This past Friday, April 13, a week removed from the marathon known as Wrestlemania weekend, women’s wrestling fans descended upon the fabled Berwyn Eagles Club for 5 jam packed shows.
The first of which was RISE 7: Sensation.
Since there was local SoCal talent involved (including SoCal darling Joshua Shibata), I subscribed to RISE mere minutes before the live broadcast.
Which didn’t happen…
Internet issues.
As the greatest Irish band alive once said, “C’est la vie.”
One of the great things about RISE is their attention to customer satisfaction and immediately made plans to remedy the stream issues by putting the show up for streaming mere days after the event (and after the chaos known as “Shimmer Weekend”).
So here we go:
The show opens with Gail Kim and Kevin Harvey the collaboration with Impact Wrestling, further continuing Kevin’s credo that the future of wrestling is in collaboration, not competition.
They also introduce the Guardians of Rise tag team titles will be decided that night.
Match #1: Team WDSS (We Do Stupid Sh%t) Flyin’ High vs. Undeniably Impressive (Tessa Blanchard and Indi Hartwell)
Team WDSS are Shimmer mainstays and Mae Young Classic competitors, Mia Yim and Kay Lee Ray, both known for doing… well, stupid shit. Crazy shit.
Both Tessa and Indi had been at Bar Wrestling just the night before, which was the first time that I had seen Indi wrestle. She was impressive (so her moniker is deserved).
This was a fun match with Undeniably Impressive showcasing impressive tag team chemistry, but WDSS scores the victory with a Gory Bomb/Pedigree Combo.
Match #2: #TFAZLGGOTPWEPWEP Gauntlet
Stardom fans will remember Zoey Lucas from her run in Stardom last year.
During that time, I think everyone would agree that she was cute with her cheerleader gear, but assumed that’s it.
I remember watching the video from RISE 4 – Warriors Rise where Kevin calls over Zoey and asks her if she wants to go to America. I was surprised because I didn’t even know she was there.
And her appearance at RISE 5 – Rising Sun was most notable because Dave Prazak and Allison Danger noticed the uncanny resemblance she bears to Portia Perez and how Hawlee Layne (Nicole Matthews doppleganger) should form a new Canadian NINJAS team.
And then came the announcement of #TFAZLGGOTPWEPWEP. I found myself bored and tried to figure out what it stood for.
Never would have guessed it was “The First Annual Zoey Lucas Global Gauntlet of True Wrestling Excellence Plus Whoever Else Participates.”
Her promo skills have definitely improved and she handled the hecklers in the crowd really well. She’s starting to put the pieces together and its going to be interesting to see where she goes in the next couple of years.
And can we please let the “What?” chants die already?
The match starts and Zoey runs through La Estrella (NOT Estre-la).
FaceBrooke is next. I was interested in seeing FaceBrooke because I had seen pics of her online and love the pun. I assume it’s in the same PWA style as Insta-Graham, the Hipster Luchador. Zoey beats FB.
Next up is Skilled Death Artist (not Assassasin) #6 who also falls to Zoey.
Valentina Loca and Thunder Rosa come out at the same time turning the match into a triple threat.
Zoey steals the pin and wins #TFAZLGGOTPWEPWEP.
Match #3: #Swole Family (Nicole Savoy and Aerial Monroe) vs. Bones of Contention (Ray Lyn and Karen Q)
At Rise 6, SoCal was introduced to the Swole Family when Nicole and Aerial squared off.
Bones of Contention are an entertaining tag team and features a former SoCal regular, Ray Lyn.
I mean, we ALL know how fun Ray Lyn is to watch, so you have some idea. And Karen Q impressed me with what I saw of her at Beyond.
Bones of Contention did a lot of arguing from the moment they walked out the curtain until the time they walked back through, even tagging each other by slapping each other on the head.
Bones win with a superkick/RKO combo
Segment
Shaul Guerrero brings out Wily Smilies and tells them about a change to their match.
Rosemary and Dust come out with Rosemary informing them of a knee injury to her meat suit. Melanie Cruz comes through the crowd and attacks Wily Smilies from behind.
There’s a new member of Paradise Lost.
Match #4: Hyan vs. Shazza McKenzie
Hyan is no stranger to SoCal fans. And personally, I hope that we get a chance to see more of her this year.
Shazza has already been announced and will be there as a part of Rise and AWS Weekend. She’s trained by Madison Eagles and has competed on NXT television. And as of Rise, she was the Heart of Shimmer champion.
