 |
| A rematch 18 months in the making? Photo Credit: Gregory Davis/DDS |
The main event of the weekend is no doubt happening at the Berwyn Eagles Club. A trio of shows will be contested by two promotions; AAW serves up the appetizer on Friday night with Point of No Return, while SHIMMER takes over the next two with their four DVD tapings, importing the best women wrestlers from around the world. AAW's show Friday has a bell time of 7:45 PM local. The main event will feature Michael Elgin defending his AAW Championship against Davey Richards. The two have battled across the indie circuit, with Richards successfully defending his ROH World Championship last year at Showdown in the Sun, while Elgin got his win back at PWG Battle of Los Angeles in the first round of their mega-tournament last year. Who takes the rubber match? Also on the show, Sami Callihan battles Shane Hollister; and Colt Cabana, the Irish Airborne, and ACH will also be appearing. Finally, the stars of SHIMMER - Christina von Eerie, Saraya Knight, Heidi Lovelace, MsChif, Taylor Made, Miss Natural - will provide the first salvo of their weekend, which will take the venue over from the boys the next two days.
SHIMMER undoubtedly is the main event of the weekend. Their Saturday show starts with the SPARKLE pre-show at 1:30 PM local, while Sunday's pre-show starts at 12:30 PM local. You want to get to the arena for the pre-show, because that's where the future stars of the company get their first taste of the spotlight. As is the tradition, most of the matches for the weekend have not been announced with one huge exception. Jessicka Havok will make her Berwyn Eagles Club debut after maiden appearance for the company at WrestleCon last week. She is going to be facing off against Serena Deeb in a singles match after the two got into it in a six-woman tag last week. That's one hell of a match to be announcing beforehand.
The draw of SHIMMER, however, is almost never the matches but the experience, which this weekend will take on a bittersweet tinge. Allison Danger, promotion's co-founder and den mother, will be retiring from active competition after the conclusion of the last taping on Sunday. There is no doubt in my mind that things will get a bit dusty in there. In addition, expect Cheerleader Melissa to get at least two stiff challenges for her newly-regained World Championship. I don't know who'll step up to the plate, but I get a sneaking suspicion that Madison Eagles will get the rematch injuries robbed her of. If I had to make another guess, I'd say Athena will get a one-on-one shot at the title too. The Canadian Ninjas will also be bringing the Tag Team Championships back, although I have no goddamn idea who they'll be facing outside of maybe Regeneration-X (Danger and Leva Bates). Also appearing this weekend aside from the names mentioned previously will be Kana, Ayako Hamada, Tomoka Nakagawa, Kellie Skater, Evie, Jessie McKay, Santana Garrett, Yuu Yamagata, Mercedes Martinez, Rhia O'Reilly, Veda Scott, Shazza McKenzie, Allysin Kay, Sassy Stephie, Kimber Lee, Mia Yim, Melanie Cruise, and other talents who have yet to be announced.
The other big happenings this weekend happen to be tournaments taking place in the Philadelphia area on Saturday. First up is the ECWA Super 8 tournament, one of the richest traditions in indie wrestling held by one of the oldest operation promotions not named WWE. It's taking place at the Newark Boys and Girls Club in Newark, DE, with the doors opening at 6PM. This year's slate includes TWB favorite and certified hoss Vordell Walker, defending Champion Papadon, Mike Mondo and Rhett Titus from ROH, Damian Dragon, Chris Wylde, Antonio Thomas, and VsK. There's an undercard announced too, including a match where every single title in the company is on the line. Don't sleep on the non-tournament matches; last year, I saw the most fun live match I ever experienced in the three-way Tag Title match. Maybe there'll be something similar this year.
