2014 POWER X-TRAVAGANZA (Part 9)

SO, WHO'S GOING TO THE FINALS? 

So, who made the cut for the top ten, and who comes away with a still very impressive Top 20 ranking?  The climax of the 2014 Power X-Travaganza draws nigh.

#20: LIGHTNING

Ranked 6^th in 2013

2014 Record: 5-5

Lightning’s image underwent a much more positive overhaul thanks to a tragedy, when her husband Adam was struck down by Laura Steele’s cattle prod, and the fans rallied behind her for revenge, which she achieved in glorious fashion.  Much like Sophie Richards and Summer before her, Lightning’s attempt to move into the Evolution division has been met with some friction, in no small thanks to her former tag partner Aimee Easter.  Still, Lightning’s hung in there a lot better than her two counterparts seemingly have, and she also enjoyed a nice three month run as a Trios Champion.

#19: STARLA MCCLOUD

Ranked 15^th in 2013

2014 Record: 4-2

After spending much of 2013 trying to chase after the FFW Championship, Starla took a step down back to the No Surrender division in 2014, and it paid off.  She came up short against Caroline Stark in a bonafide match of the year candidate at Unstoppable, but rebounded almost a month later to take the belt on the rematch.  She was dethroned by Jo McFarlane at Anarchy, but fans are already salivating over a prospective rematch.

#18: UNDINE

Ranked 22^nd in 2013

2014 Record: 4-6

Undine’s didn’t quite have the same UV success that she did in 2013, but she was still a driving force in the division for most of the year, not to mention a solid member of Elemental Fury.  Her big highlight has to be her defeat of Kate Steele in a parking lot brawl, although she did get a bit of help from Wendy House on that front.

#17: VALENTINA LOZANO

Ranked 85^th in 2013

2014 Record; 11-9-1

I figured “The Latin Goddess” would be better than the 85^th place she finished in 2013, but I had no idea THIS much better!   In truth, Lozano started the year terrible, losing six of her first eight matches.  But as she started to click, she got on a roll, one that steamrolled her right past Summer and Eileen Amaro, of all people, right on into the finals of the Femme For All.  And while she might not have won that, she’s proven she’s here to stay, and is already on her way to antagonizing the hell out of everyone in Future Shock All-Stars.  Oh, and sorry Gabby.  Looks like Valentina’s got you beat on the “most matches” front.. and it ain’t even close.

#16: JO MCFARLANE

Ranked 25^th in 2013

2014 Record: 6-5

Jo began 2014 by winning the Future Shock Championship and left it by winning the No Surrender Championship, and had her best year yet in between, picking up wins over Valentina, Jodie Gray, and the Future Shock Cup, which set up her unlikely win over Starla- made even more so because Jo had zero idea she’d be fighting for the title when she made her pick of opponent!  Once billed as the biggest underachiever in the company, she’s really coming around.

#15: NEVEAH SUMMERS

2014 Record: 13-4

Here's your highest newcomer in 2014! Neveah made it no secret that the goal was the top of the company, and while she’s not there yet, she had a hell of a first year, going from creepy pseudo-lesbian rivalry with Abigail Lindsay to television contender, which she pulled off in the last show of the year after a six month chase.  If she can get by Freya in a couple days, there’s no telling just how long this woman can go.

#14: JENNIFER WILLIAMS

Ranked 9^th in 2013

2014 Record: 6-10

Singles wise, Jenny had her most disappointing year, with her only notable win being by DQ over Mileena Savage, with losses to Misty, Nessa, and Aimee factored in there, as well as a disappointing showing in the Evolution Championship Elimination Chamber match.  But she shone in the trios division, helping Triple Threat to two championship reigns, and really proved herself to be the engine of this formidable team.

#13: TARA THUNDER

Ranked 12^th in 2013

2014 Record: 4-4

From a record standpoint, 2014 was by far Tara’s worst year.  But this was the year Tara finally got that extra gear, damn near killing Wendy Briese in a long-sought victory over her, and also picking off Valerie Lamb.  And she made that big step, finally taking a chance at the biggest prize in wrestling, and while she came up short, there’s no denying she’ll be ready and  more experienced when her second opportunity comes around.

#12: MADELYNE MCTAGGERT

Ranked 34^th in 2013

2014 Record: 4-10

Maddie’s another one of those wrestlers where she just wasn’t about the record, as damn near everything she did was water cooler conversation the next morning, from running her own partner Holly Adams out of the company to forming Infamous to her friendship and betrayal of poor Kate Steele- an antic that got her into a pre-main slot at the biggest show of the year.  While she stepped away in October, there’s no denying she left a dent in this company, and there’s many girls in the locker room that dread rumors of her return.

#11: ALYSSON GARDNER

Ranked 18^th in 2013

2014 Record: 6-11

Aly entered the year the Ultraviolence Champion, and held the title all the way til April when she lost it to Kate Steele. She also enjoyed tremendous success as a team wrestler, first with Shades of the Sun as they captured the Trios Championship, and also as a member of the Rockin’ Kittens, starting with a huge upset win over the Witches Brew in June.  While they did fail to beat KO/TO for the tag belts, and then fell to Dark Fantasy in a subsequent contenders match, they remain one of the top teams in the division and a continued threat to make another run, the same for Alysson in the Evolution Division.  2015 figures to be a big year for the Frenchwoman.