by Anthony Beckingham, Torch specialist

After an awful Volume 22 and a superb Volume 23, Shimmer rolled on to Volume 24 with the kind of main event that risked putting all its eggs in one basket. After the previous show ended with Sara Del Rey attacking MsChif only to be saved by Cheerleader Melissa, champion MsChif and Melissa were to team against former champion Del Rey and unpinned Amazing Kong in a #1 Contender match for the Shimmer Tag Team Championship. Elsewhere on the card, Portia Perez and Allison Danger finally meet after a lot of talking in a Street Fight. Perez’s partner, Nicole Matthews, has a no-time limit match after drawing with Daizee Haze previously. That gives some new talent a chance to shine with “Rate Tank” Kellie Skater meeting a fellow Australian, cute girl next door Jessie McKay, and the impossibly beautiful Rayna Von Tosh teaming with Tenille against The Experience.

SHIMMER DVD Review Series
SHIMMER Vol. 24 DVD review
May 2, 2009
Berwyn, Ill.

The Experience opened the show backstage boasting that they’ll school Rayna Von Tosh and Tenille, the students of the Shimmer Academy, and Lance Storm, respectively.

(1) Kellie Skater (0-1) beat Jessie McKay (0-0) at 4:43. It felt like they were rehearsing rather than competing. McKay chopped Skater and tried to roll her up. She rolled forward from the top rope into a headscissors but Skater elbowed her and held the tights for victory. (*)

Amber Gertner asked Serena Deeb what she felt going forward after losing to MsChif. She recounted her story and struggles, then vowed to earn her way back to one more title shot.

(2) The Experience (Lexie Fyfe & Malia Hosaka) (9-2) beat Rayna Von Tosh & Tenille (0-0) at 10:44. Experienced scoffed at the amateurs. Hosaka slingshot RVT into Fyfe’s bear hug. Tenille got the hot tag with some strikes but Fyfe rope broke a pin. The rookies double-teamed Fyfe, but the camera focussed on Hosaka being held at bay by the referee. It came back to RVT on the mat and Tenille on the ring. I can only assume something was botched, but the Double Gourdbuster to Tosh was not. (**)

The Canadian Ninjas were sitting backstage. Nicole Matthews insisted she didn’t need 20 minutes to take out Haze after their previous draw. Portia Perez, menacingly holding a baseball bat, told Allison Danger she had been working with someone close to Danger and had her number. Matthews pointed out the bat was plastic, so Perez threw it away and picked up a hockey stick instead to reiterate her point.

(3) Jennifer Blake (0-2) beat Amber O’Neal (4-13) at 8:44. O’Neal is solid, but the promotion has evolved passed her gimmick. She charged at Blake who threw her around the ring. O’Neal pulled Blake’s hair and ground her down with stomps and a seated submission. Black fought free, then after back and forth strikes, she kicked out of an STO and hit a superkick. (*1/2)

Backstage, Sara Del Rey, with Amazing Kong, noted after a year of holding the Shimmer Championship, everyone was gunning for MsChif. She vowed revenge on Cheerleader Melissa for saving MsChif at the end of Volume 23 and wanted to rightfully take back what was hers.

(4) Mercedes Martinez (6-5-1) beat Madison Eagles (0-1) at 11:06. Perez talked up how both women needed a win after losses. After a knuckle-lock, Eagles put some holds on Martinez but could not lock anything on her arm. The Latina replied with a harsh kick to Eagles’ back, but dropkicked her down. Eagles replied with a big boot to knock Martinez outside. She missed a running cannonball to hit the barrier. Eagles kicked out of a German and reversed a Fisherman Buster into a DDT. Eagles tried the Hell Bound but Martinez broke free to hit her finisher this time. She put Eagles over on the microphone after. (***)

(5) International Home Wrecking Crew (Rain & Jetta w/ Lacey) (2-2) beat Pretty Bitchin’ (Nikki Roxx & Ariel) (0-0) at 12:03. Lacey announced her team who wore face masks to protect them from the crowd’s breath. They were flung into the corner for a simultaneous ten punch. Roxx took it to Jetta but Rain kept Ariel grounded. Ariel took arm-based holds and was choked by both opponents with the referee distracted. Roxx took a hot tag and the team delivered stereo stunners. Lacey jumped to the apron to stop the pinfall and in the confusion Jetta reversed the Dariel into a stranglehold lungblower and submission. (**)

There was a replay of Volume 23’s brawl between Allison Danger and Portia Perez after Perez spat in Danger’s face, although they didn’t replay the incident of Perez trying to knock down a pregnant Danger.

(6) Serena Deeb (6-8) beat Cat Power (1-3) at 8:22. Power carries herself a star, with natural disdain for all. Deeb threw yarn at her, but she kicked it away before taking a headlock. Deeb wouldn’t let go until Power yanked Deeb’s hair. She then caught the monkey flip attempt and dropped Deeb to the mat. She then exposed Deeb’s shoulder and threw it into the turnbuckle. Power went for a bulldog but Deeb threw her forward and hit a Spear. (***)

Highlights were shown of the 20 minute time-limit draw between Daizee Haze and Nicole “The Lariat” Matthews. Also included was Matthews teasing the crowd for a rematch, then suddenly exiting the ring which led to this no-time limit rematch.

