Hamilton’s WWR+ To Wrestle, Shoot Straight and Speak The Truth 06.20.2021 Review

Quick Results
Megan Bayne pinned Riley Shepard in 10:28 (***)
Ashley D’Amboise pinned Tina San Antonio in 7:52 (**½)
Kennedi Copeland defeats Alisha Edwards via disqualification in 6:40 (**)
Kaia McKenna submitted Little Mean Kathleen in 6:31 (**¾)
Jordan Blade & Eel O’Neal submitted Becca & Erica Leigh in 14:19 (***)
Delmi Exo & Ashley Vox pinned Armani Kayos & Paris Van Dale in 9:25 (**¾)
Willow Nightingale pinned Masha Slamovich in 15:21 (***½)
Trish Adora submitted Davienne in 11:26 (***½)

— If you’re on Twitter, give me a follow over on @IanWrestling – and check out the GoFundMe that’s still open for Larry’s family.

We’re back at the White Eagle in Worcester for the second show from the rebooted WWR+ – commentary comes from Paul Crockett and Veda Scott. Last time out, Masha Slamovich was challenged to a match by Willow Nightingale – that’ll be our semi-main event tonight.

Megan Bayne vs. Riley Shepard
They’re listing win-loss records on the graphics now, which is a cool touch as it shows that our opener’s between two women with 1-0 records since the restart. Bayne had an assistant with her, who wasn’t named…

Bayne takes Shepard into the corner from the off, but things end up on the mat with headlocks and headscissors leading to Shepard grabbing an armbar. Bayne gets free and shoots right back with a headlock takedown of her own, but Shepard keeps it even as she returned with another armbar.

A knee to the midsection from Bayne has Shepard in the corner, as did a shoulder charge, but an armwringer has Shepard, yep, back in with an armbar. Bayne escapes and leaps over Shepard, but runs into an armdrag as that focus on the arm remained consistent. Again, Bayne powers up and charges Shepard into the corner, before a flying dropkick from Riley missed.

Going for the lower back, Bayne keeps chucking Shepard into the corners, following with an atomic drop and a series of elbow drops for a two-count. A scoop slam off the ropes followed for Bayne, as she snuffed out Shepard’s attempted comeback, and began putting the boots to her in the corner. That all ended with Bayne missing a shoulder charge in the corner, then an elbow drop as she tried to keep hold of the match.

Shepard gets back to her feet first and found some form with an Exploder suplex, then a missile dropkick off the top, clattering into Bayne for a near-fall, before Bayne found her way back in, catching a crossbody and turning it into a swinging side slam for the win. A good opener, with Shepard’s dogged focus on the arm perhaps being her undoing, as Bayne kept finding answers to it – and by the time the game plan changed, it was too late. ***

Tina San Antonio vs. Ashley D’Amboise
The veteran San Antonio came up short in the debut show, as did D’Amboise, who has been wrestling in some high profile places considering how young her career is…

San Antonio delays things at the start as she hadn’t removed all of her entrance gear… when we get going, San Antonio’s caught with a headlock takedown, and tripped back to the mat when she looked to have powered out. A wristlock from San Antonio gives D’Amboise a chance to cartwheel free, before an armdrag had San Antonio back on the deck.

Another cartwheel from D’Amboise has her over San Antonio, ahead of a bodyslam before San Antonio rolled away from a back senton. Shoulder charges from San Antonio has D’Amboise in the corner ahead of a hairmare out of it, following up with a Bronco Buster in the corner for good measure.

A suplex keeps San Antonio ahead for a two-count, but her sleeperhold’s countered out of with a jawbreaker. D’Amboise is quickly knocked down again with a back elbow, as San Antonio’s leg drop gives her a couple of two-counts, before the veteran roughed up D’Amboise in the ropes.

D’Amboise rolls away from an elbow drop, then a leg drop as San Antonio perhaps took her foot off the pedal. Shoulder blocks from D’Amboise put her ahead, as did a leaping back elbow, before the back senton landed for a near-fall… before D’Amboise lands a uranage for another near-fall… only for D’Amboise to snatch the win with a roll-up. A good, even match, with San Antonio looking to stifle the rookie, but ended falling to a flash pin. **½

Kennedi Copeland vs. Alisha Edwards
It’s a WWR+ debut for Edwards, as Copeland looked to get on board following her loss last time out.

