Pro Wrestling EVE WrestleQueendom 2 Review

Howdy!

Yeah, I’m back for another EVE show. I might be around a lot more if I keep enjoying this promotion as much as I have so far.

My review of the first WrestleQueendom is right here: https://blogofdoom.com/index.php/2019/06/26/wrestlequeendom-2018-review/

Alright. Let’s go.

WRESTLEQUEENDOM 2 – 6/30/19

Rhia O’Reilly and Emily Read welcome the crowd and us to York Hall and the show. They introduce Sierra Loxton, who’s been out with an injury for awhile and will be doing commentary with Dann Read.

Intro video, laying out our matches for tonight, with Di Matteo/Grace, Angels/Madusa Complex, Martina/Su Yung, the triple threat, and the main event getting some love.

Opening match: Yuu vs Nightshade

Yuu is a black belt in judo and won her first ever match in EVE at yesterday’s event in a triple threat; Nightshade was the one that wasn’t pinned, so she attacked after the match and we’ve got ourselves a good, old-fashioned grudge match here as a result.

Strike battle is won by Yuu and she hits a sideslam, but makes herself dizzy and misses an elbowdrop, Nightshade takes over. Hairtosses from Nightshade and she stomps away. Yuu comes back with chops for two, chinlock. Nightshade with an STO for two. Yuu catches Nightshade and tosses her, but gets caught on a charge and hit with a German suplex and a hip attack. Cannonball misses from Nightshade, Yuu’s hits for two. Yuu goes up, Nightshade tries to cut her off, Yuu blocks and hits a Code Red from the top to get the pin.

THOUGHTS: **1/2. This was fine, not much more than that. Yuu is popular enough, the match wasn’t much – they missed quite a few shots and it just felt like move into move with no real flow to the match or any selling/story to really underpine it. Still, it was alright. Yuu’s got talent.

Up next, it’s a Stardom presentation match.

Out first, it’s Kagetsu, who is awesome, along with Odeo Tai Moth and Jamie Hayter. Allow me to explain, as this took some extensive research; Odeo Tai is a Japanese faction that Moth and Hayter are a part of, and Kagetsu is their leader.

Trust me, it took some sweat equity to find out that info. One whole Google search.

Out next is Mayu Iwatani! She’s awesome as well. A Stardom main eventer and current holder of Stardom’s Artist of Stardom championship, she’s had extensive issues with Odeo Tai and specifically Kagetsu going back quite a ways. If Jabroniville ends up reading this, I’ll ask him or someone else with the knowledge to elaborate a bit in the comments. Iwatani may be most familiar to American fans as having held the Ring of Honor Women’s title earlier this year before losing it to Kelly Klein in MSG, but considering the current ROH viewing situation, I kind of doubt it.

Kagetsu vs Mayu Iwatani

They do a crazy fast starting sequence that almost leaves me breathless, with dueling armdrags and a dropkick from Mayu. Kagetsu pulls Mayu to the outside, allowing Martina and Hayter to lay in the beats while Kagetsu distracts the ref. As both of them are faces tonight, Dann Read literally has to say on-air that, for continuity purposes, none of this actually makes sense and we should just accept this as a Stardom presentation.

Okey-dokey, Dann.

Back in and Kagetsu controls. A neat cross-keylock hold forces Mayu to make the ropes. Kagetsu slaps the shit out of her, but Mayu makes the comeback with a slingblade and a Northern Lights suplex for two. Kagetsu rolls out, so Iwatani goes up and hits a crossbody onto all three of Odeo Tai.

Back in and sick double stomp gets two for Mayu. She goes up for a moonsault, but Kagetsu gets a crazy springboard dropkick and an Michinoku Driver onto a wooden board for two. Mayu’s selling is just utterly fantastic. Fujiwara armbar by Kagetsu now, Iwatani fights for the ropes and just makes it. Kagetsu goes up, Mayu cuts her off, top rope rana! Missile dropkick gets two for Iwatani. They do a crazy kick sequence that rules, then Mayu hits a superkick so good that it should make the Bucks ashamed they’ve ever even attempted one.

