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We keep rolling with the SHIMMER DVD series as we move on to Volume 2, headlined by a four way elimination match featuring Sara Del Rey, Mercedes Martinez, Lacey, and Daizee Haze, the four girls who worked the top matches on Volume 1. This DVD was mostly about pushing the Del Rey-Mercedes storyline while allowing the rest of the roster underneath to start to hit their groove and find their niche within the SHIMMER universe.
Lacey opens the show with a backstage promo saying that she's wrestled Daizee Haze a million times and has won most of them, but Daizee cheated to beat her on Volume 1. Tonight, she's going to get her revenge on Daizee Haze while Sara and Mercedes can't even beat each other, so they certainly can't beat her. She's going to prove herself to be the top wrestler in SHIMMER tonight.
From there, we take a look back to Volume 1 when Krissy Vaine cheated to pin Cindy Rogers and win the match for Team Blondage, setting up our opening match...
Krissy Vaine vs Cindy Rogers
They do a cute bit during entrances where Amber O'Neal is just getting to the building and is carrying shopping bags with her as Krissy is headed to the ring, and they do a little "OMG HI!" bit in the aisleway. They tie up and Krissy goes to a wristlock, but Rogers counters with a firewoman's carry and covers for 2. Krissy comes back with a wristlock and takes Cindy over into a pinning combination and then they exchange rollups for a series of two counts until they come to a stalemate. Krissy whips Cindy into the ropes and goes for a hiptoss but Cindy reverses to a backslide for 2. Krissy backs off and stalls for a bit and decides to be sportswomanlike and extends her hand to Cindy. Cindy considers it for a moment before deciding to just shoot a single leg at Krissy to take her down and goes to an ankle lock, but Krissy quickly makes the ropes. Cindy pounds away at Krissy in the corner but Krissy whips her hard across the ring and starts ramming Cindy hard into the turnbuckle before unloading with a series of stiff chops, and then does the ultimate heel women's move by tossing Cindy across the ring by her hair. Krissy then takes it a step further by sitting on Cindy's back and smacking her on the butt before blatantly choking her in front of the referee. Oh, that Krissy...what a champ. Krissy continues her push for the title of Miss America by standing on Cindy's hair and pulling up on her wrists, then gets what looks like an attempt to do the People's Legdrop and gets 2, but Cindy comes out of nowhere with a legsweep and a Mr Perfect necksnap for 2. Krissy goes to the eyes and whips Cindy into the ropes, catching her coming off with a side suplex for 2. So since Cindy Rogers is such a big Bret Hart mark, does that mean that Krissy was a Dino Bravo fan growing up? Krissy repeatedly rams her shoulder into the ribs of Rogers, but tries a charge on Cindy in the corner and eats boot, and Cindy follows up with a second rope bulldog. They go toe to toe in the middle of the ring with Cindy getting the advantage and then she traps Cindy in a weird sort of standing Rings Of Saturn before hitting a Russian Legsweep for 2. Cindy whips Krissy into the ropes and nails her with a butt butt, and then Krissy collapses into the corner and Cindy catches her with a Rikishi-style running ass to the face before finishing Krissy with the TCB (a Dragon sleeper) for the submission win.
Winner: Cindy Rogers
Great opener, and this would be Krissy's last appearance in SHIMMER before signing a developmental deal with WWE. She'd be in the system for about a year and a half before being called up to the main roster and made her debut by attacking Torrie Wilson on an episode of Smackdown, and then about two weeks later quit the company with her fiance (also a developmental wrestler) as they decided they'd rahter be home together than be out on the road living the WWE lifestyle. Hopefully that worked out for them, but Krissy ended up taking a hiatus from the business before returning to the indies in the last year or so and reforming Team Blondage with Amber O'Neal.
