SHIMMER - WOMEN ATHLETES returned to the Berwyn Eagles Club in Berwyn, IL on Sunday, October 19, 2008. Volumes 21 & 22 of the SHIMMER DVD series were filmed during the course of the event. Here’s what went down…
The first two women’s bouts of the day consisted of SPARKLE pre-show tryout matches.
1. MELANIE CRUISE defeated CHERRY BOMB.
2. RACHEL SUMMERLYN defeated “Sassy” STEPHIE SINCLAIR with the Texas Cloverleaf.
The first half of the main show portion of the taping consisted of matches which will comprise SHIMMER Volume 21.
Ring announcer JOEY EASTMAN welcomed the fans to the show and brought out SERENA DEEB for an in-ring interview. Serena stated that she’s been in SHIMMER for over two years now, and it has always been her goal to climb to the top of the card and prove that she is championship material. After being forced out of the SHIMMER Title Tournament due to an auto accident on the day of the tourney, she said she has not lost focus of trying to earn a future opportunity at becoming SHIMMER Champion. Serena said that she gave it her all against SARA DEL REY during their match on Volume 20, but the physical punishment to her knee during the match prevented her from continuing to fight. Deeb asked for a rematch against Del Rey, to prove that she could pull out the win if given another chance. Del Rey came to the ring and said she’s through wrestling against “bottom of the barrel” talent like Ariel and Serena, and the only thing that matters to her is regaining the SHIMMER Championship. Serena and Del Rey exchanged further words, prompting Del Rey to attack Serena. A referee slid into the ring and called for the opening bell.
1. SARA DEL REY defeated SERENA DEEB with the Royal Butterfly. Deeb put up a strong fight once again, but was outmatched by the brutality of Death Rey.
2. MISS NATURAL defeated LORELEI LEE. This was Natural’s SHIMMER debut.
3. DAFFNEY defeated CAT POWER. Daffney grabbed the microphone prior to the match to call out Power, who was able to pull out the victory against Daffney on Volume 20, as a result of targeting Daffney’s bad knee. Daffney said the knee is back to 100%, and ended every sentence with the word “meow” as she tried to lure Cat to the ring. Power accepted, wearing a cat mask on her entrance. During the course of the action, Daffney produced a ball of yarn and threw it across the ring, only for Cat to chase after it, among other silliness. In the end, Daffney was able to score her first SHIMMER victory!
4. NIKKI ROXX defeated DANYAH with the Barbie Crusher.
5. “The Croatian Panther” WESNA BUSIC defeated AMBER O’NEAL with the CB4 Driver. The SHIMMER fans in attendance gave Wesna a fantastic reception upon her return, while also taking great pleasure in heckling a quite intimidated and nervous O’Neal. Amber, much like in match against ALLISON DANGER on Volume 7, actually went strike for strike against her hard hitting opponent, which is not a side often seen from O’Neal. Ultimately, she fell victim to Wesna’s CB4 Driver. This was the first win for The Croatian Panther in SHIMMER competition, after falling in her initial two outings.
6. The SHIMMER Tag Team Championship Gauntlet was next. Six teams drew numbers at random to determine the order of entry.
A. “The Canadian Ninjas” PORTIA PEREZ & NICOLE MATTHEWS defeated “The Pink Ladies” MADISON EAGLES & JESSIE McKAY with a superkick/German suplex double team combo.
B. “The Suicide Blondes” LUFISTO & JENNIFER BLAKE defeated “The Canadian Ninjas” PORTIA PEREZ & NICOLE MATTHEWS with a powerbomb/second rope lungblower double team maneuver.
C. “The International Home Wrecking Crew” RAIN & JETTA defeated “The Suicide Blondes” LUFISTO & JENNIFER BLAKE after Jetta knocked Blake out with a foreign object behind the referee’s back.
D. ASHLEY LANE & NEVAEH defeated “The International Home Wrecking Crew” RAIN & JETTA following their STO/Yakuza kick double team combo.
E. ASHLEY LANE & NEVAEH defeated “The Experience” LEXIE FYFE & MALIA HOSAKA with the STO/Yakuza kick combo to become the first SHIMMER Tag Team Champions!
The entire SHIMMER Tag Team Championship Gauntlet was 45 minutes in length.
7. “Portuguese Princess” ARIEL defeated CHEERLEADER MELISSA & AMAZING KONG & “The Latina Sensation” MERCEDES MARTINEZ in a Four Corner Survival Match to determine who would get a SHIMMER Title Match on Volume 22. Late in the contest, Martinez hit her signature fisherman buster on Melissa, but the pin attempt that followed was broken up. Martinez and Kong battled to the floor, as Ariel capitalized by following up on Melissa with the Dariel to lead to the pinfall, and #1 contender status for Volume 22.
8. SHIMMER Champion “Your Soul’s Tormentor” MsCHIF defeated DAIZEE HAZE to retain the SHIMMER Championship after hitting the Desecrator (her fourth defense since winning the belt). This was Daizee Haze’s return to SHIMMER action after being forced to miss Volumes 19 & 20 due to a back injury. Prior to the injury, Haze had been on a SHIMMER winning streak. Haze had proven she could pin MsChif during the summer of 2007 on Volume 14 in Florida, so Chif granted Daizee this SHIMMER Title Match opportunity out of respect.
Volume 21 closed with a locker room promo by SERENA DEEB, who said that she is not going to let the Del Rey setback cause her to lose focus on working her way into title contention. Serena said she would face anyone on the roster necessary in order to prove herself, whether it be Cheerleader Melissa, Mercedes Martinez, Amazing Kong, or anyone else. MsCHIF interrupted, praising Serena’s drive and determination, and her strong efforts against Del Rey, the woman who MsChif defeated to become champion. Chif told Serena that if she can beat Del Rey, she will give Serena a title shot any time she wants it. The two shook hands, and Serena thanked MsChif for the opportunity.

Awesome Kong topples a tower of doom at the SHIMMER taping at the Berwyn Eagles Club, in Berwyn, IL, Sunday, October 19, 2008. Photo by Ricky Havlik.