Both are down and struggle to their feet, Crucifix bomb by Mayu for two! German suplex by Mayu for two! 619 by Iwatani, standing moonsault! 1, 2, NO! Mayu goes up, moonsault misses! They barely make their way to their feet and the ref gets pushed (but not bumped) and Kagetsu mists Mayu and hits the Driver, but as she goes up, the time limit expires for the draw.

THOUGHTS: ***3/4. After I saw this match the first time, I swear that I almost went out and subscribed to Stardom World, because good lord, this was great stuff. And I got the feeling that this wasn’t even their best work! Mayu sells like crazy, moves unbelievably fluidly in the ring, and is a great babyface, while Kagetsu comes off as one hell of a heel in her facials, mannerisms, and ringwork. Kudos to both of them. It’s **** easy with an actual finish, but I suppose there was a reason to do the draw. Regardless, this was really fun.

Kagetsu comes off the top anyway and goes for a pin, just to be a jerk. Crowd gives them a well-deserved standing ovation after that.

Emily reminds the live fans that the previous match was a ‘non-canon’ Pro Wrestling EVE match.

Video package for Laura Di Matteo and Jordynne Grace. Laura beat Grace earlier this year and this is a grudge match. “What makes you think you can beat me twice?” from Jordynne sets up the immortal comeback “What makes YOU think you can beat me once?” from Laura, which I loved.

Laura Di Matteo vs Jordynne Grace

Laura doesn’t waste any time, dropkicking Grace to the floor and hitting a tope before the bell even rings. Bell rings and Laura hits a missile dropkick. Grace flattens her with a clothesline to come back, and goes to work with stomps. They tangle on the mat and Grace breaks with elbows. Sideslam and a Jericho cover gets one for Grace as the crowd chants for Laura.

Corner to corner whips from Grace, Laura tries a crossbody off the ropes and just bounces off Jordynne. Jackhammer from Grace gets two. They trade elbows and Laura goes for a submission, Grace powers out and slams her face first on the mat. Out to the apron and Laura blocks the piledriver, but gets sent to the floor, and Grace runs her into the barricade. Charge from Grace misses and Laura walks the barricade, but Grace blocks a ‘rana with a powerbomb to the apron. Back in, that gets two.

Tornado DDT from Laura slows down Grace for a moment. Slam by Grace, Laura pops right up! Another slam, same result! Crowd goes nuts for Laura, NASTY Michinoku Driver from Grace! 1, 2, NO! They head up top, superplex is blocked, Laura goes over and tries for the powerbomb, misses it, but still manages to ‘rana Grace off the top! Laura gets Jordynne up, Tombstone by Laura! 1, 2, NO! Laura immediately transitions into her submission, kicking Grace in the face while applying it – Jordynne taps!

THOUGHTS: ***1/2. The story of the match, with plucky underdog Laura trying to prove that she was the better woman, was told extremely well – Laura came out firing at Jordynne, Grace took over with power in the middle section of the match and hit big moves that Laura somehow kept kicking out of, and Laura’s comeback was fantastically timed and executed. Grace has gotten better and better the more experience she gets under her belt. I was a bit lower on this one until the great finishing sequence, but they really pulled it all together to finish it off.

Post-match, the ref helps Grace to the back to put Laura’s submission over even stronger.

Up next, Emily tells us we’re going to see history, as we’ll crown the first-ever EVE tag team champions.

Out first, it’s the Jinny and Mercedez Blaze, the Diamond Vogue Colective. They’ve been added to this match after defeating Kay Lee Ray and Viper two days ago at She Brawls in Brighton, making it a triple threat. Out next, it’s Jetta and Erin Angel, the Wrestle Friends.

This is your recap reminder that I love Jetta. I mean, the woman has crowds changing lyrics to a Carly Simon song in honor of how awesome she is, for god’s sake. What more could anyone want? She throws her shirt in Jinny’s face just to piss her off.

Out last are Charli Evans and Millie McKenzie, the Madusa Complex. I love the story of this team: heel Charli Evans gets thrown together in the EVE Battlebowl competition with babyface Millie McKenzie, and they win the whole thing, turning Millie to the dark side more efficiently than Vader ever could with Luke.

