Mamachas tells the story of Carmen Rosa, champion cholita (female wrestler) of Bolivia, and three other cholitas, Yolanada, Julia and Martha, who experience unprecedented fame both in Bolivia and internationally as cholita wrestling gains prominence. Carmen Rosa was on top of the world. She and her fellow Mamachas were not only booked consistently by major wrestling promoter Don Juan Mamani’s Gitano League (think Vince McMahon and the WWE), they were also booked for a large scale tour of Peru, appearing on several popular Peruvian television shows; receiving national media attention.

And then it was all taken away.

Exclusive: ‘Mamachas del Ring’ Director Betty M Park Talks About the Film’s DVD Release, How the Film Came About & More

A story of betrayal and struggle soon develops as Carmen and the Mamachas are banned from the Gitano League by the promoter, jealous of their success. There’s also a personal struggle for Carmen when her husband gives her the aforementioned ultimatum.

As we watch Carmen Rosa quickly dispose of a male passerby on the street, who compares her being a cholita akin to being a prostitute, we have no choice but to become invested in this traditionally dressed Aymaran (indigenous) woman in her bowler hat and long skirt, and wonder how such a matronly looking woman can become a champion.

Image Credit: Mamachas del Ring

Utilizing a character driven approach, director Betty M. Park puts the viewer in the driver’s seat, showing us via interviews and voice-overs, Carmen Rosa’s point of view as she and her peers experience the world of women’s wrestling in Bolivia. Yet what separates this documentary from many of its contemporaries is the creative use of claymation in order to reenact past conflicts as well as emotions that could not be displayed via traditional film. This is especially true in the scenes exploring the allegations that Don Juan Mamani became jealous of the Mamachas, kicked them out of his league and made it his mission to ruin the Mamachas’ careers forever. While a voice-over or interview from Carmen Rosa would state the point just as clearly, it is the clay animation that provides the viewer with a visual and places them in the heat of the moment.

If there are any drawbacks to the documentary (and any would be miniscule) it is that Carmen Rosa is so fleshed out and engaging that the other characters are often absent. While Carmen is certainly dynamic enough to carry a documentary on her shoulders, it would have been interesting to see a little more of her fellow Mamachas, Yolanda,Julia, and especially, Martha. I would be particularly interested to learn their perspectives on Carmen, for her passion is definitely strong enough to polarize those around her. However, the absence of these voices does not detract from the enjoyment of the film in any way.

‘Mamachas del Ring’ Documentary Coming to DVD Next Week, Watch the Trailer

It is the Mamachas’ attempts to not only make it in the wrestling world on their own, but balance their love for women’s wrestling with the gender roles that society restricts them to, that tugs at the viewer’s heartstrings. The world of independent wrestling is an unforgiving one, but as Mamachas del Ring demonstrates, it is arguably harder for women, as evidenced by Carmen Rosa taking extra bookings to financially take care of her children, and simultaneously battling the emotions involved with leaving her family for days at a time. Coming to a head in the scene described in the introductory paragraph, Carmen Rosa is set up to defy the odds again and again.

Image Credit: Mamachas del Ring

However, the most emotional aspect of this film, and the reason for my glowing review, is not in how these seemingly unbreakable foreign women defy the odds in a sport built for men, nor does it have anything to do with wrestling. It is in how universal these themes are for all individuals who have ever struggled with a passion against all odds. From those of us who grew up with single parents forced to meet that they can’t meet themselves, to those of us who wished to pursue an interest that is not popular with our peers, Mamachas del Ring serves as a a sense of motivation. If Carmen Rosa can run her own wrestling company, represent her Aymaran traditions, entertain her loyal followers and continuously fight to improve the plight of women everywhere, then why can’t we accomplish our own dreams?

In conclusion, this documentary is definitely one worth seeing. Director Betty M. Park has created nothing short of a masterpiece. In what could have been little more than a character study of a woman wrestling in a country many of us will never travel to, we are instead provided with an emotional and relatable human being, exposing every last strength and flaw.

Heart wrenching and raw, this documentary is one that belongs in your DVD collection.

Rating: 5/5

Mamachas del Ring is available on DVD now. Click here to purchase.

Visit the official Mamachas del Ring website here.

Follow Mamachas del Ring on Twitter and Facebook.

Watch the trailer below:

– Additional reporting by Melanie

For fans seeking a long interview, they definitely get it with this purchase. The interview, which likely spans three hours when the bonus features are accounted for, is lengthy enough to require two discs, leaving customers with a feeling of getting a good “bang for one’s buck”. As an extra bonus, Diva Dirt audio contributor Amber Gertner (Untitled Allison Danger Show) delivers as host, utilizing a conversational and friendly approach that comes off as more of a conversation between friends rather than the traditional hotseat interrogation approach.

As the interview begins, it becomes clear that Shelly has had many ups and downs in not only her professional wrestling career, but in her personal life as well. Shelly handles extremely sensitive personal topics with candor and confidence, showing that she has come to terms with her life experiences. This results in a more positive vibe than many other shoot interviews have. Even when offering criticism of her peers, Shelly is quick to point out positive qualities (where present) of these individuals and own up to her own shortcomings, which is quite refreshing.

As with any shoot interview, the lovely Ms. Gertner begins in chronological order, asking the basic questions related to Shelley breaking into the wrestling business. While most of the women currently involved with the wrestling business either got into it via modeling or by finding a local wrestling school, Shelly used a little of both to get her start, as she would use her acting and modeling auditions and go sees as an opportunity to discover a way to break into the business. Eventually, an audition paid off as she was able to discover a local wrestling school. This factoid impressed me and added a little pizazz to a portion of all shoot interviews which is usually dull.

Equally interesting, is a disclosure that prior to entering WWE, Shelly auditioned for and made the semifinals of Tough Enough 2, until Hardcore Holly told her that she was “too thick in the waist”. (Shelly reports receiving a similar criticism from Johnny Ace during her first WWE tryout). Particularly unfortunate is that this criticism came at a time when Shelly was recovering from an eating disorder and just beginning to put weight back on. While it is well known that the big two companies have very strict requirements for the female talent, it does provoke the viewer to reflect on the repercussions these demands may have on the women who have to hear them.

This wasn’t the only occasion in which Shelly’s experiences and insight brings about questions on whether there is any shred of morality in major professional wrestling companies. While locker room etiquette can be confusing, and at times, ridiculous, Shelly’s disclosure that she once drank because tradition dictates that new talent must drink if a veteran tells you to is utterly reprehensible. As Shelly says in the interview, “What if somebody is a recovering alcoholic?”

And then there is Batista… Long time Diva Dirt interview listeners have heard nearly all the details regarding the top WWE star’s treatment of Shelly, but many may have forgotten that Batista’s vendetta against Shelly (which ultimately led to her release from WWE) started because Shelly stood up for a friend whom Batista was dating and verbally abusing in front of the other talent. The fact that a talent can get away with such actions because of his spot is extremely shady, and honestly rather depressing.

Thankfully, the DVD offers plenty of fun moments and enough juice to remain a “shoot.” While it was previously mentioned that Shelly tried her best to remain positive and she is quick to offer praise to those who helped support her in the business (Sharmell, ODB, So Cal Val, Terry Taylor and Kelly Kelly are but a few praised), she does offer criticism where appropriate. Shelly reveals that one misunderstanding between herself and Angelina Love while Love was in developmental created a rift between the two that lasted all throughout their tenures in WWE and TNA and was only recently repaired. Shelly also shares similarly negative experiences with Paul Heyman and The Sandman. However, it is a current WWE Diva and her betrayal against Shelly that resulted in Shelly stiffing her in the ring (to the delight of the entire locker room) that inspired the “No she didn’t!” head bob from me and will likely be the secret most viewers will be taking to Facebook and Twitter to share.

Unfortunately, Shelly’s desire to become a more positive person (unfortunate for us, not for her) resulted in her offering minimal details when reporting on the most shocking/horrendous stories involving talent. While Shelly is willing to report on these incidents, which include a love triangle between herself and two TNA talents as well as a particularly gruesome story involving a WWE wrestler attempting to sexually assault her (and then her getting heat when it was discovered that she had shared the story with Melina); she is unwilling to name the individuals involved. While this is understandable, it may turn off viewers who purchased the disc for two hours of trash talking and secret telling.

However, if the viewer is satisfied with hearing some fascinating albeit non-gossipy stories about Shelly’s experience in the business (her beginnings in TNA and comments on how Salinas oddly strengthened her Mexican American identity are fascinating) as well as a lot of disclosure regarding Shelly’s perseverance from a victim of childhood physical and sexual abuse to that of a strong and inspirational human being than this purchase is well worth it.

As a whole, this DVD meets expectations. While the “shoot” aspect lacks a lot of the secrets that one normally finds in such a DVD, Shelly’s experiences in life and in the wrestling business are interesting enough to keep one’s attentions for over two hours. This is largely due to Highspots’ decision to utilize the interviewer, Amber Gertner in an on screen role, and allow her to offer her opinions and insight. This keeps the viewer feeling like they are in the midst of a conversation and keeps the DVD from becoming monotonous, which it could have easily become considering the length of the DVD. An overall solid first showing from an experienced veteran in women’s wrestling and I very much look forward to future releases in the “Girl Talk” series.

Note: The DVD also includes bonus matches from the Dangerous Divas release featuring Shelly, as well as a 2005 interview with Pro Wrestling Dreams. Even more bang for your buck!

Rating: 3/5

You can purchase “Girl Talk with Shelly Martinez” at Highspots.

