Friday, August 30, 2013

Bellatrix Vs. SHIMMER Countdown: An ALL-NEW Interview With Skarlett


Skarlett isn't out to impress nobody...She's out there to inflict a whole lot of pain on her opponents. Her match with X-Cute Sweet has it's ups and downs, but Skarlett in the end pulled through with the dreaded Skarlett's Web. And her war with Saraya Knight for the Herts & Essex Wrestling Women's Championship has finally reached a point where someone gets extremely hurt. Also, she will face off against a former TNA Knockout Christina Von Eerie at Bellatrix 7, so that adds much to her plate.

In this all-new interview, Skarlett will not only recap the events of Bellatrix 6, but also talks about her rivalry with Saraya Knight as well as her take on the incoming SHIMMER stars. It's 100% Uncensored and of course 100% No Bull.


1. Can you tell our readers what happened at Bellatrix 6 with X-Cute Sweet?

Your readers should already know as well as I do, what happened is what always happened. Bellatrix management lined me up some little cutie pie to take out my constant bad mood . She was more of a challenge than I gave her credit for which had left me temporarily checking my attitude, but she took that small show of respect as weakness and repayed me by wiping her French arse all over my face.

Seriously... A stink face????? So I gave her an axekick and sent her home tapping to Skarletts Web. Obviously.


2. Sounds like your Skarlett's Web is the most effective in your matches.

This isn't a question. A question being a sentence worded or expressed so as to elicit information.. this isn't a statement either. Its a FACT. .A thing that is indisputably the case. If it wasn't effective why on earth would I waste my time beating everyone down enough to ground them so I can slap it on them? Don't mistake me for the kind of girl that has to put all that flowery flippy pretty crap in their matches so everyone cheers. I do everything I do with one simple mantra in mind - ''If it hurts it works.''



3. Outside of Bellatrix, what happened between you and Saraya Knight in Herts & Essex Women's Championship?

Ah yes. That was regrettable. For HER. You see the problem was I got far too comfortable dominating the HEW Women's division and took my eye of the ball in a BIG way allowing Mrs Knight to sneak on back on. I'd like to think she was surprised by the fight she got out of me...and I'm really not ashamed to have been beaten by one of the best in the world. Who would? I'm a big girl, I can take my lessons and I learn from them.


4. Do you think you can regain your championship by any means necessary?

If any means necessary also means ''Casket Match'' then yes I do believe I can regain the gold. There's been bad blood between Saraya knight and myself over at HEW for for too long. Its time that someone offered the wily veteran a bit of competition, and that someone is going to be me.



5. Now you'll be facing a former TNA Knockout in Christina Von Eerie. What do you think about facing such a young talent like Christina?

I've been checking her out doing a little research and she seems on paper to be my kind of lady, stylistically and the way she promotes herself, But I'm not in this industry to make friends and share fashion tips. Unfortunately, my personal opinion of her doesn't actually matter when I have a job to do. Win. As for her being so ''young'' as you put it.. that doesn't matter to me. Everyone still has their lessons to learn, and I will gladly play the role of Teacher. Today's lesson - Von Eerie's Limitations.


6. With SHIMMER's top stars coming to Bellatrix, do you believe they have the talent to hang with the Bellatrix veterans?

We will have to see wont we. I just hope the rest of Team Bellatrix take a leaf our of my play book and keep their feet on the ground and concentrate on the battle at hand rather than being all star struck and big eyed. This is an opportunity to show a larger audience what us British girls have to offer..
And mark my words when I say the name of everyone's lips will be mine.


7. Let's go around with your view of the SHIMMER ladies. It's like name association, but it's your scouting report for each of the individuals who will come to England. LuFisto?

Destiny... You got this one in the bag.







8. Mercedes Martinez?

I think Miss Mina will struggle taking the title from Martinez.


9. Cheerleader Melissa?

I'm gonna be watching this one from the back with interest. Plenty of bad blood between Melissa and Saraya, I'm gonna grab a nice cold beer and watch them both kill each other.



