ANARCHY PREVIEW: Black vs. Gray

WHAT'S AT STAKE
You mean other than being a BATTLE OF THE COLORS?  Honestly, congratulations to everyone who shelled out ten bucks for Firewall I a couple months ago, because all you needed to do was wait eight weeks, and you'd get three of the SAME DAMN MATCHES, plus a shitload more, for only thirty bucks more.  Can't really complain, though, considering all three matches were pretty good the first time, and look to be even better the second time around.  Anyways, last time, Jodie beat Arabella for win number two in her now-six match streak.

EXPERT ANALYSIS
Seriously, is there a way for both of these girls to get beaten up?   I mean, Jodie's turned from the dorky nerd girl to something completely different- and not all that likeable.  It's like she turned into some female version of Kyle Busch. So yeah, I'd WANT to root for her opponent, except she's some vegan hippie who doesn't like killing animals.  Here's a tidbit, kid.  ANIMALS WERE PUT ON THIS EARTH TO BE KILLED AND EATEN!  I mean, does she get all pissy when a lion eats an antelope?  Then why can't a human eat a bunny, other than the fact bunnies just don't taste very good.   Eh, screw it.  I vote for the bipolar vegan hippie. 
- Terrence Thompson

POLLASKI'S PICK
Vegas has Jodie as the favorite here, and it's not really hard to see why- six match winning streak plus a head to head win from back in September.  But that might not be the smartest money to lay down.  That loss was the only one Arabella's suffered in her last five matches, and she's on serious momentum at the moment, having just ran over Payton St. Pierre, Jo McFarlane, and Casey Atherton to take the Future Shock Cup.  Not to mention Arabella's got the vengeance factor, not to mention she's probably more sick of Jodie's attitude than the average person by this point.  So it's on that basis that I have to pick against the odds here. 
WINNER: Arabella Black. 

ANARCHY PREVIEW: Pazzini vs. Kincaid

WHATS AT STAKE
Of course, the FFW Championship, but it goes beyond that.  This is the last match.  Whoever loses, there is no rematch clause.  In fact, whoever loses may never challenge for the FFW Championship again as long as the other holds it.  Despite several clashes over the past year and a half, neither woman hold a clean, noncontroversial one-on-one victory over the other.  Theoretically, that's going to happen this time.  Of course, this being pro-wrestling and there being a guest referee, that might just be a pipe dream. 

EXPERT ANALYSIS
It is appropriate that the smartest contributor to this column be granted the opportunity to discuss the most important match on the card.  This one, however, is academic.  Excuse the pun.  Scarlett Kincaid is an excellent wrestler.  Scarlett Kincaid is an excellent fighter.  Scarlett Kincaid is an excellent PR story.  The young hard-working waitress who made something of herself through a cinderella story.  She has conquered again and again...but not tonight.  Tonight, the final page is written in the story of this truly epic war.  I want you all to pay attention to that last word: war.  Wars are not won on heart and nice stories.  Battles, yes.  But not wars.  Wars are won with strategy.  The smarter side always wins, and time and time again, Isabella Pazzini has proven to be smarter than Scarlett.  There is no question about that.  Isabella Pazzini will enter one of the most dangerous matches in this game and will walk out still champion of this company because, quite frankly, there is nothing holding her back.  No rules.  No shackles.  Her mind is able to run free.  Scarlett Kincaid will be outmatched.  It’s as simple as that, and the rightful FFW Champion will remain so.
- Aimee Easter

POLLASKI'S PICK
NOT SO FAST MY FRIEND!  The problem is that everyone around here seems to forget one simple thing- Scarlett is not timid.  She's got a temper, she's got a firey side, and dear god, if she needs it, she's got a mean streak.  And, we saw how far she was willing to go the last time she was in a Hell in A Cell, and this is a far more important match than the last one.  Even more important- Scarlett's a year older, and year more mature.  That means she's not going to risk throwing everything away for an exclamation point.  She's going to wrestle smart.  She's going to wrestle well, and unless Alicia interjects herself in such a bullshit fashion- she's going to become the first LEGITIMATE three-time FFW Champion. 
WINNER: Scarlett Kincaid 

ANARCHY PREVIEW: Williams vs. Amaro vs. Richards

WHATS AT STAKE
They say the definition of insanity is trying the same thing again, yet expecting different results.  But a little insanity is a good thing now and again, especially if it's going to yield a match every bit as entertaining as the first one at Firewall I was.  Of course, the Evolution Championship is on the line, which Crystal Williams is defending, and Eileen and Sophie chasing.


EXPERT ANALYSIS
Of all the so-called "gimmick matches", the ladder match is my favorite.  The premise is so simple, but the strategy is so complicated, and it's risky without stepping into the realm of gratuitous (at least, normally).  It's also a match that Crystal Williams excels in- by her claim, she's never lost a ladder match, and that includes her victory at Firewall.  It'd be tempting to pick her, again, but I know Eileen, and I know how badly she wants to win this, and get that title around her waist.   I don't mean any disrespect to Crystal or Sophie, and I know it's a bit biased, but I really, truly believe this is Eileen's moment.  She's the winningest wrestler in FFW in 2012, and she deserves that belt.  It's her time to shine!
- Wendy Briese 

POLLASKI'S PICK
You COULD say that because Crystal won this match the first time, she's just as likely to take the do-over, but there's a reason you do do-overs- you think the result is going to be different the second time.  And with Williams being the previous winner, the chances the other two will view her as the biggest threat  is greater.  Which means from the getgo, Crystal could be dealing with both Eileen and Sophie, and while I can't see that alliance being all that long-lived (or even enthusiastic), it will take it's toll.  I love Eileen, and like Wendy said, it'd be a damn shame if she exits 2012 without a title win.  But there's something about Sophie that shines in big matches, and she's got a devious streak, so I have a feeling she's going to blindside Eileen just as poor Eily's at the cusp of finally doing it.  So it's with great reluctance that I pick...
WINNER: Sophie Richards. 