Edwards gets booed by the Worcester crowd, but offered Copeland a handshake… and of course it’s a ruse. A kick to the gut starts things off as Edwards ran her opponent into the corners. Boots and elbows keep Copeland in the corner, as did a dropkick, before Copeland got choked in the ropes.

Copeland ducks a clothesline and returned with a Thesz press, switching into a cross armbar that quickly ends with Edwards hooking herself on the ropes. An eye rake from Edwards followed as she continued to stretch the rules with blatant hairpulling in front of the ref, before Copeland fought back with a chop to the throat and some kicks.

A leg sweep from Edwards dumps Copeland, as did a sliding Flatliner, which gets a near-fall. Edwards takes things to the corner for some Machine Gun chops, but Copeland switches it around and comes in with a back elbow in the corner… then a Divorce Court to the arm. That gets her a near-fall, so Copeland pulls down a kneepad, looking for a running knee, only to get caught with a Sister Abigail for another two-count.

Edwards starts with some ground and pound after the kickout, then went outside for some plunder. A Kendo stick’s under the ring, which Edwards has no issue using on Copeland for the obvious DQ. Hey, if you’re going to get disqualified, you may as well do it deliberately, and by breaking a damn Kendo stick over your opponent. Clearly, it’s not over, and given Copeland’s recent flirtations with death matches, I’d not be surprised if there’s toys added to any rematch. **

The human personification of caffeine, Little Mean Kathleen, who won last time out, ran out ahead of the next match to issue an open challenge.

Little Mean Kathleen vs. Kaia McKenna
We’ve a rematch from the last WWR+ show… as it’s answered by Kaia McKenna, who literally pours rocksalt around ringside. Apparently to neutralise Kathleen’s energy? Either way, it’ll definitely come in useful in the winter…

When we get going, McKenna works her way into a hammerlock on the mat, before she trapped the arm for a levering armbar. A half crab’s escaped, but Kathleen’s taken into the corner for a bulldog, which lands for a two-count. Kathleen’s back with a crossbody for a two-count, then with some tiltawhirl headscissors before she did the Scrappy Doo stomps on Kaia in the corner.

Kathleen stands on McKenna in the ropes, then did more of the Scrappy Doo stomps, before a knuckle lock looked to force a pin on McKenna. It’s escaped, but Kathleen comes right back with a mounted sleeperhold that McKenna broke in the corner. Regardless, Kathleen keeps going with some windmilling shots to McKenna’s back, only to get slapped as the pair went back-and-forth there.

A legdrop to the arm from McKenna takes Kathleen down, before a trapped-arm armbar forces the submission. A quick one-two to the arms shuts the door, and I guess the salt worked to stifle Kathleen this time! **¾

Becca & Erica Leigh vs. The Kings Of The District (Eel O’Neal & Jordan Blade)
Opponents last time out, Becca and Erica are teaming up to share their love of scrunchies… and before we get going, the Higher Society of Armani Kayos and Paris Van Dale interrupt again.

Leigh starts with a front kick on O’Neal, then a high kick as the Kings of the District had trouble just getting underway. A quick ankle lock from O’Neal drags down Leigh, before a hammerlock from O’Neal ended with him getting charged to the outside. Eel, frustrated, punches a wall, then returned to the ring to trade shots with Leigh, before dualling kicks led to tags for Becca and Blade.

Blade’s front facelock has her on top, as did a rear naked choke, but Becca’s able to escape with headscissors… which Blade quickly escaped as she moved into a surfboard. Shoulder blocks form Blade keep her ahead, but an armdrag attempt gets countered into a lucha roll-up by Becca… who followed with headscissors that had Blade tag out.

Dropkicks keep the momentum going as O’Neal’s taken into the corner, with Leigh tagging in for a running elbow… but the Kings of the District quickly turn it around, thanks to a kitchen sink knee from Blade. The Kings stay on top, with a dropkick to the back from Blade being followed up with an elbow drop from O’Neal, whose armbar ends up being up as the ref spotted Eel biting.