10. Courtney Rush?

I think she'll have a competitive match with Liberty, but I think Rush is going to edge it. Seriously Liberty's ridiculous luck has to end soon.

11. What are your goals in Bellatrix?

To practice random hate and senseless acts of brutality. Oh and to finally break the title scene...



12. In closing, would you like to leave a last message to your fans as well as Christina Von Eerie?

My ''fans'' ? There are only two types of people - the ones who rightfully fear and respect me... or the ones that don't know any better. As for a message for Eerie? I'm looking forward to being the one to welcome her to the UK , But I'll let my actions speak louder than my words.


Special thanks to Skarlett for her time as well as Saraya Knight for helping me out in the process.To keep up with the happenings of Skarlett, follow her on Twitter @ExtremeSkarlett as well as her Facebook Fanpage at faecbook.com/SkarlettWrestler.

You can follow me on Twitter @matthewhollie

Monday, August 26, 2013

Enter The Bellatrix Zone: Christina Von Eerie, Inked To Perfection

The renegade of the ring, Christina Von Eerie
For all of us who don't know much about Christina Von Eerie, or her TNA name Toxxin, you should take notice of the rising superstar right out of Sacramento, California; the home of the Sacramento Kings. But the fact that this product from California's capital city has made significant progress throughout her 7 years in the business and at 23 years of age, she brings a whole new generation of youth to the mix. Ask anybody, she brings plenty to the table.

The attitude of CVE, mohawk and all.
She made her debut in 2006 and in 2010, she made her TNA debut at the age of 21 with Jesse Neal and Shannon Moore as Ink, Inc. Just like her SHIMMER colleague Cheerleader Melissa, her stay in TNA was not good and she left in 2011. But that did not stop her from working in other promotions like SHIMMER and SHINE where she has gotten moderate success.

Christina brings character to Bellatrix as well as her styles of both ring work and attire.
Christina will bring her brand of energy and attitude to Bellatrix, along with a unique work ethic and unmatched ability. She will also bring her brand of style as well, with her signature Mohawk. Out of her 145 matches in her career, she has 61 wins under her belt with a moderate 42.1% winning percentage. Her best year was in 2010, when she had a solid 51.4% winning percentage and the following year was her worst, only to have a 22.2% winning percentage.

Never intimidated, never scared.
With a whole new world for CVE, the best is yet to come for this rising star. The crowd will be nothing if not supportive, but twhen they do,m there is one chant that keeps her coming back for more: "Oi! Oi! Oi!"

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Knockouts Knocked Down: Why The TNA Knockouts Are Disintegrating Fast

Let's admit it; the TNA Knockouts division isn't what it used to be anymore. With just 5 women active on the roster, it's very hard to come up with clever matches and better stories. I'm not gonna sit here and lie, but the division as we once knew it is simply fading fast.

Back then, there were so many talent women on the TNA roster like Awesome Kong, Angelina Love, Sarita, Velvet Sky, Traci Brooks, ODB, Tara, Mickie James, Gail Kim and many others too long too list here. These women have always put on tremendous matches and give it 110% in the ring. They even outperformed the guys in TNA with their athleticism and beauty. Their Knockouts division was better than the WWE Divas division.

Now all that is left is just Gail, ODB, Mickie, Velvet, and Miss Tessmacher to keep this division alive. Kong is gone. Angelina is gone. Traci is gone. Sarita is gone. Tara is gone and she said she will never return to TNA. Madison Rayne is gone. And Taryn Terrell is out for a while. While the lack of depth is why the fans lost faith in TNA, look at the WWE Divas. They have what the Knockouts lack: talent and depth. Look at the SHIMMER roster as well. They certainly have what the Knockouts lack as well: Lots of amazing talent, great depth, and former Knockouts Alissa Flash and Ayako Hamada helped bring SHIMMER to international prominence.

It's up to you if you lost faith in the Knockouts division. I don't see that division succeeding if you have five women on your roster. It comes off with failing marks and needs to be addressed very soon.

