NICOLE SAVOY VS. KIMBER LEE, LEYLA HIRSH, HOLIDEAD, HYAN, THUNDERKITTY & MORE: SHIMMER VOLUME 118 REPORT FROM INDIANAPOLIS

Shimmer “Volume 118”

The Collective 2020: Part 10

10/11/20 - Indianapolis, IN

Match 1: Kenzie Paige vs Nevaeh

Feeling out in the early moments, Nevaeh trying to get the quick pin. Nevaeh with a sliding bulldog for a two count. Paige with a shot to stun, double knees to the back of the head and she comes in wrenching the neck. Paige looking ruthless with clotheslines and trying to choke out her opponent. Nevaeh with a clotheline and dropkick, as the crowd warms up behind her. Paige dodges a laraiart and hits and elbow and cutter for two. Trading forearms back and forth until Nevaeh hits a back elbow and kill shot ddt for the pin.

Winner: Nevaeh

Solid Rookie vs Veteran match here. Paige had some fire to show Nevaeh but the more experienced wrestler was going over here.

Match 2: The Sensational Scramble - Elayna Black vs Queen Aminata vs Jody Threat vs Alice Crowley vs Big Mama vs Brittany Blake

They swarm on Big Mama but she powers them off. Aminata goes toe to toe with Mama but eats a spinebuster. Threat and Black face off, Black getting a good kick to the back in. Alice Crowley with a back suplex to Black. Blake in with a step up enziguri to Crowley. Aminata pitches Blake and Germans Crowley. Aminata comes running but Mama crushes them both in the corner. Threat steps up with mule kicks to drop Mama. Threat powerbombs Blake to Mama’s back and gets a one count. Crowley wants nothing to do with Threat and powders. Everyone to the outside, Aminata dives after them. Black withforearms to Crowley. DDT from Blake but Mama breaks up the pin attempt. Shoulder block to Blake. Aminata kicks to Mama crumbles her. Threat break it up and F5’s Crowley. Michanoku Driver to Black and Blake breaks it up. Threat with a torture rack bomb to Blake but Mama is back up. Mama wants a Vader bomb but Threat pushes her off the top. Alice Crowley slips in with an Okada roll to Threat for the three.

Winner: Alice Crowley

Good scramble. Everyone got little moments throughout. Alice Crowley was a punching bag through much of this but struck gold when Threat admired her own handiwork.

Match 3: Heather Monroe vs Leyla Hirsch

Leyla with a double leg takedown right away, instantly flustering her opponent. Leyla gets the leg. Monroe tries to mock Leyla’s height. They trade pin attempts and Hirsch traps a neck crank, forcing a rope break from Leyla. Trading slaps, Leyla knowing her back with forearms. Heather weathering it and choking Hirsch on the rope. Monroe dropping some bombs that crumble Hirsch. Monroe with a cloverleaf curbstomp for two. Hirsch back up with forearms and kicks and a huge german suplex. Monroe with a dragon suplex returning fire. Hirsch with a running knee and an Olympic slam for two. Hirsch heading to the top but Heather takes out her legs, and hits a double stomp to the back. Roll up by Hirsch for two. Hirsch runs up the ropes and hits a moonsault. Monroe with a thumb to the eye and rolls up Hirsch for 3.

Winner: Heather Monroe

This was okay. Ending felt a little clunky. Hirsch was working from the bottom most of the match and didn’t really get the crowd behind her as she made her comebacks. Monroe owning her technically through the match was a bit of a surprise.

Match 4: Kayla Kassidy & Sierra vs The Bird & The Bee (Solo Darling & Willow Nightingale)

Solo. Wants. That. Leg. Kassidy is forced on the defensive as Darling tries to remove her appendages. Sierra in against Willow, who shows her power and a ability to chain through several pin attempts. Kayla back in to drop an elbow on Willow and stomps. Willow taking the heat as SIerra and Kassidy figure out how to work together. Willow counters a whip into a pounce on Sierra. Solo gets the tag and palm strikes all over Kayla sends her to the corner for a tornado ddt. Chest kicks and a bulldog for two. Sierra breaks up a double team and powerbombs Willow out of the corner. BOth teams ducking it out. Willow with a spinbuster to Sierra and powerbomb to Sierra. Solo puts Kassidy in a sharpshooter and that is it!

