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A Royal Legacy

20 Years of Queens of American Wrestling

Volume 2

“Legit” Leyla Hirsch © vs. “The Queen of Spades” Shayna Baszler ©

QAW Shockwave Championship vs. QAW World’s Championship

Knockout and Submission Only Match

From Beach Bash:PRIDE Never Die (Saturday, June 19, 2021)

After nearly two years of dominance, the reign of Shayna Baszler came to an end at “November Rain” at the hands of “The War Goddess” Athena. Baszler would remain a fixture in the main event scene as a sort of gatekeeper/”final boss” while the belt changed hands every few months before Shayna finally got her shot again.This time facing off with beloved fan hero Davina Rose at “A Heart Full of Hate” in Feburay of 2021, and once again, Baszler secured a submission victory to become part of the illustrious club of two-time QAW World’s Champions. With victories in March, April, and May over Sara Del Rey, Sasha Mercedes, and ODB, fans feared they were in for another dominant run on top from “The Queen of Spades.” But on an episode of Eruption after her victory over ODB, when Shayna declared that she had utterly conquered QAW and there were no true challengers left in sight, she would get such a challenge from an unlikely source. Leyla Hirsch, the Shockwave champion, came out to confront her. Having ridden the momentum of her series of matches with Io Shirai, Leyla had continued to put on exceptional matches throughout 2020, building more and more fan support before claiming the Shockwave championship for herself at “Rebirth and Reckoning” in January of 2021, winning the title off of recent Japanese import [redacted]. Baszler was initially dismissive of her opponent, calling her a rookie that was beneath her notice. But Hirsch would not be denied, getting in the champion’s face, calling her a coward, and even offering to put her on Shockwave Championship on the line. Always eager to acquire more gold, Shayna gladly accepted, promising to brutalize Hirsch, who was unafraid despite the daunting task ahead of her. Given both women’s backgrounds, there was an emphasis on a sports-like presentation, with plenty of sit-down interviews and videos focused on their training. Some clever fans online quickly nicknamed the fight “PRIDE Never Die” as a play on both their shootfighting experience, the month of the event, and Baszler and Hirsch both being members of the LGBTQ+ community. The company leaned into it, subtitling the show with the same name and declared that the match would be under knockout and submission only rules. On that Saturday night, fans tuned in for an event unlike anything they’d seen in an American wrestling ring before.

With pride colors visible to the eagle-eyed viewer in places here and there on both women’s ring attire and the emotion clear in their faces, there was no denying the enormity of the moment as the first time a pay-per-view had ever been main evented by two openly-LGBTQ+ wrestlers. But if that emotion affected either Hirsch or Baszler’s performances, they didn’t show it. The match opened with a lengthy, yet dynamic, technical wrestling exchange, both women moving quickly and exploding with energy in spots to keep the crowd engaged. The match accelerated from grappling to strikes, building up to power moves with Baszler targeting the arms of her opponent and using her strength and more than half a foot of height to her advantage. Hirsch was constantly fighting from underneath throughout the match but would not stay down, always able to answer the referee’s ten count or escape a submission. Baszler grew increasingly frustrated with the challenger’s fortitude, becoming more brutal and aggressive, but Hirsch kept on weathering the storm and firing back, rallying, chaining together offense as the crowd built to a crescendo. Leyla dropped Shayna with an Exploder Suplex and capitalized with repeated running knees when she got onto her knees, swarming her with mounted punches before the referee pulled Leyla off, declaring her the winner and new champion by TKO. Leyla Hirsch sat o her knees with both titles raised above her head, the first-ever double champion, as rainbow-colored streamers rained on the ring from the crowd, a perfect snapshot for a truly historic moment.

Leyla Hirsch: "You know, that was the first time in my entire career I'd gone into a lockup crying." 

Shayna: "Aw, come on, don't, 'cause I was, too. I know what you mean, that whole match just felt really special." 

Leyla: "It was! I'm really proud we didn't call anything for the first... almost fifteen minutes, I think?" 

Shayna: "Yeah, pretty close to it. Not that we were shooting on each other or anything, it was just, we just grappled and we went with the momentum of whatever came next. I'd just, every once in a while, I'd give you a little tap on the hip, like, 'Hey, speed it up!'" 

Leyla: "Then I'd give you a little tap on the hand, 'Hit me with a forearm!'" 

Shayna: "It was so gratifying to really be able to go out there and do something totally unique and have the fans along for the ride the whole way through." 

Leyla: "I'd never been so happy to break my nose in a match." 

(Both laugh)

Leyla: "Because on the one hand, my brain's going 'Oh man, I hope that doesn't mess up my breathing, holy [bleep] this hurts so bad! But at the same time-" 

Shayna: "At the same time you're thinking 'Oh man, if I start bleeding everywhere, that's gonna look so [bleep]ing cool!" 

Leyla: "Hell yeah!" 

(Both laugh) 

Shayna: "I wanted you to tap me out for the finish." 

Leyla: "I know, I know. But I was worried it was too much too fast, 'cause you'd never tapped out before. I didn't want it to sour the finish for some of the fans and have them turn on the moment." 

Shayna: "Ah, I dunno, I thought they woulda gone along with it." 

Leyla: "The fact that you even offered means a lot." 

Shayna: "Of course! Gotta pay it forward, you know?" 

The New Age Goddesses ("War Goddess" Athena and "Goddess of Victory" Sasha Mercedes) vs. BritWres Princesses (Britani Knight and Becky Knox) ©

QAW World’s Tag Team Championship Match

From A Heart Full of Hate (Saturday, February 15, 2014)

Queen’s Landing had been a magical moment for the BritWres Princesses, but the pressure didn’t ease up just because they’d achieved their fairy tale ending. If anything, that pressure only grew, both within the tag division from those wanting to take their titles and from the fans after the standard they had set in their victory. The young women rose to the challenge, putting on, as it’s said today, “banger after banger.” They were no longer plucky, hardworking underdogs. The fires of competition had forged “BKSquared” into fierce warriors and the dominant, definitive face of tag team wrestling, the top women’s team in the entire world. But their seven-month reign as champions faced its hardest challenge yet in the form of the New Age Goddesses. After losing their titles to The Dynamic Duo nearly nine months earlier, Sasha Mercedes and Athena had refocused themselves and come together (seemingly) stronger than ever to reclaim their gold. Both women capable of fantastic feats of athleticism and exciting tandem offense, the former champions were prepared to take back what was rightfully theirs, though Athena was more focused on the glory of victory and competition while Sasha exalted the idea of the worship they would receive in their triumph.