Monday, August 19, 2013

Hey IWC, Stop Complaining!: Why Daniel Bryan Shall Be Champion Again

After last night's great match between John Cena and Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship which we saw Daniel Bryan win the gold, out of nowhere Randy Orton cashes in his Money In The Bank contract and out of nowhere, Triple H pedigrees Bryan to secure Orton the win. Now everybody, including the locker room, fans, journalists, even the dreaded Internet Wrestling Community are complaining about it. I know it's short, but folks, he'll get it back. But that's what Money In The Bank winners do; they cash it in at the most opportunistic time, and what a waste of time that was.

What a crappy way to win the championship, eh Randy?


Hey guys, stop whining and start enjoying the bigger picture: Daniel Bryan will be champion again. Why? Because the way I see it, he can get a feud with Randy Orton working and when that ends, we'll see Bryan back on top. And we'll see who the bigger goat of the story is. Right now however, is not even the right time to get real angry and real frustrated. Frustrated at the fact that Daniel Bryan is not the champion and the angry at the fact Randy Orton is. We all know Daniel Bryan deserves the title and a long run with it, but when it comes down to it, we realists must come to terms with the fact that one of them  is not gonna happen anytime soon. We have to understand the fact that it is up to Vince McMahon himself that makes the call.

Just for right now, enjoy the biggest ride we are about to go on now that Daniel Bryan is back in thge hunt for the WWE Championship. It's only a matter of time before the bigwigs over at WWE to make Daniel Bryan the hardest working champ there is. For some fans, they need to know the term "Long Term Booking" and they will know why the war between Orton and Bryan for the gold is gonna be good in the long run. I know everybody wants to see Bryan win again, he will once this beef with Orton is done. Bryan wants the gold even more, and more meaningful.

Just don't go bananas over the end result, folks.

Friday, August 16, 2013

In The Defense Of Darren Young

In case everybody hadn't heard by now, WWE Superstar Darren Young announced that he was gay in an interview with TMZ earlier this week and it got most of the wrestling world supporting him for his decision. I'm not saying I'm homophobic, which I'm not, and I never hated the guy for his unique lifestyle. I'm proud of Darren and the way the wrestling community handled the news well. It got great reaction from John Cena, Stephanie McMahon, Triple H, Steve Corino, Matt Hardy, WWE Head Honcho Vince McMahon, just to name a few.

As a wrestling fan, you got to admit he did something brave and he will not allow himself to be prejudiced. Some opinions from fans even wrestlers I don't often agree with, but I don't say anything negative towards anybody for their opinion. It's their right to have their opinion heard and I appreciate those who understand where I stand. It's just sad that times are changing and some people are suck in the middle of nowhere.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Athena's Injury Leaves WSU Questions Before Today's Event

The fact that Athena took a nasty spill after a German Suplex at a wrestling show last night really started to worry me. Now confirmed by WSU head honcho Drew Cordeiro, Athena will not appear today at the Uncensored Rumble event.

This is not the first time Jessicka Havok is without an opponent that suffered an injury. Last time that was LuFisto who suffered an injury at SHIMMER Volume 53, missing the weekend tapings and a WSU event while she recovers. Now Havok has got to find an opponent for today otherwise, he Havok Death Machine really needs to beat somebody up for profit. Probably either Neveah or Lexxus can get a shot or both of them will face Havok in a triple threat. That is logically the best option right now.

So many questions, and right now, Drew Cordeiro is the guy who can get all the answers, maaaaaaan.

