I’ve been to plenty of OVW shows in the past where there were no women on the show. Not even as valets. There were other nights when you might see a single women’s match on the card. Granted, it might be a Beth Phoenix match, but most of Beth’s matches were squashes. She is the Glamazon after all!
In today’s OVW, the women’s division matters. When I became a regular a few years back, the division included Hollyhood Haley J, Leila Grey, Tiffany Nieves, Jada Stone, Shaloncé Royal, Dream Girl Ellie, and Freya the Slaya. Top to bottom, a phenomenal class.
Freya and Shaloncé are now the locker room leaders for the next class of lady wrestlers. Freya’s become a fan favorite and one of the most visible faces of OVW in the Louisville community. Shaloncé? Well, after taking more than a year away to rehab an injury, she received a warm welcome at the Women’s Nightmare Rumble. She has since become more hated than ever, especially after she and attorney PJ got her rival Dayami deported back to Mexico.
It was no surprise Freya and Shaloncé advanced in the women’s tournament, initiated by Al Snow after Dayami was forced to vacate her championship. But the overall tournament, comprised of nine women, put this new class on display.
Leela Hall won the opening triple threat against Karter Cauffman and “The Marionette” Noelle. Hall has a great look and high energy, and the fans were delighted with her win, but Cauffman and Noelle looked strong. Noelle in particular has a striking presence in the ring. She doesn’t incorporate the marionette gimmick throughout her match like JCW’s The Outbreak, but she’s an exceptional wrestler and fun to watch.
The Lovely Miss Larkan won the other triple threat in the first round over Rae Larson and Janie Hartman. Hartman works with the Sin City Outlaws faction, a group that looks like they could easily make the leap to a major promotion, and she’s a great worker. But to be honest, I missed some of the action between Hartman and Larson because of Larkan.
It was no fault of Larson and Hartman, both of whom had an opportunity to shine. Larkan demands your attention. She literally sat on the mat, meditating in her strange, Larkan way, while the other girls worked. You eyes were on Larkan, not the ladies in motion. You can’t look away, wondering what the devil is she going to do next?
For those not following OVW, it’s worth mentioning she’s currently aligned with one of the most hated factions in the promotion. Yet the fans adore her. She’s unique. She always was at Grindhouse. And anyone who thinks they can put her into some cookie cutter mold of what a female wrestler should be is dreaming.
Killah Kai is a great addition to the women’s division, another “monster” on par with Freya the Slaya when it comes to size and power. Seeing Shaloncé win clean over Kai makes her push toward another title even more meaningful. It really got the haters riled up.
As for Freya’s opponent, Leela Feist, she took the promotion by storm when she debuted. Feist has a confidence and a presence that reminds you of Leila Grey (now with AEW) and Tiffany Nieves (now the NWA Women’s Champ). She’s an exceptional wrestler you’ll probably see on television sooner rather than later.
The boys worked matches at OVW tonight as well. Four of them in fact, in the opening round of the OVW Media Championship tournament. Kal Herro looks more and more like a superstar, but it’s Stephen Steel the fans seem to adore most. Their match, the main event of the evening, was called a no-contest by referee Daniel Spencer after the brawled back into the locker room and started a riot. They decked J-Mo. You can’t be doing that!
I was very impressed by Donovan Cecil as well. Cecil worked a lot of mid-card and tag matches over the years, but he seems to be coming into his own. He’s more confident in the ring, and he’s clearly worked on his physique. Watching him catch another man in mid air who just jumped off the turnbuckle without hardly flinching gave you an idea just how strong “The Mammoth” really is.
Some new faces are making their mark as well, most notably “The Code” Colby Carter, who won a triple threat to advance to the semi-finals. This kid as ROH/AEW written all over him. He’s dynamic, a high flyer, and reminds you a lot of Ricochet. He’s won the fans over quickly, and it’ll be interesting to see how far he goes.
By the way, if you’re looking for a reason to visit OVW soon, here it is: June 11 will be TV episode 1400. The company’s pulling out all the stops. Special guests Road Dogg and Kevin Thorne will be in the house, and JBL will come out of retirement to work a tag match against OVW upstart Dustin Jackson. Reserve your seat now at www.ovwrestling.com because it will likely be a sell out!