ANARCHY PREVIEW: Steele vs. Belmont

WHATS AT STAKE
For this one, pretty much just pride.  This shit actually started over in SVW, when both Tabatha and Samara were going after Rebeckah Hate's TNA title, and sort of ended up getting in each other's way.  That hot mess has spilled over here, where the girls can throw it down without Hate to play third-wheel, or any rules to burden down the action, either!

EXPERT ANALYSIS
So FFW nabs a sort-off spin-off from FFW and makes some good money out of it. Not that I can blame them for it in the slightest, especially when the original thing over in SVW didn't actually involve Tabatha to start with. She just, somehow ended up in there. And it worked out for Tabatha, since she's now a champion over there. But that's another story. But I figured I'd fill in for those that don't know, and there'll be a few of them. Anyway. as far as FFW goes, this may end up being a one-off. It's a pick 'em, really. Samara did get off a slow start, losing to Candace Orikuma, who was later demolished in two straight matches. But she's bounced back since, beating Crystal Hate and Shelbi Lynn. Neither of whom are easy opponents (trust me on this, been there, done that with both. Didn't end well.) But Tabby? Tabby's easily had the more difficult opponents, and come out on top in most of them, including wins over Kara Harrington. But in saying that, Tabby's really only had tim to sit and stew about...whatever Tabby stews about. With Tabatha's history, knocking her off would be brilliant for Samara. And honestly? I'd love to see her do it.

Pick - Samara Steele
- Jo McFarlane

POLLASKI'S PICK
I think she meant to say "spin-off from SVW" there, but Jo says a lot of things that make you go "hmm" (God, that was an awesome song).  The fact is, you can paint it anyway you want, but Samara is still a rookie, and while she's pulled off wins over Hate and Carter, she still is prone to making mistakes in that ring. Tabatha's not standing with the best record, but she's flat out got more experience, especially in brutal matches such as this.  I think that experience will ultimately pay off.
WINNER: Tabatha Belmont

ANARCHY PREVIEW: Colleen vs. Lamb

WHATS AT STAKE
Oh, not much.  Just that the winner will have survived seven of the best women in Femme Fatale Wrestling (well... six + Stephanie Sanderson) to earn a shot at the FFW Championship.  Just for the records sake, Colleen has never had a match for the top tier title, while Val has had one- the Elimination Chamber match at Unstoppable II, in which she was injured.  Also, every winner of the FFA has gone on to win the FFW Championship.  So yeah... no pressure. 

EXPERT ANALYSIS
I sat here for an hour trying to decide what to type nor who to pick. This decision is too tough and both these women are well-deservedly on the cusp of breaking that glass ceiling. It's something I can relate to, time, and time again... You know who wins? You may call it a cop-out but... The fans. I expect this match to not only be a MOTY candidate but damn well take the thing. There's something about a shot at the company's top title that makes a wrestler's performance go to MAXIMUM. There's no question they both want it and from where I sit, there's no way to guess who wants it more. At the end of the day, whoever takes this one will be hungry for more and I pray Isabella or Scarlett pay strict attention.
- Lyn Dallins

POLLASKI'S PICK
There's sixteen different ways the finals of the Femme For All could have possibly been set up.  This was probably the third most desired possibility, after Wendy vs. Colleen and Val vs. Camilla.  It's actually a rematch of a meeting between the two on the August 25 Breaking Point- a match that Colleen won.  In fact, Colleen is undefeated since her return to FFW (4-0-1), while her defeat of Val is Lamb's single blemish (5-1-1).  Both are legit top ten wrestlers in the company, and both are hungry for that FFW title. 

So who wins the tournament?  Colleen's got history on her side, not to mention she's been in the finals of this before- losing to Stacey Mackenzie last year in a match that had Colleen nearly end her career before she submitted.  But Lamb is on a renaissance here, and rejoining Camilla to reform Spectra Fantasia I think is only going to serve to make her better, even in singles.  So yeah, its a tough call, with only Dallins-Thunder possibly being a tougher one.  Ultimately though... I'm going with the one who's been here before, knows what it's like to lose this match, and is going to make damn sure she doesn't again.
WINNER: Colleen 

ANARCHY PREVIEW: Williams vs. McGuffin

WHATS AT STAKE

The Chase for the Crown finals are always filled with high drama and expectations, and this one is going to be no exception, as from a chronological standpoint this Chase has played out over a much longer time than the previous two.  That's certainly made this one pretty darn tense, too, as both Kelly and Jenny have shown a rather intense dislike of each other, both seemingly of the opinion that the other is a vastly overrated hackjob.  One is going to get a TV title shot out of this, not to mention the smug satisfaction that they were right.   

EXPERT ANALYSIS

On paper this match seems to favor Kelly, considering the fact that the once red hot Jennifer Williams has become stone cold, having suffered loss after loss. But as it has been shown in the past, just because someone is favored to win, does not mean they will. Both these women have earned their spot in this Chase For The Crown Finale, having said that, both also have a lot to prove at this point in their careers. Kelly for all intents and purposes should already be a champion by now but she just can't seem to break through the glass ceiling. And Jennifer? What happened to the woman that lit the world on fire leading into her winning the Future Shock Second Chance season? Her fire has died, there is no denying that fact and no matter how much Jennifer tries to claim otherwise, its been shown ever since she went on her losing streak. What it boils down to though, is who wants this more? The Lady Dream, or the High Flying Kelly? The smart money would be on Kelly... but I always love routing for the underdog. So I'm going to go out on the limb here and say that Kelly with all that ego of hers is going to make that one fatal mistake that will allow Jennifer to pick up the win and the upset.