Watch the trailer below:

Thankfully, some of the wrestlers do the work for us and create compilations of some of their best matches. One such woman is the “Queen of Wrestling”, Sara Del Rey. Released earlier this year, Del Rey’s compilation “Becoming the Queen of Wrestling” picks up where her previous two compilations, Golden Memories and Death Rey Strikes Back, left off, showing how Del Rey went from top babyface and inaugral SHIMMER Champion (Memories) to dominant heel (Strikes Back) to providing us with a greatest hits of Del Rey’s favorite matches that demonstrate why she is widely considered to be the best women’s wrestler working in the United States today.

Kicking off the DVD is the match which resulted in Del Rey’s heel turn, her SHIMMER Championship match on Volume 18 against MsChif. Expected by many to be just another title defense, this is a very physical back and forth match in which the well respected yet still underdog, MsChif, shocked the world by picking up the win. The surprise is built up nicely by the commentary team of Dave Prazak and Allison Danger whom hype Sara’s strength, dominance and aggression to the point of which even someone who knows the outcome of the match may second guess whether or not they read the results correctly. The submission style of Del Rey is highlighted nicely in this match and provides a first time viewer with a good all around understanding of the in ring skills possessed by Del Rey.

Following the excellent opener, The DVD then provides two hard hitting matches against fellow veterans Hailey Hatred and her opponent in finals of the 2009 ACW Queen of Queens Joshi Tournament, Daizee Haze. The former, which took place at AIW’s Girls’ Night Out 2 event in late 2009, shows Del Rey, at this point well established heel, putting the likeable (even if her ring gear does look like a shopping mall Christmas elf with ribbons) and Japanese trained Hailey Hatred through a brutal high impact match which includes several out of the ring spots, and one Hatred comeback that even left Del Rey taking a VERY hard shot to the mouth three-quarters of the way through. Yet, despite all of this great action, this is actually the inferior of the two matches between the two included on this DVD, which shows how high quality this DVD truly is. Likewise, the latter match against Haze is an excellent and lengthy match that is consistent with other great matches between the two, which, when you take into account the frequency that they wrestle each other, is quite a feat.

Also quite a feat, and a nice addition to the DVD is a match against Alexxis, an up and comer out of New England. While it may be a little easier to put on an excellent wrestling match with an established competitor, Del Rey’s ability to utilize the ring psychology and skills necessary to carry someone relatively unknown to many wrestling fans impresses, and makes her look just as strong in spots as Cheerleader Melissa. However, while the match is certainly enjoyable, and doesn’t take away from the set, I do have to question the choice of including it on the DVD. However, I do recognize that Del Rey may not have received permission to use many of her matches, thus some of her best work may not have been included.

Succeeding the impressive match against the relatively new Alexxis, Del Rey takes on Daffney in a match from Remix Pro late last year. This match will likely be the selling point for many fans who wish to see what Daffney can do when she is unleashed from the limitations she was faced with in TNA. I can fortunately report that the match delivers. While Daffney has never been the ring technician that Del Rey has, her mastery of ring psychology more than makes up for it in an engaging back and forth submission heavy match. A very great addition to an already stacked set.

However, all of these matches are overshadowed by a battle of epic (Although the word is overused. Fierce?) proportions between Del Rey and Hailey Hatred at JAPW Wildcard 6. While these two have already faced off on this DVD compilation, this “street fight” rules match is not only the best match on the DVD, but one of the best women’s matches you will ever see. If you need proof, just know that the match heads outside of the ring, involves chairs and goes into the crowd… within the first five minutes. The backstory, which is laid out nicely by the major promotion worthy commentators, makes one really believe that the animosity felt by Hailey over Sara becoming the first JAPW Women’s Champion is legitimate, and what we end up with is a passionate and engaging hardcore street fight rather than what could have been a series of spots. This is the match on this compilation and well worth the price of the DVD alone.

While the Hailey Hated street fight could very well have been an explosive finale, Del Rey instead finished off the set with three clipped (meaning portions of) matches against Japanese wrestler Bullfight Sora, Amazing Kong (Kharma) and Nattie Neidhart (Natalya). While these matches provide a lot of interest for fans of mainstream women’s wrestling, being clipped and the fact that Del Rey was not as seasoned as she is today causes me to prefer turning off the DVD after the Hatred match. These matches aren’t bad by any means, I just prefer to look at them as special features, rather than a main event/final match (although you get to see Kong/Kharma speaking Japanese in an interview segment, which is quite fascinating).

As one could gather from this review, Sara Del Rey’s “Becoming the Queen of Wrestling” is a highly recommended compilation DVD that provides somebody new to independent women’s wrestling an insight to the individual widely considered to be the best. Del Rey developed a diverse and well planned set full of matches against veterans and up and comers alike, and even the low points of the DVD (the match against Alexxis, the clipped Japanese matches) aren’t low points when you compare them to matches on DVDs put out by major companies. If you have a little extra spending money and wish to expand your horizons and #youwantwrestling (har har), definitely pick this set up.

Rating: 4.5/5

Match Listing:
1) vs. Mschif – SHIMMER
2) vs. Hailey Hatred – AIW
3) vs. Daizee Haze – ACW Queen of Queens
4) vs. Alexxis – NWA Ringsport
5) vs. Daffney – Remix Pro
6) vs. Hailey Hatred – JAPW
7) vs. Bullfight Sora – clipped
8) vs. Amazing Kong – clipped
9) vs. Nattie Neidhart – clipped

You can purchase “Becoming the Queen of Wrestling” here.

The first thing that comes to mind is that, despite being 50 years old, Lisa looks radiant! And if you’ve seen her previous shoot interview, you’ll know she has a personality to boot. Playful, humorous and highly engaging, Lisa comes across as the ‘cool aunt’ we wish we could all have.

Like with their YouShoot series, Kayfabe niftily breaks things down for the viewer with a month-by-month look at the year that was 2001. There are often a few screens per month, highlighting the major events of 2001 that year and they simply let Lisa rip. Her comments may be on the events that were highlighted, her personal opinion on the people involved, or at times, she can even go off into discussing things that occurred in other years. And hey, who’s going to stop her?

In fact, one such moment where Lisa goes off on a tangent is probably the juiciest parts of the interview. The former champion reveals that following SummerSlam 2004 — which saw the infamous Raw Divas vs Diva Search contestants dodgeball game — the male roster actually took the Divas roster to Wrestlers’ Court for losing to the Diva Seach girls. Seriously! Lisa reveals how she served as the defense attorney for the Divas. Without giving too much away, there are some interesting anecdotes here about Jonathan Coachman and Triple H.

You’re probably wondering what she said about some of her fellow Divas, right? Well as history will tell us, 2001 was a big year for Lisa’s character, Ivory. In 2001, Lisa continued a high profile feud going into WrestleMania. Her opponent was of course, none other than Chyna. It’s no secret that Chyna didn’t want to be in the women’s division and preferred wrestling men. Lisa recalls her condescending comment to her when they first began their program: “Okay Ivory, you know how to pull hair, right?” Elsewhere, though she puts over Lita’s great gimmick at the time with the Hardy Boys and puts over her passion for wrestling, Lisa felt that Lita was unappreciative of the fans noting that she’d leave behind fan mail, gifts etc. that she would receive in the lockerrooms. “It may not mean anything to you but it sure means a lot to the giver, so you don’t leave that stuff behind in a lockerroom. That pissed me off a lot,” she says. One Diva that doesn’t get off so lightly is Miss Kitty aka The Kat, but you’ll just have to watch to find out more!

I think Steven put it succinctly in his review of Lisa’s past interview: Lisa is honest, perhaps brutally, but she doesn’t go out of her way to bury anyone or be bitchy towards anyone.

Looking at the run time beforehand — over two hours — the DVD is highly entertaining and the length seems less daunting as you’re sucked in by Lisa’s charm. Lisa gives her humorous and unique insights into some of 2001′s big events and looking back, there were several including the maligned XFL, the purchase of WCW and subsequent Alliance angle and lots more.

To go back to the earlier analogy, Lisa really does come across as wrestling’s cool aunt! She is charming to watch on screen, her stories are highly entertaining and as we’ve come to expect from Kayfabe Commentaries, the production is top notch. Another great release following in the footsteps of the epic Maria Kanellis YouShoot.

Rating: 4/5

- Click here to purchase ‘Timeline: The History of WWE – 2001′

We start with some sort of skit with a group calling themselves The Submission Squad. I recognise Athena, but I have no idea who the others are. Whoever they are, they are completely annoying. One of them is wearing a belt of some kind, and I assume they’re wrestlers. You wouldn’t necessarily know that to see them. The skit involves someone called Davy Vega who may or may not have had a plane crash and who may or may not have crawled four miles from the wreckage of the plane go get here. One of the guys says “What the hell is going on?”. I agree with this.

Next up is Jessica James backstage. She is apparently a last minute addition to the tourney, and it becomes clear that she’s up against Sara Del Rey. “Crap”, she says. Again, I agree with this comment.

We’re now inside the building, and there are more men that I’ve never seen before talking about things I know nothing about. I hit FF. After three consecutive skits, we get… a skit. This again features Athena and some of the annoying guys from the first skit. All things told, that’s ten minutes of the DVD and I haven’t seen a wrestling ring yet. Oh dear.

Quarter Final Match
Athena vs MsChif
We finally get to the ring, and The Submission Squad are there, introducing Athena. They’re still annoying. A word, by the way, about the production here. It’s a multiple camera shoot, but every camera seems to have a different white balance, so every time we get a switch from one to the other, it has a vastly different video quality. One will be washed out, while the other will be dark. In addition, as the commentators start to talk, their audio is mixed badly, as it seems mixed too loud, and their audio breaks up and distorts. So far, so disappointing – but I’m here for the wrestling, and I’m interested in this match. I’m a fan of ‘Chif, and Athena (one of Diva Dirt’s “5 To Watch 2010”) impressed at her recent SHIMMER debut, so I’m keen to see what she’s got to offer. MsChif dominates early with several luchariffic submission attempts, but Athena comes back. For her experience level, Athena looks fairly comfortable in there with the well travelled MsChif. Athena actually comes desperately close to picking up a three count with her swank variation on the Back Cracker, as does MsChif with a Rydeen Bomb. From then it’s 2.9 city, until Athena comes off the top for what appeared to be an attempt at a flying Stunner, only to get caught by ‘Chif’s Desecrator for the three count. A pretty fine match, and a creditable performance by Athena. The commentators, by the way, were obnoxious throughout.

