This weekend, Pro Wrestling EVE returns to the Resistance Gallery for their third annual SHE-1 series – let’s take a look at the names involved this year!
We’ve had a bunch of changes since qualifiers began at August’s Fights and False Lashes, with Charli Evans winning a qualifier then losing her spot after putting it up against Mercedes Martinez. There’s also been a few wildcard entrants added, so if you’re a stickler for pure sports build and qualifying matches for tournaments… I don’t know what to say! EVE have already drawn the tournament blocks, so we’ll run down the entrants per block:
Block A
Mercedes Martinez
Qualified against: Charli Evans (at Wrestling With an Agenda)
Past SHE-1 Record: No prior SHE-1 appearances
Recent Accomplishments: Debuting in EVE at February’s Global Women Strike 2, Martinez lost in the finals of the number one contender’s tournament to Kay Lee Ray. In recent months, Mercedes found herself losing in the quarter-finals of EVE’s tag team title tournament, but will be hoping that third time’s the charm when it comes to EVE and tournaments.
Kasey
Qualified against: Roxxy (at Check Yourself)
Past SHE-1 Record: Finished with one point in 2018
Recent Accomplishments: 2019 has been a little weird for Kasey, who has been something of an irregular name on cards. Last year’s SHE-1 was fairly fruitless, scoring just one point (in a final-day draw against Jetta) – but being in the same block as Mercedes Martinez will prove tricky.
Angel Hayze
Qualified against: Nightshade (at Check Yourself)
Past SHE-1 Record: No prior SHE-1 appearances
Recent Accomplishments: Having only debuted in EVE in September, Hayze has burst onto the scene. Qualifying with some help from Kris Wolf in a boxy deathmatch, Hayze has very little to lose here – but don’t be surprised if she’s the dark horse in this group.
Aleah James
Qualified against: n/a (wildcard entrant)
Past SHE-1 Record: No prior SHE-1 appearances
Recent Accomplishments: Making your EVE debut in SHE-1 is quite the thing, especially considering she’s currently a Young Lion for Will Ospreay’s Frontline promotion. Aleah’s in the same kind of situation as Angel Hayze with no expectations on her – but other than her opening match on Saturday against Hayze, I struggle to see where Aleah will pick up points.
Block B
Laura di Matteo
Qualified against: Nina Samuels (at Fights and False Lashes)
Past SHE-1 Record: Not involved in 2018; finished joint top of block C in 2017 with four points (missing out via the play-offs)
Recent Accomplishments: Since vanquishing long-term foe Jordynne Grace at WrestleQueendom 2, di Matteo seems to have had a bit of a target on her from the new EVE champion Rhia O’Reilly. With Rhia and pals costing Laura in the EVE top contender’s tournament in July, the SHE-1 is perhaps Laura’s best route to a title shot… especially after her and Mercedes Martinez fell at the final hurdle in last month’s EVE tag title tournament.
Gisele Shaw
Qualified against: Holidead (at Friday Night Riot)
Past SHE-1 Record: No prior SHE-1 appearances
Recent Accomplishments: Debuting for EVE in April, albeit not victorious in a four-way, Shaw’d been away from show until recently, returning with the win over Holidead in September. A pair of losses against Emi Sakura bookended a win over Nina Samuels, but Gisele will likely need to pull out of the sort of performances that’s seen her wow elsewhere to get through to Sunday’s final.
Nicole Savoy
Qualified against: n/a (wildcard entrant)
Past SHE-1 Record: No prior SHE-1 appearances
Recent Accomplishments: Making her European debut in EVE this weekend, Savoy is heading to England having just dropped the SHIMMER championship after an almost two-year reign. The well-travelled Savoy has plenty of tournament experience, taking part in STARDOM’s 5Star Grand Prix in 2018, as well as the inaugural Mae Young Classic in 2017.
Millie McKenzie
Qualified against: Solo Darling (at Wrestling With an Agenda)
Past SHE-1 Record: Finished with 0 points in block C in 2018
Recent Accomplishments: After last year’s disappointing SHE-1, Millie McKenzie changed her outlook somewhat, and formed the Medusa Complex with Charli Evans as she reverted to becoming something of a petulant teenager. Having been globetrotting in 2019, Millie’s last six weeks has seen her wrestle in Japan, England and Ireland – although that Japanese date may be one to forget, as she dropped the Sendai Girls tag titles with Charli in mid-October…
Block C
Jetta
Qualified against: Trish Adora (at She Regrets Nothing)
Past SHE-1 Record: Finished with 1 point in block C in 2018; Finished with 0 points in block B in 2017
Recent Accomplishments: Can Jetta get the plural and score points this year? Her 2019 has been a little weird, with her surprise inaugural EVE tag team championship reign being truncated after Erin Angel found out she was becoming a mum. Jetta’s pretty well linked to the SHE-1, but will she ditch the “One Point Queen” moniker by the end of this weekend?