Lexie Fyfe vs Nikki Roxx
You may know Nikki from her stint in TNA as Roxxi, but she got her start on a national level here in SHIMMER where she had a pretty inspirational story of starting out at the bottom of the ranks and gradually working her way up the ranks until she was main eventing. Lexie attacked her before the bell, but Nikki duckes a clothesline and nails Lexie with a couple forearms and a dropkick to send her to the floor. Lexie takes a long count and takes her time jawing with the fans before making her way back in. Nikki gets a headlock but Lexie elbows out and gets a hammerlock, and Nikki counters out of that with a drop toehold into a headlock. Lexie reverses back to the hammerlock and repeatedly drives her knee to Nikki's shoulder, but Nikki then reverses out of that and to a wristlock. Lexie cocks her fist like she's going to clock Nikki, then decides to reverse to a wristlock of her own. Nikki cartwheels out and gets her wristlock back and cranks on it until Lexie goes to her knees. Nikki whips Lexie into the ropes and goes for a dropkick, but Lexie holds the ropes and Nikki crashes down hard. Lexie takes advantage by slamming Nikki hard and dropping a leg for a 2 count. Lexie knocks Nikki with a hard forearm and chokes her in the corner before whipping her across the ring by the hair and then hitting a series of hairmares before finishing with a kick to the back and a leg nelson. Nikki makes the ropes, so Lexie breaks, forearms her in the face, and puts Nikki in the pendulum instead. Lexie is so great at being a brutal bully. Lexie drops Nikki on her face and then drops all her weight on Nikki's back and traps her in the Camel Clutch and repeatedly pulls her hair and fishhooks her mouth just to be mean. She releases the hold and whips Nikki into hte ropes and Nikki surprises her with a crossbody for 2, but Lexie quickly recovers and hits a series of suplexes for 2. Nikki comes back and they get into a chop exchange, but Lexie with a boot to the midsection and a facebuster for 2. Lexie rams Nikki into the corner and rams her shoulder into Nikki's midsection beofer whipping her into the corner, but Nikki moves when Lexie charges and goes wild with forearms in the corner. Nikki eats boot on a charge and Lexie runs her over with a clothesline and then bulldogs her. Lexie goes to the second rope and comes off with a legdrop, but Nikki moves out of the way and gives Lexie the Barbie Crusher for the win.
Winner: Nikki Roxx
Really good match, and it was played up like Nikki spent the entire match getting destroyed by Lexie until she got lucky and hit her finisher for the win. The whole idea over the first 10 volumes or so was to gradually build Nikki into a main eventer, and this was a baby step in that direction that showed that she had promise, but wasn't quite there yet.
Cheerleader Melissa & Tiana Ringer vs Shantelle Taylor & Ariel
Oh, I am so looking forward to watching Melissa kick the crap out of these two. Shantelle Taylor is currently working in TNA under the name Taylor Wilde and is one half of the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions along with Ayako Hamada. Shantelle and Tiana trained together, and it built into a rivalry that came to SHIMMER in the opening match on Volume 1 and carried over into this match. Taylor and Melissa start and Taylor tries to use her speed to outmaneuver Melissa and gets a headlock, but Melissa elbows out and Taylor gets a series of dropkicks, but Melissa no-sells until Shantelle dropkicks her leg and gets another dropkick to her face and covers for 2. Shantelle back to the headlock and Melissa tries to suplex her way out, but Shantelle drops out behind and gets an O'Connor Roll with a bridge for 2. Shantelle tags out to Ariel and Melissa tags out to Tiana and Ariel immediately dropkicks Tiana's leg and goes to a front facelock, but Tiana escapes and they exchange wristlocks. Tiana whips Ariel to the ropes and gets a leapfrog and they exchange armdrags and then exchange legsweeps and Ariel extends her hand, but Tiana tries to suckerpunch her so Ariel gets a headlock and tags Shantelle in, and she goes to work on Tiana in the corner with chops, but Tiana reverses a whip and Melissa grabs Shantelle's hair from the outside, allowing Tiana to get a floating full nelson and Melissa comes in and bulldogs Shantelle out of the move. I guess the heels did an illegal exchange becuase Melissa stays in and works Shantelle over with forearms while mocking the crowd by going "Shantelle, Shantelle" with a sneer on her face. Melissa hangs Shantelle in the corner so Tiana can rain dropkick after dropkick on her face before yanking her out and dropping a nasty leg for 2. Tag back out to Melissa and they whip Shantelle into the ropes and get a double hiptoss. Melissa with a stiff chop to Shantelle, and then does another, even stiffer chop just because the fans were chanting for Shantelle. Melissa with a big slam and then chokes Shantelle with her boot. I love watching Melissa wrestle, it's like watching Low Ki when he really feels like being a jerk and just stiffs the crap out of people for laughs. Shantelle gets a small package out of nowhere for 2, and this infuriates Melissa, who gets right up and kills Shantelle with a clothesline. Melissa rams Shantelle into the corner and tags Tiana back in and she chokes Shantelle in the corner, but Shantelle fights her way out and dives at Ariel, but Tiana catches her in midair and rams her back toward her own corner, getting a jackknife rollup for 2. Shantelle comes back with a clothesline and finally makes the hot tag to Ariel, who comes in with chops to Melissa and gets a backdrop and a flying headscissors. Ariel nails Tiana as she goes up top and Ariel and Shantelle go for a double superplex but Melissa comes over and powerbombs Shantelle and Ariel as they suplex Tiana. Awesome spot. Melissa picks Ariel up and goes for the Air Raid Crash, but Ariel rolls through and rolls Melissa up for 2. Ariel goes for the Dariel, but Melissa fights her way out and goes for the Air Raid Crash again and this time she hits it and gets the win.