Get well soon, Athena. You be beating hussies up again in no time.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

A Rowdy Farewell: A Fan's Tribute To Rowdy Ricky Knight



To every American wrestling fan, whatever they're a die-hard or a casual fan, they don't know who this man is. To all who have lived in England, there is one name who has built a dynasty in professional wrestling and one name only. That name is “Rowdy" Ricky Knight, the man who has been the patriarch and co-architect of the Knight Dynasty, featuring his wife Sweet Saraya Knight, a former SHIMMER Champion; his sons Roy and Zak Knight; and his daughter Paige, a star on the rise in professional wrestling  In baseball, the New York Yankees are more than champions, they were a dynasty; a franchise that has many names like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Reggie Jackson, Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter. In hockey, the Montreal Canadiens were the greatest dynasty of all time as well as the New York Islanders, and the Edmonton Oilers. In basketball, the Boston Celtics dominated the sport, winning 17 NBA Championships. But in wrestling, the Knights are a dynasty in this business and one of the most recognizable families in professional wrestling. They are not some pushovers either, as they are completely badasses in the ring and a tight-knit family outside it.

On October 4th, the Rowdy One will officially end a 25+ year career that was memorable. “Well I think they will remember I was part of a great tag team the Superflys with Jimmy Ocean, we dominated the tag division for over ten years. I think and hope they remember me as an entertainer and head of the biggest European wrestling family."

The event for the World Association of Wrestling, billed as “A Rowdy Farewell," will be nothing sorry of bittersweet for UK fans, but it should be a great tribute to the man who helped built the foundation for the UK wrestling scene. “They will expect it to be the best show ever and its going to plan to meet that expectation," Knight said about the event.

Since 1985, Knight has been a fixture in British wrestling, and has helped others get starts in wrestling; like his wife Saraya Knight; his sons Roy and Zak; and his daughter Brittani, now known as Paige in the WWE. Every member of the Knight dynasty has excelled in the ring and in life. The promos they delivered, the style of aggression they all bring in the ring, Ricky Knight taught them.

But in the beginning, he took a rough and tough route to become a wrestler.

“I was working as a Bouncer on a night club, one night some wrestlers came in after a show, i got talking to one of them and he ask if I would consider becoming a wrestler, the wrestler was Jimmy Ocean, four weeks later he became my trainer and mentor," Knight has said.

With “Gentleman" Jimmy Ocean working with him in the ring, his early work in the ring was an experience. “I was quite lucky because Jimmy my trainer was already an established star and he would not let me debut until I was ready in his mind, I did the local circuit for a while then I got some good gigs and Jimmy and I became the Superflys tag team, within a year we were main eventing." The Superflys, according to Saraya were “notoriously badass, hard trainers, great wrestlers, they can whip any crowd in a frenzy and they have got me out of quite a few scrapes. I owe them my foundation in the wrestling business, my character would never have developed like it has without their tuition." And of course there was great chemistry between these brutal men. “Jimmy is like a brother to me and I love him like a brother he was an amazing wrestler up there with all the great lightweights of the UK. As a tag team we clicked and went on an amazing ride 10 years on and off as champions, working with some amazing people," Knight said of “Gentleman" Jimmy.

A memorable match in Ricky's mind comes in the late 1980s while partnering with Jimmy Ocean. “My favourite match; Colston Hall, Bristol 1989; Jimmy ocean and I won the British tag titles against King Ben and Kid McCoy in a match lasting 49 minutes."

In addition to learning from Ocean, Knight has not only trained his wife Saraya, his sons Roy and Zak, and his daughter Brittani. “First of all they learned etiquette, then I specialized in teaching British style as to me its still the best," he said. “They learned to work the crowd, too many modern stars are selfish and do their stuff whether the crowd wants it not. then they learned to work on emotion draw the fans in, make them care an art which is going out the modern era in my opinion."

Along with Saraya, he is the architect of the Knight Dynasty in England. It is one of the most recognizable names in wrestling right there with the Von Erichs and the Anoai clan and of course the Guerrero family. “Its a great feeling to build that sort of legacy and remember my grandsons RJ and PJ are going through our academy so there is many more Knights coming through. I also like to think WAW Will always be a legacy long after I have gone." The same with Saraya as well. “I love that my family are all in the same business, we travel together and room together, its great to have the very people you love most in the world and trust by your side in business and in private, We are a very close family and I feel we are all specialists in different styles of wrestling. I am very proud of my children and what they have accomplished so far, I know the Knight name will continue and a legacy will be left," she said.