Quarter Final Match
Portia Perez vs Daizee Haze
Speaking of commentators, what I’d give to have Portia back behind the mic on this release. Not that she’s not pretty damn good in the ring too. Perez walks out with her SHIMMER Tag Team title like she’s ten feet tall and gets a ton of heat from the crowd. Daizee, by comparison, is beloved. Perez tries to get the jump on Haze, but Haze fires back quickly, going for Perez’ arm. One of the commentators reminds us several times about how turned on he is. Yeah, because that’s what I need to hear, thanks. Guy even goes so far as to make a Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky reference. Yes, in 2010. Match is fairly short and perfunctory. Perez is great as a heel in that she knows her job isn’t to be cheered, so keeps her offence simple and effective. Stomps a plenty. Interestingly, given that Portia’s ¾ length tights are reminiscent of TAKA Michikoku, Portia actually locks on TAKA’s submission finisher, the Just Facelock. Daizee, the defending Queen of Queens champion from 2009, wilts and loses via submission. Given the short length of the bout, I can’t really say much other than it was an effective way to get Portia over.

Quarter Final Match
Jessica James vs Sara Del Rey
James is a tiny ball of energy, and thoroughly likeable. She got into the tournament that morning when Nicole Matthews hit some problems crossing the border. Her opponent is Death Rey herself – arguably the best female wrestler in America today. Hair tied up, Del Rey means business. However, James dropkicks her as she tries to get into the ring and follows up with a cross body. From there it’s a desperate fight for Jessica to overcome the physically far more dominant SDR. Sara makes Jessica pay for her insolence by launching her into ringsiders and proceeding to lay down a beating which includes one of the most vicious looking variations on the Gory Stretch I’ve ever seen. James was never beaten though, and eventually transitions into a rear naked choke… and after an extended struggle, DEL REY TAPS. Wow. Just wow. Cool little bully vs underdog match, and Del Rey tapping out was a pretty incredible upset.

Quarter Final Match
Daffney vs Rachel Summerlyn (c)
For the ACW American Joshi Championship
Daffney had a hand in training Summerlyn and their feud has extended to SHIMMER as well. Rachel is also your ACW American Joshi champion, having ended Athena’s one week reign a mere two weeks ago. Unfortunately for her, the belt is up for grabs at all times during this tournament, so to successfully defend the title, she is going to have to make three defences in one night and win the tournament. The initial phase of this match was a mess, including a kneedrop from Summerlyn that looked like it hit, but given that Daffney didn’t sell and Rachel did, it apparently missed. They appeared to be on two different pages throughout, actually – especially during an outside the ring exchange. Back inside, a close 2.9 count resulted in the bell being rang and the fans booing an apparent botch by the timekeeper – before Daffney hits the Daff Knee from nowhere for the three count. A brutal match. Daffney wins the title and advances into the semi-final, and the assembled fans chant her name. I don’t doubt that both girls tried, but it just wasn’t any good at all.

Next up is a guys match with Mat Fitchett vs Robert Evans. I skipped.

Semi Final Match
Portia Perez vs MsChif
Portia bringing out a Canadian flag to get heat seems almost superfluous, as everything about Perez screams heel. Honestly, her demeanour and character is so good now, that even though she doesn’t have the physicality of a Sara Del Rey, I’d be hard pressed to give you a more effective female heel in North America. Daizee Haze joins the commentary booth (thankfully). This gets the tournament back on track well, with a bout that starts with a brawl around ringside before relocating to the ring. ‘Chif tries everything, from a Rydeen Bomb to a DVD off the top, but Perez would not stay down. Eventually, MsChif tried a standing moonsault, but crashed and burned when Portia moved… and within seconds of hitting, Perez struck by clamping in the Just Facelock. Oh shit. And yes, MsChif taps~! This is how you get a submission hold over. Again, good match. Post match, Robert Evans comes out to the ring and offers to accompany Portia to the finals.

Semi Final Match
Jessica James vs Daffney (c)
For the ACW American Joshi Championship
This is for the American Joshi championship too, as Daffney will be defending. Jessica enters first, and… dammit, there’s Portia Perez. Perez attacks her while she’s standing on the middle ropes, delivers a knee to the back of the head, then knocks her down into the Tree of Woe and dropkicks her right in the face. “She has no more face!!” yells Sara Del Rey from the commentary booth. Ouch. Jessica is knocked into the middle of next week. Surprisingly, Daffney doesn’t take advantage immediately, and waits for the in-ring introductions. Nevertheless, Daff immediately capitalises on Jessica still being discombobulated, and as a result, the match is all Daffney, bar some minor comeback attempts by James. A couple of rollups, and even the Rear Naked Choke (Daff reached the ropes) before a rolling cradle ends with Jessica on top and a three count. “OH MY GOD!” screams Del Rey. Match told a good story though, with Jessica fighting from underneath and pulling out a miracle win… which also gets her the American Joshi title. With all due respect to the Zombie Hot Daffney, Jessica trudges away looking zombified, before being waylaid by Perez and her goons. They beat up James outside the ring, them bring her in where Portia hits her with a superkick and Robert Evans DESTROYS her with a whirlybird. Rachel Summerlyn makes the save before anything else can happen. That was pretty heavy heat.

We then had two guys matches. Scot Summers vs JT Lamotta, then a three-way with C.O.P vs The Takeover vs Team Vexx.

Finals
Jessica James (c) vs Portia Perez
For the ACW American Joshi Championship
Pre-match, Portia suggests that since Jessica has been taken out, she’ll walk in and be crowned champion by default. She comes out, sans goons, and Jessica James’ music plays. No Jessica. The music changes… and we have the appearance of… Lady Poison. The commentators put two and two together and realise that the two have always been one in the same… possibly…

Finals
Lady Poison (c) vs Portia Perez
For the ACW American Joshi Championship
This is a war. Lady Poison starts destroying Perez. The fans chant “You Fucked Up”, but as the commentator points out, this is a chant directed at Portia, who made the mistake of awakening the character of Lady Poison inside Jessica James. They end up going out into the parking lot, then back in to the building. You know when I said earlier that Jessica was a likeable ball of energy? Not so for Poison, who is slow, deliberate and violent… if not a little kinky too, as she tenderly strokes the face of Portia while simultaneously choking her out. The change in demeanour is brilliant. Very Keiji Mutoh/Great Muta, which certainly appears to be the heavy inspiration here. Robert Evans interference allows Perez to take control, leading to a moment where Portia delivers the same combination of neckbreaker/tree of woe/dropkick that she did before Jessica’s semi-final… only this time, Lady Poison gets straight up to her feet, “like a modern day horror movie” (to steal a line from the commentator.) Brilliant. They go back and forward again, and Portia even gets the Just Facelock on, but Poison gets to the ropes. Further interference by Portia’s goons lead to Perez superkicking Poison for the… two count? The referee holds the count up momentarily, then counts 1,2,3. Portia Perez is your 2010 American Joshi Queen of Queens tournament winner, and new ACW American Joshi champion. She and Evans celebrate by re-creating Leo & Kate in Titanic. Bless.

There’s another ten minutes of skits at the end, but in amongst that there’s a brief victory speech by Perez “I’m goin’ to Six Flags, baby!” and a skit with Rachel & Jessica. Jessica feigns complete ignorance of even being *in* the tournament at all… having no knowledge of even her QF or SF matches. This unsettles Rachel, who wants her to admit that that she and Lady Poison are one in the same. Jessica refuses. Even when Rachel asks Jessica about the green paint on her arm (a clear leftover from the Lady Poison costume), Jessica laughs it off. Rachel makes Jessica promise not to screw her in their upcoming tag title match. By all rights I should probably hate the skit as it makes so little sense (it would be one thing if Lady Poison wore a mask, for example), but it was played so nicely between the two girls that really, I couldn’t hate it. Jessica seemed so sweet, and Rachel seemed so earnest that I give that skit a pass.

The bottom line
There are positives and negatives here. I’ll get the negatives first, as overall I enjoyed the DVD and overall it gets a thumbs up – but the negatives shouldn’t be ignored. By far the biggest problem was the production. Having been involved in aspects of producing a home DVD of indy wrestling, I know that even with the best will in the world, there can be major production issues that you just don’t realise until you end up looking at the footage the next day – and I believe that’s probably what happened here, with every camera giving a different shade and the commentary mix being distorted. Thankfully I was able to ignore that as best I could and enjoy the show, but it’s still a pretty disappointing first impression. Also, starting and ending with ten straight minutes of skits? That’s a personal thing, I suppose, but it didn’t work for me – especially at the beginning. A lot of it – especially for a non regular ACW viewer – is just confusing, and this disc more than most would seem to me to be the sort of disc that will pick up more first time or casual viewers than a regular release.

But we’re here for the wrestling, aren’t we? And thankfully that was for the most part really good. Again, I will reiterate my disappointment with the Daffney vs Rachel Summerlyn match, but that was the only match that I actively disliked. Everything else worked for me. Portia Perez was put over huge by defeating last year’s tournament winner Daizee Haze and longtime SHIMMER champion MsChif with her Just Facelock, as well as picking up the American Joshi title. A dominant performance. If Portia Perez radiates “heel”, then Jessica James radiates “babyface” to an equal degree, and her desperate fights against Del Rey and Daffney were both a lot of fun – and the twist with Lady Poison was very well executed. The distinct change in character, movement and moves between Jessica and Lady Poison is marked. Decent performance by Athena in the opening round too, to further the positive impression she left me at SHIMMER earlier this month.

