Our lovable nerd and female wrestling aficionado James Harris went to the recent EVE She1 weekender in London and here he gives us his live takes from the shows...
I spent the weekend at a combination of the Resistance Gallery, the Dundee Arms and local eateries taking in all 4 shows of EVE’s SHE 1 tournament. There was a lot of wrestling and quite a lot of beers so this may jumble around a bit...
Also DISCLAIMER – some of this information may be inaccurate, it is not intended that way just I may have misremembered some details, apologies if that has happened. Overall the shows were a lot of fun with top wrestling as well. The tournament works as a round Robin with the 3 block winners advancing to a triple threat final.
Show 1
A) Viper def Millie McKenzie
B) Charli Evans def Erin Angel
A) Jamie Hayter def Madison Eagles
B) Kris Wolf def Rhia O’Reilly
C) Command Bolshoi def Jetta
C) Toni Storm def Kasey
This seems so long ago now as the first show of the weekend. My memories? The wrestlers in match chat was great. Viper and Millie started this off and set the stage for the whole weekend.
Also Licenced Music is great. Kris Wolf just makes me smile. She has such an infectious joy about her on the way to the ring and I find it impossible not to feel happy when she comes down.
Jetta is hilarious.
For me Madison Eagles v Jamie Hayter was match of the day. Jamie is a fantastic mouthy heel, constantly stalling and giving shit to the crowd. Just Excellent. As someone who barely watches much Indy Wrestling outside of the 3 promotions I visit regularly, I don’t think I’d ever seen Madison Eagles before. I choose to do this as I like to be surprised by people or matches that I haven’t seen before. I went away from this tournament wanting to see a lot more of Madison Eagles (not with a shirt though as she hadn’t bought any).
The Eagles b Hayter match dynamic was kind of like a reverse. Eagles at I believe over 6ft and a face dominated the smaller heel Hayter - but it was great. The crowd were all over it and booing Hayter’s comebacks. Eagles bent Hayter into all sorts of submissions and holds with great transitions, not unlike ZSJ.
She also has a vicious short head kick, almost like the one inch punch when she holds up mid kick as her opponent covers up... then smashes them when they lower their guard. It looks violent. A fantastic match with Hayter picking up the win and setting herself up for a run in the tournament.
Show 2
A) Viper def Madison Eagles
C) Command Bolshoi def Kasey
C) Toni Storm def Jetta
B) Charlie Morgan def Erin Angel
B) Kris Wolf def Charli Evans
A) Jamie Hayter def Millie Mckenzie
Memories of the evening show are even worse….
Sad announcement at the start that Rhia O’Reilly had had to withdraw due to an injury suffered in her opening match. Especially heartbreaking for Rhia as she had missed last year's tournament with a serious ankle break, I believe. I felt very upset for Rhia as she gave us the news.
Kasey is scared of clowns. I think Kathy Burke was sitting ringside. My main match memory is Jetta vs Toni Storm. Jetta came out dressed as Toni and absolutely nailed it and then Toni came out and revealed Jetta’s top. The crowd had some good moments in this with the duelling
‘Which one’s Jetta, which ones Toni’ and at some point someone shouted ‘Stop hitting yourself’ which I enjoyed.
Show 3
A) Madison Eagles def Millie McKenzie
A) Jamie Hayter def Viper
C) Jetta vs Kasey – 20 minute draw
B) Kris Wolf vs Erin Angel
C) Toni Storm def Command Bolshoi
B) Charlie Morgan def Charlie Evans
Madison and Millie was a quick match. Millie tapping inside 2 minutes and looked to have an injury although she did wrestle in a tag on the evening show. I hope she’s OK. Jamie just smashed Viper on her way to the ring, beating her up all around the ring even right up by us at the bar. She finished off the match and booked her place in the final, quickly once they both made the ring again with her curb stomp (possibly on a chair, definitely one time this weekend she did that).
Jetta and Kasey worked a cracking match, with Kasey working the arm and Jetta trying not to tap out. Great storytelling from both women. Top job. Kris Wolf (already qualified for the final) ate some chicken during the match. Continuing to just make me happy. However I made her unhappy as she was beating Erin by the bar she asked for beer and took my bottle, before discovering it was empty and being disappointed. I thought there was a little bit left and I’d look even worse if I said no, so I think I was in a no win situation. Kris I’m very sorry. Dom said ‘That’s not what I was expecting from your favorite wrestler’.
Toni Storm also qualified for the final in a winner takes all match vs Japanese legend Command Bolshoi. She is the other competitor I hadn’t seen before and is retiring in April and it was great to get the chance to see her, the Eve promoters said she was their inspiration for starting the company and I enjoyed seeing someone who has obviously had an influence on a company I enjoy a lot. Finally Charlie Morgan warmed up for her title match with Kay Lee Ray by beating Charli Evans.
Show 4
Madison Eagles def Charli Evans
Erin Angel & Jetta def Command Bolshoi & Millie McKenzie
Laura Di Matteo def Kasey
Jamie Hayter def Kris Wolf and Toni Storm
Nina Samuels def Charlie Morgan (c) and Kay Lee Ray
At the start of the opening match I overheard someone near me say that Eagles had trained Evans and this was the first time they’d ever faced each other. Which was cool. As I was with every Madison Eagles match - I was very impressed. Charli is a really good heel also with great abusive responses to the crowd.
The big two matches of the weekend took place in the second half. Toni vs Kris vs Jamie for the title of Ace of Eve and the big apple core trophy. This match has my favorite face – Kris Wolf, my favorite heel Jamie Hayter and one of the best wrestlers in the world, Toni Storm. Shockingly I very much enjoyed it.
Kris spent a portion of this match tied to the balcony by the dastardly Jamie. It had a ridiculous finish as Toni hit the piledriver through a table from the top rope, but Jamie came in, threw Toni out and stole the win to take home the trophy and the main event spot at Wrestle Queendom 2.
A great tournament by Jamie Hayter and I can’t wait to see her in the main event. I’ve said it before. she is a fantastic character and worker and if she brings out merch I will definitely buy it.
The main event of Kay Lee Ray challenging Charlie Morgan for the EVE Championship had a great atmosphere. Duelling chants, followed by a ‘Both these Women’ Which turned into a duelling ‘Both these Women’ ‘Pick a side’. Real big fight feel with big moves coming off the bat.
For the second time this year Charlie Morgan left me dumbstruck as she ascended the Eve balcony pushed KLR off the lower part of it and went for a senton off the balcony which missed. (I apologise if any of this information is incorrect, but she defo went for a dive of sorts off the balcony living up to her Fearless nickname) The carnage left in the ring allowed Nina Samuels to turn up with her guaranteed title contract won at Wrestle Queendom and take home the title to a chorus of boos.
Fantastic weekend of shows from EVE, I’ve never not had a good time there and have made some good friends at the shows over the last 18 months or so. If anyone reading this hasn’t been, I heartily recommend it. Sometimes you even get the bonus of being served at the bar by Greg Burridge.
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