A favorite rivalry of Ricky's is one between father and son, like in most promotions. “My favourite rivalry has been my son. Roy, Zebra Kid we took each other to the limit for two years, across many feds, ending in a brutal cage match."

in 1993, Knight started the World Association of Wrestling, which showcases not only the best talent in England, but also the world. “Wrestling is my life in and out of the ring, i tell my students, wrestling is not a hobby, its a way of life. It takes hard work and dedication but its worth it as that 20 minutes in the ring or a WAW Show coming together is the biggest buzz going," he says. And although he will be still teaching newcomers as well as promoting, the academy will still be intact. “I will still have my academy and gym in Norwich and will still promote, I am retiring from in ring only."

When it comes to the world of wrestling these days, the man is all honesty. "I think wrestling is a great industry to be in, most problems created are not by wrestling itself but by massive egos and people who think that know but in reality know sweet FA."

The Knights' documentary, "Fighting With My Family," has gotten critical acclaim and earned every moment of it. "To be honest, it was more about my childrens journey to WWE, it was also about my family and our life in and out of wrestling but predominantly it was Saraya-Jades and Zaks story, I think people would need to see it really, its still on youtube I think, I would not like to give to much away just in case people are still viewing it, watch it and write to me on your thoughts about it," Saraya said. "The documentary was hard work cameras around us for a long time, see us at our best and worst, but it ended up a huge success and just won a TV award."

In October of this year, Ricky Knight will be hanging up the boots, but will still be promoting shows in England. When it comes to work in the US Independent scene, he says; "Jimmy and I Had the opportunity to wrestle in the states as the Superflys on a few occasions but had a very young family at the time, was very busy here and the money offered was not enough to tempt us to be honest. We were wrestling here 300 plus times a year at the time. Would have loved to hit either of the big two but it never happened, Shame as I think we would have stormed the place." When the time comes, there are many plans for his future. When asked what the future holds for him, he says, "I retire from in ring in October, then its concentrating on making my academy and WAW recognized worldwide and start on my book."

To this day, Ricky Knight will always be “The Rowdy One," whether the fans like it or not; and he can still promote the best wrestling shows in England, but when he ritires, he knows he has accomplished everything he has done in his entire career. To his loyal fans who supported him and the Knight family for such a long time, he says this; “To all my fans I am retiring from in ring only, the Knightmare is not over yet."

Special thanks to Ricky Knight for his time for his interviews, as well as Saraya Knight for helping me out in the process. To learn more about Ricky Knight, follow him on Twitter @RickyKnightWAW.

You can follow me on Twitter @matthewhollie

Friday, August 2, 2013

Enter The Bellatrix Zone: The Female Terminator

Cheerleader Melissa heads back to England for the first time in 5 years.
For years, no one has ever underestimated Cheerleader Melissa; whether she's either Raisha Saeed or Alissa Flash, she brings her brand of intensity and aggressiveness. “I was born into the business. My Father wrestled professionally from 1984-86. I still can remember sitting next to my mother watching Dad wrestle,” Melissa said about her early years in an interview a few years ago. “Since then, we have always kept in contact with our friends and family in the business. Growing up, I was very athletic. I competed in sports such as amateur wrestling and martial arts. Being around the business so much, I too became interested in becoming a professional wrestler. Dad supported me in whatever I wanted to do.”

Trained by not only by Bill Anderson, she learned from Christopher Daniels, Robert Thompson, Bryan Danielson (Known to WWE audiences as Daniel Bryan) and Mariko Yoshida, she brings a technical game while utilizing high-flying moves, brawling, and submission wrestling to her arsenal. "It was a great experience working with all of them, but the best was the very different styles I learned," she said in an interview last year. "In the beginning, Billy Anderson guided me and Christopher Daniels trained me on the fundamentals. During my time training in Japan, Mariko Yoshida trained me on Japanese style with lots of submissions and technical wrestling. When I returned to the US, I trained with Daniel Bryan and Robert Thompson who were both all-around amazing trainers."