Winner: Bird & the Bee

Good sprint of a match that let both teams get their licks in but the superior chemistry of Solo and WIllow took the day.

Match 5: Davienne vs Lacey Ryan

Back and forth over the wrist, Davienne trying to keep up but gets swept and inside out elbow dropped. Lacey takes to the sky again but Davienne catches with a Samoan drop. Trading corner chops, Davienne puts the boot to Lacey. Back and forth shots at the ropes, Lacey with a few clothesline. Lacey wants a german but can’t. Chop lock and a running knee for two. Davienne kicks out! Short arm clothesline and Davienne gets a two. Crowd behind Lacey. Lacey slips a chokeslam and hits a superkick for two. Lacey takes to the sky and Davienne hits the chokeslam! Davienne misses a baseball slide to the post. Lacey up top and hits a flying cutter for the pin!

Winner: Lacey Ryan

This was meant to debut Lacey to Shimmer and Davienne was a double tough first test for her. Good build here.

Match 6: Thunderkitty vs Hyan (For the Heart of Shimmer Championship)

The “99-year old” Thunderkitty takes it right to Hyan and throws her to the ropes. Back drop and hooks the leg for two. Commentary makes a point to say that TK feels like she’s been overdue for a title shot in Shimmer after being there for 9 years. Hyan disrespecting TK’s age and drops her and bootwashes the face. Slam and legdrop and TK kicks out. Kitty takes out the leg and dropkicks for two. Hyan with a trip, roll and kick to the face. That was smoooooth. Trading corner chops, TK firing up but trapped into a full Nelson bomb into an abdominal stretch. TK breaks out and applies the CLAWWWWW. Hyan trying to choke TK down and they both collapse. They get to their feet and wipe each other back out with stereo hairmares. TK with a Lou Thez press. Hyan comes running into a throat chop and eats buckle. Running knee lift from TK...kick out! Hyan with a german to the buckle and a neckbreaker and a close two. Hyan wants a suplex, small package! 2. TK back up but Hyan flapjacks her down and there’s the three.

Winner (and still champ): Hyan

Commentary did a GREAT job here telling the story of this match but the work in the ring spoke for itself.

Match 7: Holidead vs Zoey Skye

Holidead is much bigger than Skye. Zoey trying to work speed but she bounces off Holidead’s power. Skye dodges a few big boots as they battle to the outside. Holidead powers out of a ddt attempt and clubs Skye down and drops a leg. Drops on Zoey’s back but she’s back up with a dropkick. Spine kicks and a running basement dropkick for two. Zoey misses a missile dropkick and Holidead has her in a giant swing. Zoey back up and takes a few lariat attempts. Holidead to the corner and gets hit with a double knees and a high cross body for two. Zoey wants a code breaker but Holidead muscles her into a Samoan drop for two. Zoey back with a lungblower for two. Trading roll up attempts and they come up into a Holidead big boot. Swinging flatliner from Holidead, kick out! Holidead is frustrated as Zoey rolls to the ropes. Trading slaps, Holidead with a headbutt but posts herself with a charge. Zoey with a hangman’s DDT to the apron. Zoey Skye with a double stomp to the back as Holidead gets back in the ring and she stays done finally.

Winner: Zoey Skye

Skye gutted this one out against a more powerful opponent in Holidead. They shake hands after but Holidead doesn’t seem like this one is over for her. Good war here.