Pro Wrestling EVE – it’s just like Star Wars but even better, baby!

McKenzie and Evans are the current Sendai Girls tag team champions, and they give the crowd the finger before we get started, just in case you weren’t sure that they were heels.

The Diamond Vogue Collective vs Wrestle Friends vs The Madusa Complex – EVE Tag Team title match

Charli and Jetta start things off. Eh, not really, because Millie and Erin hit the ring quickly and we’ve got a 4-way brawl. Jinny and Blaze also get in there, but they get tossed aside because the other two teams are the ones that hate each other, because Wrestle Friends beat the Madusa Complex at She Slams on Saturdays and now the Complex wants revenge AND the first tag belts in EVE.

Jetta and Evans go at it, but Jinny with a blind tag and she goes to work on Jetta. Jinny does throw a great forearm. Suplex and Blaze comes in, and a butterfly suplex gets two for her. Considering the actual issue that exists between Wrestle Friends and Madusa, I probably wouldn’t have made this a triple threat, frankly, but Jinny and Blaze are both good enough to make it work.

Codebreaker by Jetta, tag to Erin, who comes in and beats Blaze into Erin’s corner. Dropkick by Erin sends Blaze into the Complex corner, and Millie tags in. Millie gets two on Angel before everyone comes in, but the ref gets control quickly and we’re back to Angel and Millie. Millie is gonna be incredible; her facials and snap in her ringwork are amazing for her age. She should stay in Japan as long as possible and let Meiko make her a Satomura mini-me. Charli back in and they cut the ring in half, just mercilessly beating on Erin.

Millie goes for a superplex, but Angel fights her off and spikes her with a tornado DDT, but that sends Millie into the DVC corner and Blaze tags in, and it’s more whuppin’ on tap for Erin Angel. She finally cuts Blaze off with a kick and tags in Jetta, who takes out everyone and hits Blaze with a neckbreaker. Evans comes in, but Jetta takes her out with a DDT. Everyone ends up outside and Angel comes off the top onto everyone.

Blaze gets tossed back in, Kill Switch from Angel, Jetta covers, Jinny saves by pushing Erin into the pin and we’re back to everyone coming in now. Millie tags herself in off Blaze, and everyone gets a German suplex as a result. Everyone is down now and they fight up, with McKenzie and Jinny being the last ones standing – Millie misses a charge in the corner, Blaze tags back in. Blaze tries to get help from Jinny, but Erin and Jetta fight them off. Jetta with a straight jacket neckbreaker, and Erin comes off the top with a splash – Jetta with a Mutalock on Blaze and she submits! Ladies and Gentlemen, we have new Pro Wrestling EVE tag team champions!

THOUGHTS: ***1/2. Okay, so Jinny and Blaze were in there to take the fall, I get it, but I think I would have preferred a two team match here. Regardless, the work was very good with a few missteps here and there, but nothing to really burn the ring to the ground over. I just didn’t really love the rivet-gun attachment of Jinny and Mercedez to the match at the last minute, to be honest. Still, while I’m happy to see Jetta and Erin win the straps (it was a very feel-good Bayley/Sasha type moment, except you can be reasonably sure that EVE won’t blow it), I think Madusa is probably the better long-term team and Millie McKenzie is the FUTURE – it’s scary to see how good she is at 18 years old. She’s gonna be even more amazing than she already is.

Video on Session Moth Martina vs Su Yung. To defeat Su Yung tonight, we’ll see the rarely-seen Session GOTH Martina against Su Yung in an Undead match.

I get the feeling that this match is going to divide some folks, myself included. I’m not a huge Martina fan, and Su Yung has to put so much of her gimmick into the match that it overwhelms her work sometimes, much like another famous undead wrestler. Regardless, let’s give it a shot!

Su Yung is out first, with the giant kendo stick that consists of other kendo sticks taped together. Not to be outdone, Martina has a stick of her own…..with beer cans on it.

Even Goth Martina is apparently a lush.

Su Yung vs Session Goth Martina – Undead Match (No DQ or countout, anything goes)

Martina gets in the first shot and sends Yung to the floor, but takes a cookie sheet to the head on a dive. Su Yung beats her with the sheet a few more times, and Goth is already busted open. Goth comes back and suplexes Yung onto chairs in the crowd. Martina with a staple gun and she staples Yung’s back, then does it again as the crowd thinks she’s a sick fuck.