For one reason or another, the two teams had an absolute sprint that night. At just over ten minutes, the four women packed the match with absolute action, once again showcasing the BritWres Princesses’ signature of going all-out in every match, even if it would later (seem to) be to the detriment of Britani’s career to burn so brightly. In what some called “a PWG highlight video turned into a match”, the two teams left the Sacramento crowd absolutely breathless as they left everything out in the ring before Britani pinned Mercedes with a Beheading (IOTL Paige Turner) off the top rope. Though the style of match had its detractors, it absolutely had the wrestling world buzzing and the Princesses once again took the internet by storm. Within a month, the Goddesses would be at one another’s throats, earning the champions a bit of a reputation as tag team destroyers.

Saraya-Jade Bevis: “This match, oh man…”

Mercedes Varnado: “What even happened here, again?”

Adrienne Reese: “I remember how this happened. Someone, we’re not gonna say who-”

Rebecca Quinn: “Let’s say it rhymed with ‘Frail Trim.’”

(All four laugh)

Adrienne: “She went over time in her match. We were supposed to have eighteen minutes. We wound up with ten.”

Saraya: “I’m gonna tell ya, I do not miss Frail.”

(All four laugh)

Rebecca: “So we’re watching the match go on and on and we’re freaking out. ‘Oh man, what are we gonna do? We have to change the whole match, we gotta cut this and this’-”

Mercedes: “Well, you guys were worried about that. I was saying [bleep] it, we had the time that we were promised, we should do the match we wanted.”

Saraya: “Come on, that would have been selfish.”

Mercedes: “I know, I know. But then she” (Points to Adrienne) “Speaks up and she has this crazy idea, I’ll never forget what you said.”

Adrienne: “All I said was ‘Let’s just cut out all the parts where we sell.’”

Saraya: (Pantomimes a lightbulb going off over her head) “Ding!”

(All four laugh)

Rebecca: “And once we were all agreed on this idea, that we were gonna go completely [bleep]s out, just cram everything that we wanted into there, we just totally clicked.

Mercedes: “And the crowd just ate it up with a spoon. Once they realized the rhythm we were going for, they were with us all the way.”

Saraya: “Oh, yeah, that reminds me. Hey, racketman!” (She holds up a blurred-out finger to the camera) “[Bleep] you!”

(The other three whoop and clap)

“Death Rey” Sara Del Rey vs. “Mighty” Nora Greenwald

From Pride Before The Fall (Saturday, August 20, 2005)

After her submission victory over Nattie Neidhart at Sizzling Summer Showdown, which ended their two-year feud (or at least that chapter of their career rivalry), Sara Del Rey was feeling particularly invincible. Since the new QAW Champion Mickie James already had a challenger lined up with Tara winning a #1 contender’s match the night before, she knew that she would not get the championship match that she “rightly deserved.” So she decided to make her own match for Pride Before The Fall and made an open challenge for any women’s wrestler in the world to face her so that she could prove that she deserved to be the #1 contender, because she was the best in the world.

Sara Del Rey’s challenge was answered on that hot August night by Nora Greenwald, making her first pro wrestling appearance since April. Since leaving her former employer and contemplating retirement, Nora had gained internet notoriety through a series of shoot interviews that had lambasted her former employer, including certain key figures that the internet wrestling fans had no real love for in 2005. Combining this with her already-existing popularity among that crowd as an underappreciated in-ring talent in the other company and it was no surprise that Nora received a massive ovation for her shocking debut. The two women put on a wrestling clinic for fifteen minutes before Nora trapped SDR with her Twin City Twister pin, kicking off Nora’s career resurgence in style.

Nora Greenwald: "You know, when I asked Trish who my first opponent was gonna be, she said to me, 'Don't worry, I got you Sara Del Rey. She's gonna take care of you.'" 

Sara Amato (Sara Del Rey): "Wow, she... she really said that?" 

Nora: "She did. And you know what? She was absolutely right. You helped me look really great out there." 

Sara: "No, hey, that's- it takes two to dance, right? You were excellent, trust me." 

Nora: "Still, I couldn't have asked for a better dance partner for my first match in a new company. You set the tempo, you showed me what the fans expected, the work rate, but you didn't drag me out into deep water and leave me to drown." 

Sara: "Of course, I wouldn't do that. Honestly, it meant a lot that Trish trusted me with that match, that she saw me as the standard bearer, you know?" 

Nora: "I talked to Lisa (Tara) about the match after the show, we'd both known each other for a little bit before she left OVW to come here. She told me 'If you'd gone out and had a bad match with Sara, there would have to be something wrong with you." 

Sara: "Come on, stop, you're gonna make me... come on." 

(Both women hug)

“Midnight Angel” Io Shirai vs. “Flying Angel” Manami Toyota

From Great Voyage to Tokyo (Saturday, April 29, 2017)

From the moment Trish Stratigeas first had the idea for Queens of American Wrestling, she knew that she would want to one day run a show in the country that had helped her hone her skills and reignite her passion for wrestling. It had been a struggle of gaining financing, building interest overseas, getting travel arrangements in order and making sure workers had the appropriate paperwork and really just down to timing, but eventually, fourteen years after the first QAW show, they would make their Japanese debut. With every intention of selling out the legendary Budokan Hall, the card was packed with crossover matches of QAW talent either teaming up with or wrestling against the women of Sstardom, Ice Ribbon, Seadlinnng, and Sendai Girls’ Pro Wrestling, as well as a handful of Freelance Talent. But to put the show over the top, Trish called in one last favor from an old friend. Though Manami Toyota had retired from wrestling in 2015, she took up the call to step into the ring one last time, with only one opponent on her mind. By 2017, Io Shirai ahd already cared out a legacy for herself as one of the faces of the new generation of Joshi and had cited Manami Toyota as an inspiration. In Toyota’s mind, there was no one else to face for such a historic event, especially being offered the main event spot.

