Home ▸ A Ruff Look At Wrestling ▸ A Ruff Look at SHIMMER Vol. 53

This is a really big moment for SHIMMER. They have had their model of how they did business for a long time. For a lot of the fans who can’t afford trips to Illinois or New York but can afford the $15 for an Internet Pay Per View, this is a really special thing for us to be able to witness live.

1. Mia Yim vs. Amazing Kong

It was great to see both back, as I haven’t seen either recently. This was big girl-little girl match. You had Kong destroy and Mia sell. I had computer issues during this match itself. Something with needing to use a laptop made in this decade. So I didn’t quite get the look at this match I wanted to. I missed the finisher.

Winner: Kong

Interview with Serena-There was a run-in by Jessicka freakin’ Havok. My wife walked in and said, “That sounded like an orgasm.” I did NOT see that coming. Do you know what the possibilities are here? Jessicka is probably the best wrestler in the world not in SHIMMER. I tried explaining to my wife that this was the equivalent of AJ Styles showing up on Raw.

2. Cherry Bomb & Kimber Lee vs. Veda Scott & Shazza McKenzie

This match surprised me. This was my first time to see Kimber as a heel. Cherry/Kimber did a great job of wrestling a heel style. Veda/Shazza were great as a tag team. They have a natural chemistry you can’t teach. I was kind of disappointed in the length this match was here. I’d love to have seen more development in a story.

Winner:  Shazza & Veda

3. Rhia O’Reilly vs. Evie vs. Kalamity vs. Christina Von Eerie vs. Yuu Yamagata

This match alone is worth the purchase. It was a GREAT debut for Evie. She had some great kicks. Kalamity is great for what she does, just that little spitfire full of fight. And Von Eerie was sporting long, not-mohawked hair. Plus, she is so crisp and refined in the ring. If you’ve never seen any of these 5, this match would be a great sampler for any of their work.

Winner: Von Eerie

4. Mercedes Martinez vs. Ayumi Kurihara

Some good emotion for this match as it was Kurihara’s last match in the US (if I am correct). Mercedes did quite the beatdown on Kurihara. The crowd reaction made this match worth it. The story was that the two were so even. A well-received “That was awesome” chant.

Winner: Mercedes

A great show of class by the fans chanting “Arigato” after the match.

5. Jessicka Havok, Sassy Stephanie & Nevaeh w/ M. Rochelle vs. Regeneration X & Serena Deeb w/ Daffney

Regeneration dressed as Jay and Silent Bob. Nice. Serena looked great, did a lot of bumping. When the crowd became a little quiet, Alison got them back with one move. They are teasing a Serena-Havok feud. There was a Havok chokeslam that was the best one I’ve seen since WCW’s The Giant.

Winner: Re-X & Deeb

Jessicka continued an EPIC beatdown. Now THAT is how you start a feud!

6. Jessie McKay vs. Madison Eagles

Forgive me as I swoon over McKay. The beginning was very nice, as it showed how alike these two were. This match was a feat of athleticism. This match was really what SHIMMER does best: two athletic women having a physical contest. This match is a definite recommend.

Winner: Eagles

7. Made in Syn vs. Kellie Skater & Tomoko Nakagawa vs. LuFisto & Kana vs. Canadian Ninjas

Made in Syn is just too much prettiness for one team to contain. Skater & Nakagawa are awesomeness as a tag team. I would like to never step into a ring with LuFisto or Kana. And the Canadian Ninjas are greatness. The Nakagawa-Kana stuff was great. Made in Syn did some Dusty Rhodes clubberin’. Allysin took a lot of lumps and I hope people are noticing she is earning her place. LuFisto took a really bad moonsault. How she is still alive I’m not sure. Made in Syn were first eliminated followed by LuKana. The Canadian Ninjas won by spitting the water in Skater’s face for once.

Winner: Ninjas

8. Athena vs. Ayako Hamada

It is so surreal to see the wrestler at my local indy who got started around where I started watching wrestling to be taking on a Japanese legend. This began with some GREAT mat wrestling. Athena got some insane kicks from Hamada. Holy crap. THIS was a match. I’m pretty sure this is going to be the best match I’m watching this weekend. If you watch no other match this weekend, watch this match.

Winner: Athena

With the exception of the 4-way ladder match from AIW, this is my choice for Match of the Year.

9. Cheerleader Melissa vs. Saraya Knight

Saraya’s entrance is one of the best in wrestling. There is no more convincing heel. The crowd was madly in love with this match, which the crowd was kind of hit-or-miss. The match was really good, but it had the misfortune of being after Athena-Hamada. The ending was an incredible huracanrana that saw Cheerleader Melissa get the pin.

Winner (and new champion): Cheerleader Melissa

All in all… It will be interesting to see how this plays out on DVD. First of all, Athena-Hamada was the match of the afternoon and perhaps the Match of the Year. Melissa-Knight was a great emotional story. If you are wanting to know how to be a heel, study Saraya Knight. The 4-way tag match was really fun and really good story-telling. The Aussie battle was like watching some athletic spectacle. The 6-woman match was great for the history of Havok being in the SHIMMER ring and for Re-X as Jay and Silent Bob. Each match brought something unique and distinctive. If you find a replay, well worth the watch.

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