(7) Daizee Haze (11-9-1) beat Nicole Matthews (1-2-1) at 13:16 in a No Time Limit match. Perez hilariously justified Matthews running through the crowd as “part of the game plan”. Haze eventually caught her and put an arm lock on, while hitting knee drops. Haze hit two sloppy tilt-a-whirl moves but Matthews caught her leg to take control. After two backbreakers, Matthews put Haze in a Tree of Woe. Haze kicked Matthew’s face and pushed out for a Daizee Cutter. Speed picked up with Haze’s lucha moves until Matthews kicked out of a missile dropkick. They traded strikes until Matthews reversed a Heart Punch into a brainbuster. Haze hit the Yakuza Kick as Perez ran to the apron. Haze fended off Perez and won with the Mind Trip but Perez beat her down straight away. Danger ran out to save Haze and start the Street Fight. (***)

(8) Portia Perez (2-4) beat Allison Danger (8-7) at 11:33 in a Street Fight. A bit slow, but considering how recently Danger gave birth and that weapons aren’t overexposed in Shimmer it was still engaging. Perez struck with a baking tray then throttled Danger with a belt. Danger back body dropped Perez into the crowd and whipped her. Perez made her way back to the ring and found a hockey stick. After hitting Danger with it, she sat down and showboated. Danger recovered and hit a hockey stick side leg sweep. She dumped Perez face first into the chair. Perez grabbed the yellow chain she used to turn heel on Volume 9. Matthews ran in to punch Danger into Perez’s superkick. Perez choked her with the chain until she passed out. (***)

The Shimmer Tag Team Champions, Ashley Lane and Nevaeh, came to the ring. Lane acknowledged whoever won the main event would present them with a challenge, but they came into Shimmer as underdogs and they still won the titles. After this, highlights were shown of Wesna and LuFisto’s dream match from Volume 22 which ended with Wesna taking a brutal Burning Hammer right onto her head.

(9) Wesna (w/Annie Social) (2-3) beat LuFisto (4-2) at 12:49. Wesna booted LuFisto during the introductions, but Fisto went straight back up and they traded ground and pound stances. LuFisto dumped her opponent outside and hit the Croat with a running rana from the apron. Wesna kicked out and took control with a fireman’s carry slam. Wesna worked her knee till she fought back with Kobashi chops and lung kicks into a seated Wesna’s face. She had the crowd behind her with every move. Social choked LuFisto on the rope but she dumped Wesna out the ring and followed with a suicide dive. She cartoonishly reprimanded the referee for getting in her way. LuFisto tried to hit a top rope move but Wesna hit a superplex. LuFisto gained momentum after a double down, but Social grabbed her leg so Wesna could hit an enziguri and CB4 Driver. (***1/2)

Highlights were shown of Volume 23’s close with Del Rey and Kong playing pinball with MsChif after her title defence until Melissa came to save her.

(10) Sara Del Rey & Amazing Kong (0-0) beat Cheerleader Melissa & MsChif (2-1) at 21:46. Rey charged at Melissa with a big boot, then demanded MsChif come in. Melissa jumped back up and they brawled to a spinning toe hold. With Rey in control of the hold, Melissa kept slapping Rey’s face. Rey then dodged it twice with a cocky smile, so Melissa quickly kicked her in the face. This led to an unprecedented double replay after Perez’s begged to see the funny spot. Rey tagged in Kong who gave the big swing to Melissa. She put her in a camel clutch as Rey hit an illegal low dropkick. After about ten minutes, Melissa ducked Rey and MsChif came in but was trapped in the corner immediately.

In a replay of their near five-star Volume 9 match, Kong put Chif in a torture rack and made her kick her own head like she was on a weights machine. Kong missed a big splash and Chif mounted her in the corner for a double stomp into Kong’s face. She tried Delirious’ running knee but Rey tripped her so Melissa delivered it. After being dominated some more, MsChif pulled Rey in between her and a charging Kong. Melissa came in and hit low dropkicks on Kong, struggling to take her off her feet. Kong went for the Implant Buster but Melissa reversed it into a headscissors. MsChif then reversed the Royal Butterfly into a bodyscissors and Melissa came in to hit a Curb Stomp ahead of the Muta Lock. Kong charged Melissa into the ring post, then Amazing Bombed the champion before using an Implant Buster on Rey to put her in a winning pin position. (****)

After the match, Del Rey attacked MsChif. The two of them kicked her around until Wesna ran out to join in, with Social laughing. Ashley Lane & Nevaeh came out but took a gorilla choke bomb and Implant Buster. With all three champions lifeless in the ring, Rey and Kong held the Tag Team Championship belts aloft as Wesna did the same with the singles title to end a dramatic Volume 24

Overall rating: 8.0 There’s not much bad to say about this solid DVD other than, with four of the best talent in one match, there is a bit of a shortage of star power lower down the card. However, as a testament to Shimmer’s growing fanbase and reputation is that it can bring in more people and juggle talent around so that the tag team champions aren’t even wrestling on the card. Also of note is how Shimmer is becoming more confident in dealing with long-term storytelling, such as evolving Del Rey and Deeb’s feud into Del Rey gunning for the tag title over several volumes as well as the Danger-Perez feud. Some of the new talent looks better than others but there is lots of potential.

FYI: Vol. 24 can be found at ShimmerWrestling.com.

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