Shazza picks up the win with split leg stunner crossface combo.
Match #5: Team Blue Nation (Charli Evans and Jessica Troy) vs. Fire and Nice (Britt Baker and Chelsea Green)
We all know Fire and Nice by this point, but Team Blue Nation is another pair of Aussies, trained by (you guessed it) Madison Eagles.
This was a fun match, full of action and high flying. Luckily for Chelsea, her tag team partner is a dentist because she almost needed one when she almost went face first into the barricade following a toupe.
Blue Nation steals the win when Jessica small packages Britt.
Match #6: Mercedes Martinez vs. Taya
Taya brings out Cierra McCauley.
Cierra captured the hearts of the Rise locker room (and the country) for being a strong girl who beat cancer and credits dancing for helping her.
The women of Rise jumped in on the #dancerbeatingcancer except for a cheater, Mercedes Martinez.
Mercedes comes out and cuts a heel, heel, HEEEEEEELLLLLLLL promo on Cierra and sends off not only her, but her disgusted parents.
Mercedes wins when she reverses the Road to Valhalla to roll up Taya and holds the ropes.
But in the end, Cierra wins with a dance party that has the entire crowd on their feet, as well as many of the locker room in the ring for one giant dance party.
Match #7: Gokumon-to vs. Deuces Army
This was an entertaining match. It’s great to see Cheerleader Melissa back in the ring on a more regular basis and she looks like she’s having a lot of fun in there.
Kris Wolf continues to build her fan base every time she walks through the curtain.
Kikyo and Didi are hitting their stride, too, and Gokumon-to seems to be the spark they needed.
Willow Nightingale wowed us all when she was here in December and I think it’s safe to say we can’t wait for her to come back.
Shotzi is Shotzi and her stock just keeps going up and up. She picks up the win for her team.
Match #8: Joey Ryan vs. Saraya Knight
Ring announcer Joshua Shibata announces Joey as being the “Technical Wizard” which elicited a pop from me and a double-take from Joey. That announcement was only meant to pop a handful of people, which I guarantee it will. Even PWG’s Beloved Angry Fan approved.
Before Joey made millions flipping people with his dick, he wore a Jedi robe and called himself “The Technical Wizard”.
The Berwyn crowd knew what to expect and pretty much read Joe his Last Rites.
I was hoping to see Saraya either grab his dick and squeeze it or kick it and it actually be effective.
Neither happened.
But what did happen was what was to be expected and that was Saraya Knight brutalizing poor Joseph.
And it all started when Joey followed Saraya to the outside. The fans were pleading with him not to do it, the commentators were, too. But he did. And got thrown into the barricades all around the ring.
Saraya reverses Joseph’s attempt at a Samoan Drop from the second rope, turning it into a powerbomb, a pin and the 3 count.
Referee Andy Long (Shimmer’s equivalent of Justin Borden) gets dick flipped and kicked in the junk after the match.
Match #9: Paradise Lost vs. Wily Smilies
Wily Smilies tried. Oh boy, did they try.
But with Rosemary in their corner and the size of Melanie Cruise (now known as Raven Ash), they didn’t stand a chance against Paradise Lost.
Paradise Lost wins with a dropkick to the back/tombstone combo
Match #10: Delilah Doom vs. Deonna Purrazzo
This was a typical Delilah match. And not in a bad way.
Delilah continues to make fans across the country, even getting the Berwyn crowd to side with her against the equally as popular Deonna.
It was an athletic, competitive, and entertaining contest with Doom winning following a Saito suplex.
Special shout out for the decision to put the commentary team of Veda Scott and Sienna together. I thought it was slightly random at first, but now I’m hoping that this becomes a regular thing.
Everywhere.
Dave, if we could get a 3-man commentary booth for Shimmer, I think that would be gold.
Veda has done Shimmer commentary before on multiple volumes and Sienna has taken roasting people to a new level of savagery.
I really enjoyed the show and was really happy that my friend got a chance to work in the venue that I’ve seen on video multiple times and hope to visit someday.
Next up, we’ve got RISE 8 – Outback.
A lot of the wrestlers at the top of my list of “must sees” are going to be there and I can’t wait. If you haven’t done so, check out my article on the Worst Best Friends.
Don’t forget to check out www.riseascent.com for all Rise events.
And follow the Good Book.
I’d add the book Joshua Shibata part, but everyone’s booking him already, so I’ll consider my work done.
However, if you need a good ringside photographer…