The crowd took in the intergenerational dream match with bated breath, hanging on every moment and firing up for every Toyota flurry or comeback. Though it had been two years since Manami’s last match and more than a decade since her prime, the veteran still knew how to give a good performance and turn back the clock, years of battling against what many called the best women’s roster of all time giving her the edge in toughness and experience. But Shirai proved that she was no slouch and refused to be starstruck in the presence of such a legend. As the match wore on, the younger wrestler took more and more of an advantage, wearing Toyota down with her vicious strikes. Despite all the fire and heart Manami had, time had simply caught up with her, and with one gorgeous moonsault, the main event of QAW’s first show in Japan was won by a woman who had never stepped foot in a QAW ring before and was not a contracted talent. Io celebrated her victory briefly before leaving Toyota alone in the ring to absorb the moment and say goodbye to the fans in the Budokan one final time.

Manami Toyota (Subtitled): “When I told Trish-chan I wanted you to beat me, I thought her head was going to explode.”

Masami Odate (subtitled): (Laughs) “Oh no!”

Manami: “‘You have to win! She doesn’t even work here!’ Well, I pointed out that I technically didn’t work for her anymore, either. Besides, it was the right thing to do. You were the torchbearer, my time had passed”

Masami: “Oh, goodness, I hope I didn’t cause any trouble with your friendship.”

Manami: “No, no. She got over it. Especially after she saw our match.”

Masami: “I had no idea. She came up to me backstage after the match and handed me her phone number. She said ‘As soon as your contract with Stardom is coming up, call me. Whatever they will pay, I will pay more.’ And I just had to go ‘... Okay!’”

(Both laugh)

Masami: “I didn’t know what else to say! I knew the match was good, I didn’t know she thought it was that good!”

Manami: “And you’re welcome.”

(Both laugh)

“The Icon” Trish Stratigeas vs. “Better than Iconic” Mickie James

From Best of the Best (Saturday, September 30, 2006)

Though it wasn’t being contested in the match itself, the story of this first-time-ever meeting was intertwined with the QAW World’s Championship. After defeating Jazz in July, Mickie would only hold the belt until December before dropping the title to Nora Greenwald. Nora herself would only hold the title until April before she was defeated by Trish Stratigeas, who had returned in December following a tour in Japan with Sendai Girls’ Pro Wrestling to become a two-time World’s Champion. Each time Mickie James had tried to get back into title contention, she found herself shut out. When Trish Stratigeas lost the championship to Tara at Pride Before The Fall in August and was quick to announce her intention to get back into the title hunt, Mickie decided to take matters into her own hands. Showing respect at first, Mickie referred to Trish as “an icon” of women’s wrestling, that she was the very reason all of the talent and all of the fans were in the building that night, that she might be one of the best ever. With both of them hungry to get another championship victory, a great way to get one of them rocketing up the ladder was to face off one-on-one in a dream match. When Trish only seemed to consider it, Mickie decided to turn the screws. Referring to how everyone knew how QAW came to be, about what Trish had almost done on national television, Mickie said that it had taken guts to stand up for herself. But Mickie wondered where those guts had been all those other times she’d been asked to flaunt her body, all the times she’d made kissy-faces and been made to be a manager for “A tag team with a joke name of the only things those people cared about you for?” Trish boiled over at Mickie’s constant needling and slapped her in the face, accepting the challenge. Mickie would continue her psychological warfare, harkening back to Trish’s promos on Bubba Ray Dudley, dressed in lingerie and speaking in a flirtatious tone while promising to humiliate Trish, to prove that she was a better wrestler than Trish, and to show that Trish Stratigeas was nothing but hype. Trish was, if anything, thankful for Mickie’s antics, admitting that there were things she’d done earlier in her career that she hadn’t been proud of, times that she should have stood up for herself. So by “beating the crap” out of Mickie James, she would be excising the demons of her past.

Despite all the charged words and the tension in the air, the match started with a lockup and chain wrestling. For all their animosity, when it came down to it, both women wanted to prove they were the superior wrestler to the other. As the match went on for over twenty minutes, both women fought tooth and nail, Trish showing why she was The Godmother of QAW and Mickie proving herself every bit the founder’s equal. There were several times when it looked like Mickie might prove her word and defeat Trish, especially when she hit Trish with her own Chick Kick. But the experience edge won out for Stratigeas and she pinned Mickie with an inside cradle. No matter the bad blood between them, Trish still offered Mickie a handshake as a sign of respect after the match, showing that she appreciated just how talented the other woman was. Mickie refused the handshake and went in for a hug instead, which Trish returned… Before Mickie dropped to her knees and hit Trish low, causing the victor to crumple to the match. It was clear that this rivalry was far from over.

Mickie James: "I'll be honest, when I was coming out to cut that first promo, I was very nervous." 

Trish Stratigeas: "Of what? You were great on the mic, I had total confidence in you." 

Mickie: "No, no, not of that. I was worried I was gonna.. I dunno, go too far! Touch a nerve. I mean, at the end of the day, you were my boss!" (She laughs) 

Trish: "Hey, come on, you had nothing to worry about. I told you in the back, I wanted you to lay into me, the only thing I didn't want you to do was call me a slut or anything, I didn't want it to seem like we were directly attacking the women in WWE who'd still had to do bra and panties or whatever." 

Mickie: "Jello pool bullshit match." 

(Both laugh) 

Mickie: "But I hate to admit, I got a lot of traffic on my old website after I did those promos in lingerie." 

Trish: "Yeah, well, that's wrestling fans." 

