Reflections on a Mission at Its 50th Taping: SHIMMER Weekend Preview

A wrestling goddess ready to claim her largest prize yet?
Photo Credit: Gregory Davis/DDS

Gender segregation in wrestling has become somewhat passe in some circles. Folks, myself included, have taken up the banner that women and men really have no differences that would keep them from being able to play-fight in a ring made of wood, cloth, cable and pile at all. A wrestling utopia would be one without pretense of gender (or size even, but that's another story). However, our wrestling world is far from idyllic in the least, and furthermore, neither is the "real" world that it mimics. The stark reality is that women have to fight for their rights not only in the real world (Don't believe me? Just ask your local, Red State GOP politician to describe his thoughts on rape to you.), but in the world of wrestling as well. There exists a perception that women are somehow intrinsically inferior to men when the evidence of those who have made it is quite the contrary.

The progression of females in wrestling in no small part is owed to SHIMMER Women Athletes, and the state of where they as a gender are today is so positive because of the stage the company based out of Chicago has provided. They will be embarking on another set of DVD "tapings," which will include their 50th volume this weekend at the Eagles Club in Berwyn, IL. Despite its all-too-cutesy name, the Dave Prazak-headed promotion has provided an atmosphere that has none of the societal stereotypes placed at the feet of what men think women should be or act like.

From Sara del Rey to Amazing "Kharma" Kong, Ashley "Madison Rayne" Lane to Cheerleader Melissa, Portia Perez to Rachel Summerlyn and all the rest of the wrestlers who've passed through the company, the list of important females in wrestling in the last 10 years who haven't done at least one match under the SHIMMER banner is pretty small at this point. Some of those women may be gone to do other endeavors. The roster for this weekend, which is still pretty stacked from where I sit, may lack a few names and feel a bit paltry, but even as the company provided a place for the aforementioned giants of wrestling to get started, it too now has a new crop of women either to introduce or more accurately to further ingratiate into our collective psyche as part of the family, even if they're not the next big thing.

A lot of the attention on this event will be paid at the main event of the second half of the tapings on Saturday, the nominal 50th volume, as well it should. It has not been announced yet, but it will contain as many of the women who were present for the first set of tapings as they can possibly get out to the Eagles Club for this weekend. It will almost certainly include Melissa, arguably the company's ace even if she no longer has the hardware to prove it after the last set of shows. My guess is that Mercedes Martinez, MsChif and of course, the incomparable den mother of the roster Allison Danger will all be involved as well. As for the others, I bet there may be some surprises up the sleeves of Danger and Prazak as to who will or won't be there. Amber O'Neal, Lexie Fyfe, Nikki Roxx and Rain are all still active on the indie scene. The others on the show, I'm not so sure of, but if one Glamazon happens to show up for that main event, it would not only put to rest her contract status with WWE but also blow the minds of everyone in the wrestling world if she did end up making her presence felt.

That being said, even as the names from the past get bandied about in a nostalgic appreciation, there will be no dearth of attention on the next wave of women who will look to make their impacts felt. Right out of the gate, it was announced that Athena will be receiving the first shot at the World Championship at Vol. 49. Whether that title is held by Sweet Saraya Knight or MsChif will be debatable, as they will tangle for the title in the same building the night before for AAW. Still though, there's no doubt who the challenger will be. Athena busted out for the company at the last taping weekend, but even before then, she's spent a good amount of time busting hussies and owning shit down in Texas for Anarchy Championship Wrestling.

She won't be the only wrestler on display. Kana, the best wrestler in the world according to a lot of people whose opinions I hold very highly, is coming back. Kellie Skater, Davina Rose, KC Spinelli, Veda Scott and Shazza McKenzie all look to have expanded roles. Allysin Kay makes her long overdue graduation from the SPARKLE preshow to the main card. That's not to overlook the others looking to claim Sara del Rey's crown as the Queen of Wrestling. Wrestlers like the Tag Team Champion Canadian Ninjas (Perez and Nicole Matthews), Leva Bates and Ayako Hamada will most certainly take their steps forward towards claiming that mythical title.

With this nexus of old and new converging on Berwyn, it's a reminder to the rest of the world that it doesn't matter what reproductive organs you have, but it's the passion, ability and training that makes a wrestler a wrestler. IN a perfect world, SHIMMER wouldn't have to exist. However, in this flawed world we have, it's a fine showcase to prove the misogynists wrong. Even if it a separate entity, it's one that is eminently needed and supremely appreciated for the length of time that it has been on the landscape.