Since 2016, RISE Wrestling has become a breeding ground for new or emerging women’s wrestlers on the indie circuit. Combining rookies and raw recruits with veterans of the squared circle, with seminars and performances alike, RISE has become an integral promotion in helping elevate and inform new stars. This Friday they hold their biggest event to date with RISE Legendary, featuring over 60 of the top women’s performers today. Not only is it RISE’s largest event ever, but it’s the biggest all women’s showcase in wrestling history! The event kicks off with a women’s wrestling convention during the day, called Early to RISE, followed by Legendary afterwards, and it’s being aired live on Fite.tv.
Early to RISE
Ray Lyn vs. Janai Kai
A few matches are being held during Early to RISE, starting with this emerging star showcase. Ray Lyn began her career in 2013 with Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) and has gone to become a rising star with the likes of SHIMMER, Absolute Intense Wrestling (AIW), International Wrestling Cartel (IWC) and more, and is a recurring character on Women of Wrestling (WOW) as Chantilly Chella. Her opponent is the “Ninja Assassin” Janai Kai, a young grappler with a martial arts background who is just beginning her journey into pro wrestling.
AQA vs. Allysin Kay
Allysin Kay needs no introduction. An 11-year veteran of the likes of AIW, Women Superstars Uncensored (WSU), SHIMMER, Smash Wrestling and All American Wrestling (AAW), she’s also the reigning Shine Champion and a former 2x IMPACT Knockouts Champion as Sienna. She competed in last year’s WWE Mae Young Classic and continues to be one of the top indie stars in the business. Her opponent is one of the hottest prospects in the game and a name to watch in 2019. A product of Booker T‘s Reality of Wrestling (ROW) in Texas, AQA has been wowing audiences in the South and is ready to break out with her unreal athleticism and this will be a big opportunity to face one of the best.
Martina “The Session Moth” vs. Priscilla Kelly
In what has the makings to be one of the more controversial matches of the week, Ireland’s “Session Moth” Martina faces “Hell’s Favorite Harlot” Priscilla Kelly in the main event. Martina is known for her love of drinking the cans before, during and after a match and her opponent Priscilla Kelly has made rounds recently for drinking contests and vomiting on opponents. This could become a battle of alcohol tolerance but have no fear, we’re in for a great matchup between two of the best.
Mercedes Martinez “I’ll Make You Famous” Personal Challenge
Also during Early to RISE, one of the veterans giving seminars (and the reigning Phoenix of RISE Champion) Mercedes Martinez will be handpicking one wrestler from the seminars pool to face her in an open challenge match. A HUGE opportunity for any wrestler to learn from one of the absolute icons of women’s wrestling in the past 20 years.
Legendary
Regina “Honey” Badger vs. Thunderkitty
“The Feral Female of the Kalahari”, Regina “Honey” Badger is a Pittsburgh wrestler by way of Cape Town, South Africa who has been working the US indies for the past few years and is on the rise herself. Her opponent is 10-year veteran Thunderkitty, who has worked the trenches in IWA Mid South, SHIMMER, Shine, Queens of Combat (QOC), and much more, and is a former ZERO1 USA Women’s Champion.
Team Sea Stars (Ashley Vox & Delmi Exo) vs. Team Blue Nation (Charli Evans & Jessica Troy) w/ Zoe Lucas
Great tag team action from two hot young tag teams that have been tearing it up around the world. Team Sea Stars are the sister duo of Ashley Vox and Delmi Exo, who have become fan favourites from the work in CHIKARA over the past few years. Solid singles wrestlers in their own right, they’re undeniable familial chemistry makes them a joy to watch in the ring, as they’ve also competed for SHIMMER, QOC, Women’s Wrestling Revolution (WWR) and FEST Wrestling. They face one of the top tag teams from Australia in Team Blue Nation. The team of Charli Evans and Jessica Troy hail originally from Pro Wrestling Australia (PWA Black Label), but are also SHIMMER and RISE regulars. Like Sea Stars, they’re also solid singles competitors, as Evans is a regular with Pro Wrestling EVE in the UK (as well as RevPro, PROGRESS and others), while Troy continues to work Aussie indies like Newy Pro, PWA and more. Blue Nation will have an insurance policy in their corner, as Evans brings Zoe Lucas over from England.
Shotzi Blackheart vs. Delilah Doom
Two of the fastest rising women’s stars of 2018, Shotzi Blackheart and Delilah Doom have had a love/hate relationship in RISE going back to 2017. The two were frequent tag partners together in Balls of Doom, but a crack in their alliance formed when Doom defeated Shotzi for the Phoenix of RISE Championship back at RISE 5: Rising Sun in November of 2017. Since then their friendship has splintered, with each encounter getting more and more hostile. Whether this match puts their year-long feud to rest is undecided, but one thing’s for sure – this will be intense.
Kris Wolf & The Meat Friends vs. Su Yung & The Legion of Undead Brides
Kris Wolf has had one of the most inspirational stories in wrestling history. An American working in Japan, she became enamored with joshi wrestling and trained and became one herself, working with Stardom for years. She branched out into the UK scene, with Pro Wrestling EVE, and became a rising star on the US indie scene in the process. Sadly, recurring injuries are forcing her early retirement this year, but she’s not going out quietly! She’s assembling a mystery squad of three wrestlers – her Meat Friends – to face one of the most mysterious and dangerous stars on the indie circuit in the “Unded Bride” Su Yung. The former IMPACT Knockouts Champion will be building her own four woman Legion of the Undead Bride for Friday night, in what will be an eight woman war.
Guardians of RISE Tag Team Championship: Paradise Lost (Raven’s Ash & Dust) (c) w/ Rosemary vs. The Killer Death Machines (Jessicka Havok & Neveah)
While IMPACT’s Rosemary was off on injury last year, she assembled herself an army to guide while her “meat suit” was being repaired. That army was Paradise Lost, featuring two women’s wrestlers from the US indie scene in 12-year veterans Zoey Skye (aka Angel Dust, the reigning Heart of SHIMMER Champion) and Melanie Cruise (Raven’s Ash), who have been molded by the Shadow into dangerous warriors. So dangerous, that the duo became the inaugural Guardians of RISE Tag Team Champions last July and have held a grip on them ever since. But they face a team on Friday that are equal to the task of dishing out the violence in Ohio’s Killer Death Machines. Lead by former IMPACT Knockouts Champion Jessicka Havok and her sister-in-arms Naveah, this will be an all out war for the gold in RISE’s tag team division.
RISE of the Contender Battle Royal
RISE is holding a 30-woman battle royal to determine the #1 contender to the Phoenix of RISE Championship and it’s going to be a huge affair. They’ve already announced a list of entrants, featuring new and established stars like Shazza McKenzie, Sonya Strong, Valentina Loca, Aerial Monroe, Zoe Lucas, Indi Hartwell, Laynie Luck, “Superstar” Miranda Alize, Penelope Ford, AQA, Allie Kat, Ray Lyn, Hyan, FaceBrooke and Alex Garcia, plus RISE promises lots of surprises, including Legends from women’s wrestling and more!
Phoenix of RISE Championship: Mercedes Martinez (c) vs. Kylie Rae
In the main event, the legend herself, Mercedes Martinez, will put her Phoenix of RISE Championship on the line against a woman that came close back in January at RISE 12: ROW on RISE but just fell short. Kylie Rae is exploding in 2019, having signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW), but she’ll be looking to finally defeat one of the greatest wrestlers of the past 20 years on Friday night and add yet another championship belt to her trophy case.