(Both laugh) 

Trish: "When I talked about wanting to 'excise my demons' or whatever language I used in those promos, that was true. 'Cause I would go on YouTube- this was in 2007, back before they'd been bought by Bing- and if I looked up Trish Stratigeas, there'd be all these clips, and highlights, and matches. But sometimes I'd look up Trish Stratus, and I couldn't find any of the handful of matches there, it was just the promos I did, or shoot interviews about me, or those segments with Vince, or me getting put through a table." 

Mickie: "You know those were put together by some creeps that were mad this promotion even existed." 

Trish: "Oh, I'm sure. But just seeing those, it did kinda eat at me, make me think 'Why didn't I draw a line sooner? What was the matter with me?'" 

Mickie: "Hey, now, don't beat yourself up." 

Trish: "It's been almost twenty years, I'm over it now, don't worry. But at the time... I guess those matches were a kind of therapy?" 

Mickie: "Shoot, should I write you a receipt for billable therapist's hours, then?" 

(Both women laugh)

ODB vs. “The Legacy” Nattie Neidhart

Submission Match

From A Heart Full of Hate (Saturday, February 16, 2008)

Sometimes there are wrestlers that go together like oil and vinegar. Two elements that seem totally disparate, that are opposed on a chemical molecular level, but come together to make something special. ODB and Nattie Neidhart were one such combination.The two could not be any further apart: Nattie Neidhart came from a prestigious wrestling family, was the only female graduate of the Hart Dungeon, a technician through-and-through. ODB clawed her way through the independents, working part-time to cover the cost of going to wrestling school. A foul-mouthed brawler and, to address the elephant in the room, her name stood for “One Dirty Bitch.” And she proved to be exactly that when she debuted in 2007, loud and crass and doing anything it took to win. Never meeting a rule she couldn’t break, ODB was repugnant and reviled, though she did have her subset of fans, especially whenever QAW came through the Southeastern US. Finally, Nattie Neidhart decided that she’d had enough. Calling ODB an embarrassment to professional wrestling, saying that she made a mockery of the sport that Nattie’s family had given so much of their lives to honor and make mean something, she challenged ODB to a match. Never one to turn down a fight, ODB accepted. Throughout the match, Neidhart grew frustrated with her opponent’s constant rulebreaking, devolving into shouting at the referee for her apparent incompetence and even yelling at the fans who cheered for ODB. In the end, Nattie gained the victory with an artful, masterfully executed pinning combination… and a good, solid hand on the ropes for leverage. Unimpressed. ODB hounded Nattie for a rematch, never giving her a moment’s peace. It was onlty when Nattie accepted that ODB revealed that this would not be a wrestling match, but a bar fight. Here, all of Nattie’s wrestling training would be for naught and ODB’s rulebreaking was absolutely encouraged. Nattie gave a good effort with her back against the wall, but ODB took the win when she smashed Nattie over the head with a pint glass and her enemy was unable to get to her feet. Now it was Nattie’s return to demand vengeance, insisting that winning in a godforsaken bar fight like some kind of criminal didn’t prove anything, that she wanted a match, a real match, promising to so thoroughly humiliate ODB as the superior wrestler that she’d drive her out of QAW forever. ODB accepted what was later revealed to be: a submission match.

In a match clearly designed to her strengths, Nattie picked ODB apart, going after her legs and especially her knees, but ODB stayed alive with the brawling that brought her to the dance and started stringing together more and more offense, focused around Nattie’s ribs and back. As the match wore on and she grew more and more frustrated, Nattie used more and more outright villainous tactics, the very same cheating she so despised ODB for, even going so far as to bite her enemy and kick her low when the referee’s back was turned. But with what could really only be called “White Trash Fighting Spirit,” ODB persevered, rallied, and shocked the crowd by getting Nattie up for a Torture Rack. ODB cranked and cranked the pressure until Nattie Neidhart was forced to tap out, losing in the very stipulation she had chosen in what would turn out to be her final QAW match.

Jessie Krease (ODB): “When Trish told me she wanted us to do a submission match for our last match, I felt my whole body freeze up. I didn’t know any [bleep]ing submissions!”

Nattie Neidhart: (Laughs) “Oh no!”

Jessie: “But what was I supposed to do? You can’t say no to the boss! So I was just like, oh jeez, sure thing, yes, ma’am!”

Nattie: “Gee whillickers!”

(Both laugh)

Nattie: “So how’d you come to the Torture Rack?”

Jessie : “So me and Lisa (Tara) were riding to the next town…”

Nattie: “Oh, no. Nothing ever good comes from that carpool.”

Jessie: “Aw, come on, you’ve had fun when you were in the car with us. Anyway, we’re driving and we’re talking and I’m like ‘Oh [bleep], what am I gonna do? I can’t put her in a headlock, that’s not a good finish! I can’t do a bearhug, that’s not a babyface move!’ And we’re driving for a while and out of nowhere she turns to me and goes ‘Ya know, nobody’s done a Torture Rack as their finish in forever.’”

Nattie: “You’re kidding!”

Jessie: “And it was like a firework went off in my head, ‘cause she was so right! It would be unique, it would get a great pop, and it fit my character with, ya know,” (Jessie points to her own chest)

(Both women laugh)

Nattie: “So that explains why you were hitting the weight rack so much at every hotel gym we stopped at. Ya know, the last couple weeks before my deal with WWE came through, Trish told me she wanted me to turn face after the feud. We were gonna be a tag team.”

Jessie: “Really?”

Nattie: “Yeah! We were gonna go out drinking, there’d be vignettes where you took me to a honkytonk or whatever, we were gonna be friends.”

Jessie: “Aw, man, that would have been great!”

Nattie: “Yeah, it really would have.”