Winners: Cheerleader Melissa & Tiana Ringer
Solid match that did a good job of putting Melissa over as the monster in the match and getting her some heat back after dropping the match to MsChif on Volume 1.
We take an extended look back at the Sara Del Rey-Mercedes Martinez match from Volume 1, reliving many of the roughest spots in the match as they fought to a time limit draw. This leads to a backstage promo with Sara as she says that Mercedes took her to the limit, but Mercedes got lucky because the time limit ran out, and she's going to take all three girls out tonight and prove herself the most dominant woman in wrestling today. Mercedes crashes the promo and says that she's made her name for five years by wrestling men as well as girls, and tells Sara to stop talking and show what she's got tonight. Sara says she'll do that tonight and walks out, so Mercedes further comandeers the interview to say that Sara earned her respect, but she's not even close to the most dominant girl in the industry, and she's not just going to prove herself to Sara, but Daizee and Lacey as well tonight.
Amber O'Neal vs Christie Ricci
Christie goes to tie up, but Amber ducks under Christie and hides under the bottom rope, apparently afraid to tie up with Ricci. Well, Ricci is a lot bugger than her, so it stands to reason, and Ricci bears me out on that by tying up with Amber and shoving her clear across the ring. Amber tries a duck under to a waistlock, but Ricci, with a big smile on her face, switches behind Amber and tosses her with a waistlock. Amber decides to try a different tactiv and boots Ricci in the midsection and gets a headlock, but Ricci just picks Amber up and tosses her again. Ricci tries to go after Amber in the corner but Amber gets a drop toehold and chokes Ricci on the ropes. Hey, it's like Bobby Heenan always said: When in doubt, cheat. Amber snaps Ricci off the ropes and slams her face into the canvas and then chokes her with her boot. Amber sits on Ricci's back and pulls the hair and then gets a Camel Clutch. Ricci simply stands up and rams Amber backwards into the corner, but Amber quickly recovers and gets a bulldog for 2. Amber pokes Ricci in the eyes and slams her face into the mat again, then gets a Russian legsweep for 2. Ricci starts firing back on Ricci, but Amber regains control with a snapmare and a Boston Crab. Ricci powers out but quickly finds herself being choked on the ropes. Amber goes for a vertical suplex but Ricci gets a small package and they roll around the ring trying to reverse one another until the small package falls apart. Ricci sends Amber into the ropes and gets an ugly windmill backbreaker and then tries to recover by blowing Rule #1 of wrestling (never repeat a blown spot) and does it almost as bad as the first time. Ricci comes off the second rope but Amber gets the boot up and covers Ricci for 2. Amber whips Ricci into the ropes and Ricci ducks the clothesline and gets a Northern Lights Suplex for the win.
Winner: Christie Ricci
I thought this was solid and, for lack of a better way of putting it, was a good big girl vs little girl match, and I was impressed with Amber's psychology in finding ways to work around Ricci's size advantage. Finish came off a bit awkward, but the match overall worked for what it was.
