McXal's Reviews

For the first time since Volume 14 almost six years earlier (and for only the second time in their history) SHIMMER steps outside their home venue of the Berwyn Eagles Club for a one-off event. By some metrics this could be considered their biggest show ever, forming part of the WrestleCon line-up of shows piggybacking on WrestleMania weekend 2013. Helped by the fact that SHIMMER is running their own tapings the following weekend, there is no denying that Prazak & co. have thrown everything at this event to make it feel special, and deliver an authentic SHIMMER experience to an East Coast audience. It is a truly international event, with the usual glittering array of Joshi talent joining athletes from the likes of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and more - lining up alongside some of the finest American women athletes around. The main event will see a Steel Cage erected for the first time in SHIMMER history; a measure of how violent and personal the war between SHIMMER Champion Saraya Knight and top challenger Cheerleader Melissa has become. Beneath that Athena and Ayako Hamada meet in a rematch from V52, former champion Madison Eagles makes a return after a year away from SHIMMER with injury to face old partner/trainee/rival Jessie McKay (in her final run of SHIMMER events). Ayumi Kurihara also makes her farewell appearance for the company, having announced her retirement a couple of weeks before the show, whilst Amazing Kong returns for her first appearance in over two years. Commentary is live for the first time ever, with Dave Prazak joined by multiple guests throughout the night. We are in Secaucus, NJ, with SHIMMER's largest ever crowd in attendance.

This is technically a SHIMMER return for both women here. Mia is back after more than a year away, having missed the winter 2012 tapings. Before that her stock was starting to rise quickly and she has started pushing some of the biggest names on the roster to the limit. But she'll be tested like never before tonight, as the imposing Amazing Kong returns for her first SHIMMER match since Volume 35. Her TNA commitments have been her priority (and presumably a huge limitation on how SHIMMER could use her anyway), but she is back for SHIMMER's biggest ever show. 

Yim comes out with kicks to the legs and a dropkick...but is roundly flattened with an emphatic tackle from Kong. She keeps throwing kicks at her opponent, but Kong stalks her around the ring brutalising her with massive chops. Body avalanche flattens her in the corner, before a Warrior Splash gets Kong's first nearfall. Mia keeps trying with kicks, but their impact looks to be reduced with each minute that passes, and AK smacks her out of the ring with ease. On the floor Kong bounces Yim off the ringside table and ringpost, leaving her limp and seemingly on the brink of defeat. BACK FIST ON KONG! MISSILE DROPKICK! Kong goes down...BUT GETS RIGHT BACK UP AND KILLS HER WITH A LARIAT! Amazing Press attempted...but Mia rolls out of the way! YIM HITS A GERMAN SUPLEX FOR 2! Springboard moonsault gets 2 as well! SKY YIM MISSES! SPINNING BACK FIST! But Yim grabs the ropes! Implant Buster blocked...AMAZING BOMB! Kong wins at 07:41

Rating - *** - In recent volumes I've criticised SHIMMER for feeling formulaic and starting each show the same way (rookie vs slightly more experienced low ranked wrestler, low ranked wrestler wins). They abandoned that and sent out a couple of big names to open the show and they got SHIMMER's biggest Volume ever off with a bang. This was the perfect way to use Kong, as she presumably drew some fans, popped the crowd with her aura, presence and moveset - and could stick largely to her formula whilst getting some great reactions from the audience. She may even have only taken one bump all match in truth. Yim, therefore, was a really good choice of opponent. Even in defeat she gains plenty of respect for how she stood up to Kong and gamely took the fight to her throughout. Those big moments - where she hit Kong's own Back Fist on her, or landed a German suplex, and the brutal landing on the missed Sky Yim - all really popped. Short, exciting, with smart booking for both the event and the long-term. Kong would never wrestle in a SHIMMER ring again, but Yim will be a big part of the promotion for years to come and benefits greatly from a courageous display here. In a way it reminded me of Kong's debut against Nikki Roxx (and Nikki basically built her entire SHIMMER career out of that match).

