On Saturday, August 10th North America will see a blockbuster event in women’s wrestling: The Summit. Hosted by Smash Wrestling, SHIMMER, RISE, and NCW will converge in Toronto and put on an independent women’s wrestling Supercard. It’s the first show of its kind, and it will have four major championship matches.
Due to technical limitations for the venue, it will not be possible to broadcast The Summit live for streaming. That said, RISE has announced that The Summit will be available after the show for VOD and Digital Download at riseascent.com. It should be well worth it. I can’t think of a single match announced that looks like a turn-off and several could be absolutely stellar.
Without further ado, the Summit:
Ashley Vox vs. Veda Scott
We can’t say for certain what the match order will be, but this match stands a good chance of being the opener. Veda Scott has been a mainstay of SHIMMER since 2011, as well as working with NCW and Smash for several years. She is the veteran presence in this match and likely will play the heel against the younger Vox. Ashley Vox has been wrestling since 2014, but she is only just in the last couple of years hitting her stride and really taking off. This should be a fun opener that shows off both wrestlers’ capabilities but ultimately gives the rub to Vox.
Prediction: Ashley Vox wins. Veda’s best when putting younger talent over a veteran name.
Delmi Exo vs. Dust
The other half of team Sea Stars is also here, and Delmi Exo also has a veteran opponent to face. Dust is a former Phoenix of RISE, Guardian of RISE, and Heart of SHIMMER champion. She is, on paper, perhaps too formidable an opponent for the less-experienced Exo. Like her sister Ashley Vox, Delmi Exo is just hitting her stride as a young up-and-coming wrestler.
Prediction: Dust wins. I think Exo possibly gets a lot more out of a competitive loss here than outright winning.
Allysin Kay vs. Priscilla Kelly vs. Cheerleader Melissa vs. LuFisto
This right here is a heavy hitter of a match. Priscilla Kelly has been rising steadily in the scene recently. Allysin Kay is as big a deal as she ever has been and is the reigning SHINE champion. Cheerleader Melissa is current SHIMMER tag champion and a legend in the field of independent women’s wrestling. And then there’s LuFisto. LuFisto is a legend. She’s in her retirement tour. This may well be her last show working with SHIMMER in any capacity. To say that this match is hard to call would be an understatement. To say that it should be very, very entertaining, however, would be spot on.
Prediction: I think LuFisto takes the win here.
Delilah Doom vs. Shotzi Blackheart
This is a rematch from RISE 13. Doom won that match by disqualification following a chair beatdown by Blackheart. That match was cut short as a result of Doom suffering an ankle injury in the opening minute of the match. This match, then, will properly further their story in RISE that began at RISE 5 – RISING Sun when Doom won the Phoenix of RISE without pinning Blackheart. There have been twists and turns, including indoctrination by Rosemary and the Shadow, and this match should be a banger like their RISE 8 – OUTBACK match.
Prediction: Doom wins. RISE will fall.
Mercedes Martinez (c) vs. Jordynne Grace for the NCW Femmes Fatales International Championship
NCW’s headlining bout will certainly be a hard-hitting affair. Mercedes Martinez, among her many accolades, is the first three-time NCW Femmes Fatales International champion. She most recently gained the title after Vanessa Kraven vacated it due to a broken leg, defeating Kris Statlander to claim the gold. She’s a living legend of women’s wrestling and has been a reliable figure for NCW in the past. Jordynne Grace is a rising sensation, and performances like in the battle royal at All In and her recent work on Impact have only made her star brighter. If any woman on this show is on the cusp of being a true independent megastar, it’s Grace. If I had to pick a match of the night ahead of time, this is the one I’d bet money on.
Prediction: Mercedes retains the title.
Zoe Lucas (c) vs. Aerial Monroe for the Phoenix of RISE Championship
RISE’s premier match will revisit the RISE of the Contender battle royal match from RISE 13 – LEGENDARY. That match saw Aerial Monroe almost go the distance from number 1, only to lose when Zoe Lucas (number 22) eliminated her to win. Lucas would go on to cash in her opportunity on the new champion, Kylie Rae, at the end of the night to claim the championship. Lucas is a capable, yet slimy heel, so it should be a fantastic matchup for the character dynamics alone as she faces Big Swole. I don’t know if any of the New Nation will be there as backup for Lucas, but I wouldn’t put it past her.
Prediction: I don’t see Aerial winning the title. If New Nation is there, I see her winning by disqualification due to outside interference but not gaining the title. If they aren’t there, I think Lucas wins through chicanery.
Nicole Savoy (c) vs. Nicole Matthews for the SHIMMER Championship
SHIMMER’s headliner would not be complete without the SHIMMERTaker. Nicole Matthews is currently not allowed in the U.S. for a few more years due to visa issues from 2018. But she’s a standout performer and it’s going to be good seeing the former SHIMMER champion try to regain her crown. The Canadian Ninja is sure to be a fan favorite in the match as well. Meanwhile, Nicole Savoy is closing in on two records with the SHIMMER championship. A successful defense here would give her the most successful defenses of the title at 16. At the same time, it would guarantee her the longest reign with the championship, totaling 720 days come November 2’s taping for SHIMMER volumes 114 and 115. Both of those records are currently held by MsChif.
Prediction: Savoy is going to be a record-holding champion come November.
KC Spinelli vs. Rosemary with Xandra Bale as the special guest referee to crown the inaugural SMASH Women’s Champion
SMASH is crowning its first women’s champion at The Summit, a fitting way to cap off what should be an historic night for women’s wrestling. Both competitors are SMASH mainstays. KC Spinelli has worked SMASH for four years, and she’s got two scoops of hunger for a new championship. Rosemary’s existence came about in large part as a result of a feud with Cherry Bomb in SMASH. Both wrestlers have put a lot of effort into helping SMASH be what it is, and referee Xandra Bale is no different. All three were involved in a four-way match with Allie at a February SMASH/Impact joint show, so expect no loyalty from the referee toward either competitor.
Prediction: Rosemary seems to be a no-brainer for an inaugural champion at The Summit.