Rain vs Allison Danger
Rain is Lacey's partner in the Minnesota Home Wrecking Crew and had a brief stint in TNA as Robert Roode's psycho manager who feuded with Traci Brooks. Allison Danger is well known from her time in ROH as the manager of Christopher Daniels and was pretty much the central figure of SHIMMER, at least in the sense that she she was the cheerleader and spokesperson for the company in much the same way as Samoa Joe was for ROH. She also does commentary for all the SHIMMER DVDs with Dave Prazak, conveniently excusing herself every show when she "needs to get ready for her match." Allison and Rain exchange wristlocks and headlocks to start, chain wrestling until Danger takes Rain down with a top wristlock. Rain gets out and reverses to a wristlock and Danger tries to Irish Whip her way out of it but Rain gets a forearm to the jaw and chokes Danger on the ropes. Rain ties Danger in the ropes and gets a running dropkick off the ropes for a 2 count, then bites Danger's forehead. Rain works Danger over in the corner with forearms and whips her across the ring, following her in with running knees and covers her again for 2. Rain whips Danger to the ropes and Danger ducks a clothesline and rolls Rain up for 2, but Rain catches her with a second clothesline and covers for 2. Rain crossfaces Danger and for some reason the referee forces the break. Hey, crossfaces are legal, you know? Rain goes to a rear chinlock and Danger agonizingly crawls across the ring and finally gets to the ropes to force the break. Rain goes for a whip but Danger blocks and goes for the Shimmering Warlock, but Rain ducks under and rolls Danger into a really deep Boston Crab (St Paul Crab?), but Danger again makes the ropes. Rain with a nice baseball slide to Danger and then goes out after Danger, picking her up by the hair and getting a bearhug on the floor. I was getting all ready to type something about not pointlessly doing moves on the floor that are just as effective in the ring, but then Rain shuts me up by ramming Danger into the ringpost. That'll learn me. Rain rolls Danger back in the ring and gets a series of two counts, but Danger recovers and they start exchanging chops in the corner and Danger comes out with the advantage, stunning Rain and then laying her out with a running knee. Danger fires up as they exchange forearms and Danger runs Rain over with a series of clotheslines, then follows that up with a vertical suplex and then a bridging vertical suplex for 2. Rain catches Danger out of nowhere with a neckbreaker over the knee for 2 and then goes for the Thunder Crash, but Danger escapes and they blow an O'Conner Roll spot, so Rain goes for Acid Rain but Danger fights her way out and gets a kneebreaker, then slingshots Rain and gets a half crab, but Rain makes the ropes. Danger goes for a clothesline but Rain ducks under and gets the Raindrop for 2. Rain is really frustrated that she couldn't put Danger away and goes for Acid Rain, but her knee gives out, so Danger dropkicks the knee and gets the Shimmering Warlock for the win.
Winner: Allison Danger
Another solid match that was basically designed to showcase Danger as one of the top SHIMMER stars. Rain is missing that little something that she'd need to really get over the hump, but is still a solid worker and has some good matches, and made for a quality opponent for Danger.
We take a look back at the Lacey vs Daizee match from Volume 1, and then go backstage to Daizee, who says that four of the best women wrestlers in the world are going to be in the ring with each other tonight and she's been in the ring with all of them, and she may not be the biggest, but she'll deal with all of them the way she deals with all her problems: she's going to smoke them to the dome. Well, there you go.