Melissa has made a complete name for herself all over the world.
For 13 years, Melissa has made herself a solid name with the help of ClickWrestle.com as well as her home promotion for 7 years, SHIMMER Women Athletes. "The main thing I remember from the early days in Shimmer, was the excitement in the air with having so many talented females in one location. It truly was something very special that was the beginning of a great era for female pro wrestling and I am proud to say that I have been on every Shimmer DVD since the start," she says about the early years of SHIMMER.

In 2008 she made her Total Nonstop Action Wrestling debut as the mysterious Raisha Saeed, manager and speaker for the dominant Awesome Kong. The association between Melissa and Kong go way back before their TNA careers. “That was an idea that was already created in one of the (TNA) writers’ minds,” Melissa said. “They were looking for the right person to fill the role, but the funny thing was that I was actually approached by WWE before the Muhammad Hassan era with almost the exact same Raisha Saeed character. Back then, there were two other people involved so it was supposed to be a tag team with a manager and a female. It was looking really good, but then at the last second they decided to go in a different direction with the Arab-American route instead of the straight Arab route. And when they went in that direction, it cut the possibility of having the female role to that, although I did get to dress up in that character and do a couple of test runs with it.

“…Fast forward a couple of years later and TNA came up with that character by themselves. People want to believe that a monster character like Awesome Kong doesn't have a voice so someone else should speak for her but also be mysterious. Word got back to their creative team that I had done something similar to that character and it just happened to fit.”

A year later in 2009, Alissa Flash took on the TNA scene, but her stay in TNA was not good and left in 2010. “It’s pretty much an extension of Cheerleader Melissa,” she explained. “I don’t think there’s that much difference between the two characters. However, if you remember, I had a match with Daizee Haze on Impact as Cheerleader Melissa and I think TNA creative were a little confused by that. When you hear about Cheerleader Melissa, perhaps you expect to see like a super happy Dallas Cowboys looking cheerleader and instead you get this strong looking brunette coming out and going crazy on people. I just don’t think that translated well with TNA. They liked my style and my aggressiveness, but they were just like ‘That cheerleader thing doesn’t work with your wrestling style.’ So that’s how they eventually came up with the Alissa Flash character for me.”

But how does Melissa tell those two apart from one another?

"Raisha Saeed was a very mysterious character that acted as the voice for Awesome Kong in TNA. Everyone had their own view or opinion about Raisha which was the beauty of the character. Alissa Flash was a tough and strong woman…honestly, she’s Cheerleader Melissa without the pom-poms…"

Melissa appears regularly in River City Wrestling in San Antonio as Alissa Flash.
On November 29, 2009, Melissa appeared as Alissa Flash for the Texas based promotion River City Wrestling, winning their major title legitimately on August 7, 2010. She has won their Tag Team title, and the International Tile; making her the first female to win the triple crown in that promotion. To be wrestling in the city that has legends like Tully Blanchard, WWE Hall of Famer “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels; as well as San Antonio Spurs legends like “The Iceman” George Gervin, “The Admiral” David Robinson, and Tim Duncan; it's an honor. "I really LOVE San Antonio and San Antonio has been very good to me. Not only is it an honor to wrestle in a city with great wrestling history, but the fans are very kind and amazing! San Antonio fans make the trips worth it every time," she says.

Melissa won the SHIMMER Title in 2011 from Madison Eagles.
On October 2, 2011; Melissa finally captured the SHIMMER Title after 44 volumes of trying to win it. "I wouldn’t say it was difficult, as it is a passion for me to keep going no matter what, under any circumstances. If you love what you do, it will never seem like work and all the bruises and struggle was worth it for me," she said.

But in 2012, she lost the belt to none other than Saraya Knight in controversial fashion. As Saraya put it bluntly; "I did what I had to do to get my hands on Melissa, I waited 5 years for that opportunity, It was a bonus she went into my match as a Champion and I was ecstatic when I took her belt, and from a submission!! I think it was well deserved and I patted myself on my back!"