They fight up the steps, Su Yung gets hold of the staple gun and staples Martina’s forehead. Gross. I so don’t want to watch this. Slugfest, and they both gets chairs….and beers. Martina sets up the chairs and they drink beer, then back to the slugfest. Beer mist by Martina, they both swing their chairs and both go down.

And then, a guy in a giant baby suit comes out and spills some teeth on the stage, before reviving Martina with the magic reviving beer, and a revitalized Martina DDTs Yung on the baby teeth.

Yeah. That was a sentence I just wrote, and it was TRUE.

Back to the ring now and Martina gets a ladder, but that gets dropkicked into her face by Su. Yung bites at the cut, then puts a door in the ring before bashing Martina with the sheet again. Back in the ring, Yung chokes away with the kendo stick, then sets the door up in the corner.

Yung pulls out the bloody glove and flips off the crowd, Martina tries a comeback and we get something resembling a wrestling move as Su sends her into the middle buckle with her feet. Kicks from Yung and she smashes Martina with a ladder in the corner for two. Martina manages to come back with a german into the ladder on Yung, Martina goes up. She hits what could generously be called a double axehandle and both women are down.

And now, here come the undead brides, as Su Yung’s minions surround the ring. Martina fights them off, but that allows Su Yung to hit her with a knee and a Death Valley Driver through the door for two. Crowd thinks this is awesome. To each their own, crowd. The Brides on the outside set up a wood panel, but Yung ends up on it after getting misted by Martina. Martina goes up, somersault senton through Yung on the panel takes out everyone!

Back in the ring, Martina pulls out some thumbtacks and slams Su Yung onto them, but the Brides break up the pinfall and beat on Martina while Yung and the other Brides toss chairs into the ring. Yung sets up six chairs, three on each side, then superplexes Martina through the chairs, Panic Switch on the thumbtacks and Martina is DONE. 1, 2, 3.

THOUGHTS: **. Ugh. I’m really not the best guy to review this type of stuff, because I thought this was trash. And that’s not even trying to disrespect the women working the match, because they clearly worked hard and took some crazy shit out there, but the match was just setting up spots with some weak transitions before they hit them. I don’t really have much to say beyond that. If you really dig hardcore wrestling, there’s some good shit in here for you, I would think? Regardless, it’s just not my cup of tea at all.

Post-match, Su offers the handshake but pulls it away at the last minute. Crowd gives Martina a great ovation as she leaves the ring. I’m wondering how many matches she has left here if the WWE does indeed sign her.

Emily is back in the ring, and she introduces Charlie Morgan.

I don’t know if I’m ready to recap this.

Charlie comes out, boot on her ankle. Here’s the speech.

“Man oh man, what night this has been. And I am so grateful to just be a small part of this magic. Now, as many of you know, or may not know, I got injured back in the States when I debuted for Shimmer earlier on in the year. And, uh, since then, everybody’s obviously been asking me, what’s the update Charlie? When are you coming back? What’s the news? And actually, this is my first appearance in four months since that night. And I would love nothing more than to come out here tonight and give you a comeback date. But unfortunately, this injury is way worse than I ever thought it could be. And tonight, I’m here to inform you that I officially announce my retirement.”

She’s in tears. The crowd chants “Thank you Charlie!”