My Pick: Jennifer Williams

- Liam Alexander

POLLASKI'S PICK

Somehow, people have started throwing the "f-word" around a lot with Jennifer Williams- fluke.  I don't really get that- she's got some pretty legit wins on that resume.  But I also do believe that she's forgotten the blue-collar never say die attitude that made her so hot in the months of June and July.  She's lost six of her last seven- all coming after the finals of Future Shock Season 7.  Jenny clearly needs to go back to her attitude of June and July if she hopes to win here, but whether she can do that remains to be seen. Kelly, on the other hand, seems to be as formidable and consistent as ever (and, despite what Liam says, has shown less ego than Jenny in the past few months)  Its tough to pick against her in this. 

WINNER: Kelly McGuffin 

ANARCHY PREVIEW: Stryfe vs. Summer

WHATS AT STAKE
Obviously, the winner of this match is going to get a chance at the Evolution Championship, but this is a tale of two women who's careers are going the opposite direction.  For lack of better words to use, Kat's been relegated to the Evolution division after several disappointments at the top level.  On the flipside, Summer's being promoted after a successful stint as Television Champion.  Definitely an interesting contrast.  

EXPERT ANALYSIS
Analysis skills go! So here we have the match that will decide who else will challenge next for the Evolution Championship after Anarchy alongside Sabra, another new contender. (Pulling for you to win Eileen, sorry Crystal). On the one hand you have Katherine Stryfe and well... She's the underdog. Now don't get me wrong. Beating Camilla Pazzini is no easy task, and Katherine is a decorated, multiple time champion but... Summer is on fire (pun intended). She took the Television Division to new heights and for a while was its undying champion. It took a cloudy storm in the form of Lightning to finally topple her. Kat is tough no bones about it, but I can't help but feel like everything may come up Summer. Hah, see what I did there? Okay one more. At the end of the day, Killer C has a lot of faith in Kat (and who wouldn't?), but is expecting Summer. Nice? Nnniiiiccccceee. C, out.
- Caroline Dallins

POLLASKI'S PICK
Kneejerk reaction would be to pick Summer here, who's gone 9-1 over her past 10 matches, including wins over current Evo contender SOphie Richards, the always elusive Casey Atherton, and the red hot Jodie Gray. Stryfe, by contrast, has won three of her last five, and that's coming on the heels of a cringe-worthy six match losing streak.  But there's something about Kat Stryfe and these situations that causes her to shine- she lunges for the carrot, as she's proven several times where the FFW Championship.  Hence, I'm making the upset call of the night!
WINNER: Katherine Stryfe 

ANARCHY PREVIEW: Dallins vs. Thunder

WHATS AT STAKE
Once upon a time, there were two little girls who were brilliant technically in the ring, but somewhat unpopular due to their abrasive personalities.  Then one day, an evil soulless ginger witch convinced them they'd be better off if they joined a bunch of other women who can only get ahead in this company by cheating.  Then one day, one of the little girls realized that made no fucking sense whatsoever, and left the group to be with her REAL friends, and the other girl got bitter and resentful about it and this match got booked.  The End.

Or is it? 

EXPERT ANALYSIS
This is what we call a “show stealer”, ladies and gentlemen.  Also, the phrase “technical classic” may also be appropriate.  We have here, with the injury of Wendy Briese, the two undisputed most technically sound wrestlers on this entire roster.  Period.  There’s also this background about how Caroline ditched the Power Trip, embarrassed Samantha Star and pissed Tara Thunder off to holy hell.  We all remember how Tara gets when she’s angry, correct?  I thought so.  Killer C seems as focused and deadly as ever, but more motivated.  There’s a certain drive in her, a bitterness that I think goes deeper than what we’ve witnessed before.  This match is fueled by emotion but will prove to be a technical masterpiece.  Each woman will do everything they can to win, to prove themselves, until they can no longer stand.  Expect something intense and incredible from this.  I have gone on record predicting Caroline to win this, however, that is mostly a random guess.  I have never seen two more evenly matched opponents.  Ever. This is a pick ‘em, and also one that everyone should be watching.
- Wolf Ramsey 

POLLASKI'S PICK
A recent poll on a wrestling news site asked which match at Anarchy fans were looking forward to- and believe it or not, this one got second place, with only the Main Event beating it.  And who can fucking blame them?  If Power X rankings are to be believed (and scientific analysis has proven they are), you're looking at two honest to god top five talents squaring off here.  This is honestly a match that could be for any title in the company, but alas, it's just pride on the line.  And that's the telling thing about this match.  Pride is enough.  For the fans, it's not even about Caroline's defection here- it only made this dream match possible.

As far as who is going to win... well, that is very much up in the air.  Tara's got the clout- she hasn't been pinned in over a year now (and has only tapped out once in the same time).  But Caroline's proven to be dangerous as well here- she sits 5-1-1 in singles matches.  Something's going to break, and to symbolize that, I made my pick by playing a game of Jenga against myself, with my right hand representing Caroline, and my left Tara.  I'm right handed, so... sorry Tara. 
WINNER: Caroline Dallins. 

ANARCHY PREVIEW: Elliot vs. Cade

WHATS AT STAKE
For Vanessa Cade, this match is a desperate attempt to save face, after spending several months talking shit about Future Shock Rookies, only to tap out to one in her FFW debut match.  For Elliot, its an attempt to recover from a letdown against Casey Atherton in the Future Shock cup, which snapped a two-match winning streak.  Either way, someone's walking out of Dallas with serious egg on their face.