Match 8: The Hex (Allyson Kay & Marti Belle) vs Team Sea Stars (Ashley Vox & Delmi Exo) (for the Shimmer Tag Team Championship)

Marti Belle tries to play friends with Vox. Kay in and it’s a finger fight, pinkie vs fishhook. Kay takes on both sea stars. Exo gets dumped to the outside while Vox takes a beat down. Kay dropping shots on Vox. Belle in with a running knee and stomps. Exo wants to help but the ref distractions just let Hex do more damage. Vox with a desperation kick. The sun gets in Marti’s eyes and Exo is in. Stunner from Delmi and a dropkick for two. Exo taking the Hex on 2 on 1. She keeps them stunned but a double boot to the face drops her. Kay taunts Vox, distracting the ref again and Belle chokes out Exo on the bottom rope. Vox finally in and clears The Hex and dives after them. Vox climbs up onto Kay for a Yoshitonic. Belle in and taking chops for both sea stars. Double headbutt from the Sea Stars while Kay is folded up for over a minute. Sea Stars want a roll to the corner but Belle works it into a double pin attempt. Double Chokeslam to Vox and Exo break it up. Vader bomb to Kay and Belle break it up. Kay with a high kick and electric chair setup on Vox. Exo breaks it up and gets Belle hung up on the rope. Vox with a flip off the top to Kay and the Sea Stars defend their belts.

Winners: Team Sea Stars

I feel like there were a couple of awkward moments here where the ref was way out of position on what could have been some dramatic pin attempts. Overall solid match, both teams worked their butts off.

Main Event: Kimber Lee vs Nicole Savoy (for the Shimmer Championship)

Test of strength between these two. Kimber never pinned Savoy for the belt (or ever, for that matter) so she has something to prove here. Slowly working holds and trying to lock in submissions. Savoy with a death lock and Kim rolls and steps through into a camel clutch. Back to the feet and fight to the outside. Kim with a somersault to the concrete, wiping out her challenger. Savoy battles back but gets suplexed to the floor. Kim rolls her back in but Savoy gets a triangle choke. Kim to the ropes. Kim with a rage clothesline for two. Kimber tries to sub Nicole, wrapping her shoulders up in the legs. Savoy is very good at this game and works into a surfboard stretch. Kim escapes to drop bombs. Working over each other’s legs. Savoy hitting butterfly suplexes and a pair of rana’s for a near fall. Kick to the gut butLee has her own suplex. Suplex Kimmy arrives with a series of Germans. Savoy answers with her own and a big lariat. Trading shots as they get to their feet. Saito suplex from the challenger for 2. Savoy with a TKO for a near fall. Kim throwing high kicks that crumble Savoy. Kim to the second rope but Nicole intercepts. Butterfly superplex! Kim kicks out but goes right into a wrist lock. Kim escapes and hits a diving clothesline. High kick and german from Savoy! Kick out! Savoy caught running and chokes Savoy out with her legs to the ref’s 5 count. Savoy crumples to the mat. Kimber with a senton bomb from the top and there’s the three!

Winner (and still champ): Kimber Lee

They just went 30 minutes. Epic. This was Kimber Lee and Nicole Savoy’s only match of the weekend and damn, they killed it. It was great to see Savoy come out of her technical submission playbook to really take it to Lee. Kim is really good and I loved the genius of using the 5-count to choke Savoy JUST enough to finish the job with the senton.

And that’s it for Shimmer 118! These shows always have an unique position in the Collective style weekends, in that they don’t have the same level of talent overlap/saturation you see with many of the other shows. About half the roster made an appearance on at least one other show but not to the point you feel like you’ve SEEN ENOUGH of them. This helps drives interest to their own card and helps showcase their homegrown talent and provide unique matchups you can’t see on other cards. Suffice it to say, I liked this card. Check out the tag champs match and main event for sure. Thunderkitty/Hyan was also good stuff. Special shoutout to the commentary team, who did an excellent job providing backstories to all of these matches and getting us up to speed on the drama and history of each bout.

Up next is “Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport” at 8pm. My power went out for a half hour towards the end of this show so let’s hope that was a one and done. *fingers crossed* *chugs coffee* We’ve almost made it! Until then!

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