The Collective rolled on with SHIMMER’s seemingly-annual visit to iPPV, as all of the promotion’s titles were put on the line.
Quick Results
Neveah pinned Kenzie Paige in 6:20 (**½)
Alice Crowley pinned Jody Threat, Elayna Black, Queen Aminata, Big Mama & Brittany Blake in 7:10 (**½)
Heather Monroe pinned Leyla Hirsch in 7:16 (***)
Solo Darling & Willow Nightingale submitted Kayla Kassidy & Sierra in 9:55 (***)
Lacey Ryan pinned Davienne in 8:09 (***)
Hyan pinned Thunderkitty in 10:17 to retain the Heart of SHIMMER Championship (***)
Zoey Skye pinned Holidead in 11:43 (***)
Ashley Vox & Delmi Exo pinned Allysin Kay & Marti Belle in 16:09 to retain the SHIMMER Tag Team Championships (***)
Kimber Lee pinned Nicole Savoy in 20:04 to retain the SHIMMER Championship (***¼)
Lenny Leonard and Allison Danger are on commentary.
Kenzie Paige vs. Neveah
You may recognise Paige from her AEW outings this year…
We start with Paige on the defensive, getting taken down into a sleeperhold by Neveah, before Paige got caught with a roll-up and a backslide for some early two-counts. A sliding bulldog took Paige down for another two-count, before Neveah took her into the corner for some chops.
Paige is back with an enziguiri and some double knees, but she can’t put Neveah away as she followed back in with a sleeperhold. Kicks take Neveah into the corner ahead of some choking in the ropes, but Neveah’s back with a clothesline and a low dropkick before a German suplex dropped the relative rookie for a two-count.
A back elbow from Paige leads to a neckbreaker for a two-count, before some back-and-forth elbows led to a hooking reverse STO from Neveah for the win. A solid opener from SHIMMER, which went about the way you’d expect given that Paige was debuting. **½
Elayna Black vs. Queen Aminata vs. Jody Threat vs. Alice Crowley vs. Big Mama vs. Brittany Blake
We’re under lucha rules for this scramble, and we start with everyone bar Aminata going for Big Mama.
She powers them away as Queen Aminata went for Mama… only to run into a spinebuster before Black and Threat attacked Mama from behind. We’re finally following the “two at a time” rule, as Threat stayed in to kick Black in the head, before a powerbomb was turned into a sunset flip for a one-count.
Black’s back with a kick to the head, as Alice Crowley comes in to try an O’Connor roll. That’s blocked as Crowley hits armdrags and a teardrop suplex before Blake came in. An enziguiri from Blake has Crowley in the corner ahead of a crossbody splash into the corner and a backbreaker out of it.
Aminata tosses Blake outside as she went for a German suplex on Crowley… who rolls into the corner, before Big Mama charged Aminata and Crowley into the corner. We’ve more avalanche splashes as Threat tried to cut off Big Mama, pushing her away before a step-up ‘rana from Blake ended with her getting powerbombed onto Mama.
Threat gets a one-count on Blake before she clotheslines Crowley for another two-count. Crowley heads outside, while Blake came dove onto the pile outside as Aminata followed with a senton to the floor. My feed drops and recovers with Crowley landing a suplex on Aminata, but Threat breaks it up before she clotheslined Crowley again.
Black runs into a Michinoku driver for a near-fall, with Blake breaking it up, only to get taken into the ropes for a snap German suplex by Threat. A spinning rack bomb from Threat almost gets the win, but Mama breaks it up then got caught in the corner as Threat sent her spilling outside. Crowley’s back for an O’Connor roll… and that’s enough to nick the win in a decent enough scramble, with a few leaving a bit of a mark in the time they got. **½
Heather Monroe vs. Leyla Hirsch
Hirsch double-legs Monroe at the bell, before a leg trip led to Hirsch ruffling up Monroe’s hair as she rolled into the ropes for cover.
Forearms from Hirsch lead to Monroe to go for a lucha roll-up… but it’s countered with a crucifix by Hirsch who was outfoxing her early on… until Monroe trapped Hirsch in an unexpected submission attempt. Hirsch is able to get to the rope, but Monroe stays on her with some choking in the ropes… before Hirsch attempted to fight back, only to come up short with some double knees in the corner.
More choking from Monroe has Hirsch in trouble, as does a stinging chop in the corner. Monroe keeps up the beating with a curb stomp for a two-count, before Hirsch’s forearms and pump kicks knocked Heather loopy ahead of a German suplex. A lariat’s missed as Monroe snapped back with a Dragon suplex, but Hirsch is back with a knee strike and an Angle Slam for a near-fall.