EXPERT ANALYSIS
Let's be fair, for someone who talks a lot of crap on Future Shock alumni, she has never beaten a single one of them. Thus Vanessa sounds like a colossal tool with her continued berating of the graduates. Hanna made her tap already. In a Submission rematch, Vanessa is in a must win situation if she wants to even have a third of the credibility she thinks she deserves. Because let's be real, if she drops two straight to Hanna (and not even counting Alyson's victory), it will become obvious that she isn't really paying attention to Tiffany's guidance because she will have become the biggest disappointment my former trainer ever had, who has trained two former FFW Champions and myself. Vanessa has to win, Hanna knows how to beat her. Unfortunately Vanessa will have to think on the job. And that's not really been her strong suit, has it?
- Ryan Mackenzie 

POLLASKI'S PICK
I think this rematch comes down to one thing: did Vanessa lose at Firewall because she didn't take Hanna seriously or enough, or did Hanna just flat out beat her?   An argument could seriously be made either way, and that makes THIS match one of the toughest to call of the night.  However, I've never been one to underestimate the desperation factor, and it's come into play before.  After all, Hanna was the one deseperate for credibility the first time, and she won, didn't she?  Hence, I'm going to call Cade eeking out a very close victory, but dear God is Elliot going to scare the ever-loving shit out of her. 
WINNER: Vanessa Cade 

ANARCHY PREVIEW: St. Pierre vs. Buchanan

WHATS AT STAKE
Payton's made it clear that she doesn't want this match, but she really has no one to blame but herself for it.  One of the polls for the last Firewall was to determine Penny's partner, and, the FFW Faithful being the sadistic MoFos that they are, PSP was chosen.  In the meantime, St. Pierre has taken it upon herself to degrade and deride Penny every chance she's gotten.  Obviously, Penny's taken some exception to it, and voila, this match is a go! 

Of course, it should be noted that the aforementioned tag team actually managed to function, at least compared to their equally dysfunctional counterparts.  Afterwards, all bets were off, and Penny got the drop, brutalizing PSP in what many are hoping is a preview of things to come. 

EXPERT ANALYSIS
This is a no brainer. Penny outpaces Payton in every measurable category. She's bigger. She's stronger. She's somewhat smarter as well. And while pins over Payton are hard to come back, she doesn't have to pin her. She just has to drag a smaller woman around the ring, and aside of getting whipped profusely by my client, I'm pretty sure Penny will have no problem with that.
- Carson Black

POLLASKI'S PICK
But, but, Pollaski's stupid and biased and the only one who'd EVER pick against Payton St. Pierre!  In seriousness, agree with Carson 90% here, although there is one small catch.  All Payton has is her deviousness, but that deviousness has paid off for her in the past (like a TV title, God bless that poor belt).  Like I pointed out a couple weeks ago, Penny needs to be aggressive, and keep up the pressure.  But she also needs to be smart (and she is a lot smarter than PSP gives her credit for), and watch out for any tricks.  If she can do that, PSP is going to find herself kissing canvas while the Pain Train rides the rails on a victory lap around the ring.   
WINNER: Penny Buchanan

ANARCHY PREVIEW: Demeanor vs. Black

WHATS AT STAKE
How about Revege Factor: Psychobitch?  Sophia Black made her triumphant return as a mercenary for Samantha Star, destroying Miss Demeanor while she was vulnerable, having just lost to Sabra.  Obviously, Miss Demeanor is not about to take that lying down (well, technically she DID, but...), and she's certainly chomping at the bit to deliver another asskicking to one of Samantha's minions. 

EXPERT ANALYSIS
This match is NOT going to be pretty. Well, I mean they're both pretty but um...that's not the point. What I mean to say is Miss Demeanor is gonna be gunning to hurt Sophia for her interference, like BIG TIME. Add on how she's like Ms. Star's personal mercenary that's just more fuel to Demeanor's fire. While Sophia…well she's mean as heck and just likes to hurt people, not to mention does a really good job at that. And well... to be honest there is a LOT of Demeanor to hurt. 

This was a tough call could go either way, but I'm gonna go with Sophia Black as much as it pains me to do so. Her lack of regard for rules is what tipped the scales for me.
- Misty Whitmore

POLLASKI'S PICK
As the great Lee Corso would say- NOT SO FAST, my perky little Canadian friend!  Sure, Sophia Black's vicious.  I mean, she fuggin' ended someone's career last year at Sin & Sacrifice.  But here's the problem that Sophia's had: her vicious rage is uncontrolled, and that's come back to bite her in the ass several times in the past.  And don't forget, Miss Demeanor's got a vicious streak too, and as we've seen, it can be a lot more targeted and controlled.  This is going to be a flat out brutal match either way, and I'm sure Samantha's going to play some card here.  But ultimately, I have to pick the psycho-ginger. 
WINNER: Miss Demeanor. 

ANARCHY PREVIEW: Arisu vs. Carter vs. Kane

Over the next couple of days, we'll be looking at all fourteen upcoming matches for Femme Fatale Anarchy PPV, so keep checking back.  Up first... the first match on the show! 

WHATS AT STAKE
This is a classic stepping stone match, as we have three relative newcomers, each one who is hungry to show what they are capable of doing.  Shelbi Lynn Carter is the most experienced of this trio, but she's struggled lately, losing three in a row.  Arisu and Kane both have two matches under their belts, with Arisu winning both, and Kane splitting a win over Penny with a loss to PSP.  All three ladies have a way to go here, but the winner clearly will have a head start compared to the other two. 

EXPERT ANALYSIS
As much as I look forward to this match, I think it's Danielle who has the most to prove. She said she wanted a challenge, now she has a very real one in two women that wins do not come easy against. Marissa and Shelbi have impressed me greatly in a short time, but I think Danielle may be the odds on favorite. 
- Mark Horton


POLLASKI'S PICK
As much as it loathes me to admit it, Mark's right in that Arisu has to be considered the favorite.  SLC has been struggling so far, to the point that she's more effective beating up webmasters, and Kane just seems too green to really pose a threat.  Of course, one of the joys of Triple Threat matches is that anything can happen- or at least a significant number of variables are in the equation to where the final total is not forseeable.  But for the time being, my pick is
WINNER: Danielle Arisu

Power X Rankings- November 20

Hey kids!   

Anarchy, the biggest show (attendance wise) of the year is just around the corner, and things certainly have heated up almost to a boiling point.  That includes this week’s installment of rankings, which has some serious movers and shakers this week.

Anyways, the eligibilty list is fifty-two, down just a couple from the last installment, as we say goodbye to the likes of Stacey Mackenzie, Stephanie Sanderson, Crystal Hate, and Arianna Millar, although a couple of newcomers replace them

Also, just a minor note- the second ever Fan Power X will be coming after Anarchy, so get your own ranking shoes on soon!  

Enough preamble!  Let’s count them down!

#52- BRIANNE GARZA [+2]
This is the final ranking for the Lovely Lobo, who very clearly struggled in the much more advanced FFW.

#51- ROXIE STEVENSON [+2]
Roxie’s still looking for her first FFW win, but it’s going to have to come after Anarchy, as she unfortunately couldn’t quite make it onto the show.

#50- SARAH RICHARDSON [-1]
Got bombed out of the building by Jo McFarlane, and now sits with the unfortunate distinction of having just one win in the past eleven months.

#49- DANIELLE MASON [NEW]
Debut match in FFW didn’t go quite the way Dani was hoping, but then again, Jo’s a tough cookie to beat.

#48- CANDACE OKUMURA [+4]
Tough loss to Christelle Gillet is her fourth in a row.

#47- MISTY WHITMORE [+4]
Whitmore’s looking for her first win, but it certainly hasn’t been for lack of trying.  She just needs to stick with it- she’ll get one.

#46- SOPHIA BLACK [+4]
Viciousness isn’t a problem for Sophia- the issue is keeping her temper in check so she doesn’t end up doing something stupid.

#45- ALLISON DEAS [-3]
I don’t give a flying fuck what she ‘legally did’.  I absolutely REFUSE to call her Allison Williams.

#44- CHRISTELLE GILLET [NEW]
Decent debut win over Okumura, but it  certainly wasn’t pretty that she was hung out to dry by her tag partner at Firewall.

#43- SHELBI-LYNN CARTER [+5]
Pathetic temper tantrum has likely gotten her into hot water with Marissa Kane- who conveniently just so happens to be facing her (along with Danielle Arisu) at Anarchy.

#42- MARISSA KANE [+4]
Think she’s sick of hearing all this “you’re a bad girlfriend” bullshit about her... especially considering that Adam hasn’t exactly leapt to her defense.

#41- DANIELLE ARISU [+2]
Conveniently, the third wheel of this triple-threat conundrum also finds her place in the rankings near her opponents.  This will definitely be a stepladder match for someone

#40- KATE STEELE [+5]
Win over SLC proves that if she can settle herself down, and be clearheaded for fifteen minutes every other week, she might actually have a chance in this business.

#39- SAMARA STEELE [+2]
Hasn’t been in an FFW ring since Sin & Sacrifice, but has been in SVW.  Still, this early in her career, such inactivity has to hurt her, especially going into a match with the veteran Tabby.

#38- MISS DEMEANOR [=]
Anyone else find it odd that this is the only member of the anti-Power Trip group that Samantha seems remotely worried about?

#37- PENNY BUCHANAN [+10]
Firewall went better than anyone possibly could have expected- and that includes Penny herself!  Now to finish the deal against Payton.

#36- VANESSA CADE [+1]
Lay it out simply for her- if Vanessa wants to retain any credibility whatsoever, she needs to beat Hanna in their rematch.

#35- MELANIE AVILO [=]
Never in a million years did I think she’d ever fall behind her big rival Jodie Gray... but it’s happened, and Future Shock Fight Night proved it even more.

#34- TABATHA BELMONT [+2]
Holds such an experience advantage in her Anarchy match, but dear God has she managed to piss Samara off over the past few months.

#33- HANNA ELLIOT [-2]
Loss to Atherton was a disappointment, but hardly the most crippling thing.  A second win over Cade, however, is one Hanna very much would like to get.

#32- PAYTON ST. PIERRE [+2]
Not the best fortnight for PSP, given that she got the crap knocked out of her by Arabella Black AND Penny Buchanan.  Thank god Lightning abandoned her teamate, eh?

#31- ARABELLA BLACK [+11]
Winning the Future Shock cup is easily the highlght of Arabella’s career (even moreso than making the Season Four finals).  After a year of teasing us, Arabella might just finally be turning the corner.

#30- SOPHIE RICHARDS [=]
Hasn’t been seen, or even heard much of, since the first Firewall.  She’ll be expecting to make some serious noise at Anarchy.

#29- JO MCFARLANE [-2]
Give Jo credit- she’s taken four matches already in the month of November, a severely busy schedule to say the least.  Being off for Anarchy is a well deserved break for her.

#28- JENNIFER WILLIAMS [+1]
This match against Kelly McGuffin is a huge bellweather for Jenny.  Not only will it give her a television title shot and the Chase for the Crown win, but it will also demonstrate whether or not she can sustain the momentum she had so strongly back in June.

#27- HAYLEY DARK [+6]
Effective win over Jo McFarlane, and not much else can be said on Hayley’s front.

#26- RORI MACKENZIE [+2]
So, how pissed do you think Rori’s going to be that she has to sit on the sidelines and watch Crystal wrestle in the pre-main event defending her title?

#25- RAQUEL FAIR [+1]
The best tag team in the world was left out of Firewall, but you can tell they are chomping at the bit for those belts.

#24- MICKEY SCARBOROUGH [+1]
In fact, I’d go so far as to say that Scarborough Fair should get their shot after Spectra Fantasia couldn’t get the job done.  It’s only the right thing to do.

#23- KATHERINE STRYFE [-3]
After losing in the Femme For All, Kat rightly stepped down to the Evolution Division, where she’ll stand to be far more effective.  But beating Summer is hardly a gimme.

#22- TRINITY [-3]
Played no small part in the bullshit that went down at Future Shock Fight Night in the Six Femme tag match.  You know her deal with Serafina is far from over.

#21- SERAFINA REYNOLDS [-3]
*NO SURRENDER CHAMPION*
It’s been two months since she won the NS title, and we’ve yet to even hear about a potential defense.  Pretty sad, considering there’s a dead on top contender in Caroline DAllins waiting for it.