Amber Gertner is in the ring next, ready to interview the returning Serena Deeb (back from a head injury for what would turn out to be her final run of SHIMMER matches). She is pumped to be back, but doesn't get to say much before Jessicka Havok (making an unannounced SHIMMER debut) attacks her from behind. Nevaeh (back for the first time since 2011), Sassy Stephie and Mademoiselle Rochelle come out to help Havok beat down Serena. Regeneration-X come out with steel chairs to rescue Deeb. Danger tells Havok that sneak attacks aren't how they roll in SHIMMER - here they wrestle. She challenges Havok, Nevaeh and Stephie to a six-woman tag (and even has someone in the back to neutralise Rochelle)...

This is a debut for the CZW-trained Kimber Lee. She had already impressed in SHINE at this point too I believe. This is also the first instance I could find of Cherry and Lee teaming together (and is certainly the first time the team that would become known as the 'Kimber Bombs' teamed up in SHIMMER). Veda and Shazza have teamed before, but are how looking to concentrate on climbing the tag division ranks (as indicated by their matching gear). It's interesting that SHIMMER stalwart MsChif misses this huge event despite being in town and working the ROH TV tapings the same day, yet Veda (who also worked that ROH taping) is booked here.

Bomb and Lee attack Veda and Shazza from behind, but are immediately sent packing. The babyfaces hit a couple of double-teams on Cherry, who quickly bails. Kimber drop toeholds McKenzie in the corner, where Bomb delivers an illicit boot to the face to hand their team the advantage. They isolate Shazza, with minimal regard for the rules as they take liberties with her in the corner - but show good tag team continuity despite not being a regular team at this point. Split-legged jawbreaker by Lee, but the dazed Shazza manages to escape after hitting a headscissors out of the corner. Hot tag to Veda, who jumps OFF KIMBER'S BACK into a lariat on Cherry! Mind Trip on Lee gives Veda the win at 05:01

Rating - ** - This wasn't a match that will live long in the memory, but it was completely fine for its spot on the card, and matches like this are as much a part of the SHIMMER experience as anything else. They are a platform to promote and develop the next generation of women athletes too, and having sat down to review this 2013 show in 2024 one must recognise that all four of these women have gone on to have reputable careers within professional wrestling (three of them winning championships in SHIMMER too). The Kimber Bombs instantly had quite an easy chemistry as a heel tag team. Cherry had an ease to her work when she made her main roster debut at the last tapings of 2012 and looked by far the most polished and confident here too. 

Undeniably this has a little bit of a 'get as many people on the big show as possible' vibe, but really does give the show a truly international feel as all five are from different countries. There are some really interesting stories to tell contained within these five athletes too. Evie is obviously noticeable; the New Zealander makes her SHIMMER debut here, and will spend the next three years as a regular with the promotion until signing with WWE in 2016 and becoming known worldwide as Dakota Kai. Yamagata is the latest Joshi star to make her way to SHIMMER, with more than a decade in wrestling under her belt by this point. The last set of tapings saw O'Reilly positioned as prominently as she has at any point since joining the roster; involved in a mini-feud with Davina Rose then ending V52 by helping her mentor Saraya Knight screw Cheerleader Melissa out of the SHIMMER Title. She'd love to back that up with a win here. CVE competes without her mohawk today, which doesn't please a small but vocal section of the crowd. 

There are supposed to be two in the ring at once...so of course all five circle and charge into battle together momentarily before finally breaking off with Von Eerie landing a crossbody block on Kalamity. Yuu and Kalamity trade strikes next, with the Canadian's power seeing her overcome the Joshi debutant. Evie jumps in for the first time, cartwheeling across the ring for a clothesline on Yamagata for 2. Rhia quickly shuts her down with a backbreaker and crushes the midsection again with her Finlay Roll. KAIO KICK by Evie! RHI-ADJUSTMENT on CVE! DOUBLE STOMP by Evie to break that! KALAMITY DRIVER kills Evie, with Yamagata breaking the pin. Stunner by Yuu, but O'Reilly dives onto her before she can even make a pin. CVE drags Yuu out of the ring, then hits Dead Raising on O'Reilly to win at 05:57

Rating - ** - They got almost no time, so its actually to their immense credit that it felt like all five did at least get their own little moment of shine and spotlight to at least give a flavour of what they bring to the table. Evie won the crowd over instantly with her cameo, and immediately wetted the appetite for what she can do with more time in front of SHIMMER's home audience in Berwyn. CVE is an interesting choice of victor, but does have form for winning these multi-person matches after winning a four-way at V50 (also featuring Kalamity, a Joshi talent and a main-show debutant).