A recommendation. If you can make it through the bewildering skits and the initial uneasy impression you get from the production, and you get into the meat and potatoes of the wrestling, you’ll be carried along nicely with the tournament-long stories and smart work. There aren’t really any blowaway “you must buy the DVD for this match!” encounters (probably the Perez/MsChif match comes closest for me), but it is a strong release full of interest, intrigue and fun. Pick it up.

- Click here to purchase the DVD

– Words by Stew Allen.

In January of 2008, Allison Danger sat down with Strong Style Productions in Ireland to conduct a very detailed and story filled shoot interview. The title may be called “Quick Shootin’ With Allison Danger,” but this interview is anything but quick. It almost hits the 4 hour mark with a total run time of 3 hours and 42 minutes. But fret not! Ms Danger has done enough globe trotting and has so many memorable stories to share that you are able to stay interested through out the whole entire interview.

The interview starts off with questions that help us get to know Allison Danger as a person and a wrestler. Her love for the business comes out the most during this portion of the interview as she passionately speaks about some of the problems women encounter in the world of professional wrestling and how mainstream wrestling has had an unfortunate effect on how the fans look at independent wrestling.

For all you girls out there who are aspiring to become a wrestler in the future, Allison offers some very wise and valuable advice to make sure that you know what you’re getting yourself into and what to expect when you do get into the business.

She answers quite a few “Inside the Actor’s Studio” type of questions like what’s her favorite and least favorite word, what turns her on and off, and she tells about the plethora of injuries she’s had over the course of her career such as a popped ear drum, broken knee, abdominal muscle being ripped from her rib cage, bruised kidney, and more.

She gives a lot of praise to Dawn Marie and Francine for helping her get started with her wrestling career after coming off of playing ice hockey for a couple of years. There wasn’t any bashing or harsh words towards any wrestlers. Despite having a bad run in with Jillian Hall during the first time they met, Danger still dismisses it as maybe she was having an off day. Contrary to what dirtsheets and recent shoots may say, anger has some very nice comments to share about Melina. The worst comment she made was when she talked about Chyna, who she dubbed as the “Britney Spears of wrestling.” Now, don’t get me wrong. I did say worse, but her comments more “keepin’ it real” more than anything. And yes, she speaks about the infamous heat between her and April Hunter.

Throughout the rest of the interview, the interviewer would name drop independent, WWE, TNA stars, stars of the past and Allison would give her opinion on said wrestler. For every name, there is either a story and/or a detailed personal opinion about that person. She tells stories about one particular female wrestler who has a habit of spooning in her sleep whenever they share a hotel together, a cop pulling over her and CM Punk and accusing him of things that go against the straight edge lifestyle, working with Mariko Yoshida in Japan, her embarrassing story that involved her ‘first love’ Ricky Steamboat and much more!

What I loved about this shoot is that without all the juicy details that one looks for in these things, it is still a DVD worth owning. This interview is like no other as Allison spent a good portion of her life surrounded by wrestling with her older brother, Steve Corino, being one of the stars in the original ECW. Working with a variety of people in the business, Allison gives an unique insight to the world of professional wrestling from a unique perspective. This is a DVD that should be on every women wrestling fan’s wish list without a doubt.

Rating: 4/5

- Click here to buy Quick Shootin’ with Allison Danger

Keeping in line with the SHIMMER weekend festivities, Diva Dirt recently reviewed co-founder, Allison Danger’s documentary. Read our review below:

Like the shoot interview that accompanied it, “Fight Hard! Allison Danger Story” is a truly rare gem that each women’s wrestling fan should have in their collection. Produced by the same crew and in the same hotel where the shoot interview was held, Allison takes the viewers through a 2 hour and 15 minute journey into her world inside the business where she watched her brother reach the ultimate achievement in ECW, breaking into the business, and becoming one of the most well known and respected female wrestlers in independent wrestling today.

It would be a complete understatement to say that every aspect was Allison’s career was covered. She starts the documentary off by spending a good amount of time speaking on her life before the business, giving an insight into her childhood and her time in high school. Things really begin to get interesting when her brother, Steve Corino, gets signed to then-cult company, ECW. With no aspirations to become a wrestler, Allison fills in for the Sandman’s valet one night and becomes instantly hooked.

From then on, she hits the ground running at ROH by becoming a manager for the Christopher Street Connection and eventually being paired with Christopher Daniels and filling the female void in the Prophecy. She also talks about going to TNA in Nashville for a match where shortly after she flew to Japan to fill in for Daffney, who was then signed by the WWE.

Not everything in Allison Danger’s career was all rainbows and unicorns. In 2006, she began to string up a variety of injuries and talks about starting to become frustrated and bitter with pro wrestling. The injury she goes into detail about the most is one she had at All Pro Wrestling, in a triple threat match with Sara Del Rey and Cheerleader Melissa, where she suffered a concussion so devastating that she blacked out during several parts in the match.

In addition to the two hours of documentary footage, there is one hour one extras that includes outtakes from the documentary and a match against Daizee Haze from CHIKARA. The outtakes include stories about the ECW locker room, CM Punk getting punked, Matt Hardy’s dad yelling at her and making her cry, and plenty more. My favorite had to be about her being deathly afraid of Curry Man. Allison goes on to say that the mask is “the most frightening fucking mask” she has ever seen.

There were a lot of things I loved about this documentary. From an editing aspect, I liked how, despite being in the exact same setting as the shoot interview, it didn’t feel like a shoot interview. Strong Style Productions did a fantastic job with adding additional text, quotes, footage, and pictures to transform the feel of the DVD from being an interview to a documentary. Speaking of the footage, it was nice to hear her narrate her thoughts during a moment from a particular match while it was being shown. For example, I’ve seen the triple threat match between her, Sara Del Rey, and Melissa before. By the end of that match, it was obvious that Allison was hurt and to hear her talk about what had happen during that match was a very interesting touch. The only complaint I have is the music. Not only was I not a fan of the selection, but I also felt like it played during random times of the DVD. More particularly while she was speaking. Other than that, it was a very well made documentary.

Rating: 4/5

- Click here to buy ‘Fight Hard! The Allison Danger Story’

‘Episode 4: A New Hope (Chapter 1)’, a long winded title as it may be, is the first the DVD release from the Suffolk, England-based promotion, with a promise of spotlighting the best of Europe. The title is pretty confusing, especially for a fledgling company trying to work up an audience. “If this is episode four, where are the first three?” is one question that I suspect may be asked often. Then there’s the ‘Chapter 1′ sub-sub-title. To clarify on that, two DVDs worth of footage were filmed on May 8th, which I’m presuming is why this is ‘Chapter 1′, with ‘Chapter 2′ to follow.

The theme for the DVD is a spoof of Star Wars, a unique approach by a wrestling promotion, which should set it apart from the SHIMMERs and WSUs. The DVD artwork and opening of the show both bear a nod to Star Wars (complete with scrolling text going up the screen!), which while indeed camp, kitsch and silly, are pretty befitting of British humour and I likened it to the old ‘Carry On’ films that are very quintessentially British.

Follow the cut for a match-by-match review:

Catch Division: Jenny Sjödin vs April Davids
The DVD opens with the Catch Division which is unique to an all-female promotion, a division dedicated solely to a certain style of wrestling with certain rules and like MMA or boxing, featuring rounds. In this case, the rounds are three minutes each and from what I gathered from the commentary, there are no pinfalls. There are many rules for the Catch Division, too many to make abundantly clear on the DVD, so viewers are directed to the official website for a full picture of how this works.

Derived from the ‘catch-as-catch-can’ style of wrestling developed in the 19th Century, I fear that this style and this division may be lost on today’s audience. Indeed, I am guilty of being one of those that it is lost on. I couldn’t get into this bout quite honestly, and as a show opener, I’m not quite convinced it works. That said, I can appreciate the closing of the match with Davids expertly isolating Sjödin’s already hurting ankle.

Perhaps it’ll take a few more of these matches and getting really acquainted with the rules for the Catch Division to really ‘fit into the jigsaw’ for me.

Alpha Female vs Becky James
Just one look at her and I’m already impressed with Germany’s Alpha Female. She has a fantastic look (think slimmer and slightly shorter Aloisia) and this match was set up perfectly, putting her over in a squash match. Alpha could perhaps be a spectacle attraction of EVE’s own, sort of like Awesome Kong or Sara Del Rey.

Not too much to add about this one. An effective squash match. Perhaps a couple of more of these and then move Alpha into a more substantial feud.

Four-Way Elimination: Carmel Jacob vs Erin Angel vs Melanie Price vs Saraya Knight
This match had a good mix of comedy and great ring work. To explain quickly, EVE works on a gym affiliation basis, making note of which gyms around the UK the wrestlers have come from — sort of like stables/groups. Two participants in this match, Carmel Jacob and Melanie Price, come from the Glamour Gym and are prissy Beautiful People-esque divas. I’m sure you can imagine the tactics involved — not wanting to get into the ring, cheating etc.

The other two participants are UK wrestling legend, Saraya Knight, and Erin Angel, who at 23 years old already has 8 years of in-ring experience. Despite the unfortunate Kelly Kelly-esque chaps, Erin Angel is a great babyface. She’s pretty, cute and bubbly and manages to get the crowd on side. Angel manages to hold her own with Saraya very well before being eliminated first.

Saraya then disposes of Carmel Jacob before finally getting her hands on Melanie Price, who has been avoiding her all match long. Great way to end the match, with the fans awaiting Melanie to get her comeuppance.