#20- CASEY ATHERTON [-1]
*UNITY CHAMPION*
Is thanking her lucky stars that Melinda Davis had enough of the bullshit surrounding the main event of Firewall.  Also counting her broken ribs, but mostly thanking her lucky stars.

#19- JODIE GRAY [+5]
Winning streak has extended to six, and Jodie is seriously starting to gain momentum towards a possible shot at gold.  If she knocks off Arabella, you gotta give her a shot at the TV- or even Evolution title.

#18- SABRA NIKOLAYEV [+5]
Speaking of suddenly-hot wrestlers, look at Sabra, who’s put her own self square in the Evolution title discussion with a solid upset of Eileen Amaro.  

#17- EMMA MACNAMARA [=]
Has to be licking her chops after what went down at SVW’s Uprising Sunday Night, as Cara suddenly seems at her most vulnerable in years.

#16- STARLA MCCLOUD [=]
*UNITY CHAMPION*
Like Casey, she’s thanking her lucky stars while holding her shattered insides, courtesy of...

#15- CAMILLA PAZZINI [=]
Sure, she’s got to be disappointed in the outcome of Spectra Fantasia’s title shot, but she really has no one to blame but herself.  Their time will come again (against Scarborough Fair though, because they deserve the shot first!)

#14- CRYSTAL WILLIAMS [=]
*EVOLUTION CHAMPION*
Declared the new “Williams Dynasty” at Firewall, but I’m not buying it- yet.  However, a defense of the Evolution Championship will be a damn effective advertisement.

#13- KELLY MCGUFFIN [=]
She was the odds on favorite to win the first Chase for the Crown, pretty much all the way.  That could be a problem- this tournament has a way of the odds-on-favorites not ending up being the winner.

#12- EILEEN AMARO [-2]
Losing to Sabra was a surprise to Eily, and so many others.  Her second chance at the Evolution Championship almost has a ‘now or never’ vibe to it.

#11- KAITLYNN STRYFE [-2]
She’s gone from the main event to effectively disappearing from PPV in four short months.  But, but, the Power Trip highlights the best wrestlers in the company!

#10- WENDY BRIESE [-3]
Unfortunate final ranking for my longtime client, at least for the time being, thanks to her back being shattered by an errant back body drop by Val.  I’d say hurry back, but this isn’t an injury you want to rush.

#9- SUMMER [+3]
She was promised a bump to the Evolution division- now she has it.  Beating Kat Stryfe isn’t easy, but she does it and it’s target locked.

#8- LIGHTNING [=]
*TELEVISION CHAMPION*
Wait... she lost... for the second time.  So... where is that “0” that might go when she faces Claire Black?

#7- CARA STONE [-1]
*ULTRAVIOLENCE CHAMPION* As she goes into her first UV title defense in four months, the question pops up- how will Cara respond to the major events at Uprising?  Is she going to come out fighting mad... or a shell of her former self and easy pickings for Emma?

#6- VALERIE LAMB [+5]
Win over Wendy was a surprise, but well earned by Val, who’s exploded into the Future Shock finals.  Could Val’s top-tier-title drought be coming to an end in January?

#5- CAROLINE DALLINS [=]
The Big D hasn’t quite gotten used to life outside the Power Trip yet.  Could be made a bit easier when her former friend Tara Thunder comes raging after her.

#4- COLLEEN [=]
It’s been a long road back for Colleen, but if she beats Val at Anarchy, you can check her redemption and comeback off as complete- with flying colors.

#3- TARA THUNDER [=]
Tara has proven she doesn’t do so well when emotions run the highest, and they will likely do so when she faces Dallins.  Could that be her undoing?

#2- SCARLETT KINCAID [=]
All comes down to this.  Win... and she’s a three-time champion.  Lose, and she never faces Isabella for the  belt again.  One thing is for certain- she’s going to be far more level headed in the Hell in a Cell this time.

#1- ISABELLA PAZZINI [=]
*FFW CHAMPION*
The same stipulation on Scarlett is also on Isabella- there will be no rematch for her, so if she falls from the top of the ladder, she falls for good- or at least until Scarlett loses the belt.  That’s going to put a level of desperation into Isabella’s defense that we’ve never seen before.

And there you have it!

Be sure to tune into Anarchy on Thanksgiving Saturday on PPV, as there are going to be fourteen matches going down!   And stay tuned throughout the week, as there will be a slew of previews of all the Anarchy matches going up on this here blog!  I’m looking forward to this one!

But until that time...

POLLA OUT!

FOUR CORNERS- Firewall 11-15-12

Four thoughts coming out of the latest FFW Internet PPV: 


1. MELINDA DAVIS MADE THE RIGHT CALL
Referees get a lot of grief, and sometimes justifiably so.  This isn't one of those times.  Throwing out Firewall's main event, especially just when it was certain Spectra Fantasia was going to win was no doubt an unpopular decision, but what is unpopular, and what is correct are hardly the same thing, and the referee's job isn't to be a populist.  So give Melinda Davis credit here.  She made the difficult decision that I guarantee ninety-five percent of the arm-chair wrestlers of the world wouldn't have had the guts to make.  

Here's the deal- there's about three seperate occasions where Team Adonis probably should have been disqualified- but Melinda CORRECTLY decided not to make that call, because she knew that a disqualification would serve no benefit to Val and Cammie.  But when Cammie decided to spear Starla McCloud to hell, then Casey Atherton, even though Davis had specifically told her to get out of the ring, well, Melinda had no choice.  The match, by that point, was officially out of control, and there was no chance of restoring order without creating a shitstorm of controversy.  Officiating 101 says in that situation, you throw the match out.  And that is exactly what Melinda did, although I think the Double-DQ was certainly a nice expression of annoyance with both teams than simply calling it a no-contest. 

Obviously, there's going to be a rematch, and I'm sure we'll have a stipulation calling for more relaxed rules (which do a remarkable job of ending controversies).  I was looking forward to Spectra Fantasia winning, and a possible showdown with the Scarborough Fair.  But that obviously didn't happen, and you can point a lot of fingers of blame for the reason why, but none of them should be at the referee. 