“The Wonder” Joanie Laurer and Aja Kong vs. Midnight Destruction Crew (Jazz and Awesome Kong)

From Best of the Best (Saturday, September 29, 2007)

If there were two women in QAW who absolutely despised each other… it would have to be Sara Del Ray and Nattie Neidhart. But if there were two women other than them, it would have to be Joanie Laurer and Jazz. From the time Jazz debuted in the fall of 2002, the two women had constantly butted hads and locked horns, each determined to prove that she was the strongest, toughest, most physical woman in QAW. Or, to use Jazz’s own words, “The Top Bitch.” After the constant battles for the first five years of QAW’s existence, the two women seemed to be at a stalemate. At least, until Jazz introduced an equalizer. When the two did battle yet again at August’s “Pride Before the Fall”, Joanie seemed to be on the verge of victory when a giant of a woman slid into the ring and attacked her from behind, causing the disqualification victory. It was the debuting Awesome Kong, and she and Jazz solidified their alliance by beating Joane down in the ring, Kong hitting the “Wonder” with several spinning backfists as Jazz kept pulling Laurer up to her feet. The women put an exclamation on their assault by putting Laurer through a table and celebrating over her unconscious form. Despite the beating, Joanie was back on television, challenging Jazz and her new heavy to a fight. Jazz mocked Joanie for being outnumbered and the pair prepared to attack her again when Joanie got some surprising backup in the form of Aja Kong, returning to QAW and the United States for the first time since 2004. The four women had to be held apart by building security when they tried to brawl, gearing the audience up for a physical, hard-hitting tag match unlike anything they’d seen to that point.

And the match delivered what they’d promised, with the two first-time pairs meeting in a stiff and violent clash. As the debutant, Awesome Kong got plenty of shine, throwing hands with Joanie Laurer in a first-ever encounter, and fighting with Aja Kong in the first meeting they’d had in three years. Fans also got to see the tandem offense of Laurer and Aja working together for the first time, and Jazz squaring up to Aja for the first time since 2004. In the end, it was Jazz’s insecurity, her need to be seen as the top bitch in QAW, that caused her team’s downfall. When it seemed that Awesome Kong was about to secure a win, Jazz demanded to be tagged into the match.While they argued, this allowed Laurer to tag out to Aja Kong, who charged in, nearly dropped Awesome Kong with an Uraken to the back of the head, and then finished her off with a breathtaking brainbuster. While Joanie and Aja celebrated their victory, Jazz and Awesome Kong argued, leading to Kong dropping the woman who’d brought her into the QAW with an Implant Buster, proving that she was on nobody’s side but her own.

“The HBIC” Tara vs. “Everybody’s Favorite Girlfriend” Jessie McKay

“Tough Love” Strap Match

From Beach Bash (Saturday, June 28, 2014)

If Jessie McKay thought things were going to be easy once she retrieved the Golden Opportunity briefcase, she was sorely mistaken. As she worked her way further up the card against title-caliber opponents, she was repeatedly taken the the woodshed, struggling to overcome her opponents and sometimes even losing. Despite the fans’ support, McKay was starting to doubt herself and if she’d be able to successfully use her Golden Opportunity. That was when she got help from an unexpected source. Although whether one could call it “help” is really up for interpretation. Tara came out after a very close lose for McKay against Davina Rose and layed the Australian out, beating her down with, of all things, a leather strap. Tara was still upset that Jessie beat her in the ladder match, but more importantly, she didn’t want Jessie to waste her opportunity. She challenged Jessie McKay to a strap match, to let the younger woman prove to herself that she was tough enough, that she had the grit and the heart to be a champion, that she could dig down deep and rise to the occasion like a champion could. Needing that validation, Jessie McKay accepted the challenge.

The match was violent, hard-hitting, and at times just a little racy as both women whipped each other with the ten feet of leather. The only thing louder than the smack of leather on skin were Jessie McKay’s cries with every blow as she crumpled to the mat. But despite the welts rising on her body, as the match went on, Jessie found the strength to dig deep and climb to her feet. She started firing back, whipping Tara in return, showing that grit Tara wanted her to prove she had. After giving Tara more than a dozen htis with the strap, Jessie used the weapon as a ripcord and dropped the veteran with what would become her signature move, a Rolling Elbow that she would christen “Everbody’s Favorite Forearm.” Jessie collapsed on top of Tara to score the pinfall and, though battered and bruised, was triumphant, and she embraced the woman who had caused her so much pain after the match.

Lisa Marie Varon (Tara): “You know, I was so worried when Trish came to me with the idea for this match.”

Jessie McKay: “You were worried?! I was the one who was going to get the beating!”

Lisa: “I mean, alright, yeah…” (Both women laugh) “But I just meant about the match. I was dreading the idea of hitting the four turnbuckles and everything, because it’s such a limiting match, there’s only like two ways it really works out.”

Jessie: “God, yeah, you’re right. I guess we’re lucky with how that turned out, huh?”

Lisa: “Yeah. You were a champ for taking all those hits.”

Jessie: “Well, I figured, ya know. I’m supposed to win, I better not complain about the hits I’m gonna take. And I’m glad you were comfortable with some of the spots I had in mind. I was worried it would look a bit too Clips4Sale, as Brit or Beck might say.”

Lisa: “Well, I had to admit, it got the match a lot of internet attention.”

(Both laugh)

Jessie: “We practiced the finish so many times, I really didn’t wanna mess up the timing with something that was gonna be my finish.”

Lisa: “And all the practice paid off, it looked great!”

Jessie: “Damn right it did. Hey, Chris Hero! Bet you never did an elbow like that!”

“Queen Spider” April Lee vs. “The Hugger” Davina Rose

“I Quit” Match

From Horrorscape (Saturday, October 26, 2013)

Following the loss of their QAW Tag Team Championships, The Dynamic Duo attempted to reclaim their titles in the main event of Eruption in another classic match, though they lost when Davina Rose tapped out to the Scorpion Crosslock. Soon after, April was challenged for her Shockwave Championship by [redacted] and Davina volunteered herself as a roadblock, wanting to redeem herself in April’s eyes. But in the match, Davina tapped out to [redacted]’s Dragon Sleeper. Wanting so badly to make up for this failure, Davina interferes in the PPV match and accidentally hits April, costing her the Shockwave championship. April disappeared for over a month, and every week, Davina would come out and cut a promo asking for April’s forgiveness, saying she wanted her friend back, wanting her to just pick up the phone. Despite this, Davina earned her own shot at the Shockwave Championship. After losing out yet again by submission, April Lee returned and assaulted Davina while she was already down, leaving her former friend a bloody mess. April called Davina a quitter, called her weak, said that she embarrassed April by sharing April’s spotlight. April challenged Davina to an “I Quit” match, promising to make her hurt, make her suffer, and telling her that she would quit again. Feeling betrayed and hurt by someone that she’d seen as her closest friend, Davina accepted the match.

In one of the most violent matches QAW had seen up to that point in its history, the two former friends went to war with one another. Both women spilled blood, with Davina receiving a frighteningly deep cut that had her wearing a crimson mask. Hitting one another with chairs, kendo sticks, turnbuckles, and all other manner of weapons, the fight spilled out among the fans and both went through tables, the end of the match came when Davina put April in a Crossface, with a strand of barbed wire pressed into April’s neck, digging into her forehead and touching her eyes. Screaming in pain, April had no choice but to admit defeat and say those awful two words. With her head held high, Davina Rose finally had redemption and vindication.

April Mendez (April Lee): “Sometimes I wake up and I really regret that backdrop you gave me onto a row of chairs.”


Pamela Martinez (Davina Rose): “Same for me and that suicide dive you did that knocked me into the barricade. Still makes my shoulder pop once in a while.”

April: “But it was a hell of a match.”

Pamela: “Absolutely. I’m glad I did it.”

April: “But once was enough.”

(Both laugh)

Pamela: “I have all the respect in the world for women that do Deathmatch or Ultraviolent wrestling or whatever you wanna call it.”

April: “But it was not something either of us were going to make a habit out of. That being said, it was so great to have a story like that, so deeply personal and hateful.”

Pamela: “Those promos we had on each oher… sometimes you could hear a pin drop- I mean in a god way- and sometimes the fans would just be roaring, I could barely hear myself talk.”

April: “Probably the proudest match of my career that didn’t have a belt involved.”

Pamela: “Absolutely. Me, too.”

pduh

SPOILER: Click to show

WWWF Present Breaking Ground 

Main Event 
Match of the Century 
Bret “The Hitman” Hart vs Brock Lesner

Storyline: At WWWF Summer Fest after a hard hitting match, and victory over Vader Brock Lesner cut
a promo that nobody can’t beat him he even already issue a open challenge at the next pay per view WWWF Present Breaking Ground. Someone with the hoodie on come in the ring with the baseball bat he hit Brock Lesner leg from behind with the baseball bat Brock Lesner was down holding his leg in pain, and the person with the hoodie reveal himself to be Bret “The Hitman” Hart.

Bret “The Hitman” Hart keep repeatedly hitting Brock Lesner’s leg with the baseball bat, and then he finally stop he take Brock Lesner close to the ring post. He put Brock Lesner the figure four leg lock on the ring post he finally let go Bret Hart grab the microphone, and said “I accept your challenge Brock!” A week later on WWWF Superstars Bret “The Hitman” Hart cut a promo stated even a beast have a weakness, and at Breaking Ground that Brock Lesner is going to find out why he call himself the excellent of execution.

The next day at WWWF Sunday Night Challenge the WWWF Vice President announce Bret “The Hitman” Hart against Brock Lesner will be the main event at WWWF Present Breaking Ground.

WWWF World Heavyweight Title Match
“Hollywood” Hulk Hogan(c) vs “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes

Storyline: At WWWF Superstars the Vice President of WWWF was in the ring with “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes which the VP announce that after his victory with his brutal match at Summer Fest that he have earn a WWWF World title match against Hulk Hogan at the next pay per view WWWF Present Breaking Grounds. “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes was about to cut a promo but was interrupted by “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBase which he should be the one next in line for a title match “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes respond to Ted DiBase the WWWF Vice President book a match for the next day at WWWF Sunday Night Challenges “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBase one on one against “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes.

The next day on WWWF Sunday Night Challenge the main event between “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes and “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBase but didn’t happen because both Ted DiBase and El Hijo del Fantasma attacked “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes which both trying to injure Dusty Rhodes in the ring then Hulk Hogan comes out and make the save. Both Hulk Hogan and Dusty Rhodes have a stare down afterwards they shake hands the Vice President of WWWF announce at Saturday Night Main Event a tag team match which the Million Dollar Man Ted DiBase teaming up El Hijo del Fantasma against “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes and his tag team partner Hulk Hogan.

At WWWF Saturday Night Main Event a tag team match take place, and both El Hijo del Fantasma & “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBase trying to cheat for victory but Nick Aldis comes out to explained & show the referee what happen. The referee restart then both Hulk Hogan and Dusty Rhodes won their match when Hulk Hogan hit his finishing move on El Hijo del Fantasma and got the pin fall for the victory. After the match “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBase grab the chair take it with him in the ring but both Hulk Hogan and Dusty Rhodes spotted Ted DiBase which Million Dollar man drop the chair in the ring he leaves the ring right away while Hulk Hogan pick up the chair and smack right to Dusty Rhodes’s with the chair knocking him out cold. Fans are in shock which Hulk Hogan hit Dusty Rhodes with three leg drops.

Week later on WWWF Superstars the current WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan cut a promo explained his action, and telling fans to shove it he doesn’t need them because he is the champ he is Hollywood Hulk Hogan.

The People’s Champion vs The Most Hated Man On The Planet
The Rock vs MJF

Storyline: At WWWF Saturday Night Main Event MJF cut a promo in the ring bragging about how beat the people’s champion DDP at Summer Fest, and he stated that not just only he is better than DDP but he is also better than the people. The Rock’s entrance theme plays which he make his WWWF debut The Rock is in the ring with MFJ cut a promo that he stated he is the real people’s champion and then he insult MJF which the fans loving it and even challenge MJF to a match.