“No no no no, from the bottom of my heart, thank you! As you can imagine, this decision was not an easy one. And actually, a good friend texted me while I was laying in a hospital, a little bit after my surgery, and she said ‘Charlie, remember that there’s life beyond wrestling’. And she was right. There comes a point in our careers that we have to retire. And, beyond retirement, we have to deal with, cope with racking up miles on the road, dealing with niggling injuries, and I would kind of like to grow old gracefully. And I didn’t think, at 27 years old, I’d be standing here announcing this, but uh, leading up to this, I’ve um, I’ve felt so many different ranges of emotions. I felt anger, I felt sad, but the thing that I felt the most was heartbreak. And I asked myself, just a few days ago, ‘Charlie, do you really want to retire heartbroken?’ And I’m not here to retire heartbroken. I have to remember that the things I’ve accomplished in my career. I’ve had a seven year career, I’ve traveled all over the UK, I’ve traveled all over Europe, and I finally made it internationally. I was the first-ever Ace of EVE. I wrestled for companies and promotions that I thought you could only dream about. And I headlined WrestleQueendom one against Sammii Jayne, threw myself off that 16-foot balcony to become EVE champion last year! And one of my proudest moments, I was the first ever wrestler period to publicly come out in a professional wrestling ring! Wrestling over the past seven years have been some of the greatest moments of my life. Wrestling has literally given me my life. Literally my best friends, my girlfriend, and I am so grateful for everything I have accomplished and everything that I’ve achieved in wrestling, and I am so grateful that the girls in the back had the ride along with me, and you guys got to see every minute of it.

And just before I go, just a few people I want to thank.” She turns around and Emily and Dann are there, tears flowing. Hugs for both as the crowd gives a standing ovation to all of them.

“Dann and Emily Read, I cannot- I cannot thank you guys for believing in me, and supporting me, and giving me the platform to showcase what Fearless Charlie Morgan was about! I want to thank my best friends and my family for your continuous support and always being by my side, and mom, you don’t got to worry anymore! Thank you to everybody who I’ve ever set foot in this ring with, because it’s been magic, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience! And last, but not least, thank you from the bottom of my heart to each and every single one of you who have supported me continuously throughout my career. It means the world. There’s just one more thing I want to leave you with before I go. Whether this is the first time you’re seeing me tonight or you’ve been following me through my career, remember this: in life, please be brave, be fearless, and most importantly, be YOU!”

The locker room is on stage and they hit the ring, Jetta obviously first. Tears everywhere. The crowd gives us another “Charlie! Charlie! Charlie Fucking Morgan!” as Morgan holds the ring one last time. She heads to the back and looks out at the crowd one more time, eyes shining. And then, she’s gone.

I watched the first Queendom show with the eyes of a new fan, paying particular attention to Ray/Satomura as the main reason. You could say that those two brought me to this crazy company just a scant few weeks ago, for sure – but they only got me here. Charlie Morgan, with all of her brilliance, made me a fan.

Sometimes, whatever your fandom may be, you see those rare lightning bolts across it that light it up for you, that strike you not unlike the key on the kite of Ben Franklin. You have that moment where something clicks home for you, the ‘aha, that’s the reason that I sift through the mountain of lesser artists that do this work! This moment, this time, this place, this piece!’

A song. A film. A novel. A poem. A painting.

A professional wrestling match.

A professional wrestler.

Charlie Morgan was a bolt of lightning across my consciousness. An artist whose work I was looking forward to watching for years to come.

I’m gutted that I only got here at the end. Beyond thrilled that her work will live on after her, so others can be struck by her. Sad that she’s finished before she even truly got started. Happy that she got started enough to give us everything she had.

How lucky we all are. What a wonder this crazy world of professional wrestling truly is that a career can stand beyond the todays and tomorrows, when all we have left are the yesterdays that must somehow be more than enough.

Thank you, Charlie. As I go through the EVE archives now, I’ll watch your work not with a sadness, but a triumph that I have a lot of lightning bolts that will be new to me. And that’s the best thing about any art form – discovering the past as new again. Godspeed and all the best.

Charlie.
Charlie.
Charlie. Fucking. Morgan.

Okay.

3 matches left. Let’s finish this thing.

Emily needs a moment to compose herself before she goes back to ring announcing. Our next contest is for the Wonder of Stardom title. Emily introduces us to the owner of Stardom, Rossy Ogawa, and he is ROCKING that pork pie hat.

Out first is our challenger, Little Miss Roxxy. She’s followed by the champ, Arisa Hoshiki.

Little Miss Roxxy vs Arisa Hoshiki (C) – Wonder of Stardom title match

Handshake to start. They trade off on a facelock, and Roxxy takes Hoshiki over with a headscissors. More matwork ends in a draw and they’re back up. Nice front surfboard with a bridge by Roxxy, Arisa makes the ropes to break. Arisa takes back over with kicks, then does a ropewalk into an enzuigiri that looked suh-weet. Roxxy comes back with an armbar, but Arisa slips out into a half-crab. Roxxy looks completely outclassed here.

Slugfest and a leaping enzuigiri gets two for Arisa. She goes up, but Roxxy cuts her off and hangs her in the Tree of Woe on the outside, and Roxxy gets a double foot stomp to the floor to buy some time. Back in, another double foot stomp gets two for Roxxy. Roxxy with a seated hammerlock stretch, but Arisa makes the ropes. Roxxy gets caught on a charge with knee, and a jumping knee drop from Arisa gets two. Headbutt and superkick gets the pin for Arisa.

THOUGHTS: **3/4. Roxxy tried hard, but I didn’t think she would win at pretty much any point. Arisa sold for her well, but there was some miscommunication on some front in the ring, and the crowd was completely out of it after Morgan’s announcement. Roxxy is gonna be fine with more experience, but she wasn’t in Hoshiki’s league and it showed.

Handshake and hug after the match.

Video recap of the Triple Threat for the International championship. In short, Jamie Hayter won the SHE-1 event, giving her the Ace of Eve title and the chance to challenge for any title at Queendom. During that announcement, where Jamie stated she would be going after Utami Hayashishita and the EVE International title, Nina Samuels challenged her to a match – if Samuels won, Nina would be added to the title match and make it a triple threat.

Nina won with the classic Greco-Roman tights pull, and boom, we’ve got a three-way match here. Hayter is basically the EVE face by default here – normally a heel, she’s gotten a ton of face heat due to the overall hatred of Nina. And that’s the rest of the story.

Nina is out first, and this crowd hates her as is the norm. Jamie is out next, with Kagetsu in her corner this time. And finally, here comes Utami.

This should rule.

Nina Samuels vs Jamie Hayter (w/Kagetsu) vs Utami Hayashishita (C) – Triple Threat for the EVE International Title

Crowd chants “Let’s go Jamie!” to start us off. Quick rolllups by Utami and Hayter leads to Utami and Nina on the floor, tope by Hayter! Slam to Nina on the apron by Hayter! Back in with Utami now and she levels Hayter with shoulderblocks and an STO. The commentators remind us that this is an elimination match, not one fall to a finish. Hayter and Utami get into a slugfest, and I really like watching Jamie throw forearms. She’s got good follow through on them and makes them look good.

Samuels stacks them both in the corner and hits Utami with double knees for two, then an axe kick for another two. Nina chokes Hayter against the ropes and dropkicks her in the back for two. Hayter retakes the advantage and levels Nina with uppercuts, but now Utami is back in, and she beats on both of them before tossing Hayter onto Nina.

Neat spot next as Utami puts both women in a half-crab at the same time, and both Nina and Jamie try to force the other to tap out, before eventually deciding that the enemy of my enemy is my friend and making the ropes together. But wait! The ref correctly informs them that this isn’t a break in a triple threat, so they use the ropes for leverage instead to put Utami in a submission and force a break. That was neato keen right there.

They slug it out on the apron and Utami hits Hayter with a German suplex for two. Samuels and Hayter battle it out in the corner next, so Utami just runs over and suplexes both of them at the same time, because, you know, she’s awesome like that. Utami beats on Nina some more and puts her in a torture rack, but Hayter kicks Utami in the face to break that up, which causes Dan to lose his mind on commentary about what possible reason there would be for her to do that. Uranage backbreaker by Hayter gets two on Utami. Utami goes up but Hayter cuts her off, superplex by Hayter into the Falcon Arrow! 1, 2, NO! Hayter isn’t deterred in the slightest, and she hits a Last Shot to finish off Utami and guarantee that we’re going to have a new champion.

Samuels rolls Hayter up from behind and the crowd freaks, but Hayter kicks out, so Nina goes to a surfboard. Hayter escapes the crowd is TOTALLY behind her. Nina sets her on top and goes for a draping DDT, but Jamie suplexes her into the buckles, then hits the backbreaker into a Falcon Arrow and both women are down. Nina rolls out to the floor, then blocks an attempted tope by Hayter with a chair.