Good, solid match from start to finish. I was particularly impressed with Erin Angel who plays her babyface role really well and has a good in-ring repertoire. She also knows how to get the crowd on side, but I’m sure it helps that she’s pretty, young, blonde and has a nice smile helps! With a little makeover (get rid of the chaps!), Erin could easily be a WWE Diva.

Rhia O’Reilly vs Sara Marie Taylor
Another member of the Glamour Gym in action now, Sara Marie Taylor, a Scot who was helped trained by WWE’s Drew McIntyre. She takes on Rhia O’Reilly, who in case you haven’t guessed by her name and the big green dress she wears in her matches, is Irish!

Taylor is easily the most ring-savvy member of the Glamour Gym and does have good presence in this match. It’s clear to see she’s been inspired by some WWE Divas from her furry boots (Melina) and Trish-like headscissors attempt on Rhia who was perched on the turnbuckle.

Meanwhile, Rhia is a little more limited in the ring with 18 months of experience, but does know how to get the crowd behind her.

Decent match. Sara could be a one to watch in EVE.

Jemma Palmer vs Jetta
This marks the professional debut of WWE developmental signee and former Gladiators star, Jemma Palmer. This is her first match before a crowd, while it’s one of Jetta’s final matches of her career. Palmer comes out to the ring with her arm in a cast claiming she’s not medically cleared to compete and can’t take part in the match, however the loudmouth from Coventry soon interrupts and berates Jemma before slapping her. Palmer, having had enough, decides to compete despite the arm injury.

This match was a very one-sided affair in Jetta’s favour. I guess Jemma’s greenness is masked by the fact that she is ‘injured’. Not too much offense from Palmer, and the little we do see only shows further how green she is. Jemma is still in training so hopefully she can only get better.

I think this match was booked perfectly given the situation. Jetta playing the big bad bully created sympathy for rookie Jemma. If she can get that crowd support, it could help make up for her lack of experience.

Main Event: Blue Nikita vs Britani Knight
Main event time with Britani Knight, the 17 year old daughter of Saraya who we saw earlier, taking on Blue Nikita. The veteran Nikita has the upperhand for much of the match, but there are some great spots from Britani who seems very popular with the crowd. Being a wrestling prodigy (her parents are UK wrestling legends), it’s no wonder why. Britani is only 17 but is a pro in the ring herself, hitting a beautiful ‘Knight Rider’ (Last Call) on Nikita.

The end of the match is somewhat controversial, with Nikita laying out Britani’s mother Saraya at ringside. The distraction costs the young Knight the match but even so, she really did a great job and held her own against Nikita. It’s hard to believe that she’s only 17. Britani is definitely a star in the making. Like Erin, she’s also beautiful and has a Diva-look. Given her young age, she has her whole career ahead of her and could possibly make it to the States one day.

The DVD ends with a fantastic pull-apart brawl between Nikita and Saraya which pumps up the crowd and nicely sets up the next DVD.

Final Thoughts
In all, it’s a decent first outing for EVE but as always, there’s room for improvement. The more we get to know these girls over several DVD releases, the more I think these matches will come to mean. More exposition on each girl and storyline/feud development over the upcoming shows will certainly help.

With a running time of one hour and 13 minutes, EVE is much shorter than a standard SHIMMER volume, but personally I prefer this. I tend to have ADD when it comes to longer shows and find myself skipping a few matches but this was easy enough to get through in one sitting. I guess it is down to personal preference as I’m sure some would prefer a longer show to get ‘more bang for their buck’, as it were.

As a sucker for things like DVD production, I felt the packaging was great — nice clean design on the artwork. The DVD itself was easy to navigate — no cluttered menu screens etc. Good editing and production.

Best match: Four-way elimination
Ones to watch: Alpha Female, Britani Knight, Erin Angel and Sara Marie Taylor
DVD rating: 3/5

To purchase Episode 4: A New Hope (Chapter 1), click here.

The Uncle Ben-esque quote listed above is largely meant to motivate and possibly foreshadow the journey of the young girl at the center of this movie. This girl is Jan, played by the singularly-named LaLaine, who you might recognize as Miranda from Lizzie McGuire (don’t deny it, you definitely recognize her). Jan is the last remaining heir to a Himalayan empire, unbeknownst to her, of course. The evil Skanji Empire looks to take control by killing the princess, sending an assassin (Gail Kim) to do the job.

Now, the juxtaposition of the modern day and the ancient Asian empire is jarring at first, not helped by the shoddy editing at the very beginning of the film. The flashing visuals and cheesy voiceovers are meant to serve the massive amounts of exposition, and end up making the film look like a History Channel reenactment. The editing gets a bit better later on, and the effects are as laughable as you would expect from a film as low budget as this one. The thing that stands out the most, though, is the sound editing. Often, bits of exposition are cryptically whispered over and over, as if to pound an idea into the viewer’s head. Even worse, the male lead, a soldier named Adam sent to protect the princess, speaks almost exclusively in audio that’s obviously been recorded in the ADR stage (automated dialogue replacement) of post-production. It gives the film the feel of a dubbed-over kung fu movie, which is something I have the feeling the filmmakers weren’t going for.

Gail Kim is likely the only reason for any wrestling fan to have an interest in seeing the movie. If you were hoping to see her show acting abilities not seen in the confines of the WWE, you’ll be disappointed. She largely stands around being silent but deadly, which fits her assassin character, even if it’s horribly cliché. When she does speak, her lines are recited in a forced whisper, which doesn’t sound serene and chilling as much as it sounds like she has a nasty case of laryngitis. The highlight of her involvement is, of course, the action, and she pulls off her part of it as we would expect, being effectively quick and agile. Unfortunately, the film seems to want to disguise the action as much as possible, hiding it with close, quick cuts and dark lighting. It’s a shame, too, because we know she can pull off convincing fake fights, having seen her exciting work in the WWE.

Her first real fight, taking place in a hallway, is reminiscent of a fight in Iron Man 2 in which the SHIELD agent Black Widow fights numerous guards single-handed, busting out lucha libre moves to take them out in quick, flashy ways. Here Gail, like Black Widow, also hits a hurricanrana and goes hand-to-hand a bit, but the fight never reaches its potential, stopping just as it gets good and resorting to a plain old gunfight. In this fight I also saw shades of Lita’s combat from her guest stint on Dark Angel, where they seemed to toss in wrestling moves just for the hell of it. In fact Gail, at one point, takes out an opponent with a DDT. A DDT! If there’s anything that doesn’t belong in this fight, it’s a DDT, especially when her character is supposed to be a fast-as-lightning assassin. The blame for that lameness would go to fight choreographer, I suppose.

A swordfight later in the film is much more entertaining and less frantic, almost bearing shades of Bruce Wayne’s League of Shadows training in Batman Begins, much of the fight taking place in stealth, Gail moving in and out of the shadows. Of course, it’s nowhere near that level, but this fight redeems a lot of her performance in the film which, overall, is lacking. Still, this is only a few moments out of a 90 minute film, and that’s not nearly enough to make her involvement worthwhile.

In defense of her subpar performance, though, there isn’t much acting for her to do anyways. She’s meant to be a menacing presence, dangerous because she can’t be detected, and there’s only a few select moments in the film in which those attributes are actually used, including this fight and an exchange early on between her and Eric Roberts, who plays the princess’s American guardian/foster father. Speaking of Roberts, I can’t help but wonder why he’s in this film at all, as his role is relatively small and thankless. I know Roberts’s career is a shadow of what it once was, but dear Lord, this is a far cry from The Pope of Greenwich Village. His unremarkable performance doesn’t give it any more worth, either, and Pat Morita, in his final role, pretty much just stands around, half-draped in shadows and speaking hackneyed lines in both English and what sounds suspiciously like Chinese played in reverse. LaLaine acts confused and frantic the whole film, never getting to showcase any shade of the bravery you might expect from a “unknowing heir accepts their destiny” story—Percy Jackson, she is not. In fact, her journey is pretty much yanked away part way through the movie, disappearing into thin air. Alexander Wraith, the soldier protector, in his robotic ADR speak, doesn’t get remotely interesting until the end twist, after which his acting is almost entertaining in its ridiculousness.

But back to Gail. At the end of her swordfight a big, story-halting twist takes place, which you can tell is meant to jar the viewer and give the film an actual purpose. It’s a bait-and-switch, because you think the film is telling one (cliché, overused) story, when it’s actually something else entirely. This twist, in my opinion, makes the film much more interesting, but they don’t take it to a level where it redeems the movie itself from its own lousiness. I’m not going to spoil the twist, but it’s very much an “I know this, because Tyler knows this” deal, if you get my drift. Let me just say that, with the twist, it makes much more sense that Gail is featured prominently on all the promotional material since, pre-twist, she appeared to be only a peripheral character.

Overall, the film is ham-fisted from beginning to end, with ideas and information jammed into our skulls via sloppy exposition delivery from such silly plot devices as bedside radios (American radio stations apparently cover urgent news about Asian empires.. who knew?) and voiceovers where the characters whisper to each other and sometimes to themselves in order to get a point across. There’s very little subtlety, and I think that is what ruins the film’s twist. It’s meant to shake the viewer psychologically and make them question what they’ve seen in the earlier parts of the film, but it soon degenerates into a frantic mess of editing and grimacing as they strive to bring the film to a cryptic ending. In the end, the film is not an enjoyable camp-fest, as some may be hoping. Instead, it’s an incredibly mediocre film that strived to be part action film, part psychological thriller and failed on both counts. It’s certainly not the worst thing ever recorded on celluloid, but it frustratingly missed an opportunity to take an intriguing idea to interesting places. Instead, much like the aforementioned fight scenes, the film stops itself before it can go anywhere interesting.

That’s not to say I’m waiting with baited breath for a sequel where they can do just that. I just wish they did more with what they had which, admittedly, was a far more interesting concept than I was expecting.

Rating: 1½/5.