MFJ respond to The Rock and insulting him and the people he then teases about accepting his challenges but he change his mind saying not tonight leaves the ring. A week later at one of the WWWF tv programming WWWF Superstars MJF cut a promo make fun of The Rock and he stated he would’ve beat The Rock and make the people cried because he is better he is better than him if he accept his challenge.

The next day another WWWF tv programming WWWF Sunday Night Challenges The Rock cut a promo to respond to MJF’s last promo he insults MJF, and he once again challenging MJF to a one on one match. Another week later on WWWF Superstars MJF was in the ring cut a promo, and he once again decline The Rock’s challenge he explained why he keeps declining The Rock’s challenge because he will expose the fraud he really is he is no people’s champion just like the idiots he is the people’s frauds.

On the next day at WWWF Sunday Night challenges the WWWF Vice President announce at the next pay per view WWWF Presents Breaking Grounds that MJF will compete one on one match against The Rock, and will have a contract signing to make it official at WWWF Saturday Night Main Event. At WWWF Saturday Night Main Event the WWWF Vice President, MJF, & The Rock are in the ring for the contract signing both The Rock and MJF cut their promos insulting each other and both signed the contract to make the match official. After the signing some random fan come in the ring distracted The Rock which he was confused then MJF hit The Rock from behind with the chair he hit The Rock with his own finishing move The Rock Bottom to the table. He cut a promo afterwards mocking The Rock using his catch phrase if you smell what the MJF is cooking.

WWWF Intercontinental Title Match
Battle of the Dragons
“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson(c) vs Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat

Storyline: Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat won the number one contender match for the IC title at Summer Fest when he defeated Kota Ibushi. On WWWF Superstars in the ring “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson ask Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat to come in the ring which he did he cut a promo stated he have lot of respect for Ricky Steamboat and looking forward their match at the next pay per view and let the best man wins he extend his hand which they shake hands. “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson takes a cheap shot when he hit Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat with his Intercontinental title belt and then he injured Steamboat’s shoulder using the Lebelle Lock and afterwards he let go the hold and use the chair hitting his shoulder with the chair.

Big Van Vader vs Human Suplex Machine
Vader vs Taz

Storyline: At WWWF Sunday Night Challenge after the man called Vader won his match against the Jobber with a squash he punish the Jobber keep hitting the big splash off the second turnbuckle a few times, and then grab a microphone he stated he is going to keep doing that to every opponent he face until someone step up.

Week later on WWWF Superstars Taz won his match after he squash a Jobber, he grab the microphone and stated that he wants a match at WWWF Present Breaking Grounds that he wants the biggest, baddest, and the toughest son of bitch. He then calls out Vader stating that he fits the description, and he said “ I am stepping up challenging you Vader to a match at Breaking Ground.” “Beat me if you can, survive if I let you!”

On WWWF Sunday Night Challenges Vader won another match in a squash against another Jobber, and then he grab the mic said “Taz I accepted!”

Former friends collide
Diamond Dallas Page vs Jake “The Snake” Robert

Storyline: After a heart breaking loss to Hulk Hogan at Summer Fest Jake Roberts cut a promo on WWWF Superstars stated that he is in a very dark place, and that is bad news for the rest of the locker room. The next day on WWWF Sunday Night Challenges DDP cut a promo stating that he know Jake a very long time he is part of the reason to get his career going a good friend, and DDP offer Jake that he wants to help him.

A week later on WWWF Superstars Jake “The Snake” Robert cut another promo which he respond to Diamond Dallas Page he accepted DDP’s offer, and then invited DDP to his own talk show The
Snake Pit at Saturday Night Main Event. The next day on WWWF Sunday Night Challenge Diamond Dallas Page respond to Jake “The Snake” Robert that he accepted his invitation, and he did stated this is a good first step.

On WWWF Saturday Night Main Event The Snake Pit segment take place which Jake “The Snake” Robert introduce his guest, and his friend Diamond Dallas Page. Both went back and forth which started getting a little intense but cool off when DDP tell Jake “Let me help you brother.” DDP extend his hand Jake “The Snake” Robert shake DDP’s hand and hug which Jake whisper DDP’s ear “Love you like a brother but never trust a snake.” Diamond Dallas Page shows a confuse look from his face then Jake “The Snake” Robert low blow DDP, and hit him with the DDT to the hard canvas afterwards Jake shows his evil smirk look from his face.

The Rainmaker vs The Brusierweight
Kazuchika Okada vs Pete Dunne

Storyline: After “The Brusierweight” Pete Dunne loss his match at Summer Fest in a controversial ending he shows being a pissed off mood after injured two jobbers after his victories on two WWWF TV programming WWWF Superstars & WWWF Sunday Night Challenges. At WWWF Saturday Night Main Event Pete Dunne defeated another Jobber after his victory he is trying to injured another Jobber but “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada comes out makes the save.

Week later on WWWF Superstars after Kazuchika Okada won his match against the Jobber Pete Dunne come out of nowhere attacked Okada from behind which Kazuchika Okada trying to fight back but Pete Dunne got the upper hand, and hit him with one of his finishing move the Bitter End which is a Pumphandle Lift dropped into a Reverse STO.

Fatal Four Way Ladder Match
Winner crown new WWWF World Television Champion
Kota Ibushi vs Ultimo Dragon vs Roderick Strong vs El Hijo del Fantasma

Storyline: The WWWF Vice President announce that at the next pay per view WWWF Presents Breaking Grounds that there will be a new title which we will crown the first ever WWWF World Television Champions which will be a ladder match. It will be a fatal four way and the next few weeks will be a qualified match and the participates who win their qualifying match will be part of the fatal\ four way ladder match for the vacant WWWF World Television Champion at Breaking Ground.

Revenge on the rise?
“The Franchise” Shane Douglas vs Eddie Edwards

Storyline: This feud all started at WWWF Saturday Night Main Event when “The Franchise” Shane Douglas helped “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBase retain his million dollar title when he defeated Eddie Edwards. Since then Eddie Edwards want his revenge against “The Franchise” Shane Douglas and will get his opportunity.