Back in now and Nina takes a swing with the chair, but misses and Hayter kicks her down, then goes for a curb stomp, but that misses and Nina hits her low with the chair. 1, 2, Jamie grabs the bottom rope! They both grapple for control and miss high kicks, Hayter with a low kick to Nina! Off the ropes, curb stomp by Hayter! 1, 2, 3! Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a new Pro Wrestling EVE International champion!

THOUGHTS: ****1/4. Let’s take a moment here to appreciate how well-booked this match was and how it played to the strength of all the competitors here. Obviously the goal is to put Hayter over huge and this match was engineered to do that perfectly – first, she pinned the former champ clean in the middle of the ring, thus leaving her with the main heel and enhancing her face heat even more than it already was. Also, as a consequence, the clean pin puts her over strongly to set up the second part of the match, where Nina got to play the dastardly heel that hit the sneak attack from behind and brought a chair into the match, hit her with a low blow, and still, Hayter managed to kick out of all of it. And yet, to keep the edge on Hayter’s character as opposed to making her a lily-white babyface that just overcame everything, she hit a low blow (which was completely in character with who she has always been) and then a finish to get the pin, but any heelishness that may have come from that was negated by the fact that Nina was the one who did it first. This was an absolute textbook example of staying true to a character while still putting her in the position that you want her in, namely a top babyface with both KLR and Viper leaving. And all of the women in the match were great, with Hayter being a standout star that everyone should be watching – everything she does in the ring has purpose and looks fantastic. Nina, while not my favorite, more than held up her own as the heel in the match, which was super-important for the dynamic to work to keep Hayter strong on the face side, and that shouldn’t be overlooked. This was a superlative pro wrestling match with a good story and was easily the match of the night.

Jamie Hayter will be the biggest star in this company in the next year if there’s any justice in the world. And she holds up the belt for the cameraman as she leaves, but makes sure to give him the finger as well. Awesome.

Rhia O’Reilly grabs the mic now and tells us that the main event tonight will be one hell of a fight, but be sure to stick around after, because they want to do one hell of a salute to these legends of the ring.

Main event time. Viper is out first, in the challenger role. And now, here comes Kay Lee Ray, the champ! This is the last time these women will be in a Pro Wrestling EVE ring for the foreseeable future, and Kay Lee especially looks emotional about it.

Viper vs Kay Lee Ray (C) – EVE Championship match

Lockup to start. And they hang onto it, to the point where they roll out of the ring. May have been a touch too much, to be honest. They break briefly, then roll back in and we’re back to it. KLR tries what looks like a monkey flip, but Viper catches her and calmly places her on the top rope, then goes for one of her own, but Ray lands on her feet. Viper rolls out to take a break, grabs a bottle of water, takes a drink, then tosses it to Kay Lee so she can partake. Kay Lee is kind enough to let the ref take a swig and Viper rolls back in.

Test of strength, then dueling hiplock attempts into dueling pin attempts allow Viper to take control on the mat with a bow and arrow. More pin sequences and Ray rolls out to take a breather. KLR returns the favor with a bottle of water again. Ray back in and we get a handshake and a hug, but Viper catches Kay Lee trying for a kick. Ray with chops, but Viper takes over and hits a senton, misses a crossbody, then hits an overhead belly-to-belly suplex.

Ray comes back with kicks for two. Tornado DDT gets two for Kay Lee, who goes to a choke. The match has been all psychology so far, with Kay Lee trying to work Viper away from big power moves as much as possible. Big suplex from Viper turns the tide. Ray comes back with kicks again, Canadian Destroyer on Viper!

KLR can’t get the pin and Viper decides if it’s good for the goose, it’s good for the gander, so she hits a Destroyer of her own on Ray! They slug it out, and Viper gets a Saito suplex and a cannonball, and she goes up, Vader Bomb misses! Viper on the outside, tope to Viper! Viper paintbrushes Ray when Kay Lee tries to get back in the ring, crossbody through the bottom and middle ropes by Viper wipes out Kay Lee and a staff member!