Jazz
Qualified against: n/a (wildcard entrant)
Past SHE-1 Record: No prior SHE-1 appearances
Recent Accomplishments: Making her EVE debut this weekend, long-time fans ought need no introduction to Jazz. Debuting in 1999, Jazz was a regular fixture in the dying days of ECW, before she became a part of WWE Raw. Winning the WWE Women’s title in early 2002, Jazz would feud with Trish Stratus for the first half of the year, then would go on to regain it in May 2003, only to drop it a month later in a battle royal. WWE was hardly the bastion of women’s wrestling at the time, with Jazz eventually being moved into a manager’s role before being released at the end of 2004. A brief return in 2006/2007 as part of WWE ECW was as brief as it was forgettable, before Jazz took time out to become a parent – ultimately returning to the indies with the likes of SHINE and most recently, the NWA, where she held the NWA Women’s title for over two and a half years before the NWA’s most recent reboot.
Mei Suruga
Qualified against: n/a (wildcard entrant)
Past SHE-1 Record: No prior SHE-1 appearances
Recent Accomplishments: The first name announced for this year’s SHE-1, the 20-year old Suruga is just 18 months into her career, and is something of a prodigy for Emi Sakura’s Gatoh Move promotion. Mei’s had matches against quite a few names you’ll know, including current AEW Women’s champion Riho, Emi Sakura, and Debbie Keitel.
Rhia O’Reilly
Qualified against: Faye Jackson (at She Regrets Nothing)
Past SHE-1 Record: Withdrew via injury during 2018’s SHE-1 (having lost to Kris Wolf in her opening match)
Recent Accomplishments: In past years, the SHE-1 has something that the current EVE champion has had to watch from the sidelines. Narrowly missing out on the inaugural SHE-1 as she was still recovering from a broken leg and ankle… last year’s SHE-1 was meant to be the big comeback… except Rhia tweaked her knee during the first match of the tournament, and was forced to sit out the remainder of the weekender. Finally back from injury, and entering the tournament as EVE champion thanks to the events of WrestleQueendom 2, Rhia’ll be hoping to win the thing to make life as champion a little bit easier…
As ever, the SHE-1 is a round robin tournament, where everyone’ll wrestle each other in their block once. If there’s a tie-breaker, like in 2017, there’ll be a play-off on the fourth show ahead of the three-way finals. What the winner gets, aside from the “Ace of EVE” title, is unknown yet, but with EVE returning to York Hall for WrestleQueendom 3 in January, it’s probably a safe bet that the winner – unless it’s Rhia O’Reilly – will get a title shot there.
In terms of matches announced so far:
Show 1:
Block A: Mercedes Martinez vs. Kasey; Aleah James vs. Angel Hayze
Block B: Gisele Shaw vs. Laura di Matteo; Millie McKenzie vs. Nicole Savoy
Block C: Jetta vs. Jazz; Rhia O’Reilly vs. Mei Suruga
Show 2:
Block A: Kasey vs. Angel Hayze; Aleah James vs. Mercedes Martinez
Block B: Millie McKenzie vs. Gisele Shaw; Nicole Savoy vs. Laura di Matteo
Block C: Mei Suruga vs. Jetta; Jazz vs. Rhia O’Reilly
Show 3:
Block A: Aleah James vs. Kasey; Mercedes Martinez vs. Angel Hayze
Block B: Nicole Savoy vs. Gisele Shaw; Millie McKenzie vs. Laura di Matteo
Block C: Mei Suruga vs. Jazz; Jetta vs. Rhia O’Reilly
At time of writing, only the Saturday evening show is sold out – but you’ll want to hurry. Doors open 30 minutes before bell time at the Resistance Gallery in Poyser Street, London. Remaining tickets are available via evewrestling.com
Show 1 – Saturday November 9 – bell time 3pm
Show 2 – Saturday November 9 – bell time 8pm
Show 3 – Sunday November 10 – bell time 2.30pm
Show 4 – Sunday November 10 – bell time 6.30pm
If you can’t make it to the Resistance Gallery this weekend, all of the shows will be available after the fact via https://eveondemand.pivotshare.com