Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
Bellatrix: Female Warriors 2/8/18 Results and Ongoing Thoughts:
Bellatrix is the women's promotion run by WAW in Norwich, England, the promotion run by The Knights, Paige's family who will be showcased in the WWE Studios film "Fighting with The Family." The show is taking place at Epic Studios.
With the time difference in the UK, the show is airing live on The Fite App, which you can download at this link for free at 2:30 PM here in the United States, allowing it to fit into my schedule, so I am checking out their product for the first time.
Here are some ongoing thoughts on the show, written as I watch....
*I missed the first segment as I was finishing up today's audio for Elite subscribers but was told that Vickie Guerrero appeared and was announced as the new General Manager for the promotion. I am sure she was great as she was always an awesome talker for WWE. Interesting to see her doing an indy date.
*So Cal Val was working as a ringside host. They had a video screen and a camera shot that swooped down as Val was speaking. Some pretty nice production values for an independent show. Val was setting up each match, breaking down each character and making it easy for a new viewer to know what was what before they even came to the ring.
*Leia Ellise defeated Imagen Overy. Imagen was a young talent making her debut. She looked green in some spots but that's to be expected. Ellise was a larger talent and they did a lot of power vs. underdog spots. You could tell they were very early in their careers and as long as you looked upon them as talents at that stage, you knew what you were getting and it was fine. The crowd was very much into it the entire way.
*Terri Runnels was working backstage as an interviewer. She interviewed Elisse. Elisse basically played herself up as a bad-ass. Too short of a segment to really mean anything.
*Violet O'Hara bear Connie Steel Steel is the daughter of World of Sport star Klondike Kate. Violet O'Hara. O'Hara was pushed as the "smallest wrestler" in the world with the storyline being that she was making up for her lack of height with her violence. They called her the "Puppet Princess." O'Hara used an armbar and a body scissors to keep Steel on the mat. They were having a clean contest until O'Hara nailed her with a headbutt. They played up on commentary that she was never this vicious early on in her career. They exchanged some slaps, including a stiff one from Violet. Steel hit a hell of a dropkick. O'Hara nearly scored a three count after a Buzzsaw kick to the head. She finally scored the pin with a crucifix. They embraced after in a show of respect. There was some fun back and forth wrestling here, especially early on.
*I like that they have the announcers talking over slow motion replays of highlights of the matches. That's a nice way to review what happened and get the talents over. The slow motion made the moves look far more impactful as well.
*Terry Runnels interviewed O'Hara after. She said Steel was an amazing wrestler and she'd like to wrestle her again. She came off well as a babyface.
*Queen Amarah defeated Athena Fury via submission with an armbar. Amarah was billed as from the deepest depths of Nigeria. How far was that from the Jungles of Africa where Kamala was from? Amarah is playing a 1980s cartoon heel. Fury was billed from the "Island of Fire" and is playing a '80s babyface, right down to wearing a cape and posing. Fury nailed some hot offense early and survived a headbutt, only to be choked against the ropes. Fury came back with a back senton splash and showed some nice, uh, fire in the ring. Amarah is playing the powerful monster heel of yesteryear. Fury came back with kicks to the legs but was caught with an evil looking spear. Fury fought out of a piledriver attempt and they hit each other with the Hogan-Warrior double clothesline. Amarah went to the ropes but was caught with a shot to the mid-section. Fury nailed a top rope hurancanrana, but took a little too much time to set it up, for a two count. Fury built some offense before being cut off with a triangle chole. Fury tapped and Amarah, true to being a heel, held it on well after she had the match won. Fury sold the arm all the way to the back, holding it as if it was broken.
*Terry Runnels interviewed Amarah. In a scene right out of GLOW, she began speaking in tongues.
*Destiny pinned Karama with a tombstone piledriver. Lots of '80s throwback feel to this one as well. Destiny was billed her as the "referee's nightmare." She's the grizzled veteran. Karama was a younger, athletic looking woman who came out playing to the crowd, so she's absolutely the babyface. She had a nice exotic look. Destiny was accompanied by a second named Shadow and blew off the referee's instructions. The early portion was Karama using her speed to avoid Destiny. Think about Rey Mysterio, even going through her legs at one point to avoid her in the corner. Once they locked up and Destiny trapped her, she began to maul the younger talent with power moves. Karama, the young babyface, kept kicking out. The camera had a nice close-up of Karama as she was being choked against the turnbuckles. Karama made a comeback and went for head scissors, which didn't hit the mark. You can tell a lot of the younger talents are still finding themselves, but that's what shows at this level are about - learning and improving. Destiny caught her going for a high cross bodyblock and dropped her with a fallaway slam. Destiny had her pinned after a legdrop but pulled her off the mat. Visions of Don Muraco here. The referee gave her a "public warning" for that. She did it again and began kicking the prone Karama, who was down on the mat. Destiny pulled her up and nailed a nasty looking tombstone and scored the pin. The idea here was that the veteran had worn down the youngster into exhaustion. Karama was checked by a number of officials and referees after, with the idea that she was beaten so bad, she couldn't leave under her own power.
*Backstage, Destiny told Terri Runnels she beat up "the kid" and said she had bigger fish to fry and was done. She walked off.
We return with So Cal Val setting the stage for our next match.
Shax pinned the debuting Maddison Miles. Shax was described as a psychopath from the darkest corners of her own mind. Does that place get badder the farther down the block you walk, like Badstreet? Miles was billed as coming all the way from Nova Scotia. I wonder if she ever visited Oak Island. Milles played technical babyface while Shax was more of an unorthodox heel. Miles was good at trying to get the audience involved but you could see they were very young and early in their career. Shax cut her off and choked her against the ropes several times. Shax began to methodically work over Miles, including a neckbreaker. Miles came back with a clothesline and neckbreaker. Shax nailed a nice double knee strike for a two count. Miles went for a move off her shoulders but Shax escaped, kicked her in the gut and nailed the Cactus Jack DDT for the pin.
*Backstage, Shax was interviewed by Terri Runnells. Shax just acted insane. She played the role well for the short segment.
Lana Austin, from Manchester, England defeated Charlie Evans, from Australia. Evans was playing heel since she was the foreigner. Austin showed charisma for her entrance. They did some nice back and forth wrestling, locking up and reversing each other, which led to some Johnny Kidd references on commentary. Austin showboated a little, which led to Evans getting mad. Evans had some nice kicks and strikes. She did some dancing before hitting the old Ice Parsons ButtButt to Evan's face. Evans had some good facial expressions and nailed a nice spinebuster. From an in-ring perspective, to me, this was the best thing thus far on the show. Evans locked on a rear chinlock but was caught using Austin's pigtails to choke her and received a public warning. If you get three warnings, you are DQ'd. Evans nailed a nice charging forearm in the corner. Austin was placed on the top rope for an attempted German superplex, but was fought off. Austin pulled herself upside down as Evans charged and kicked her while upside down. Lana made a comeback with some hot moves for a two count. Evans nailed a backdrop driver to cut her off. Steve Williams would have popped. That scored a two count. Evans nailed several kicks and a headbutt to take her down. Evans caught her with the downward spiral for a two count. Austin caught her with a DDT for the pin. Both looked good here. An enjoyable, competitive bout.
Lana Austin was interviewed by Terri Runnels. The joke was that she has a secret weapon that "follows her around." Austin called it the Peach Punch. Cute.
Bellatrix coverage continues on Page 2!
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