In the build-up to this show, over in Japan Ayumi announced that she would be retiring from wrestling after struggling with multiple nagging injuries. With her retirement scheduled for August and clashing bookings already taken for the following weekend's SHIMMER taping, a deal was put together for Kurihara to make a special appearance at this show to say her farewell to SHIMMER and her American fans. She leaves with one last dream match against an opponent whom she has yet to meet in a SHIMMER ring. Mercedes is as curmudgeonly as she has been through out her run in the company; fed up of young talents trying to use her as a stepping stone, fed up of failing to take the SHIMMER Title - she will have no time for the emotion around Kurihara's last SHIMMER match. The Latina Sensation will view this only as a stepping stone to another title shot in future. Ayako Hamada and Tomoka Nakagawa come out to show their respect to Ayumi during her entrance; a really nice moment.

Martinez immediately makes the point that she doesn't care about Kurihara's retirement as she grabs her hair and tosses her unceremoniously to the mat. She then faceplants Ayumi into the canvas again moments later when she attempts a headscissors. The SHIMMER OG tries to bully Kurihara...but finds out like so many before her that you can't under-estimate Ayumi, as she DUMPS Martinez with a quick German suplex. Mercedes tries to start a brawl on the floor and WHACKS HER WITH A CHAIR! The ref doesn't immediately DQ her because he recognises the magnitude of Ayumi's last SHIMMER match apparently...but she is barely conscious as Martinez elbows her violently against the guardrail then chokes her into the front row! Back in the ring she wants to show off a bit and plays to the crowd with a stalling suplex on the helpless Joshi star. VICIOUS DROPKICK IN THE ROPES by Ayumi! TOP ROPE CROSSBODY TO THE FLOOR NAILED! Kurihara scales the ropes again to deliver a brutal MISSILE DROPKICK FLURRY! Urinage blocked, but Martinez is on rubber legs. CHOKE-BOMB by the Latina Sensation gets 2, mostly because Mercedes was still struggling to stand after hitting it. Ayumi blocks the Bull Run...URINAGE NAILED! FOR 2! She tries to hit the same move again but this time Martinez counters with a spinebuster...and both women collapse gasping for air. SUPERKICK by Martinez! Kurihara KICKS OUT AT ONE! DROPKICK! She tries to tap Martinez out with a crucifix, but Mercedes manages to escape and hit a BACK DROP DRIVER! BULL RUN! Martinez wins at 10:07

Rating - **** - The greatness of this match is that it overcame a couple of real handicaps and still packed a serious punch. Firstly, having Ayumi's SHIMMER farewell take place in front of a WrestleMania crowd (many of whom seeing her for the first time) rather than the Eagles Club audience that have loved her for the last few years, does diminish the emotional resonance somewhat. Secondly, having this in a packed iPPV card - therefore only giving them a rushed ten minutes - would again arguably limit their ability to deliver something special. But they overcame both of those challenges admirably. Kurihara is a special worker and it will surprise nobody that she had awesome chemistry with Martinez, who is arguably producing the best work of her SHIMMER career right now with this new aggressive persona. Like so many before her she looked to bully and batter the smiling, lovable Kurihara...and like so many before her she was surprised by the incredible resilience and astonishing violence coming back her way. Ayumi almost took her head off with those signature nasty dropkicks, put her body on the line with a big dive to the floor and came desperately close to defeating the SHIMMER OG. But there is a reason she is choosing to retire, and ultimately her body just couldn't withstand Martinez's violent assault. Mercedes gets a huge win to put her back into title contention, Kurihara leaves SHIMMER having left a lasting impression with her work. She was, for a time, the very embodiment of the 'Joshi Invasion' that came to SHIMMER in 2010...

Havok is someone people have been anticipating coming to SHIMMER for some time. She is a powerful, imposing presence, and having already impressed in sister promotion SHINE it did feel like a case of 'when' rather than 'if' she'd show up. And she hasn't come alone, joining forces with Sassy Stephie and returning former Tag Champion Nevaeh (who had formed a team with Stephie but hasn't been in SHIMMER since 2011). They targeted Deeb, making an emotional return to SHIMMER for her first appearance since 2011 as well having been out for some time with a serious head injury. Regeneration-X came to her aid, with Danger - as a proud SHIMMER original and standard bearer for the company - taking offence at how Havok, Nevaeh and Stephie chose to conduct themselves. Mademoiselle Rochelle is at ringside with Stephie as usual, so Danger has recruited Daffney to be in their corner.

Deeb starts for her time, in a better mood than you might expect considering she was blind-sided and attacked earlier. She trades wrestling holds with Nevaeh early on, leading to Serena breaking out some of her signature armdrags which toss the former Tag champ around the ring. Stephie tags and doesn't try to wrestle Deeb and instead tries to trap her in the corner for a flurry of strikes...but finds Serena equipped to drop bombs with her there too. Danger and Bates have some fun taking turns working Stephie over; Leva almost finishing her off with a big top rope double stomp. A cheap-shot puts Nevaeh in control of Leva though, and finally Havok enters the match legally for the first time. She drags a bedraggled Leva around the ring, stopping to clobber her at various points...and it's only when she tags out to Stephie that Bates is able to mount a comeback. Hot tag to Serena who does her best to punch Nevaeh's lights out. Rochelle distracts her by grabbing her foot...and although Daffney is able to chase Rochelle away, it creates enough of a distraction for Nevaeh to hit a German suplex. STO by Danger! Kiss My Sass by Stephie! SHIRANUI by Leva! CHOKESLAM BY HAVOK! She bails before Deeb can drop her with the Spear too. Daffney trips her face-first onto the apron instead! SPEAR from Deeb to Nevaeh! Serena wins her comeback match at 11:02

Rating - *** - This probably isn't the direction I'd have gone with this. It was framed as something of a grudge match earlier, with a segment specifically framed to generate heat on the new trio of Havok, Stephie and Nevaeh. But the match itself was wrestled like a fairly standard, formulaic trios tag in front of a pretty flat audience (some presumably coming down from Martinez/Kurihara, others just not that enthused by a pretty average match). Having raised those two valid criticisms, there were a couple of things I really liked here. Firstly I thought the finishing stretch was a lot of fun, and secondly I thought Jessicka Havok was presented as a dangerous, malevolent threat on the few occasions she was involved. Ironically the only person to get any real offence in on her was Daffney, and they kept her apart from Deeb particularly well which sets us up nicely for the SHIMMER tapings in Berwyn the following weekend. 

Havok attacks Serena from behind again as soon as the match ends; dropping her right on her head with a piledriver. She might have been on the losing side, but Havok leaves her SHIMMER debut having made a real impression (and potentially re-injured a SHIMMER legend)...

Ayumi Kurihara may be making her final SHIMMER appearance tonight, but as she departs another top tier international star makes a welcome return. Madison Eagles missed the entirety of 2012 through injury (Wikipedia says she had a her third child during this period also), so hasn't been seen since losing the SHIMMER Title to Cheerleader Melissa at Volume 44. Her opponent for her comeback is a familiar one. McKay was trained by Madison, they've teamed up together in SHIMMER and they've fought fiercely as opponents too. Spring 2013 represents McKay's final run with the company too (although she didn't actually sign with WWE until 2015 interestingly), and she missed the October 2012 tapings too.

Madison shakes hands with her student, but then goes to cheap-shot her. Except McKay is expecting it and tries to do the same thing! They catch each other's boot...only for Madison to be a step ahead of Jessie and sweep her down (then leaving the ring before Jessie can deliver a receipt). McKay tries to wrestle Eagles but comes up against the issue that Madison is an extremely imposing, dangerous technician too - and has a counter for everything she tries. Sensibly she quickens the pace, cartwheeling away then trying a crucifix pin. Eagles tries to cartwheel...but McKay no-hands cartwheels behind her in a waistlock to maintain her control! She hits a drop-toehold into the ropes, and keeps working hard to maintain a fast pace and keep out of her teacher's clutches. Roundhouse kick by Eagles as Jessie tries to climb the ropes though! As McKay collapses to the apron Madison delivers another big punt from there, and stomps her chest into the apron for good measure. She tries to grind down the effervescent McKay; using submission holds to make it as hard as possible for her to regain her breath...and driving a big boot into the back of her exposed head and neck in the corner for good measure (in preparation for Hell Bound). Jessie lands a Thesz Press off the ropes, once again building up a head of steam and getting 2 with a hurricanrana. Kick to the injured knee, followed by an axe kick for 2! Boyfriend Stealer blocked with HEAD KICKS by Eagles! Jessie counters out of Hell Bound, trapping Madison in her Octopus Stretch (Seven Minutes In Heaven). POWERBOMB BY EAGLES...INTO A BUCKLE BOMB! McKay kicks out! BRAINBUSTER...but it's only good for another two-count. McKay screams defiantly, but succeeds only in scrambling up Eagles' shoulders right into prime position for HELL BOUND! Eagles wins at 12:34

Rating - *** - It wasn't as good as their SHIMMER Title Match, but it was a great exhibition of how good they can both be to an unfamiliar audience, and a very welcome return for Eagles who is one of the best wrestlers to ever step into a SHIMMER ring. I liked what they did here, setting the tone from the very beginning with each woman attempting a cheap-shot out of a handshake - but then Eagles having one extra trick up her sleeve to get the better of Jessie. The entire match told a story of two well-matched, extremely familiar, respectful but competitive opponents. McKay showed real tenacity in how she took the fight to her mentor...but at every step she found that Eagles had an answer or a counter waiting for her. Jessie never really came close to hitting either the Boyfriend Stealer or the School Girl Crush, nor did she succeed in working over Madison's knee, or even build up any sustained momentum or pressure. As hard as she fought, Eagles was her superior on this night; proving that she returns to SHIMMER after a long absence as skilled and dangerous as ever. 

On SHIMMER's biggest stage to date, their most nefarious tag team will have perhaps their sternest ever test. The champions Portia Perez and Nicole Matthews put their belts on the line against three top tag teams here tonight. Made In Sin (Taylor Made & Allysin Kay) have excelled in SHINE and performed admirably in their first SHIMMER taping as a team last year. 3G (Kellie Skater and Tomoka Nakagawa) made their first SHIMMER appearance at Volume 52 and after continuing that team on a successful Japanese tour are making a beeline for the Tag belts (which Tomoka has held before, with Daizee Haze). Kana & LuFisto are a part-time team, but are as hard-hitting and violent as anyone else in the match. Elimination rules here...

Portia wants no part of starting with LuFisto, instead leaving her to get jumped from behind by Made In Sin. LuFi gets her own back by biting Kay's hand and trying to snap her fingers. She then flattens her with a somersault senton before calling in her partner to take turns blasting Allysin with big kicks. Kana tags, and again both Ninjas refuse to participate instead leaving Nakagawa to face her fellow Japanese native. Tomoka is smart enough not to get into a slug-fest with Kana, instead constantly outsmarting her and keeping her on the mat. She then forcibly tags out to Perez, and everyone bails to ensure she has no choice but to face Kana. But Matthews attacks Kana from behind, saving her partner and 'tagging in' to face Portia! They have fun pretending to wrestle each other...until Skater gets fed up and clobbers them both to the mat! Of course, the Ninjas quickly team up to quell the Rate Tank; taking turns working her over then passing her off to Made In Sin to take over. The Ninjas and Made In Sin take turns beating on the Aussie - until Kellie hits a beautiful springboard elbow smash on Allysin. Big tag to Kana, who SLAPS THE SH*T out of Made...then takes Kay's head off with a Buzzsaw Kick! KNEE STRIKES! BIG D by Allysin after Nakagawa takes a cheap-shot at Kana! CRADLE FISHERMAN BUSTER from LuFisto to Portia! Cannonball on Kay to follow, as the field starts to scatter around the ring. LuFi climbs to the top rope. MOONSAULT TO THE FLOOR! But in a horrible accident she only skims a couple of the combatants and flies full pelt into the unprotected concrete floor. The wrestlers are visibly horrified and all seem more interested in checking on her than carrying on the match; occasionally throwing an errant punch or kick whilst several of them check on Lu. Allison Danger leaves commentary to check too, such is her concern. LuFisto gets a HUGE pop as she gets back to her feet, whilst all around her the brawl continues. She is limping heavily, but somehow powers Allysin up for the BURNING HAMMER! She eliminates Made In Sin at 13:24...but then collapses screaming in pain and unable to run the ropes. ONE-LEGGED TIGER SUPLEX ON SKATER! She tries another Burning Hammer, but Nakagawa spits water into her eyes, allowing Kellie to roll her up and end an incredibly courageous showing by LuFisto at 14:20. We're down to the Ninjas and the Gangsters, with 3G almost KO'ing Nicole with their signature kick combo. Tomoka trips Portia as they line up the Funky Cold Medina, setting up Kellie to hit the Brainbuster on Nicole for 2. Superkick by Perez! ENZIGURI/FISHERMAN SUPLEX combo by Nakagawa! She wants to spit more water, but Kellie doesn't want to win by cheating! She blocks Tomoka from doing so, and as Bryce Remsburg ushers Nakagawa away, Portia picks up the water bottle and SPITS IN SKATER'S FACE! Roll-up using the tights...and Perez pins the Rate Tank to retain at 17:11

Rating - *** - I did consider going higher on my rating for this, because the second half of the match was scintillating viewing. LuFisto's injury was a scary moment (reading some live reviews from fans in attendance it seems like there was genuine concern for her life initially, such was the length of time she didn't move and the obvious alarm of the wrestlers in the match), but the way she came back and courageous defied the injury sustained - which turned out to be a fractured knee cap that needed to be surgically repaired - is one of the most memorable sequences in all of SHIMMER history. The moment she hobbled into the ring and POWERED Kay up for the Burning Hammer was spine-chilling. The closing sequence between 3G and the Ninjas obvious sets up greater things to come. They have fascinating chemistry with the champions as seasoned villains, but coming up against perhaps the 'best' cheater in all of SHIMMER (Nakagawa) and a super-motived Skater who now believes she is a genuine top star that doesn't need shortcuts. It was the first half of this match which really let it down. It wasn't entirely aimless; the Ninjas avoided getting involved, Kana kicked a few people, Made In Sin got a few moments to shine as well. But it was all very predictable, with only the silly Portia/Nicole wrestling each other spot being even remotely memorable. A more focused opening act would certainly have led me to go higher on this.

These two stole the show at SHIMMER 52. It was a classic match which saw rising star Athena push the veteran Hamada to the limit, but ultimately found that Ayako was able to absorb her biggest shots and crucially always had a way to avoid the O-Face. On that night Hamada won a bruising encounter, but even in defeat Athena had more fight in her. She paid respect to the veteran, but called for an immediate rematch Volume 53; a challenge which Hamada instantly accepted.

Hamada cleverly begins by testing out the leg injury that Athena sustained in their previous encounter. She snapmares Athena down, and even though the Wrestling Goddess lands on her feet her leg buckles under her causing still more pain...which Ayako exacerbates by peppering her with kicks to the head. NIP-UP by Athena, as if to make the point that she won't let Hamada see she is hurting! She then SOMERSAULTS out of a monkey flip as well...but the crowd have barely finished popping for that when Hamada blasts her with a superkick! Hamada starts working the arm as well, walking the ropes for a lucha armdrag. REBOUND ARMDRAG by Athena! She continues to refuse to let Hamada see her in pain, and at five minutes the match is at a stalemate. Hamada offers Athena a respectful handshake...THEN KICKS HER IN THE HEAD! Spinning Heel Kick DUCKED by Athena, who stubbornly starts trading chops with the veteran. She blocks Hamada's hook kick too - then hammers her with a big kick of her own for 2. Arm-capture backbreaker by Athena, but Hamada retaliates with the Spinning Heel Kick. MOONSAULT MISSES! SICK KICK BY ATHENA gets 2! Cartwheel double knee drop lands; significant because she tried that move from the top rope on the last show and lost the match as a result. O'FACE COUNTERED WITH A MID-AIR DROPKICK by Hamada! Still Athena can't hit it! Hamada hits a missile dropkick with such force that Athena is sent bouncing across the ring. Frankensteiner by the veteran...and Athena has to roll out of the ring to recover. Hamada climbs...TOP ROPE MOONSAULT TO THE FLOOR NAILED! PYRAMID DRIVER FOR 2! RUNNING KNEE TO THE HEAD! Hamada wants to finish it, and walks into a wild springboard tornado DDT by Athena! She runs up the ropes...AND HITS THE O-FACE! ATHENA WINS! ATHENA PINS HAMADA! It's over at 13:44!

Rating - **** - I strongly suspect these two just stole the show for a second Volume in succession. This was better than V52, telling a story which followed up superbly on several of the central motifs of that match and being fought at a relentless, breakneck speed to pack it all into a compact sub-fourteen minute run-time. It mirrored V52 brilliantly; on that night it was Athena as the aggressor, being kept at bay by the battle-hardened veteran. Here Hamada tried to decisively suppress the fire of her opponent, going after her leg injury from the outset and constantly going harder and harder to quench her first for violence and victory. And - after losing last time - we saw a different Athena too. The early going saw her fighting to survive...whilst stubbornly refusing to let Hamada see her hurt. When Hamada worked the leg she nipped up. When Hamada worked the arm she started busting out lucha arm-work of her own. When Hamada threw kicks - Athena had plenty of her own to throw back the other way. And it forced Hamada into making the same mistake that Athena did in Berwyn. She kept going to the top, kept taking excessive risks - and ultimately couldn't hit her biggest weapons. Athena survived the Moonsault to the floor, survived the Pyramid Driver...and astutely picked her moment to at last successfully execute the O-Face on Hamada. A huge win for the Wrestling Goddess, and the stand-out contest on SHIMMER's maiden voyage over a WrestleMania weekend.

It is the final showdown in the years-long rivalry between the reigning SHIMMER Champion - Sweet Saraya - and her arch rival, former champion Cheerleader Melissa. Melissa is a SHIMMER original and one of the promotion's top stars since the beginning. Her crowning as champion on Volume 44 was an emotional moment and entirely deserved for an exceptional body of work, still unbroken as having wrestled on every single Volume thus far. But she didn't even last a single taping as champion. Years earlier she had almost ended Knight's career in the UK when a wild brawl between them saw Saraya seriously injured on a misplaced beverage can (an injury which Melissa then went after). Knight never forgot it and, after trying to get her daughter Britani to take out Melissa, then paying off wrestlers like the Canadian NINJAs, then intimidating challengers like Jessie McKay...Knight finally took matters into her own hands; injuring Melissa's knee in a locker-room attack then taking the SHIMMER Title from her. Melissa got a measure of revenge by pinning her in the V50 main event, and was granted a championship rematch at Volume 52...only to be robbed when the Canadian NINJAs and Rhia O'Reilly all interfered to help Saraya. Melissa gets one more shot tonight, and she has demanded the first cage match in SHIMMER history to settle one if it's most bitter feuds. Winner is determined by pinfall or submission; the cage is to keep the wrestlers in and everyone else out!