Million Dollar Championship Match
“Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBase(c) vs Nick Aldis

Storyline: This feud start at WWWF Summer Fest when both Ted DiBase and Nick Aldis loss the match against Eddie Edwards in a handicap match which Nick Aldis was pinned by Eddie Edwards which he earns a million dollar title match against Ted DiBase. Ted was upset at Nick Aldis which both he and arguing at Summer Fest then at one of the WWWF TV programming WWWF Superstars “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBase cut a promo stated that everyone even the franchise himself have a price.” He also stated the franchise didn’t drop the ball like Nick Aldis did weeks ago which Nick Aldis take the microphone away from Ted DiBase stated to him that he may have drop the ball at Summer Fest but he bet he won’t drop the ball taking the million dollar championship away from him. Million Dollar Man laughed, and bet is on.

Week later on WWWF Superstars after Nick Aldis won his match against the Jobber he cut a promo in the locker room but was attacked by both El Hijo del Fantasma & “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBase. Million Dollar Man then stated I see you at Breaking Ground and I like my chance because everyone has a price from the million dollar man then he laughed. Nick Aldis got involved in their tag team match at Saturday Night Main Event.

I love both these cards. That's about as strong as an all-female fantasy card can get, but then you have pduh posting a dream card for the ages.

Fuck this is hard (that's what she said).

Gotta ponder over this one a little.

KITN had a winning formula in his first round so I'm not surprised he didn't change it up. The novelty has worn off, but I cannot deny the quality. So my universal praise for the format, the write-ups, and the delightful shoot interviews still remains. What is there to comment on?

To be honest, not many of the matches really grab me. Baeszler vs Hirsch is my favourite match, and an excellent booking decision. Putting Leyla Hirsch, currently a midcarder at best, in a main event against Baeszler, and making her "legit" really works for me. I applaud the decision and the write-up is fantastic. In fact, all the write-ups are fantastic, but like I said, I'm not so attracted to many of the matches. It just doesn't grab me the same way as the Round 1 card did. Don't ask me why.

Since I've mentioned my favourite match, I ought to mention my least favourite: Trish vs Mickie. Despite another great backstory, I can't shake that feeling of "been there, done that", for the match itself and for Mickie James.

Still gets full marks for presentation, effort, creativity, courage and all that Jazz. The graphics are a really nice touch too, along with the custom championship belts. pduh could take it with a strong enough card. Let's open that spoiler tag.

----------------

pduh misspelling Brock LesnAr is almost unforgivable. But I'll let it slide. Bret vs Brock is a dream match I'd never thought about before. I mean, it's hard to go wrong: practically any Bret match and any Brock match is a dream match for me, but still, it's a glorious main event.

I'm not going to break down every match, but I will say that pduh has really stepped up from his first round card. He's done a much better job of pairing up his wrestlers - there's a lot more I want to see than I don't want to see. The Rock vs MJF is a modern dream match, and the promo battles would be fantastic. I can see Okada vs the NXT version of Pete Dunne being an incredible fight. Dragon vs Dragon - love it. I even like Hogan vs Dusty with Hogan as a freshly turned heel. The writing and backstories are pretty good and I like how some of the backstories intertwine, like the Dusty/Hogan feud involving DiBiase, Nick Aldis, and so on. I imagine this being a pretty cohesive and exciting TV show, in addition to the PPV card.

Least favourite match: Shane Douglas vs Eddie Edwards.

----------------

I'm in the same boat as RT, this is extremely close, but I'm leaning ever so slightly towards pduh, and that's where my vote will go.

Well done chaps.

pduh might seriously win this whole thing.

I will say, doing Trish vs. Mickie was entirely intentional, because I wanted to take you through the looking glass, Alice. Something familiar in the form of who the participants were, and even the year, but a different context, buildup, and layout to the match itself. Instead of the kinda-ableist psychosexual nature of the real-life angle, it was more inspired by something closer to Shawn vs. Jericho from XIX, or even Shawn vs. Kurt, with two wrestlers who consider themselves the best, currently outside of title contention, squaring off against each other in a personal rivalry that, at its core, is still about proving who is the best.

I completely understand your motivation and it's a great rewrite on a classic women's feud, but like I said, no interest personally. If I had the boxset I certainly wouldn't skip it, but I'm not convinced I'd enjoy it.

Read them both twice. I think KITN crushes it in write ups and composition but pduh just has the top three matches I would be interested in seeing and his writeups were better this round than last. Even though it kills me Lesnars name would be misspelled in the marquee.

Seriously though Bret/Lesnar is up there with the greatest conceived dream matches of all time easily. It doesn't get talked about enough. And then you add in Taz/Vader as possibly a better version of Taz/Bam Bam and the battle of the dragons and those three just work for me.

I don't love the Dusty/Hogan feud idea at all. Even with Hogan turning heel in this scenario , which seems weird given the rest of the roster I just don't completely buy it. Don't want to say what I would have done in this card for that because I could face pduh next but Hogan seems to be causing him a pain in the ass to book.

I would have to go with Pduh here he has booked some of my all time favorites, I think at this point he is about to roll through the finals of this draft 🤙

Well, in the (very likely) event of my defeat... I'm still proud of myself. I did something different (for myself, I'm not gonna be an asshole and call myself a bastion of progress) and went in with a focused, centralized theme, and I had fun. And hey, I made it past round one, and this time I made it through on the strength of my card.

I threw my vote to KITN because I couldn't choose and this should be closer than it is.

There's matches I want to see on pduh 's card far more than anything on KITN's card, but KITN is damn near perfect booking and deserves the recognition for that alone.

Very well done, both of you.

May 25, 2022 3:31:19 GMT KITN said:

Well, in the (very likely) event of my defeat... I'm still proud of myself. I did something different (for myself, I'm not gonna be an asshole and call myself a bastion of progress) and went in with a focused, centralized theme, and I had fun. And hey, I made it past round one, and this time I made it through on the strength of my card.

It was top notch stuff for sure bubba surprised to see how deep it was I don’t think I’ve ever seen you write anything at this level in fan fic before.

Becky Lynch & Trish Stratus