2. ONLY PAYTON ST. PIERRE COULD WALK INTO A NO-LOSE SITUATION... AND LOSE
No, we're not talking about the match result here.  That's always going to say that Payton pinned Christelle Gillet to win the match.  But we all know that the story goes far beyond that. 

The setup for Payton was so simple a five year old could see it.  Go into the match, let Penny do the heavy lifting, and pick her own shots to make her look better than she really is.  And if the match started to go against her, she'd tuck tail and run, leaving Penny (who's too damn stubborn to do the same thing) to her fate.  Everyone saw the layout there, even Buchanan, who knew she was trapped from the getgo, and was, even hours before the show, trying to figure out how she could avoid this inevitability. 

But a funny thing happened on the way to the screwjob- Lightning decided to betray Christelle first.  This isn't a huge shock, although most odds pointed to Penny and Payton falling apart quicker.  And Payton was in the right place at the right time, leveled the Frog, and got the win, the glory, the bragging rights, everything she'd want save for standing on the entrance ramp and laughing hysterically while Lightning and Gillette picked the Pain Train apart.  Like I said, Payton was set up not to lose here, and she was about to come out smelling like a rose. 

Of course, like the dumb bitch she is, she blew it.  Instead of taking her gains, and getting the hell out of dodge, she decided she was going to gloat.  With her Anarchy opponent, who she's spent the last two months pissing off every chance she got, standing merely feet away.  And, coincidentally, Penny stopped being her tag partner the moment the ref's hand hit three. 

Gee, what the fuck did you THINK was going to happen?

So no, in a match that had everything set up for Payton St. Pierre to walk up that ramp all smiles and laughter- either in victory or because she just suckered Penny again, it was Buchanan who walks up the ramp the winner on the night.  All because Payton was too dumb to learn the phrase 'quit while you're ahead'.  And that, my friends, is more poetic than anything Aimee could EVER write. 

3. SRSLY SLC? 
I suppose you can't blame Shelbi Lynn Carter for being a bit on the frustrated side.  After all, her loss to Sabra was her third in a row, the other two coming to both members of the Steele family.  I'd probably be pulling my stringy bleach blonde hair out too if that happened- and you're talking to someone who actually lost to Ginger Rogers. But for God's sakes, the only person Shelbi could possibly blame for losing at Firewall is herself. 

I've said it before, and I'm going to say it again.  Referee intimidation doesn't just make you look like a jerk- it's counterproductive.  Are officials supposed to be impartial?  Absolutely.  But they're also human, have a subconscious, and are significantly less prone of giving the benefit of the doubt to people who threaten them as opposed to people who are, y'know, polite to them.  Basic human nature. 

And of course, there's also the glaringly obvious- when you're threatening to beat up the dude in the striped shirt who's ultimately going to determine whehter or not you win the match, you're not paying attention to your opponent, a lesson that Sabra taught SLC in a very big way last night.  Maybe if Carter was focusing on Nikolayev, instead of Adam, she might have actually won the damn thing.  And it's mind-boggling how many people in wrestling are incapable of making that connection. 

Adam Grant is not a referee, but under the circumstances, he did a great job as the guest ref, and to be attacked by Shelbi in the wake of her loss was completely uncalled for.  If FFW valued Adam at all (and in this post Amanda Saint world, I'd like to think they do), they would fine and/or suspend Shelbi for her actions, which were cowardly, despicable, and amazingly short sighted.

After all, on top of all that, it's probably not a good idea to beat up the guy who runs your company's website.


4. "DYNASTY" IS ACTUALLY APPROPRIATE IN THIS CASE
And we're talking about the television show, a primetime soap opera that ran for 9 seasons on ABC in the 80's.  Of course, the saga of the Williams family has quite a few ways to go to reach that level of longevity, but we're certainly not being shorted on any aspect of the melodrama, even if we are missing a few Linda Evans-Joan Collins style catfights.  Last night at Firewall was no exception, when we saw Crystal apparently adopt a woman (A DEAS!) who's six years younger than her as her daughter, not to mention the uber-racist half-sister Maia Lopez joining FFW, Jennifer apparently forgetting all aspects of the pluckiness that got her where she is now, and Melody Williams... making her on screen debut by apparently fulfilling every stereotype she possibly could.  That's not even bringing up the bizarre envelope from Todd we got at the end. 

Either way, I'd almost feel sorry for Crystal if I wasn't so certain that this wasn't just some bizarre form of karmic retribution.  Either way, keep watching kids, as this incredibly bizarre situation continues.  And be ready to cringe.  I have a feeling there's going to be a lot of that in the near future. 

FOUR CORNERS- Breaking Point 11-10-12

Well, that sucked.  

Most of you probably know, but my client, Wendy Briese, cracked her vertibrae during the main event of last night's show, and will be out for several months as a result.  Not exactly the best way I'd hoped things would go, but such is life.

As for everything else-

1. WE'RE DOWN TO TWO
Wendy's loss was Valerie's gain, who capitalized on her injury, to cruise her way into the finals of the Femme For All.  So now it's Valerie Belmont vs. Colleen at Anarchy, in what will prove to be a rematch of a match from August 25, which has served as Val's only defeat since returning from her pregnancy.  Expect a more in depth preview of this match in the upcoming Anarchy preview, but you can bet this is one that will be DEFINITELY looked forward to. 

2. A GUEST REFEREE FOR THE HELL IN A CELL IS A MISTAKE
Considering that we have a more than competent officiating team, especially considering head official Jennifer Stringer, it absolutely baffles me how much FFW resorts to guest officials for big matches.  This is one of those occasions.  Let's all hop into the Wayback Machine, and look at Full Frontal, which happened twenty months ago.  There, Isabella and Scarlett fought with another guest referee- Anastacia Baldwin, and the match unfolded in such a way that it ended in pure controversy for months. You think Alicia's going to produce a satisfying result?  Or is she going to become an unnecessary distraction to a match that should simply sell itself? 