Lisa starts off the interview by talking about her initial introduction to wrestling, including her years in GLOW and POWW, as well as her training with Mando Guerrero. Ivory gives Guerrero the utmost praise, crediting him with giving her the wrestling bug.

Ivory then moves on to her employment with WWE, her experience as one of The Godfather’s hos and a wardrobe malfunction during one of her very first appearances. She also speaks on her time in Right to Censor with Stevie Richards, The Godfather and Val Venis. While this is all interesting, business really starts to pick up when Ivory talks about her personal relationships with others, especially the Divas.

When it comes to the Divas, Ivory takes no prisoners. She pegs Stacy Keibler and Torrie Wilson as “not really being in it” and says they “weren’t doing it for fans, but for themselves.” She also goes on record saying she wasn’t comfortable working with Lita in the ring. Surprisingly, the Diva who really gets reamed the most is Tough Enough 2 winner, Linda ‘Shaniqua’ Miles. She even goes as far as saying she told management: “If you let that Linda win, if she’s in my locker room, I’m quitting!” Other girls she has some choice words for include: Chyna, Tori and Jacqueline, but I won’t spoil all the goods.

Don’t get the wrong idea, however. Though she has harsh words for some, Ivory also heaps praise on a select few, including: Molly Holly, Victoria, The Rock, The Undertaker and surprisingly, former SHIMMER champ, Sara Del Rey, who she met when she trained in OVW. In regards to Del Rey, Ivory says: “[Del Rey] is the talent that should be in WWE. Do all the packaging that you need to do, but what you’ve got there is a solid person, who can take the lifestyle. And she’s good!”

Ivory also touches on her WrestleMania X7 match with Chyna, Tough Enough, her views on the current product, and the Diva Search (Girls Gone Wild is mentioned… use your imagination).

While this shoot may lack the sizzle of Maria’s YouShoot interview, it more than makes up for it in substance. I liken Ivory to Diva Dirt‘s own Allison Danger, as she’s able to be brutally honest without coming off bitchy or bitter. Not to mention her ability to keep your focus throughout this nearly two hour long interview. Definitely a must-have if you’re a fan of the ‘golden era’ of the Divas division.

Rating: 4/5

- Click here to buy Ivory’s shoot interview

Unlike the standard shoot interview, Kayfabe Commentaries has developed a really fun, interactive concept with YouShoot. Most, if not all, of the questions are sent in by fans and there’s even video questions too. Broken down into chapters i.e. ‘Diva Search’, ‘WWE’ and so forth, this interview is pretty easy to navigate. Personally, I’ve watched The Celebrity Apprentice and don’t need to hear anymore about it, so thanks to the nifty chaptering, if you choose, you can go ahead and skip to the next part. I like.

Then we have the games. Oh, the games! This is what got everyone talking when we posted the trailer last month. Maria takes part in a few ‘board games’, shall we say? One of them has her attempting to identify the naked bodies of other Divas who have been in Playboy. If the sight of naked ladies is enough to make you blush, you might as well skip what’s to come — ‘What a Dick’. Quite literally, a gift bag with a big dick on it. I don’t know whose. I don’t know where they managed to get it. But there you have it. The game sees Kanellis presented with a list of names, deciding whether they deserve to go into the ‘dick bag’. Not just restricting the ‘love’ for the guys, Maria also plays ‘The Ho Bag’. “Four dicks to three hos,” counts the host when all is said and done. I won’t spoil all of the fun, but here’s a blind item clue on one of the names that ends up in a bag: *h*l** M**t**e*.

There doesn’t seem to be a topic off limits: even the size of CM Punk’s penis is a discussion point. Yes, they went there! Plus, Johnny Ace seems to be a recurring theme. “‘You’re my favourite Diva’… please,” Maria taunts with her newly found feistiness.

While Kanellis is obviously the star of the show, host Sean Oliver is perhaps the most vibrant interviewer I’ve seen on a shoot interview yet. A Joel McHale for wrestling, if you will. And I love me some Joel McHale so thumbs up.

In all, this shoot is perhaps the best interview — and there’s been a lot of them [including with us] — Maria’s given in the past five months. She really bounces off well with host Sean, and the two are pretty hilarious together. Maria, again, shows tons of spark and personality. I laughed, I laughed some more… and then I got a pain in my side from laughing which wasn’t so great. There are plenty of “Did she just say that?” moments. It’s laugh-out-loud, it’s outrageous and by the time it’s over, you may just feel exhausted.

Rating: 5/5

- Click here to buy YouShoot: Maria Kanellis

Filmed while ‘Apprentice’ was still on the air, the shoot opens with some talk about the show and how Maria got involved. She recalls that Donald Trump personally asked her to do the show last year when he appeared on Raw and ‘bought’ the show. Kanellis also reveals that she would love to be a contestant on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and came close to joining the show last year but cited ‘conflicts’ leading to her ultimately not doing the show. She leaves it to the viewer’s imagination what those conflicts may have been — though it’s not really hard to work out what she’s referring to. Seems like WWE didn’t want her on ‘Dancing’ for fear of another Stacy Keibler situation.

The very peppy and talkative Maria seems full of life in this interview, nicely playing off the interviewer who later jokes he now gets why Maria was released as she pokes holes in WWE’s wellness policy, and the use of the phrase ‘independent contractors’. Her opinions on the subject are incredibly thought-provoking and if you thought Kanellis was the ditzy girl she played on WWE television — think again. Her arguments were extremely strong on these subjects in particular. Maria comes across as a business-savvy, smart, confident woman.

Now, I know what you’re all waiting for: juicy gossip. Well, without giving too much away, there are some very juicy comments throughout the shoot. For example, did you know Maria was supposed to host [or perhaps co-host] NXT? Obviously, that role then went to Matt Striker and she was released the same week that the show premiered. There’s also plenty on her relationship with CM Punk.

Commenting on the lack of effort put into the Divas division and her frustration during her time there, she says that this is a wide spread feeling amongst most of the Divas — though obviously, no one will come out and speak for fear of losing their jobs. And who can blame them for being frustrated? Being sent out to the ring for two minutes and doing a whole lotta nothing is just as frustrating to us fans as it is them. But a girl’s gotta eat, right? She does go onto reveal that all of the Divas are constantly pitching ideas to the creative team.

Kanellis puts over Michelle McCool as someone who always helped her learn, no matter how much she may have messed up, Michelle would always let her try again. However, there are two Divas who may not be as happy with Maria’s comments. You’ll just have to check out the DVD to find out!

In all, this shoot was a lot of fun and there is plenty of juicy gossip that I haven’t even touched upon. Really, it’s just too much to put into words. Maria is full of energy and personality; a far cry from the generic babyface persona that WWE had her and many of the other girls portray. This is something she, herself, touches upon in the interview too.

Verdict: Whether you like Maria or not, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Rating: 3.5/5

- Click here to buy the DVD at Highspots.com

First, a disclaimer. I’ve been a fan of Mickie James’ since she debuted in the WWE in 2005. But I’ve promised to be an unbiased reviewer, and I will be.

The first song is the single, ‘Are You with Me?’. It’s a country rock-style song that celebrates being a country girl. A good pick to be the single, its upbeat, catchy, the type of song that you’d find yourself singing along with. I’m sure everyone’s heard this one so I’m not going to spend too much time on it.

The second is ‘Hollywood Movie Moment’, one of the three songs Mickie co-wrote. In her interview with John Canton, she says that this song came from when she found out her ex-fiancée had been cheating on her. It paints a picture of how any woman who’s been cheated on would have liked to react (or may have reacted, depending on the person’s temperament). Rather akin to Carrie Underwood’s ‘Before He Cheats’. It’s a similar country rock style tune. At times, her voice tends to become ‘uneven’, but the pain she felt at the time is recalled and poured into the song.

The third track is ‘I Call the Fight’. You might’ve gotten the impression this one would make references to wrestling, but instead boxing is the theme. It likens a boxing match to a turbulent relationship she’s been through, with more downs than ups. Mickie’s ‘calling the fight’ – she’s giving up and walking away, she can’t take the punches any longer. It’s a softer song, relying on quiet backup from drums, guitar and piano. You can really get a feel for Mickie’s voice in this one since the instruments aren’t overpowering. She has a sweet voice, strong in parts, soft in others. She sounds vulnerable in this song – it isn’t easy to give up but sometimes you have to.

Next is ‘Freedom Song’. Mickie’s vocals are teasing here, sounding as if she’s playing a game, seeing how fast she can drive, how far she can go. To be honest, I’m not sure why it’s titled ‘Freedom Song’. The lyrics portray a woman dressed sexily, driving fast, flirting with guys in other cars. It’s a catchy tune, but unless the meaning is that she’s got the freedom to do these things, I’m not sure of the title’s meaning. To me, it’s the weakest song on the album.

The fifth track is the title, ‘Strangers & Angels’. It’s a beautiful song, speaking on how random people she’s come across could be there for a reason. To teach her to slow down, and have more patience with others. This is one of the stronger tracks on the album, because she sings with heartfelt wonder. You can tell she has experienced this in her life; people who at the time seemed to be holding her back were actually there to impart a life lesson or keep her from a bad end. There’s real feeling in the vocals.

‘Make Me Feel like a Woman’ is track number six. Mickie sings of being a hardworking woman who wants her man to, basically, make her feel like a woman. Maybe a hint of working in a male-dominated industry, coming home, tired of feeling like ‘one of the guys’? It takes nothing from the Shania Twain song the title is similar to.

The seventh track is ‘Fallin’ Over Again’. This is a song you could dance to at a wedding anniversary. It speaks of a relationship that’s hit some hard times, but she realizes she loves him and that’s all she needs or wants. She’s falling in love with him all over again. A slow paced song, perfect for a slow dance. Her voice is melodic here, plenty of heartfelt sweetness and love packed into the words.