In Vorhees, NJ at the Flyers Skate Zone, Combat Zone Wrestling will present their annual Best of the Best Tournament. The action starts at 7:30 PM Twelve wrestlers look to take home this crown, including Alex Colon, Shane Strickland, Rich Swann, Caleb Konley, Biff Busick, Jon Gresham, Shane Hollister, Alex Reynolds, Tommy End, AR Fox, the wrestler formerly known as the Chiva Kid, and Uhaa Nation. If that lineup doesn't get you all warm and tingly, then I don't know what to say. Also on the show will be one final battle between Sami Callihan and Adam Cole. Both are rumored to be headed to the WWE, and if that's the case, what a fitting way to end their storied CZW rivalry (that spilled into PWG) than with a tilt at a show called "Best of the Best." It's clear that both guys are on the shortlist to claim that all-time mantel for CZW.
In Kansas City, KS, the best televised wrestling you may not have heard of yet, Metro Pro, will be filming yet another spate of episodes at Turner Rec Center, doors opening at 6 PM local time. The main event pits yet another elite opponent at the door of Champion Jeremy Wyatt. He's already taken down Adam Pearce and TJ Perkins. This round, he's got Kyle O'Reilly. ACH will also be there, defending one of his many title belts, the NWA Central States Championship to be exact, against Dan Walsh. In six-man action, the Commission, consisting of Pierre Abernathy, Evan Gelistico, and "Homeless Man" (i.e. Gary Jay) (i.e. it's the Submission Squad) (i.e., do you know what i.e. stands for? I do and I'm not telling you) goes up against Mat Fitchett, Davey Vega, and a mystery partner. Also appearing on the show, Mike Sydal, Jessica James, Jojo Bravo, SBC, and Bolt Brady.
International Wrestling Cartel has a fairly interesting couple of dates set up. If you head up to Meadville Area High School in Meadville, PA (Pittsburgh area), you'll get to see Night of the Superstars 2. The doors open at 5 PM for a meet 'n greet with the various wrestlers there. This show is pretty loaded with high caliber guest stars, including Vader (in action), Goldust (who'll challenge for the IWC Title against John McChesney), and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper (who'll be doing a Piper's Pit with his son, Colt Toombs, and Goldust). Of course, the old WWE guys aren't the only draws here. Anthony Nese will be defending his IWC Super Indy Championship against Kid Kash and Michael Elgin, Kyle Matthews and Corey Hollis venture up north to wrestle for a spot in the Super Indy XII Tournament, and Zema Ion returns to action.
Sunday, they roll into Newell, WV, for Mountain State Madness. It's at the Wells School Building with a special bell time of 1 PM local. If McChesney survives his tilt with Goldust, he'll be defending his title against Aiden Veil. Nese and Elgin will tango again, only without Kash in the mix. Ion, Matthews, Hollis, D'arcy Dixon, and Logan Shulo will all be in action as well.
Saturday features three cool shows down South in Georgia. First up, Empire Pro Wrestling will be running at the 22 Austin Avenue in Rossville at 8:05 PM local time for the low, low price of $5 a ticket, featuring fallout from their big Tooth and Nail 2 show last weekend. Over in Blue Ridge at the DSCW Arena, Deep Southern Championship Wrestling welcomes in the Champions of the AIWF for a showcase card, featuring Cyrus the Destroyer and Mia Svensson. Bell time is 8 PM local. Finally, over in Cornelia at the Anarchy Arena, Anarchy Wrestling will also be running a 8 PM bell time. They've got Shaun Tempers defending the Anarchy Championship against Slim J, and there will be appearances by Bobby Moore, The Movement, Stryknyn, and Jagged Edge.
To close this week's indie roundup, we head to Warner-Robins, GA, for Rampage Pro Wrestling. They'll be running, as always, from Johnny G's Fun Center, doors opening at 2:30 PM local. Champion AJ Steele will issue an open challenge to the locker room. Who will accept? Also, Mike Cruz defends the Television Championship against Bobby Moore, and there'll be a Tag Title defense by Murder-One and Kory Chavis.
Once again, this is only a sampling of what you're going to find around the US and Canada this week. If you want to go see live wrestling this weekend, but don't see a show up there, check out Pro Wrestling Events and see what's playing in your area. Who knows, you might find the next big thing, or if not that, your next favorite wrestler.