Viper puts Kay Lee on a chair and hits a cannonball. This match was been huge moves left and right and I’m loving it. Ray tossed back in, but Viper decides to take a minute, and that allows Kay Lee to hit a plancha off the top onto everyone at ringside. Back in, Swanton by Kay Lee gets two. Gory Bomb attempt is countered by Viper with a huge lariat. Viper goes up again, Kay Lee tries to cut her off with an Electric Chair, Viper with a reverse ‘rana! JESUS. Viper Driver! 1, 2, NO!

Superkick by Ray into the Gory Bomb! 1, 2, NO! They’re just throwing bombs at each other at this point now, as no one can seem to put the other away. Ray up, Swanton misses, Viper Driver countered, Canadian Destroyer again by Ray! Kay Lee goes up, but Viper cuts her off; Viper Driver off the top rope! 1, 2, 3!! Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a new Pro Wrestling EVE Champion!

THOUGHTS: ****. The match was fantastic, with both women trying to work their own styles before the big moves started. Viper went for power, Kay Lee for flying and mat work to try to stop the power. The swings in the match were brilliantly timed, as they built and built around each woman kicking out of big moves therefore forcing the moves to get bigger and bigger, until the biggest move of them all ended it. I enjoyed that part of the story. Watching the switch from the seemingly fun and friendly vibe that the match had early on into the more intense ‘what is it going to take to keep this woman down?’ moves was a big part of why matches like this work, and the execution was almost flawless in that regard. Minor criticisms would be that the beginning sequence went on a touch too long – the point was made early and didn’t need the hammering home that the match gave it, and I remain not being a fan of anyone, male or female, kicking out of multiple Destroyers. Regardless, this was excellent and well worth watching, only second on the night to the triple threat.

Post-match, they share a hug in the middle of the ring as Rhia comes in to the ring with a mic in hand. “We have a new Pro Wrestling EVE champion! But oh my goodness, both these women!”

O’Reilly tells them that they’re not getting off that easy, though – she says that they put together a little video for them to watch. KLR and Viper turn to watch the screen……and Livvii Grace and Nightshade hit the ring! Along with O’Reilly, they attack from behind! The beatdown is on! Chokebomb to KLR from Nightshade! Rhia gets on the mic while choking Viper with her boot – she tells Viper that when Viper came to her as the matchmaker, she asked for three matches. She asked for Aja Kong, and she got her. She asked for Jordynne Grace, and she got her. And she asked for Rhia O’Reilly…..and she’s getting her right now!

She calls for referee and the bell rings!

Rhia O’Reilly vs Viper (C) – EVE Championship match

O’Reilly takes a shot with the belt but misses! Viper Driver on the belt! But Livvii is on the apron and Viper goes after her, and Rhia hits a DDT on the belt to Viper! 1, 2, 3! Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a new Pro Wrestling EVE champion!

Emily announces Rhia as the new champion as Viper commiserates with Kay Lee on the floor, while the crowd boos lustily. And our last image of WrestleQueendom is O’Reilly, Livvii, and Nightshade posing with the belt on the stage as we fade to black.

FINAL THOUGHTS: They had a few choices to go with the main event tonight, and one of them was the tearful sendoff, while the other was to use it to launch an angle for the rest of the year in EVE. They chose the latter, and I’m more than interested to see where it goes. O’Reilly coming back as a monster heel that everyone wants to kill to win the title should work very well, and frankly I’d like to see Hayter be the one to take it from her in the end. And, more to the point, this was a good way to use Viper and Kay Lee as they leave EVE, in putting over O’Reilly as vicious and willing to do anything to be champ.

This show kicked ass and came around for second helpings, by the way. There were definitely some missteps along the way, but overall I had the last two matches at ****at least, and that’s gonna be a good show regardless of the genders involved. These women went out there, busted their butts, and really put on a hell of a card tonight, and I have to say that I enjoyed it muchly.

Pro Wrestling EVE is one of the best kept secrets in all of pro wrestling. Their dedication to the craft is thrilling to watch, and I plan to keep watching. I may even keep reviewing them, if people continue to care.

Let’s make it so they’re not a secret anymore.

Take care all, and watch some wrestling.

As always, thanks for reading this thing I wrote,

Rick Poehling
@MrSoze on Twitter