Track eight, ‘When You Come Home Tonight’, is a song about re-igniting lost passion. It’s soft, not the overwhelming tune the lyrics would lead you to believe. Mickie sings: “I’ll barely give you time to get through the door / Then I’ll lead you down the hall, for a little more.” Definitely a Barry White type of song, done country style! One to play over a candle lit dinner.

The ninth track is ‘I’m No Good at Pretending’, the second of three songs on the album that Mickie co-wrote. Very catchy, it’s a song that’s good for line dancing to. As she said in her interview with John, this was written about a guy who was trying to play games with her. The song makes very clear she’s not into games, into pretending that everything’s okay when it’s clearly not. A strong song, in the Carrie Underwood vein again.

The tenth track is the last one she co-wrote, ‘Don’t Apologize’. Mickie’s said that she’s pouring her heart out in this one, and the emotion in every word is unmistakable. Her heart is broken but she has to walk away – she doesn’t want him to see how much he’s hurt her. This is a song that anyone who’s ever had a bad relationship can relate to. Soft, heartfelt, sad, it’s a quintessential country song.

The last track, number eleven, is actually a bonus song entitled ‘Dumb Bitch’. I admit, it took everything I had not to fast forward to this song, but I listened to all ten beforehand. On iTunes, aside from the single, this is the most popular song on the album. It’s easy to see why – it’s a song that many women can easily relate to. Some other woman’s trying to steal Mickie’s man, but she’s not going to get away with it. The dumb bitch should’ve known better! It’s a fast paced song, very catchy, and a chorus that says it all:

You’re a dumb bitch
You must think that I am like a smart bitch
Wouldn’t step across that line
Coz this bitch is gonna cut you down to size
Teach you not to mess with what’s mine
You dumb bitch
You dumb bitch

Listening to it all the way through, I could tell that Mickie’s voice isn’t as ‘polished’ as one might expect. This is a positive, however, because her raw passion and emotion shines through in each song. Even the ones that she didn’t write, she has made them her own. You can feel the joy, the pain, the optimism and the love put into each tune. She has infused each one with part of her soul. It’s a strong album from someone with no ‘professional’ singing background. Mickie James can only get better as she refines her voice and comes into her own as a professional country singer. My personal congratulations to her for making another dream of hers come true!

Rating: 4/5
Standout Track(s): ‘Are You With Me?’, ‘Dumb Bitch’, ‘Strangers & Angels’ and ‘Don’t Apologize’.

» Click here to buy ‘Strangers & Angels’ on iTunes

This review was written by Diva Dirt reader, Jennifer Logsdon. You can reach Jennifer on Twitter at @JenniferL134.

The four-track EP opens with the track ‘Alice in Wonderland’ named after the Lewis Carroll novel recently brought to screen by Tim Burton. From the title alone, already you can imagine playful lyrics about tea parties and shrinking potions and that’s exactly what you get. The song opens with references to the Queen of Hearts and a rabbit hole before seguing into a thumping chorus with Kanellis chanting, “Off with my head,” chastising herself for falling in love and ‘losing her head’, among other things. The song has a cabaret vibe to it, you can just imagine it being sung in a smoky jazz club in the 1920s with Kanellis in flapper get-up. Compared to the first single ‘Fantasy’, my only other experience of Maria’s music at this point, Kanellis’ vocals are softer and have a touch of the Marilyn Monroe about them. She seems to be chanelling that soft, breathy, sexy vocal style that left men enchanted as she sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to the president. I certainly sense the inspiration but I’m not convinced. On the whole, ‘Alice’ is certainly a whimsical song that I think has an air of zaniness to it much like the book and countless movies.

Track two is the lead single, ‘Fantasy’ which we have been hearing for the past couple of months. As described by me in the past, this is fit for a Twilight movie soundtrack and depending on your stance on that particular franchise, that could either be a good thing or a bad thing. For me personally, Twilight is the dumbest entertainment franchise to ever exist but that’s neither here nor there. When you consider the words ‘Twilight soundtrack’, you think angsty lyrics with themes of forbidden love and desire and that’s exactly what ‘Fantasy’ is. The song opens sharply and shrilly with hard guitar strings and the sentiment is echoed in Kanellis’ vocals, she is assertive and forceful with her tone. The verse cascades into the chorus and the listener senses that something big is coming — the chorus is loud and boisterous with Kanellis shrieking, “Fantaaaaasy” but it works. It certainly isn’t the most groundbreaking song, you can find a dozen in the same vain on an emo kid’s iPod, but it’s a proven format and as much as I hate to admit it [because it's not my personal genre of music, not because it's Maria], it’s catchy and does get stuck in your head. Maria says this is her favourite track on the EP and I can see why.

On the lyrically suggestive ‘Change Your Mind’, Kanellis wants someone to “change their mind between her thighs,” she sings in the chorus. Oh Maria, only you could make us blush and cringe at the same time! Kanellis seems stripped back and emotionally bare on this track, perhaps undignified to admit using sex to keep her man but there’s an emotion here that I don’t sense on the previous two tracks. Kanellis sings: “Change your mind between my thighs / Maybe down there you’ll realise / Gasping for air / Then you’ll care about me.” The words of a woman hanging on a thread trying to keep her man? The desperation in the lyrics and vocals tells a story that many women, I believe, will be able to identify and empathise with. Not saying we all use sex in this regard, but the breakdown of a relationship you never wanted to end is something many go through and I think we can identify with that desperation. On this track, I can really sense Kanellis’ emotions and that is what music is about.

And finally we have the title track, ‘Sevin Sins’ named after her boyfriend Vince. From the moment the song starts playing you can sense this will be of a darker nature — ‘hell’ and ‘fire’ immediately come to mind. You can almost hear that fire burning in the opening moments before we’re hit with Maria’s singing. Much different than the other tracks, Kanellis sings in a lower register and sounds more gritty, almost as if there’s a little anger in her voice. Maria sings: “Sevin sins, oh sevin sins, which one will pull me in?” This perhaps gives you an idea of what this song is all about. Like ‘Fantasy’, there’s a lot of angst but for the most part, it’s the music and not the vocals that sets the scene. The production overpowers the vocals and makes the song what it is, not Maria’s singing which is unfortunate.

Overall, it’s an interesting effort with a variety of different styles used. There is a shift in style and tone from one song to the next which I appreciate. If I’m honest, I was expecting all of the songs to be in the same Twilight-esque vain as ‘Fantasy’ but there is a nice variety that shows you different sides to Maria. The four songs gives you a nice taste of what a full album could sound like. Unlike other celebrities, I don’t feel that Maria has just made a record for the hell of it — you can sense her passion for her music. I went into listening to this with low expectations and I found myself surprisingly entertained. If you are looking for deep, meaningful, original music however, it’s not that. Just from listening to ‘Fantasy’, you could tell that there isn’t much originality in the music and Maria has been inspired by what others have done. It is difficult, like in wrestling, to do something original in music and oftentimes, you are doing what others have done before you. The casual listener likely won’t dismiss a song because it’s not original; if it’s catchy and has a great hook — it works. Maria has four songs here that are catchy and have a hook yet are cliched and have been done a billion times before. That’s pretty much the status quo in the music charts right now, though. It’s not original or groundbreaking music, but I wasn’t expecting it to be. Let’s face it, she’s not signed to a major record label with big bucks — you are going to end up using computer-generated sounds that anyone can get a hold of. It’s not bad, it’s not great — it’s just okay. This is a decent effort from Maria, if a little safe, but I’d say better to be safe than go way off the mark.

Rating: 2.5/5
Standout Track: ‘Change Your Mind’

» Click here to buy ‘Sevin Sins’ on iTunes

I’m not usually one to purchase shoot interviews or DVDs of the wrestling variety at all for that matter. I guess I’m satisfied (or less satisfied) with what I see on TV and online, so have never felt the need to go out of my way to buy a WrestleMania DVD or anything. As a consumer, I’m very particular about the products I buy – case in point – I haven’t bought a CD in nearly 10 years until last November, when Leona Lewis released her debut album ‘Spirit’. But when I found out that my favourite Diva of all time, Torrie Wilson had her own shoot interview in the works, I placed an order immediately. To me, you’ve got to really admire the person to want to buy their product. Having watched the DVD in full earlier today, it brought back many memories. Torrie is the first and only Diva who I’ve ever felt a real profound connection to, enough so to want to purchase this shoot. Hearing her talk about her career for the first time like this, it took me back to where I was when such-and-such happened or remembering updating my now neglected fansite with such news. The one and a half hour long shoot and the “face-off” between Torrie and Dawn that follows it, was a great watch for me as an avid Torrie fan but even I felt a little unsatisfied.

I put it down to having a male interviewer, who like most wrestling journalists, isn’t as absorbed in all things Diva in the same way that we true die-hard Diva fans are. The questions that I, as a Diva fan and as a Torrie fan, would know to ask, aren’t asked. The interviewer perhaps doesn’t have the extensive knowledge of Torrie’s background, her friendships in the business and such as we do and the things that I think would interest me and things that I would like to find out about, I couldn’t look to this DVD for an answer. Instead, the interviewer skirts around briefly on subjects rather than really getting into detail about key moments in Torrie’s career. Where I would focus on her thoughts on her WrestleMania matches, appearing on covers, appearing on FHM’s 100 Sexiest list and such – a more in-depth focus on the person herself. It seems that some of these questions are pretty generic and I wouldn’t be surprised to ask the same question asked to other shoot DVD participants. What was Vince Russo like? What was Kimberly Page like? Blah blah… Sure interesting enough, but to me it wastes time that could be used on really getting to know Torrie more personally.