Melissa's story is never complete without the involvement of Saraya Knight.
If anybody didn't know, Saraya and melissa have been going at it for over 5 years, when Melissa nearly ended Saraya's career when a cola can sliced Saraya's kneecap, ending the match right then and there. But their first match between the two was memorable, and showed signs of hatred, kind of like the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry. "Well I was her opponent at Chickfight 7 and we were in the first round, I was knocked out of the competition after I got twisted in the ropes by my neck and was hanging there on the outside until people managed to separate the top and 2nd rope so my head could be released, I was hanging and fighting for breathe for about a minute or so and whilst I was in trouble Melissa was trying to smash my head in and stop the guys from getting me free. The first encounter was memorable," Saraya said.

When asked if she any plans to win the gold again, Melissa replied, "Plans to win it again? Of course I do! I always have a plan up my sleeve and one day that gold will be back around the Cheerleader’s waist!"

One amazing move worked wonders for Melissa.
That plan went to fruition in APril of this year, when Saraya and Melissa battled it out in a steel cage where Melissa broke out a super hurricanrana off the top of the cage as well as landing her missle dropkick and the Air Raid crash to pick up the win as well as the SHIMMER Title for the second time. The girl made no mistake about it...her plan was ultimately successful.

Melissa has had lots of supporters and detractors throughout her career.
A lot of people in the wrestling industry has had a lot to say about Melissa, some negative, some positive.

“I think she’s beautiful and an amazing performer, not many are as good as her. She’s just no match for Perfection,” said Shanna, a fellow female wrestler from Portugal.

Fellow CAC member and legendary announcer Jim Ross had this to say about Melissa; “Shes worked hard to make herself better. Wish she’d get a break.”

When I asked about LuFisto, one of Melissa’s classic opponents…and sometimes tag partners, whether or not she has the highest respect for her, she states, “I always had. She’s an amazing competitor.”

“A pioneer for the Wrestling industry. I came across her from watching a match she had on HEAT against Victoria and have been a fan ever since,” says Jezabeth, a young wrestler out of Great Britain.

Former SHIMMER star Davina Rose, who wrestled with Melissa before and now goes by Bayley in the WWE, says she’s “Very respected in the world of women’s wrestling.”
When I was talking about a match that featured Melissa and Hailey Hatred, the most decorated female wrestler today, I hoped that one day they’ll face off again, and she replied; “me too, she’s a great opponent.”

“Melissa’s technique is so good, and she has power and stamina. She is a smart wrestler. I love Melissa!” Mariko Yoshida, one of her trainers and opponents during her career, said in a Dirty Dirty Sheets interview.

Rebecca Knox has had said this about Melissa; "A tough competitor and a remarkable lady who has done so much for the female wrestling industry."

Current SHINE Champion Rain said that Melissa is "Tough as nails. Also, reminds me of odd shaped cookies."

A rising wrestler from New Zealand named Evie has had her say about the Cheerleader; "Amazing talent, someone I have looked up to. Would love the opportunity to wrestle her."

Even Rhia O'Reilly can never forget that dangerous curbstomp of Melissa's.
Even Bellatrix stars like Rhia O'Reilly has said one thing about her signature Curbstomp; "That curb stomp is lethal!"

And the Queen of Europe Queen Maya has said that Melissa "Was part of the greatest rivalry in recent women's wrestling history with Saraya Knight. Her cage match with her was like an epic field battle. I'm eager for an opportunity to prove my mettle with her."

Melissa brings to Bellatrix prestige.
What Melissa brings to the table is her aggressiveness and her technical prowess. Throughout her 13-year career, Melissa has been in 311 matches with 156 wins under her belt and a solid winning percentage of 50.2%. The best year in her career was her SHIMMER Title campaign in 2011 earning her a 68.4% winning percentage. Her worst? In 2002, with a winning percentage of 35.7%. In SHIMMER, where she has her success, she has a 65.5%, being the only active wrestler to appear on every volume since 2005. In TNA, she has little success, with a winning percentage of 26.2%.