Beth Phoenix vs MsChif
MsChif screams at Beth, so Beth bails out to the floor and into the caring arms of the ringside fans. She composes herself and climbs back up to the apron, but MsChif sneaks up and screams at her again and Beth jumps out of her skin and bails to the floor. Beth finally gets back in the ring and tries to play nice with MsChif, but MsChif bits her arm, elbows her repeatedly in the face, and takes her down by the head and surfboards her. Beth rolls MsChif to her back but she escapes and overpowers Beth with forearms. MsChif charges Beth, but Beth ducks and MsChif sails out to the floor. Beth smells blood and goes out after MsChif, slamming her hard on the floor and then rolling back in while waiting impatiently for the referee to count MsChif out. MsChif makes it back up to the apron, so Beth runs over and rams her head into the top turnbuckle, and MsChif tumbles back out to the floor. She finally rolls back in under the bottom rope, so Beth stomps her and gets a side salto for 2. Beth with a hairmare and then a half nelson/chinlock, but MsChif escapes with a chinbreaker and gets a bodyscissors rollup with a bridge and gets a very close 2, but Beth escapes and chokes MsChif, screaming at her to mock MsChif's patented screaming. Beth rams shoulders into MsChif's midsection in the corner and then snapmares and legdrops her for 2. MsChif fights back and gets a swinging neckbreaker for 2, but Beth comes back right away and gets a side backbreaker and stretches MsChif over the knee. MsChif knees her way out and gets a headscissors, but Beth gets a jackknife rollup out of the hold for 2. Beth with a chop, but MsChif no-sells and screams at her. Another pair of chops, same result both times. Beth tries to run but MsChif catches her and gets a swinging facebreaker for 2. MsChif with a standing moonsault for 2 and whips Beth to the corner, but Beth gets a leapfrog right into a rollup for 2. MsChif goes for the Desecrator and Beth tries to counter and I guess they got confused about who was supposed to be hurt going out of it, but eventually decided to play it off like Beth swept the legs and escaped the move, so she goes ahead and hits the Beth Valley Driver and gets the win.
Winner: Beth Phoenix
Blown finish aside, very entertaining match. MsChif would go on to become a huge deal in SHIMMER and was getting ready to kick her feud with Cheerleader Melissa into high gear, but still was one of those girls, kind of like Nikki Roxx, who had to be built up a bit before she'd get there, hence the job to Beth Phoenix. Still, solid match where both girls really got the chance to show off their in-ring skills in addition to their characters.
Elimination Match: Daizee Haze vs Lacey vs Mercedes Martinez vs Sara Del Rey
This is the continuation of the two top matches on Volume 1, as Lacey was embarrassed by losing to Daizee Haze and is trying to prove herself by going over here, while Del Rey and Mercedes are looking for another opportunity to try and beat each other since neither could get the win the first time around. Lacey and Sara start the match, and Sara is looking very patriotic in her Stars & Stripes outfit, generating a modest USA chant from the crowd. Lacey, from the evil foreign country of Minnesota, ducks under Sara's arms and runs over to Mercedes and tags her in, and Mercedes gladly obliges. Sara takes Mercedes to the corner and tries a cheapshot, but Mercedes ducks under to safety. Now Mercedes takes Sara to the corner and Sara ducks a cheapshot. Daizee wants the tag so Sara takes her up on it, and Daizee comes in and promptly gets hiptossed a couple of times and trapped in an armbar. Mercedes tags out to Lacey, who continues working over the arm of Daizee. Lacey with a snapmare and a couple of kicks to the back, but Daizee bridges out and into a headlock on Lacey. Sara back in with a headbutt to the back of Lacey and a kneedrop to the forehead for 2. Lacey reverses a whip and sends Sara crashing into the corner, and Lacey follows in with a clothesline, a series of kicks to the back, and a running kneelift. Sara dodges a second kneelift but Lacey puts Sara right back down with a lungblower. The advantage doesn't last for long as Sara drops Lacey with another headbutt and tags Daizee back in, but Lacey gets a drop toehold and chokes Daizee on the ropes, then snaps her back into the ring and covers for 2. Lacey continues the assault on the back of Daizee Haze and goes for to tag to Sara, but Sara drops off the apron, confusing Lacey long enough for Daizee to roll out of Lacey's clutches, but just as Sara makes her way back to the apron, Lacey scurries over and tags her in. Daizee with a spinkick that Sara catches, but daizee surprises her with an enziguiri and then a baseball slide to the ribs sends Sara to the floor. Daizee goes up top and dives onto Sara on the floor, then rolls Sara back in and