action with H1N1, Nicole was forced to survive alone against Allison Danger. Nicole carried both tag team titles to the ring. The heat here is between Allison and Portia, so Nicole is doing the “softening” for her partner. Late in the match, Allison went for a killer Lariat but accidentally took out referee Laura Watano. Daizee Haze ran down wearing a stripped zebra shirt to take over the referee duties. Nicole yelled at the Haze for coming out. Nicole tried to use one of the tag belts as a weapon, but the Haze pulled it away. While she was getting rid of the belt, Nicole picked up the second belt and used it to knock Allison out for the win!
SINGLES MATCH [ WATCH PREVIEW ]
Sara Del Rey vs. Ayako Hamada: Sara Del Rey paced to the ring like the female Berzerker and flexed her muscle. Somebody get her some fury boots. Her opponent was Ayako Hamada from Tokyo, who was hanging around the United States with nothing to do, courtesy of TNA at the time. This illustrates one of the silliest things that goes on in both WWE & TNA. I hate how they rape some girl wrestlers of their names, like TNA billing Ayako simply as “HAMADA.” When I heard the SHIMMER ring announcer call out her full name, I felt so much respect and anticipation for her performing on my side of the world. The match quickly got heated, and Del Rey retreated backstage to retrieve a steel chair. “You want to fight?” she screamed and started swinging. After several misses, Del Rey connected with one shot and was disqualified. Del Rey screamed something about “building this company!” Hamada recovered and riled up the crowd, who started chanting “let them fight!” The referee restarted the match, with a stipulation of no countouts and no disqualifications. Ding ding! They started going hardcore on each other throughout the building. They showed no mercy, not even for the fans, a couple of whom were taken out when they were too cool to stand up and get out hell out of the way. They eventually ended up back in the ring, where the carnage continued. Death Rey took a really stiff shot to the head with the chair. Hamada did a moonsault holding a chair and landed on Del Rey’s head – but she kicked out! If that wasn’t the finish I wondered what they were planning to do. They finished with Del Rey giving Hamada an epic Pile-driver! This will prove to be one of the greatest matches in SHIMMER history.
SHIMMER CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH [ WATCH PREVIEW ]
MsChif (c) vs. LuFisto vs. Amazing Kong: There has been a long build-up for this match. Nobody has ever defeated Amazing Kong in SHIMMER. In fact, Kong defeated MsChif on SHIMMER Volume 9, before MsChif had the championship. LuFisto had great match with MsChif on Volume #26, but couldn’t win the title, and started begging for a rematch. She later went to a double countout with Amazing Kong for number one contendership. That led to this triple threat match for the SHIMMER championship. MsChif and LuFisto worked together, trying to take out Kong first. Almost disappointingly, LuFisto ended up eliminated first – and too early. Kong became the first an only person to kick out of the Descrecrator. A few minutes later, MsChif used a second Descecrator (a super Descecrator!) to become the first ever person to defeat Kong in SHIMMER competition! Kong got up and patted MsChif on the shoulder in a rare show of sportsmanship by Kong.
If you would like to purchase this or any other SHIMMER DVD, please check out ROHwrestling.com – and also be sure to show your support by checking out www.SHIMMERwrestling.com – Thank you!