Here's an idea- what if we let Jennifer Stringer do her job, and actually started making wrestlers who attack referees accountable for their actions?  Like I said, Stringer's an excellent referee when she's not being conked over the head.  Why not stop that, instead of inserting an unknown quanitity that will more than likely just be used as another excuse?


3. SAY WHAT YOU WILL ABOUT JODIE, BUT HER ATTITUDE CHANGE IS EFFECTIVE
Has Jodie become a bit of a bitch?  Yes, yes she has.  She's basically turned into someone I certainly wouldn't want to hang out and play games with.  But here's the catch- Jodie's now gotten herself onto a seven match winning streak, and I'm going to say that's probably the longest current streak in FFW.  We're talking about someone who was all but out of any title picture working her way back in, and her dismantling of Misty Whitmore is yet another example of how damned effective she's become.  Attitude means a lot in wrestling- nice works for some, being a right bitch works for others.  For Jodie, it's clearly the latter, something that I'm sure Mel Avilo has been trying to tell us all along. 

4. SABRA'S TURNED THE CORNER
I may make a lot of jokes about FFW's resident Russian immigrant, but the truth is, I've always been a bit disappointed by Sabra's in ring performance thus far in FFW. She's struggled for the most part, including a tough four-loss stretch throughout the summer.  But Sabra might be the one person in FFW history where joining the Power Trip has actually IMPROVED her performance.  Sabra's now won three in a row, and four of her last five, the last coming in a win over a legitimate top ten wrestler in Eileen Amaro.  As it stands right now, Sabra's probably just a win or two away - or maybe even less- from serious title contention. 

FOUR CORNERS: Future Shock Fight Night 11-6-12

Just a small glimpse at what went through at Future Shock Fight Night. 

1. BLACK IS BACK
Hey, remember when Arabella Black was the favorite to win Future Shock, and was a damn scary psychopath to boot?  Then she became evil-Colleen's lapdog, and then pretty much disappeared from FFW for several months, with only a couple of appearances to boot.

Tuesday night's victory in the Future Shock Cup, however, announced that Arabella's career is very much alive, and likely on a track towards a Television Title shot if she can keep the winning up.  Surviving Payton and Casey's bullshit on the same night is hardly a small feat, but Arabella did it quite nicely.  And I don't think anyone has any deal with Arabella walking out and telling Jodie Gray to shut her yapping mouth, either.  The rematch at Anarchy is going to be big for these two, but if Arabell downs the red-hot Gray, title contention is going to be seriously considered for her. 


2. THE TITLE OF FUTURE SHOCK CHAMPION IS VASTLY OVERRATED
Of course, I'm not saying that the remaining ladies in Season 8 should give it up and go home- the prize that awaits the victor of the season alone should be enough to make you want to go for it.  But being in and of itself, the title of Future Shock Champion has proven to be hardly an indication of Future success.  Of the three champions we saw in the ring during last night's six-femme tag match (where they lost to three non-champions, mind you), only one- Serafina, has demonstrated any sort of success in FFW since her crowning, and even that's been limited, thanks largely to her painfully light schedule.  Mel's FFW career has been by and large a disappointment, and Jennifer Williams, who's stock was rising so steadily throughout Season 7, has almost literally hit a brick wall since her victory over Casey in the finals.  You throw that in with Alysson Addison washing out in less than three months, and you can see that translating from Future Shock Champion to success in the main roster is hardly a given thing, perhaps even harder than it is for non-champions. Even the Champions who have had success- Raven Wicked, Desirae Kain, and Sophie Richards, have more or less disappeared from the scene.  (And yes, I know Sophie's challenging for the Evolution Championship at Anarchy, but that's what?  Her second match in six months?)

This isn't an indictment on the competition.  Future Shock's given us many great talents- the best of which are undoubtedly Cara Stone and Caroline Dallins.  And it's vastly entertaining television, a show that I'm honored to be a part of.  But it's hardly an indication of what will happen once a girl enters the main roster.  

3. I HOPE PENNY BUCHANAN WAS WATCHING
Because the blueprint for beating Payton St. Pierre was laid out for her in very clear terms last night.  I've made it clear all along that I've always felt PSP is an undertalented, overrated hackjob who couldn't win a match clean to save her life.  All you needed was someone to expose her for the fraud she is.  That 'someone' turned out to be Arabella Black, who plowed through the Season 2 runner up with almost Sophie Richards-esque aplomb. 

SO what does Penny need to do at Anarchy?  Aggression, aggression, aggression.  Payton St. Pierre has proven time and again that she cannot cope when heavily pressured, and its only when her opponent lets up and gives her room that she can pull out her bag of (uncreative, yet somehow effective) tricks.  If Penny keeps up the pressure, maybe even throws in a little bit of insanity, and doesn't stop until Payton is little more than a bloody sack of meat, then Anarchy is going to be a very good night for her. 


4. IF HANNA ELLIOT ISN'T ABOUT TO CHOKE A BITCH, THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH HER. 
Save for perhaps Jodie Gray, there has been no more surprising star over the past couple of months than Hanna Elliot, who's gained considerable momentum since her huge upset of Vanessa Cade at the first Firewall.  That momentum was cooled somewhat last night, when she lost to Casey Atherton in the First Round of the Future Shock Cup. 

Okay, that doesn't really tell the whole story.  Hanna got hosed, Team Adonis style (which is somehow more annoying than most ways of getting hosed).  I mean, complete travesty of justice, to the point that maybe we should be calling NATO or some shit. 

Here's my concern.  Hanna Elliot isn't exactly known for taking losses well, by her own admission.  We all remember her six month fell-off-the horse lying in the sand sob story when she lost- to Tara Thunder of all people.  If she does that again, then Vanessa Cade is going to rip her apart, and pick her teeth with Hanna's ribs.  Hanna needs to turn her disappointment into aggression, and go out there and prove she's not going to let a tough loss ruin her.