makes the tag back to Mercedes. Mercedes allows Sara to her feet because she wants a fair fight, and Sara responds with a pair of 2 counts off of rollups and then tries a vertical suplex, but Mercedes counters with an inside cradle for 2. Sara ends up in Daizee's corner and Daizee tries to offer words of encouragement, but a frustrated Sara responds by piefacing her, drawing an "OOOOOOOH" from the crowd. The referee calls that a tag, so Daizee comes in and tries a flippy move, but Mercedes just catches her and drives her face first into the mat. Mercedes now just starts pounding Daizee's face and Daizee tries another flippy move, but Mercedes just dumps her again, this time on her face, and covers for 2. Mercedes chokes Daizee in the corner with her boot, but as she backs out of the corner, Lacey tags herself back in now that she has the opportunity to get an advantage on Daizee. She goes for a firewoman's carry, but Daizee gets a crucifix for 2 and Lacey again runs for the hills and tags Sara in. Daizee tries a charge but Sara responds with a big forearm and a fallaway slam for 2. Now that Daizee is down, Lacey AGAIN tags herself in and beats Daizee down and gets a straitjacket neckbreaker for 2. Daizee gets a flying headscissors and...you guessed it, Lacey tags back out to Sara. Daizee stays on the offensive and goes after Sara, but Sara just picks her up and carries her to the corner, puts her on top, and snapmares her hard off the top, then forcefully tags Lacey back in. Lacey goes for the Implant DDT but Daizee escapes and gets a series of facebreakers and the Yakuza Kick. Daizee with a second Yakuza Kick, but Mercedes tags herself in and hits the Fisherman's Buster to eliminate Lacey. The worn down Daizee tags out to Sara and she and Mercedes go toe to toe with hard, and I mean HARD forearms in the middle of the ring. Sara takes the advantage with a headbutt and butterflies the arms of Mercedes, but Mercedes fights out of it and knocks sara on her butt with a hard chop. Damn, these two really stiff the hell out of each other. Mercedes chokes Sara on the ropes and goes for a whip but Daizee makes a blind tag to come in, so when Mercedes lays Sara out with a big boot, Daizee comes off the top rope with a missile dropkick on Mercedes and then hits the heart punch and Yakuza Kick and Mercedes is eliminated. It's down to Sara and Daizee and Sara looks really pissed that she didn't get to eliminate Mercedes. Daizee catches her with a backslide for 2, then a pair of chinbreakers and goes for another Yakuza Kick, but Sara ducks thkick and gets a nasty powerbomb for 2. Sara goes for a back suplex but Daizee slips out the back and gets a sunset flip for 2, then gets another Yakuza Kick on Sara for another 2. Daizee with the pop up front bulldog and then tries it again, but this time Sara knows it's coming and catches Daizee, butterflies the arms, and converts it to the suplex for the win.
Winner: Sara Del Rey
So there is still no resolution between Sara and Mercedes because even though Sara won the match, she didn't eliminate Mercedes herself, to the question still remains as to which of them is the better wrestler. I liked that Daizee was booked as the clear underdog because of the size disadvantage but ended up making it to the end since everybody was probably expecting it to come down to Sara and Mercedes. I thought Lacey was effective in her role as the annoying gnat and the one who came in with the strategy to let everyone else do her work for her and only come in when her opponents were weakened. Solid match, too, and I love watching Sara and Mercedes wrestle because they hold nothing back.
Backstage, Cheerleader Melissa says that she doesn't care about the tag team win tonight because MsChif embarrassed her on Volume 1. She's toured worldwide and came here to SHIMMER where MsChif got a lucky win. Melissa says that MsChif is hiding from her, and when Melissa finds her and gets a rematch, she's going to win.
We take a look at highlights from an FIP show where Lexie Fyfe took on Lorelai Lee, and Lorelai earned herself a spot on the SHIMMER roster with her performance.
The show closes with Allison Danger announcing the debut of Rebecca Knox on Volume 3 and puts her over as an awesome wrestler, and says that she's going to be Rebecca's first opponent in SHIMMER.
I thought this was a better overall show than Volume 1 in that it was a better wrestling show top to bottom, and I like how they had a solid main event with the four biggest names in the company and were not only able to get through it without making any of the four of them look weak, but made you want to see any combination of them get in the ring again on future volumes. I liked the post-show promos from Cheerleader Melissa and Allison Danger that set up what we were going to see on Volume 3: short and to the point is always good. Solid show top to bottom.