Hirsch climbs the ropes, but Monroe tries to catch her… she eventually kicks the legs out to trap Hirsch in the buckles before another push down stomp sent Leyla to the mat. It gets Monroe a two-count, before a roll-up gets Leyla a surprise near-fall. A lariat keeps Monroe down, before Hirsch nails the double-jump moonsault… only for Monroe to roll onto the apron to save herself.
Monroe pulls Leyla into the ropes from there, then rushes back inside for a roll-up. A pretty good match with the debuting Hirsch being outsmarted with the cheap tactics. ***
Kayla Kassidy & Sierra vs. The Bird & The Bee (Solo Darling & Willow Nightingale)
Kayla Kassidy tries to hit on the ref at the start, before diving into the ropes to avoid Solo coming at her. It eventually backfires as Solo picks the leg, before an attempt to work the wrist led to Kassidy reversing the hold, only for Solo to roll her way into tripping Kassidy. Another toe hold has Kassidy in trouble, before Darling countered a counter, rolling Kayla into a crucifix for a one-count.
Solo goes for the Sharp Stinger, but Kassidy crawls free to tag in Sierra, who’s taken into the other corner as Willow Nightingale tagged in to help with a double-team forward leg roll. A splash gets a one-count, as Willow goes back in with roll-ups and backslides before an inside cradle from Sierra almost got the win.
Nightingale charges down Sierra next, but Sierra’s back with a dropkick into the corner before tagging Kassidy back in. A running European uppercut from Kassidy, then knees from Sierra lead to two-count for Kayla, as again my feed dropped. It’s back as Kayla and Sierra were working over Willow, leading to a dropkick in the ropes for a two-count.
Sierra’s caught out with a misdirection POUNCE from Willow as Solo tagged back in to land a Honey Steamer tornado suplex. It takes down Kayla ahead of some kicks, with a facebuster landing for a two-count after that. Willow heads up top for a moonsault, but Sierra runs in to break it up as a kick-assisted powerbomb out of the corner almost put Willow away – with Solo diving in in time to break it up.
From there, Willow comes back with a spinebuster to Sierra, before a gutwrench powerbomb dumped Kayla, as the Sharp Stinger forced Kassidy to tap. A fun tag match with Kassidy and Sierra looking good in their debut as a tandem, but as is the pattern so far tonight, the regulars leave with the win. ***
Davienne vs. Lacey Ryan
We start with Ryan taking Davienne into the corner, before a wristlock attempt was slapped away.
Davienne replies with one of her own, but Ryan counters back with an overhead wristlock and some armdrags to stagger Davienne, knocking her down ahead of a slingshot elbow drop for a two-count. Allison Danger’s a huge fan of Ryan, to say the least, but could only watch as Lacey’s floatover was caught and turned into a Samoan drop.
Ryan’s taken to the corner as the pair trade strikes, but Ryan’s caught and choked in the ropes. Davienne mocks the crowd as she catches Ryan with forearms and a belly-to-back suplex for a two-count. They go back-and-forth with elbows, then clotheslines as Ryan built up momentum, before Davienne avoided a punt kick… only to have her knee chop blocked out.
The diving knee from Ryan’s next for a two-count, before she went up top for a 450 splash she had to abort… with Davienne coming right back with a short-arm clothesline for a near-fall. Davienne calls for a chokeslam, but Ryan slips out and hits an enziguiri for a near-fall, only to leap into a chokeslam as Davienne finally pulled it off. Davienne looked to charge at Ryan in the corner, but came up short… recovering to catch Ryan on the top rope, but Ryan fights back and caught her with the Central Perk – a somersault Blockbuster – for the win. A pretty good match with Davienne catching Ryan out every time she left her feet… only to lose the one time she couldn’t keep up. ***
Heart of SHIMMER Championship: Thunderkitty vs. Hyan (c)
Hyan had been the interim Heart of SHIMMER champion, having won a tournament at the end of last year in the absence of Samantha Heights. She’s interim no more though for reasons that weren’t announced live. At this rate, that interim tournament will hit DVD by the next time America elects…
Hyan had her handshake accepted at the bell, as the pair went to lock-up going around the ropes before Hyan was pushed aside. Thunderkitty comes in with a wristlock, but Hyan cartwheels away, only to get caught in an armbar as the pair went back-and-forth going in and out of holds.
A side headlock from Thunderkitty leads to a takedown and a quick escape, as we wash, rinse and repeat, before a knee to the gut from Hyan led to her taking a back suplex for a two-count. Thunderkitty’s taken into the ropes by Hyan, who offered another handshake… but it’s a ploy as she pulled Thunderkitty’s head between the ropes ahead of some stomps on the mat.
An overhand chop stings Thunderkitty in the corner, ahead of some face-washing boots and a legdrop for a two-count. Thunderkitty’s back as she kicked out Hyan’s knee ahead of a low dropkick for a two-count, but a drop toe hold has her on the deck as Hyan turned it around. Going back into the corners, Hyan chops Thunderkitty again before she got some receipts, before a full nelson bomb took Hyan into a grounded abdominal stretch.
Thunderkitty returns with a head claw, with Hyan going for a choke to free herself as both women faded. The pair run into each other with hair-mares at the same time, before a Thesz Press from Thunderkitty took Hyan down. A cross chop to the throat stung Hyan too, as she’s pulled into the corner for a back elbow and a knee lift, getting an eventual two-count out of it.
Hyan returns with a German suplex into the buckles before a swinging Fisherman suplex dumped Thunderkitty for a near-fall. A second one looked to follow, but Hyan kicks out at two before the Beauty Sleep (Beth Phoenix’s old Glam Slam) landed for the win. This was an enjoyable match, with Thunderkitty’s old-school shtick meshing well with Hyan – who really ought to have been on more shows than this this weekend. ***
Holidead vs. Zoey Skye
Holidead creeps around Skye on the mat to start, as those mind games went into play straight away.
A waistlock from Skye led to a side headlock… but Holidead shoves her away before some rope running ended with a kick to the gut as Skye found no luck in going for an Irish whip. Eventually she gets Holidead into the ropes, but another kick stops Skye mid-leapfrog, as Skye then came back in with a snapmare and a side headlock.
Armdrags keep Holidead down, as Skye went outside in an attempt to trip her up… but it backfires as Holidead followed her outside, blocking a tornado DDT onto the apron as Skye got booted instead. A legdrop back inside leads to Holidead going back out so she could land a legdrop on the edge of the ring, eventually getting a two-count before Skye fought back with chops and a dropkick.
Skye snapmares Holidead ahead of a kick to the back, getting another two-count, but a missile dropick mises as Holidead comes right back with a Giant Swing. Holidead takes too long to go for the cover as she was dizzied too, and Skye’s able to come back in with shoulder tackles and a tornado DDT that left both women down.
Clotheslines from Skye rattle Holidead, who’s taken into the corner for some running double knees as a crossbody off the top then lands for a near-fall. Skye looks for a lungblower, but Holidead counters by throwing her into a Samoan drop, before Skye escaped a powerbomb attempt and came back in with a backcracker. That gets her a two-count, before they went back-and-forth on roll-ups.
A backslide gets a near-fall, but Holidead’s up and back with a big boot before a swinging Flatliner led to another delayed two-count. Zoey’s back with chops, only to get headbutted as Holidead pushed on once more, but Holidead misses a charge and ends up hitting the ring post. Skye capitalises with a draping DDT onto the apron before a stomp to the back gets the win. Another solid match, with this one seemingly being Skye outlasting Holidead en route to a win. ***
SHIMMER Tag Team Championship: The Hex (Allysin Kay & Marti Belle) vs. Team SeaStars (Ashley Vox & Delmi Exo) (c)
We’ve got a jump start as Delmi Exo and and Allysin Kay sent each other outside – so we start with Ashley Vox and Marti Belle, with the former wringing the arm to start off with.
A roll over by Vox takes her in for a dropkick to Belle, before Allysin Kay tagged in. They charge at each other with fingers, before a springboard ‘rana took Kay into the corner. Exo tags in to hit a big boot for a one-count, before a side Russian legsweep gets Delmi a two-count. Kay sidesteps a bulldog attempt at all four women hit the ring, with Exo getting dumped outside as Vox took a big PK.
Kay looks for some pinning attempts, but Vox keeps kicking out, only to get taken to the corner for a chop. Marti Belle’s in to hit some running knees into the corner before Kay got involved, choking on Ashley behind the referee’s back. The Hex work really well in isolating Vox, save for a quick roll-up that gets her a two-count on Belle, before a kick off the ropes finally got Vox some breathing space.
A tag brings in Exo, who cleared house on Belle with clotheslines and a stunner, before Exo was lifted onto the apron ahead of a missile dropkick. Kay comes in to help dump Exo with a pair of big boots, as Belle then tagged Allysin in to make the cover. She gets a two-count, then traps Exo with a cravat as they continued to wear down the champions.
We’ve more choking in the ropes, before Exo got kicked into the corner… then clotheslined as Kay dared her to dive out for a tag. A strangle hold keeps Exo down, but she’s able to make the tag out to Vox, who instantly hooks Kay ahead of a superkick. Marti Belle charges, but gets thrown outside too ahead of a low-pe from Vox, following back in with a springboard Flatliner to Vox.
A Code Red get a two-count, with Marti just about getting to the ref in time to stop the count, before the Sea Stars dumped her with a pair of headbutts. Kay’s back up to try and steal a pin as all four women were in the ring, leading to a double-team chokeslam on Vox for a near-fall, before the Sea Stars came back in with a Finlay roll/back senton off the top, as Vader Bomb Knees from Exo almost got the win.
Belle’s back with a lungblower, taking Exo out before Vox went for a sunset flip out of the corner. Kay tried to block it and turn it into a Jig ‘n’ Tonic, but the sunset flip completes for a near-fall before a Doomsday Something or Other was countered with a Victory roll from Vox. Marti’s hanging up in the ropes as the champs hit the Flopping Fish – think the Quebecer’s elevated senton – for the win. ***
SHIMMER Championship: Nicole Savoy vs. Kimber Lee (c)
There’s chants for a “new champ” at the bell as we started out slow, with Nicole Savoy locking up into a Test of Strength.
Kimber Lee’s forced to bridge back, but Kimber gets up and tries to trap Savoy on the mat with headscissors. Savoy escapes with a side headlock, then into a bridging armbar that Kimber Lee rolls out of as they stayed on the mat. A leg grapevine from Kimber Lee keeps Savoy down, which turns into a toe hold that Savoy countered out of.
Savoy rolls Kimber into a Trailer Hitch, but it’s overpowered as Kimber rolls out and into a chinlock. A camel clutch follows, but Savoy gets to the ropes for a break before she threw down Kimber into a splits… a missed kick allos Kimber to go for a roll-up, but Savoy’s back up with a shoulder tackle.
Misdirection allows Kimber to low bridge Savoy to the outside, where the champion followed up with a cannonball off the apron. Savoy gets back to her feet and hits a dive, before they fought around ringside, trading chops before a suplex left Savoy laying on the floor.
Back inside, Savoy kicks out at two, then locked in a cross armbar that quickly ended in the ropes. A clothesline from the champion lands for a two-count, who then looked to stretch Savoy with the old Axel Dieter Special, but Savoy rolls back to try and pin the champion. Body scissors follow from Kimber, who rolls in for a pinning attempt, but Savoy switches out into a seated surfboard, before a leg clutch ended in the ropes. A kick to the back from Kimber Lee has Savoy down for a two-count, as she followed up with a calf slicer that saw Savoy roll through into another cross armbar. Kimber rakes the eyes of Savoy, but can’t avoid some rolling butterfly suplexes before a pair of ‘ranas got Savoy a two-count. Kimber returns to suplexes for a two-count, following up with a series of German suplexes before Savoy returned the favours.
We go back to chops, before a knee strike from Savoy led to a Saito suplex for a near-fall. A TKO follows, again for a near-fall, before Kimber Lee’s back with an enzigiri for a two-count of her own. Savoy takes Kimber Lee up top for a butterfly superplex, getting anear-fall before she went back to the armbar.
Kimber rolls out and lands a diving clothesline that nearly ends it, before a head kick and a German suplex got Savoy another two-count. Savoy follows that up with a tease of a German superplex, but Kimber Lee clings onto the buckles as she proceeded to elbow Savoy down… then caught her with some headscissors in the corner. She lets go to go up top for a senton bomb… and that’s enough to get the win. A war of attrition for Kimber Lee gets her the win – as she’s able to leave Indianapolis with the SHIMMER title. ***¼
It’s a big criticism of SHIMMER, that they’re just behind the times. For so long, their distribution model has been DVD-only – but while they have moved to online streaming, it’s been as well as DVDs, rather than instead of… and with the most recent DVDs being for shows that are almost four years old, you can see the problem. It makes for a product that’s extremely hard to keep up with outside of the annual iPPVs they do on these weekenders, but it also led to a crowd that found it hard to engage, not knowing of any current direction on the shows.