Saraya comes out swinging for fans, slapping and low-blowing ringside staff then gets on the mic and threatens to go out into the crowd and punch randoms if she isn't shown respect. She looks as pissed off as Melissa, and the challenger actually gets the better of the opening exchanges by concentrating on actual wrestling. She smiles broadly as she goes after Knight's knee...but Saraya soon turns it round by pulling her hair and snapping her arm over the top rope. Cheerleader bashes the champion's skull into the cage - so Saraya drags her up to the top rope and starts smashing her face into the cage up there in return! They start trading kicks and punches on the top rope...until Knight kicks Melissa's legs out, causes her to crash to the mat then TIES HER HAIR in the ropes just to be a dick! MELISSA STARTS KICKING HER HEAD INTO THE CAGE! She goes for an Air Raid Crash...but her leg gives way and, even though she turns it into a DVD, Knight is soon back up and able to take control by hammering on the leg. Modified version of the Kondo Clutch applied by Melissa, going after Knight's leg in return. CURB STOMP! Knight wraps Melissa's leg in the ropes though, once again rendering her unable to stand. AVALANCHE FISHERMAN BUSTER gets 2! Melissa tries to fire up...AIR RAID CRASH for 2! Melissa climbs right to the top of the cage, and Knight climbs up after her. TOP ROPE SUPER RANA BY MELISSA! She screams in fury, defying her injured leg and BOUNCING on the top rope! RUNNING AIR RAID CRASH! MELISSA WINS THE TITLE! She is the first two-time SHIMMER Champion at 14:47!

Rating - *** - This probably didn't hit the heights they might have wanted and I think many had expected a 'better' match. But the cathartic impact of watching the enraged Melissa screaming and bouncing on the top rope (despite having an injured leg) before she bulldozed through her arch-rival and stormed to her second SHIMMER Championship should not be under-estimated. I understand why they booked a Steel Cage Match here. It made for a totally unique SHIMMER event (they literally can't fit a cage into the Eagles Club), it was an obvious 'draw' for casual fans...and from a storyline perspective it makes absolute sense for a rivalry which began with a serious injury inflicted when brawling through the crowd to end with them being caged together (with the extra incentive of keeping Saraya's minions from interfering as they had at V52). But the cage felt like it seriously hampered them. We've been told how dangerous and 'out of control' the rivalry is between them...but we're yet to really see it. It feels like the SHIMMER audience needed to SEE them fight wildly through the crowd at least once. It felt like we needed some weaponry, some lawlessness or chaos. This was pretty much just a match quite literally confined by a big ass cage. The cage itself was only minimally incorporated, the match itself wasn't overtly savage...and on a purely practical level the lines of sight when watching on DVD (so presumably iPPV too) were horrible. I've loved this feud, in the sense that creatively Saraya's brief run as champion has seen some completely unique story-telling. However, I couldn't help but shake the feeling that I wanted more from its conclusion. Interestingly, this is the last time they would ever be in a SHIMMER ring together. Prazak resisted the urge to give them one last definitive blow-off in front of the promotion's 'home' fans in Berwyn. That does make me like this match more. It isn't great, nor is it pretty. But it does stand as closure for Melissa. When caged in the ring and forced to wrestle, she proved to Saraya and the world that she is definitively the better wrestler. She won convincingly - and now re-assumes her place at the summit of the SHIMMER mountain having seen off her most bitter rival. She may now be poised to become the most dominant champion in SHIMMER history...

Tape Rating - *** - This was a big night for SHIMMER. Their biggest crowd, their first iPPV, just their second trip outside of Berwyn. They were performing to a different, unfamiliar audience and given a platform to win over new fans. And I'm thrilled to report that, at least in my opinion, SHIMMER really did deliver. By their own lofty standards this wasn't SHIMMER's best ever show. But I also don't think it was designed to be, nor did it need to be. They produced an authentic SHIMMER experience; a one-night snapshot into everything that makes this company great. We saw a glut of high quality female athletes from all over the world, we saw high profile debutants like Jessicka Havok, major returns like Kong, Madison Eagles and Serena Deeb, young talent with big futures making their way, titles changing hands, a truly astonishing display of guts and courage by LuFisto and an absolute cracker from Hamada and Athena. This can't have been a cheap show to produce; it has a vast international roster competing alongside some of the domestic talents from all over the United States. You simply have to praise Prazak and SHIMMER for going 'all in' on this. They threw a lot at the wall for their biggest ever show and a great deal of it stuck.

3) Canadian NINJAs vs Global Green Gangsters vs Kana/LuFisto vs Made In Sin (***)

2) Mercedes Martinez vs Ayumi Kurihara (****)

1) Athena vs Ayako Hamada (****)