A Saito suplex sees Blade announce her latest arrival, getting a two-count on Leigh in the process. Leigh manages to find a way back with a sweet floatover X-Factor, then made a tag out to Becca, who ran wild on O’Neal with clotheslines, before a backflip into a slap in the corner caught out Blade… who tries to shrug it off, only to eat superkicks.

Becca heads up top for a crossbody into the Kings for a near-fall, before a rewind stunner out of the corner almost put O’Neal away. Blade breaks up the pin and tosses Becca with a gutwrench suplex, before a pair of knee strikes sandwiched Becca for a near-fall. Erica Leigh makes the save and clears the ring as Becca flies outside with a tope into the salt from earlier.

Back inside, Blade trips Becca and pulled her outside, while Blade and O’Neal worked over Erica in their corner… only for Leigh to return with a spear. A pop-up into a facebuster nearly gets Becca the win, before she teased a 450 splash – having hit a picture-perfect one at Limitless Wrestling earlier in the month. Blade gets up, so Becca hits a crossbody instead, only for it to be caught as Blade slammed Becca into an ankle lock for the submission. A sudden ending to an enjoyable tag match. ***

Post-match, the Higher Society get the mic and annoy, claiming that they’d never lost in WWR+. They’re in their ring gear, which can only mean one thing. Yep, they’re interrupted, and we’ve got a match suddenly on the books.

The Higher Society (Armani Kayos & Paris Van Dale) vs. Team Sea Stars (Ashley Vox & Delmi Exo)
Technically we’ve a pair of WWR+ debuts here, and the Sea Stars launch into the Higher Society to start.

Ashley Vox goes airborne early with a back senton to Kayos on the apron, technically before the bell, before an armbar attempt ended in the ropes. Delmi Exo’s in to work over the arm next, landing a dropkick to it for a two-count before Vox returned to get pulled into a springboard senton for a two-count.

Kayos blocks a springboard ‘rana and powerbombed Vox into the turnbuckles, following quickly with a BIG hip attack for a two-count. Paris Van Dale’s in to hit some right hands, then a boot choke in the corner, before Kayos returned with a boot choke of his own. A front kick keeps Vox down as the Higher Society looked to isolate the Sea Stars.

A chinbar from Van Dale is fought out of, before the crowd booed a Rocker Dropper that saw Van Dale get a two-count. That’s followed up with a facebuster, then a double-team suplex and a pair of splits legdrops as Delmi Exo came in to break up the pin. Finally, Vox fought back as she teased a monkey flip and instead caught Kayos with a DDT.

Exo tags in, but is almost instantly overwhelmed before she lands a double clothesline. That sets her up for back-to-back elbows as the Higher Society were in opposite corners… then a suplex as Van Dale was sent into a cornered Kayos for a near-fall. Vox is back with a superkick on Van Dale for a two-count, before a Northern Lights suplex drew in Kayos for the break.

Van Dale’s Eat Defeat leads into a Final Cut from Kayos for a near-fall, then a side Russian legsweep/leg lariat combo as the Higher Society kept it coming, but a cutter from Exo and an assisted senton onto Kayos eventually gets the win in a good, albeit brief, tag team encounter as WWR+ looks to be developing a tag division. **¾

They announce Beyond returns on July 1 with “Masterclass” – featuring Brogan Finlay vs. Alexander James, Aaron Rourke vs. Teddy Goodz and Richard Holliday vs. Tony Deppen.

Masha Slamovich vs. Willow Nightingale
This was set up on the last show, with Willow challenging Slamovich…

Masha offered a handshake, and it’s accepted cordially. Ah, there you go, she attacks Willow at the bell with a German suplex, but Willow’s able to avoid a dropkick as Nightingale took over. A front kick drops Slamovich, with a back senton next for a two-count, as Willow was just throwing the Russian all over the place.

Willow followed Masha to the outside as we get some fighting by the bar before Slamovich was thrown into the front row. Masha grabs someone’s drink, then threw a chop at Willow… who was more than happy to chop back. They continue to trade shots, but Slamovich gets a few kicks off before she went to post Willow… who blocks it.

Instead, Willow runs Slamovich’s head into the side of the ring, but back inside Slamovich manages to find a way in with a missile dropkick. A low dropkick keeps Nightingale down for a two-count, as Slamovich began to use the ring ropes to choke and rake away on her opponent. Forearms from Nightingale looked to spark a fightback, with a side Russian legsweep ironically taking Slamovich into a grounded Octopus hold.

Slamovich rolls free as we get back-and-forth pinning attempts, leading to a knee strike from Slamovich to stop the sequence. Willow’s tripped into the ropes, with a clothesline following for another two-count as the Russian started to get frustrated at the proceedings. She continues to rough up Willow with crossface punches, setting up for a camel clutch with some biting for the hell of it.

Boots keep choking on Willow in the corner, but she manages to escape Slamovich with a cartwheel and a superkick. After both women got back to their feet, Willow pushes ahead with a spinebuster for a near-fall, bit Slamovich hit back with a step-up knee in the corner, then a Yakuza kick. A sliding clothesline to the back’s next for a near-fall, before another exchange of right hands led to Willow ducking a backfist as she hit a uranage.

Another kick-out sees Nightingale stay on top, with a hip attack catching Slamovich in the corner. A cannonball’s next, but Willow doesn’t go for a pin… instead she heads up top, and got caught, as Slamovich hits a ‘rana to bring Willow down for a near-fall. Masha stays on Willow with a rear naked choke, which nearly ekes out a win, but Nightingale counters out with a death valley driver… following in with a second one into the corner, but they’re too close to the ropes as Slamovich got her hand to the rope to stop the pin. From there, Willow lands a Doctor Bomb, and that’s all folks! Go out of your way for this one – Slamovich tried to rough up Willow on her way to victory, but just couldn’t find a way past Nightingale… ***½

Post-match, Willow’s attacked from behind by Tina San Antonio, who threw Nightingale back into the ring for another beatdown. A swandive headbutt leaves Willow laying, and if only Willow had a tag team partner to go up against Slamovich and San Antonio…

They announce WWR+ returns on July 18. They’re starting to make a habit of pre-gaming WWE pay-per-views, and that’s not a bad move.

Davienne vs. Trish Adora
We’re got a pair of 1-0 records in the main event here, with Davienne having called out Adora on the last show.

Adora offered a handshake to start, which gets accepted as the opening lockup led to Davienne eventually tripping Adora as it looked like they were heading to the corner. Trish quickly returns, but she’s made to bridge in a knuckle lock… only to reverse it and take down Davienne for a flash two-count.

After the kickout, Adora torques Davienne’s wrist in a wristlock, but it’s broken up in the corner as Davienne instead chucks Adora shoulder-first into the turnbuckles. Davienne stretches the arm in the ropes too, before the pair fought on the outside. Adora’s arm gets thrown into the ring post as Davienne took her around ringside, but Adora switches around with some chops before Davienne pulled her into the ring post.

Returning to the ring, Davienne stays on the arm, then threw Adora with a suplex for a two-count. Out of nowhere, Adora goes for a cross armbar, but Davienne’s able to escape and return with an armbar of her own. Adora rolls free and throws some elbows before a crossbody caught Davienne out.

A slam’s next from Adora, which nearly gets the win, before a spinning belly-to-belly took down Davienne for another two-count. Dragging Adora through the ropes, Davienne goes for a DDT, before the match descended into more back-and-forth kicks… Adora’s bicycle kick catches Davienne, but she can’t follow up as Davienne instead nails a release German suplex for a delayed two-count.

Davienne follows up with a splash in the corner, then a back suplex out of it, before Davienne set her up for Davi-end Your Life… but the baseball slide dropkick into the ring post misses, allowing Adora to hit back with Cattle Mutilation for the submission. A gutsy showing from Adora, who overcame Davienne’s arm work early on – and capitalised one the one big mistake in the match to eke out the win. ***½

Post-match, Megan Bayne’s assistant from earlier hit the ring… distracting Adora as Bayne came into the ring for a staredown, ending with Adora shoving Bayne’s assistant as she left the ring. Bayne vs. Adora is likely be one of, if not the, key match for the July 18 return.

7.4

The final score: review Good

The 411

This was a nice, breezy and consistent show from WWR+, with the entire card wrapped up in two hours - and crucially, without any of it feeling like filler. With the usual haunts for women’s wrestling on the indys not currently being as active, WWR+’s return is pretty timely - and should be appointment viewing for those looking to keep an eye on the next generation of stars.