Full SHINE 15 card announced

The full SHINE 15 card has now been revealed – and as well as a title match, a grudge contest between two longtime friends and a clash where the losers will have to go their separate ways, we have a rematch from the last show, a contest with title implications and one which will have no holds barred…

Headlining the whole show at the Orpheum in Ybor City, FL on Friday will be the SHINE Championship match between Rain and Amazing Kong, who was handpicked by Daffney as the Valkyrie leader’s next challenger. That match was announced after Rain’s victory over Hiroyo Matsumoto at SHINE 14 in October, and harks back to happenings a year ago. Rain’s wrist was broken by a Kong powerbomb at SHINE 5, and it was Kong who was the first victim of a Valkyrie beatdown as part of the stable’s formation the following month. In addition, Rain has made no secret that Friday’s event will be her last match, and is adamant that she will retire as champion. Literally and figuratively, this is Rain’s biggest challenge in her 6 month reign, and will either see a new champion or the current one retire with the belt by her side.

Following their awkward interactions on opposite teams at SHINE 13 and a betrayal of trust at the last show, Jessicka Havok will get her hands on Allysin Kay. Kay appeared to be stepping away from Valkyrie at the last show to reunite with her friend, but turned on her later in the night, causing Havok to lose a Last Woman Standing Match to Saraya Knight. After showing a reluctance to wage battle with her former Team Be Jealous partner, it seems unlikely that Havok will be so gun-shy on Friday.

Ivelisse Velez and Mia Yim last clashed in a SHINE ring at SHINE 11, and ended in controversial fashion when Velez was struck in the head by Rain’s wrist support when the Valkyrie leader wasn’t looking, allowing Yim to get the win. Things were smoothed over afterwards, but while Ivelisse is ready to prove she can beat Yim, her opponent says her anger should be directed at her stablemate for costing her a place in the final. The winner could be in line for a title shot in the future.

Rounding off the contests which had been announced before today is one with long-lasting implications. Sassie Stephie and Jessie Belle Smothers immediately made their mark at SHINE 13, beating the American Sweethearts tandem of Amber O’Neal and Santana Garrett. Later on in the event, they also helped Nevaeh to beat Leva Bates, setting up the SNS Express stable. The following month, the Express beat the Sweethearts and Bates in a 6-woman tag, leading to this match at SHINE 15 which will once again see O’Neal and Garrett take on Stephie and Smothers with the stipulation that the losing team must disband. Considering the babyfaces are 2-0 against their rivals, the odds aren’t with them – though their first victory over the SNS Express could also prove to be the final and decisive one, so we’ll see who will be splitting after SHINE 15.

Announced today is a match which stems from the feud above, as Nevaeh and Bates will square off again in single action in what’s being described as a Friday The 13th Massacre Match where anything goes. Within SHINE, Leva has fought in Last Woman Standing matches, Fans Bring The Weapons/I Quit contests, and Steel Cage affairs – couple that with her increasingly dark demeanour, and Nevaeh may be in for a long night.

Speaking of getting a darker edge, Su Yung has been getting more aggressive in recent shows, and she will take on Solo Darling again at SHINE 15 in a rematch from October’s show where the All Star Squad prodigy walked away with the win. Both are looking to rise up the card and become major players, so the result of this match will really matter.

Taylor Made makes her return to the promotion at SHINE 15 against Angelina Love. She was suspended after choosing to not appear at SHINE 11 in a show of solidarity with the then-suspended Made In Sin partner Allysin Kay. This Friday will see Taylor return to her Valkyrie teammates after being apart for about 6 months, and a lot of water has gone over the dam – including Kay regularly teaming with Ivelisse Velez. Will we see any friction?

The increasingly-impressive Heidi Lovelace faces a tough challenge when she takes on Mercedes Martinez, with the Latina Sensation still on the lookout for Daffney’s All Star Squad causing problems for her, while Sojo Bolt will wrestle La Rosa Negra to round off the card.

SHINE Championship: Rain v Amazing Kong
Jessicka Havok v Allysin Kay
Losing team must split: SNS Express (Sassy Stephie & Jessie Belle Smothers) v American Sweethearts (Santana Garrett & Amber O’Neal)
Ivelisse Velez v Mia Yim
Friday The 13th Massacre Match: Leva Bates v Nevaeh
Angelina Love v Taylor Made
Heidi Lovelace v Mercedes Martinez
Solo Darling v Su Yung
Sojo Bolt v La Rosa Negra

SHINE 15 will be shown on iPPV at WWNLive.com, but if you need your appetite whetted a little more, check out the promo videos below.

– Lee Burton