I have to be really honest, the first half hour or so is kind of a blur to me – as it seems to be to Torrie herself, who admits she has a horrible memory. Talk of the WCW days seemed to drag on before we got to the good stuff, her WWE career. Here is where I would have loved to see Torrie talk in-depth about different things she’s done, different people she’s worked with; these are all touched upon but not in detail. The biggest focus here seems to be the 2002 storyline with Dawn Marie, with Torrie talking about how this was the biggest storyline of her career. A very intriguing part of the interview, but then we go right back to skipping through Torrie’s career from start to end without much detail.

As a huge Diva fan and Torrie fan, I would love to have known more about her training, working with Trish, working with Lita and Victoria. What the Divas lockerroom was like and such. Torrie does allude to the T&A aspect multiple times throughout saying how she, Dawn and the other SmackDown Divas would put time in the ring, work house shows etc. and then when it came to booking for television, they ended up in bikini contests or pudding matches and such. There’s not a lot of focus on her later years, I feel Torrie had her best year of wrestling in 2006, showing vast improvements and having great matches with Mickie, Lita and Victoria. Yet that isn’t talked about. Arguably, Torrie is the top Diva in SmackDown history, but no mention of that. Torrie alludes to wanting the Women’s Championship but this isn’t given much depth, I feel she could have been asked here what it felt like not to be able to win the title etc.

For all my negative points, there was some great informative stuff in the DVD and some funny stuff too. For example, Torrie and Trish Stratus knew each other before they worked together in WWE through fitness modelling. After starting with WCW, Torrie had a photoshoot with Trish who wanted to get into wrestling and Torrie tried to pull some strings to have Trish join WCW. Torrie also talks about how she pitched an idea to Vince after moving to Raw in 2005, which would see her winning the Women’s Championship. At the time, Vince was all for the idea but the idea never came to fruition. To me that’s a big disappointment, Vince verbally okayed Torrie as champion and it never happened! Torrie also reveals the true story of what happened in November 2005 when she was released and brought back two days later, which is pretty cool.

As for the ‘juiciest scoop’ coming out of the DVD, Undertaker’s ex-wife Sara hated Torrie and wanted to fight her at one point. Torrie outs her friend, Michelle McCool’s relationship with ‘Taker also; talking abou how she used to be scared of ‘Taker but now she’s gotten to know him more and talks to him more as he’s dating Michelle. A really touching part of the interview for me was when Torrie talked about how Mickie James showed her respect as a veteran. When talking about the multitude of battle royals WWE books the Divas in, she talks about how when the Divas are planning out the match and figuring out who’s going out first, Mickie always stands up for Torrie and says: “Torrie’s been here longer than any of you combined, she’s not going out first.” Torrie also talks about how Sable and her got along when Sable was first brought in but after they did their joint Playboy cover (in March 2004), Sable changed and they had a huge ‘blowout fight’ in the office with Jim Ross and John Laurinitaus with the rest of the lockerroom listening in! She recalls that once, she and Dawn were in the lockerroom and Dawn was fiddling through her bag when Sable walked in. Sable went up to Dawn and said, “Dawn can you come here, I want you to stand witness to this.” She then told Torrie, “My Playboy sold better than yours.” Torrie laughs recalling the situation and in turn, the viewer does too.

Torrie not only looked beautiful but came across every bit the sweetheart I know her to be. She really does come across as a genuine, down to earth, likable person and a near-decade long career in sports entertainment hasn’t gone to her brain at all. Watching this DVD is a true pay off for any Torrie fan, because this isn’t a character – this is the real person and she is genuinely a lovely person. Despite sharing her honest opinions, Torrie doesn’t name-drop, which I really admire. It’s all too easy to completely trash someone, but I think it says a lot that Torrie doesn’t mention names of people who have been mean to her, disrespected her and such. Talking candidly about her divorce, one can admire Torrie’s deep appreciation for her fans even though she doesn’t talk in full blown detail about it – which one can definitely understand. After watching this, I think I appreciate Torrie even more and respect her that much more.

While I would love to know Torrie’s thoughts on the Divas Championship, her infamous attack by Krissy Vaine, I think this is a decent interview. Perhaps it’s not for everyone, but I think if you’re a big Torrie fan (as I am), you’ll enjoy the DVD. Perhaps you won’t feel satisfied by it’s content, but I think you’ll appreciate Torrie that much more. The DVD ends poignantly with Torrie talking about her back injury, she says WWE wanted to keep her on contract but it was her decision to leave. Torrie says it was her dream to be Women’s Champion and if she couldn’t do that, why be there? And for that, I have all the respect in the world for Torrie, for walking away.

I’d definitely recommend a watch, if you’re a Torrie fan or an avid Diva fan. But be prepared – I think it’ll leave you wanting more, wanting unanswered questions answered – like me!

Next month, TNA celebrates one year of it’s much celebrated Knockouts division with the release of ‘Knocked Out’, a DVD featuring all of the Knockouts including recently departed Gail Kim and Salinas. It was at Bound For Glory in October 2007 that the division was launched with a 10 woman gauntlet match to determine the first Knockout Champion and this DVD comes precisely one year from that historic event. One could argue that it’s too soon to release a Knockouts DVD but given the reception from both critics and fans alike for this division, this feels like the perfect capitalisation on a hot subject.

From key Knockouts such as ODB and the Beautiful People, the DVD even features the likes of Lauren and SoCal Val, all this interspersed with seminal matches from the division’s one year history including the complete trilogy of matches between Gail Kim and Awesome Kong as well as the Makeover Battle Royal and more. It seems the DVD’s lengthy running time is more made up of these matches than actual Knockout chapters, the likelihood is that the type of fan this DVD aims to reach are the fans who have seen these matches already; it does make for a nice little compilation nonetheless. The DVD’s introduction features comments from the likes of TNA President, Dixie Carter as well as wrestlers Christian Cage, Kurt Angle and Jeff Jarrett which I felt was a nice touch to add to the legitimacy of the Knockouts division – having praise heaped upon it from top tier stars. Carter’s presence on the DVD particularly stood out to me as she touches upon my thoughts, the idea of a female president of a wrestling company. Carter comes across extremely passionate, protective and supportive of this division and so she should; in a male dominated sport Carter is in a position to promote talented women over men and she speaks with conviction in her support of the Knockouts.

The Knockout chapters begin with a similar introduction, almost ‘E! True Hollywood Story’-esque, “Hi, my name is Gail Kim and this is my story” and so forth for each Knockout. The women talk about their histories and wrestling backgrounds, the Knockouts division as well as their hobbies and after a while, you begin to get a sense that you’ve heard and seen it all before. The production budget for the DVD is probably revealed by the same set being used for each interview, unpleasant screen graphics and jarring techno music in the background, which wouldn’t sound out of place in a porn flick. For those who’ve watched the WWE Divas series of DVDs, it’s slightly hard to get past the poor production. There doesn’t seem to be any extra effort put into the DVD, likely it was filmed backstage at Impact with the Knockouts rocking up in their street clothes. From a presentation level, seeing the Knockouts directly on the screen without wrestling, you get a clear sense of their fashion tastes – or rather lack thereof – and bad makeup also is a turn off. The glitz and glamour that I am personally accustomed to with the Divas who have their own makeup artists and stylists, is lost with ‘Knocked Out’. To make a comparison to the Divas DVDs, there is no exotic scenery or photoshoots here, in fact ‘Knocked Out’ is more like an extended ‘Rough Cut’ that you would see on the company’s flagship show, Impact. This lack of variance can be off-putting.

The same crop of questions continue to pop up for nearly every Knockout and while some of the girls have interesting stories to tell, I couldn’t help but want to forward through chapters dedicated to Lauren, Velvet Sky and SoCal Val. The general gist seems to be these girls are real wrestlers who started out on the independents and yes, they are all BFFs and a big family in real life. That tends to be the standard answer from all but one or two of those interviews. Frankly, the DVD reads more like a pat on the back to the women’s wrestling in TNA with personal stories and experiences relegated to the background. In this sense, the DVD isn’t that interesting, I would much rather learn more about the girls and get a sense of their personalities than hear about how great the division is, the DVD has no real character. The sole exceptions being two, if you ask me, one of which is the chapter dedicated to Salinas – real name Shelly Martinez – who has since left the company. Here is a Knockout who came over really well on camera and exuded personality, though she sounded like a teenage high-schooler. I was pleasantly surprised by her fun and peppy personality and definitely feel that there is a character in her real personality. I don’t really understand why neither WWE or TNA pushed Shelly with her own personality, rather sticking her into fake personas such as Ariel and Salinas. ODB, just like her on screen character, came off larger than life and fun as expected.

Some of the other Knockouts delivered mentionable interviews also, such as Roxxi Laveaux, I was genuinely interested to know about her hardcore background and Sharmell, a former WWE Diva, came off well. However in all, the stories from the other Knockouts on their backgrounds tended to be the same: indies, some tried to get into WWE and ended up in TNA. This coupled with the to-be-expected Diva backhanding felt contrived and superficial. From Kurt Angle’s comments at the beginning to the Knockouts being asked why they’re better than the competition, the DVD feels more like a greeting card to themselves than anything else. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the Knockouts product and I am well aware that their wrestling is of a higher standard than WWE’s, but watching a three hour DVD of TNA praising themselves ad nauseum could have even the biggest TNA fan reaching from the ‘stop’ button.

‘Knocked Out’ felt more like TNA picking one thing that they do better than WWE and pointing it out… to the detriment of these hard working women. I got the sense this was a ‘Why TNA is better than WWE’ DVD, than TNA promoting their Knockouts. There are some threads in this documentary that could be pulled out and expanded on to make a more substantial DVD in future, how about getting the Knockouts to do activities? Or photoshoots? Let their personalities shine! I enjoy the weekly Knockouts action, but when it comes to marketing and such, WWE obviously has more vast resources. That said, the DVD is worth a watch for any women’s wrestling fan if only to satisfy your own curiosity.

Rating: