Shimmer #9 - ‘Best of 5 Finale’

LOCATION: Winter Park, Florida
VENUE: Full Sail Studios

Announce Team - Renee Young & Matt Striker



---- ALL SHOWS AVAILABLE ONDEMAND ON THE SHIMMER YOUTUBE CHANNEL OR ON SHIMMERWOMEN.COM


*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *


OPENING SEGMENT - The United States women’s champion CHARLOTTE comes out along with Nia Jax .... She says that 2 times she has been the better wrestler, the better WOMAN than Molly Holly, but she stands here and doesn’t have the world title .... And there is only one person to blame .... NIA JAX! .... Jax seems really surprised by this, and Charlotte proceeds to go off on Jax and Jax got herself thrown out of the match, and she wasn’t there to have her back .... Charlotte runs her down, but Jax has had enough and goozles Charlotte!!!!  

She has Charlotte by the throat and chokes her down to her knees .... She says Charlotte doesn’t order her to do anything!  Up until now she has protected Charlotte, while Charlotte kept her friends close and her enemies closer .... Charlotte kept the one person close that she knew was the biggest threat to her .... Nia says she is the Queen of the Ring and she’s tired of protecting Charlotte .... it’s time for Charlotte to make good on their deal, TONIGHT!!!!

Jax releases her grip on Charlotte and walks off, leaving Charlotte gasping for air on her knees .... Jax vs Charlotte for the US title tonight!

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *


Back at ringside with Renee Young and Matt Striker after that EXPLOSIVE opening .... We are going to get Nia Jax cashing in her Queen of the Ring title shot TONIGHT!  We have the BRAND NEW Shimmer Champion Paige here tonight, plus Asuka will be in the ring against Santana Garrett, and we will kick off the show with the 5th and final match in the ‘Best of 5’ series between Toni Storm and Sasha Banks!  Let’s go up to the ring!


This has gone from a friendly challenge to a bitter rivalry in the course of the first 4 matches .... Banks took a commanding 2-0 lead in the series, only to see Storm come back and tie it at 2-2 to set up tonight’s deciding match .... BOTH ladies are beat up, with Storms shoulder taking a beating in the first 2 matches, but Banks has a bad neck after the last 2 and especially taking a Strong Zero piledriver on the ring apron .... not only the physical toll, but we have also see their friendship dissolve as now both ladies are out to tear each other apart to win the series ....


’Best of 5’ series: Match 5 (series tied 2-2)
Sasha Banks
- vs -
Toni Storm

Storm tries to get the win quickly with a cradle and then a backslide for 2 right off the jump .... Banks comes back with a cradle of her own that Storm kicks out of .... Storm comes up and hits an arm drag followed by a dropkick .... Banks rushes Storm to the corner and follows with strikes, then lays in with some shoulder blocks to the midsection .... Banks attacks the arm, and hits a hip toss and running meteroa for 2 .... Banks fires up with forearm strikes and sends Storm to the floor, then follows with a dive!  Storm fights back, and both ladies brawl on the floor .... Storm sends Banks into the railing, then clotheslines her over the railing into the front row!!!!  Storm isn’t done there, and she turns and looks at the top rope .... the fans pop because they know what she’s thinking .... Storm goes to the top rope .... DIVES OFF THE TOP ONTO BANKS WHO IS IN THE FRONT ROW!!!!  HOLY SHIT!!!!  Both ladies are down, and the ref starts his 20 count .... they start to stir at 8, and Storm makes it over the rail first .... she tries to slide in the ring to beat the count, but Banks grabs her leg and pulls her down!  14 ... 15 ... 16 ... Banks tosses Storm into the railing and tries to climb in herself, but Storm grabs her leg and stops her .... 18 ... 19 ... the ref reaches 20, counting both ladies out!

Storm and Banks just ignore everything else going on and start beating the Shit out of each other on the floor!  More refs come in, and pull the 2 ladies apart when out comes ....




Out comes Shimmer commissioner Drake Maverick!  Maverick is usually a behind-the-scenes character, but he comes out to let BOTH Storm and Banks know that this decision isn’t going to stand!  The fans came to see a winner and that’s what they are going to see .... Maverick tells both of them to go to the back, because they are going to come back out later tonight and finish this .... AND THERE MUST BE A WINNER!


Backstage segment with Naomi and Ember Moon where Naomi tries to explain to Ember that BelAir is young and just trying to help .... Ember tells Naomi that BelAir doesn’t need to get involved in her matches ever again ....


*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *


We get intro videos from the participants in our next match:



Lacey Evans - From Paris Island, South Carolina, Evans spent 5 years as a Sargeant in the Marine Corps and an assistant breacher on the SWAT team .... She says the military taught her everything she knows about being a positive role model and considers herself the ‘Lady’ of Shimmer .... She takes pride in what women all over the world fight for daily, and she can do what men can do while still being a lady at the same time .... She really plays up the Southern Belle gimmick complete with thick southern accent, mannerisms and all ....



Rhea Ripley - A 21 year old former soccer player from Adelaide, South Australia .... Ripley refers to herself as a ‘mosh kid’ who likes death metal and head banging .... she played high level soccer for 9 years in Australia, and has adopted that into her wrestling style which includes a lot of kicks .... she kicks really hard, and she can get her leg really high to kick girls’ faces in .... She says that the other women in Shimmer may have more experience than her, she has youth on her side and no one kicks harder than her ....


Singles Match
Lacey Evans
- vs -
Rhea Ripley

Both of these ladies are athletic AF .... They lock up and work some clean back and forth, with Evans backing off and dramatically using her handkerchief to dab the sweat of her face .... Another lock up and this time Ripley hits a sweet standing dropkick .... Evans looks to pick up the pace and use her power, but Ripley cuts her off with some kicks .... Evans counters with a back elbow, then goes to the apron and hits the slingshot elbow drop for 2 .... Evans tries to keep Ripley grounded, attacking the arm and staying a step ahead .... Ripley fights back, hitting a knee strike followed by a barrage of forearms .... Evans to the corner and Ripley hits a running yakuza kick followed by a hesitation dropkick for a close 2 .... Ripley goes for the full Nelson slam, but Evans elbows out of it and hits a swinging neckbreaker .... Evans scoops her up for the Lady Lace Up (fireman carry dropped into cradle air raid crash) but Ripley slips off and rolls Evans up for the quick 3 count!

Good showing by both ladies .... Ripley comes out and offers a handshake after the match, but Evans responds with a straight right hand that lays out Ripley!  Evans walks off to boos, shaking her hand from the force of the punch ....


*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *


Special Showcase Match
Asuka
- vs -
Santana Garrett

We get a handshake to start and then we do the lockup, go behind, reversal into an arm bar .... Santana catches Asuka with a back elbow, then gives her a little of her own medicine with a hard kick to the chest .... Asuka gets super pissed and stands up, then cuts Santana off with a kitchen sink knee .... Asuka with some hip attacks, but Santana avoids a hip attack and stuns Asuka with a dropkick .... Santana up top, but Asuka avoids the high cross and then hits a shining wizard for the near fall .... Asuka goes for the Asuka Lock, but Santana fights her off and catches her coming in with a Superkick for a good near fall!  Santana sits Asuka up top, but Asuka fights her off and Santana gets caught in the tree of WHOA and Asuka hits a knee drop for a 2 .... Santana fires up, but Asuka matches her strikes and they lay into each other!  Asuka with a spinning backfist that KO’s Santana, but she rebounds with a pele!  Santana goes for the shining star press, but Asuka with the knees up!  Asuka lays into her with kicks, but Santana ducks and catches her with a German suplex!  Asuka stumbles into the corner, and Santana goes for the handspring back elbow but she runs right into the Asuka Lock!!!!  Asuka takes Santana down with body scissors and she has no choice but to tap out!


The fans applaud both women, who shake hands again afterwards .... Renee tries to get a word with Asuka about her time in Shimmer and all she says is ‘NOBODY .... IS READY .... FOR ASUKA!!!!’




*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *


We get a profile on Bianca BelAir .... some consider her to be the best pure athlete in Shimmer, and she knows it .... she calls herself ‘The EST’ because she’s the Strong-EST, Tough-EST, Fast-EST, and Badd-EST .... she is a former All-SEC and All-American track star at Tennessee and a former CrossFit competitor and power lifter .... she has all the tools to be a major player in the women’s division ....


Singles Match
Bianca BelAir
- vs -
KC Spinelli

BelAir shows a more aggressive and heelish side .... Spinelli offers a handshake to start but BelAir refuses and instead drills her with a straight forearm .... HAIR WHIP!  BelAir gets Spinelli up in a cutthroat Argentine backbreaker, then slams her down in a facebuster .... BelAir finishes it with the alley oop powerbomb ....


Renee is at ringside again to get a word with Bianca BelAir .... BelAir says she isn’t even out of breath .... Renee asks her about her problems with Ember Moon at Volume 7 and asks if there is some jealousy because Ember used to be Naomis partner .... BelAir says she is the best pure athlete in Shimmer .... she ain’t got nothing to be jealous for!  And as far as Ember Moon goes, she ain’t nothin and she doesn’t know why Naomi chases her around because it’s not worth the time .... just like it’s not worth her time to be out here right now ....





*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *


Brand new Shimmer Champion Paige makes her way to the ring .... it’s been a long road back to the title, but she’s a champion again .... and she’s going to be a fighting champion so she wants to know who is going to step up and challenge her for the title .... out comes Ember Moon .... Ember says she respects Paige and respects the title .... we saw what happened when Priscilla Kelly interfered,but now let’s see what happens when it’s one on one with no outside interference .... Paige agrees to the match ....


BACKSTAGE -

Kay and Royce confront Santana, who is icing her neck following that brutal match with Asuka .... they tease her about not getting the job done and Santana says there is a reason she was CHOSEN for that match and not either of them .... it’s because she’s better .... They attack her and beat her down .... Royce shoved the tag title belt in her face and says she will never had it because she’s not ‘iconic’ like they are ....


Back at ringside, Matt and Renee talk about the next match .... we saw the relationship between Charlotte and Nia Jax explode at the beginning of the show, and now Nia has cashed in her Queen of the Ring title shot .... Matt Striker speculates that Charlotte kept ‘her friends close and her enemies closer’, using Nia Jax to watch her back to keep from facing her in the ring ....


For the United States women’s title
(Champion) Charlotte
- vs -
Nia Jax

Nia Jax makes her way out from behind the curtain, but she never makes it to the ring before she is attacked from behind by 3 women!!!!



Jax tries to fight them off, but it’s 3 on 1 and they wear Jax down!  Now Charlotte’s music hits!  Out comes the Champion, and she surveys the scene and calls off the thugs .... Jax manages to pull herself to a knee and locks eyes with Charlotte .... Charlotte kicks her right in the face with a big boot!  Sonya Deville retrieves a chair and hands it to Charlotte as Savoy and Baszler stretch out Jax’s leg .... Charlotte proceeds to hammer Jax in the knee with the steel chair!!!!  Charlotte puts Jax’s leg inside the chair AND STOMPS ON IT!!!!  Trainers and other staff rush out to get them away from Jax, and Charlotte backs away smiling while holding up the US title ....





*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *


’Best of 5’ series: Match 5 (series tied 2-2) *Must be a winner*
Sasha Banks
- vs -
Toni Storm

Both ladies approach the match more cautiously this time around .... they work a slow and methodical pace to start, but is doesn’t take long for the aggression to come out as Banks nails Storm with a back elbow that sends spit flying in the air .... Banks charges Storm but she sidesteps her and sends her flying to the floor .... Storm holds the ropes for Banks to come back in, but as she does Storm dropkicks her to the floor and then wipes her out with a suicide dive!!!!  More brawling at ringside, and Storm tries to suplex Banks into the crowd but Banks takes Storms arm and drops it across the guardrail!  Banks hits a meteora off the apron to Storm!

Back in the ring Banks puts her focus on the arm of Storm and grounds her .... Storm tries to fight back, but her arm gives out .... Banks off the ropes but Storm cuts her off with a desperation Lariat with her GOOD arm and both women are down!  We get a ‘FIGHT FOREVER!’ chant from the crowd .... Both ladies get up and stand nose to nose .... both are exhausted and beat all to hell because of the toll this series has taken on them both .... They trade strikes center ring, which Banks wins and she beats Storm down in the corner .... Banks goes for the double knee drop but Storm avoids it and hits a rope hung backstabber for a close 2!  Storm starts picking up the pace, but she is essentially working with 1 arm .... Banks cuts her off with the pop up knee strike, then a backstabber of her own .... RIGHT INTO THE BANKS STATEMENT!!!!  Storm reaches for the ropes but Banks uses her foot on the ropes to block it!  Banks pushes off the ropes and rolls Storm back to the center of the ring!  Storm is about to tap, but she shifts her weight and turns it into a rollup ... 1 ... 2 ... Noooo!  They pop up, but Banks catches Storm with a forearm!  Banks takes her to the corner and tries for the double knees again, but this time Storm hits a hotshot into the top buckle .... running hip attack to Banks while she’s down in the corner!!!!  Storm up top for the leg drop, but Banks stops her .... they fight on the top, and Banks goes for a super-plex but Storm fights her off with a series of headbutts!  Storm scoops her up .... Air Raid Crash from the 2nd rope!!!!  Holy shit!  Both ladies are down, but Storm stirs and crawls over just to lay an arm across Banks ... 1 ... BANKS NO SELLS AND KICKS OUT AT 1!!!!  Holy Shit the crowd is losing their minds!  Banks to her feet and she dares Storm to hit her .... HUGE roundhouse by Storm!  Banks crumbles to the mat, but Storm holds her up and doesn’t let her fall .... she pauses for a moment to look Banks in the eyes and she says something that the cameras don’t pick up .... STRONG ZERO PILEDRIVER!!!!  1 ... 2 ... 3!!!!


The fans are on their feet giving BOTH women a standing ovation as they lay on the mat .... ‘THANK YOU SASHA!’ and ‘THANK YOU TONI!’ dueling chants .... Renee and Striker talk about how this series has been featured in Progress USA, Progress UK and here in Shimmer and Toni Storm has turned in a real star-making performance, coming back from a 2-0 deficit to win the series 3-2 .... Both ladies are helped to their feet, and both are pretty much in tears because they’ve left it all in the ring .... they meet in the middle and hug, and Banks rolls out and gives the ring to Storm to celebrate her win ....