The reigning SHIMMER Champion is always looking good.
What does the future hold for Melissa? "We never know what the future holds…but I’ll tell you one thing…the future looks good!!" she says. Nothing can be sure yet, as the 30-year-old athlete still has lots of mileage to go, she still feels she isn’t finished quite yet. “My journey isn’t over yet,” Melissa says, “it’s just beginning.”

Besides, her fans will still support her, even if she's a heel or a face. "I just want to say how grateful I am to every one of my fans of the support I have received through out the past years of my career. Its the fans that truly keep me motivated and make every bump/bruise worth my love for Professional Wrestling. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

And we couldn't agree more.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Enter The Bellatrix Zone: Enter The Rush Zone

The Rush Revolution is coming for you, England!

Winnipeg has a great hockey history as well as wrestling history, as the Winnipeg Jets won three Avco Cups while in the World Hockey Association and has had a loyal following in the 80s and mid 90s before moving to Phoenix. As wrestling history applies, it is the hometown of WWE legend Chris Jericho as well as the rising star in the indy scene, the One and only Courtney Rush. A 6-time champion currently holding the Bellatrix World Championship as well as a few Canadian Wrestling promotions women's titles, Rush has been and always will be one of a kind. Battling with the likes of Allysin Kay, Cheerleader Melissa, Cherry Bomb, Sara Del Rey and Kellie Skater; the Rush Revolution has one stop she hasn't been yet: England, where she will be defending the belt at Epic Studios in Norwich, the home of Bellatrix Female Warriors on October 6.

A fun-loving side of Courtney Rush everyone likes.
Beginning as a student at Scott D'Amore's school in Windsor, Ontario, Canada; Rush began her career as P.J. Tyler due to the fact she is an Aerosmith fan. In January 2008 she made her debut, only to lose to Haley Rogers, otherwise known as Cat Power. She would later avenge this loss in July of 2008. While the talent was good for the young up-and-comer to develop, it was only a matter of time before SHIMMER started calling. While she joined the roster under the Sparkle lineup, she made her SHIMMER debut in March of 2011.

Courtney Rush and Sara Del Rey formed a team in 2012 that captured SHIIMER Tag Team gold. It didn't go so well months later.
While proving to herself as well as the fans in SHIMMER, Rush shined in singles matches; but when Sara Del Rey was looking for a tag team partner, out of the blue came Courtney Rush. They gelled a bit winning the SHIMMER Tag Team Titles in March or 2012, but they actually crumbled when SDR turned her back and cost both of them the titles to the Canadian Ninjas, made up of Nicole Matthews and Portia Perez; months later at an NCW:FF show.

The Bellatrix World Title makes a nice pillow for the reigning champion/
After that betrayal, Courtney went directly back to singles competition, picking up a few solid wins. In March of this year, Courtney got the opportunity of a lifetime as she faced off against Allison Danger for the Bellatrix World Title. It was hard fought, but in the end, the Winnipeg Suplex Machine got the victory and the gold. In SHIMMER Volume 55, Rush even challenged reigning SHIMMER Champion Cheerleader Melissa, but with bad results. The two faced off again in last month's NCW:FF, but it got real ugly when they were both DQ'd.

The Boss teaches Courtney a lesson.
Courtney will bring her brand of excitement in England, with her positive personality and a fiery work ethic. Out of her 143 matches, Courtney managed to have 71 wins under her belt, including a 49.7% winning percentage. Her best year was in 2012, when she had a solid 59.3% winning percentage and her worst year was her sophomore year in 2009, only to have a 37.9% winning percentage. No matter the statistics, what Rush brings to the table for Bellatrix is something extraordinary.

Always thinking, so you don't have to.
Courtney is in her 5th year in the indrustry, and as the years progress, so have her skills. She is far from her early days as a young P.J. Tyler, and that's only the beginning.

The best of the best is right here in Winnipeg. And The Rush Revolution has only begun to take shape.