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They are doing a three fall, 12 three minute rounds match for the Bellatrix World championship as their first main event.
Bellatrix champion Queen Maya vs. Bellatrix British champion Sammi Banz.
Maya came out waving as if she was royalty, is from Italy and was introduced as the tallest female wrestling in Europe. They played the British and Italian national anthems before the match. I liked that element. It allowed the British fans to have an easy enemy to boo and to get behind the local challenger. Big "England" chant after the anthems. Maya cut off Banz immediately with a clothesline and began working her over with every dirty trick you've ever seen a heel pull off. Lots of taunts, stomps and choking. Banz comes back with a series of chops and strikes. Banz nailed several clotheslines but the larger Maya wouldn't go down. She cut off Banz and nailed her with a big chop in the corner. Maya nailed a superplex but let Banz go as she came down and covered her for the pin.
First fall goes to Maya. if Banz is going to win, she now has to win two falls back to back, playing her up as the underdog.
As they came out of the gate for the second round, Maya attacks and tosses her to the floor, then beats her down on the floor. This is the only match to feature that sort of outside the ring action. Smart way to make it mean something here. She works her over and tosses Banz back into the ring, where she continues the beating. As the referee argued with Maya, Banz rolled back out to the floor. Maya followed her but was caught with a clothesline and was whipped into the guard rail, crashing over and into the first row. They fired back and forth with chops on the floor. Banz tossed her back into the ring but the referee wouldn't make the cover because they didn't start the action while on their feet. They battered each other with punches and strikes, some of which looked pretty snug. Maya nailed Banz with a move but the time ran out for the second round.
Round three started with Banz playing up to the crowd. Maya nailed her but was kicked in the inner thigh and dumped to the floor. Banz tripped her leg on the apron and she crashed down. Some of that looked really wonky. Banz nailed a knee on the floor and whipped Maya into the ring post. The story was that she was losing her cool, even teasing grabbing her title belt to use it as a weapon. They continued to battle on the floor. Banz attempted a suplex but the champion reversed it, snapping her over on the floor. Maya tossed her in but the referee again wouldn't count the fall because they needed to return to their feet. Maya argued with the ref, allowing Banz to take her down with a single leg. Maya cut her off and they slugged it out on the mat, rolling back and forth. Banz gained control of the guard and rained down with punches as the round ended.
The fourth round began with Banz attacking Maya's knee by taking her down and attempting to turn her into a Boston Crab. Maya kicked her off but Banz again took out her knee. Banz attacked the knee, stomping on it, Maya was caught in the corner and nailed several shots to the back of the neck. Maya began limping and was caught in another single leg takedown. Banz tried to turn her over with another Boston Crab but was kicked off. Maya missed a charge and was caught with a German suplex, which looked good, but the round ended before she could attempt the cover.
The fifth round kicked off with Banz nailing several elbows to the face. Maya blocked several moves but was caught with an elbow against the ropes. Maya fired back with one of her own. They went for big boots at the same time and wiped the other out. Well, that was a new way of doing that spot! They went back and forth until Banz scored a pinfall with a Samoan Drop.
We are evened up.
Fall six opened up with Maya, mad about being pinned, going off with shoves and punches on Banz, who she took to the mat. Banz rolled over and began scoring with big punches and shots until Maya escaped to the floor to slow the momentum. Banz won't wait her to return and came off the apron, grabbing a front facelock and nailing a DDT on the floor. The announcers sold this as if it was the beginning of the end for Maya. Banz followed up by tossing her into the ring steps. The crowd chanted that they wanted more. They battled up the entrance ramp, where Maya nailed a rough looking suplex on the ramp. I will give them a lot of credit in that they have gone a long time and are really taking it to each other physically. Banz was out on the ramp recovering when the round ended.
Fall seven doesn't even have a chance to officially commence when Maya rolls out of the ring and tried to attack Banz. Banz, undeterred, drilled her over the guard rail into the crowd. They battled to the entrance stage and fought past officials and their "seconds." They kept brawling.
"EXCUSE ME!"
Out came Vickie Guerrero, who told them they had a chance to settle their differences in a 12 round classic but instead they let their emotions get the better of themselves. They will settle their issues tomorrow with a mixed tag team match, with each finding a male partner.
The official announcement of the match was a no contest.
Queen Maya retains the championship.
I felt like some of this was good, some of it was rough and it may have been a little too long, but they were working hard.
The second and final main event feature Erin Angel vs. Innocence.
So Cal Val said, and I am not making this up, that last time, they made Angel into a demon. Okay!
The villains are a heel stable called Sigma. Innocence, naturally doesn't look very innocent. She had ring gear that looked like skeleton bones (think La Parka) and came out with her face painted with veins across them (think Luna Vachon) while carrying a demonic doll. Dream prom night date here. Sigma had a big entrance with zombies and mummies. I won't even kid you when I say I got a big kick out of this. They even brought out someone carrying fire. Pomp and circumstance for the main event, folks.
Erin Angel, not to be outdone, was accompanied by a number of angelic-dressed females and ballerinas (!?!) For her entrance. If you want to look at pro wrestling as a big morality play, it is literally good vs. evil before your eyes here - not that I am complaining in the least. In the moment, it was a cool look and entrance for Angel. She looked like a main event star coming out.
Angel was overpowered easily early on. She made a comeback but was sent, by the hair, into the corner. Public warning for innocence. Angel nailed a monkey flip but was caught with a knee before she could capitalize on it. Angel nailed a series of shoulderblocks in the corner but was shoved down. Angel was sent into the corner and caught with a back elbow. She kicked off a second attempt and Angel went to the top with a missile dropkick.
At this point, we tuned into ridiculous FM as Amaya the voodoo girl from earlier ran out and blew mist in her face. A number of demonic looking characters swarmed over Angel to the point we couldn't see her. When they dispersed, all that was left was her white boots and smoke in the ring. Well, that's different.
Amaya picked up something from the ring and carried it to Sigma's leader, Dreadful Penny, at the entrance. They described it as an "orb." The announcers said, and I can't believe I am writing this, "That's not Erin is it?" They then asked if Sigma had taken the soul of Angel. Seriously?
I give them credit for making Erin disappear as I couldn't see how they pulled it off live, but beyond that, pretty weird, over the top storyline stuff. Think Undertaker vs. Yokozuna from Royal Rumble 1994 on an independent level. Lots of theatrics but it seemed completely out of left field from everything else on the show. I have to admit though - they made me wonder how they were going to follow it up and really, isn't that the name of the game?
They announced this was a no contest. No kidding!
Backstage, Terri Runnels interviewed Dreadful Penny backstage and asked her what was in her hand. She said, "That's the soul of an angel." Runnells said she was out and backed away.
So Cal Val thanked everyone for tuning in.
Very odd to have not one, but two no contests closing the show, although the first was to build to getting fans interested in tomorrow's WAW event.
The best match, in my opinion, on the show was Eagles vs. Austin but this was more of a character-based show with lots of '80s flair tossed in. I wouldn't suggest this for someone seeking mat classics but as an overall show, I was never bored and I enjoyed it for what it was, a lot of female wrestlers working really hard and trying to entertain.
Thanks for checking out my thoughts and coverage.
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