RISE Wrestling will host their first ever RISE of The Contender match on March 29, 2019. The match will feature 30 female participants in the same format as WWE’s Royal Rumble. The winner of the match will become the number one contender for the Phoenix of RISE Championship.
The match will take place at RISE 13 – LEGENDARY in Berwyn, Ill. at the Berwyn Eagles Club. Contenders will pick their entrance numbers prior to the match. Unlike WWE, RISE will invite competitors from other promotions, scouting the independent scene to build their 30-woman match.
The winner of this event will face the current champion, Mercedes Martinez, if she is still the champion at that time. Martinez won the title at RISE 10 when she defeated Tessa Blanchard in a 75-minute iron woman match. This is twice as long as the two iron woman matches that WWE has produced. In fact, the longest iron man match in WWE was just shy of 62 minutes.
The match was a record breaking moment for the business, the longest one-on-one women’s match in wrestling history. The previous record holder was Martinez’s 73-minute match for the Women Superstars Uncensored (WSU) Championship against Alisha Edwards (known as Lexxus in WSU).
Martinez’s reign as champion has been met with some criticism from fans. Many expect the title to be held by someone nearer the rookie end of their career, but Martinez is an 18-year veteran of the industry. Some would argue RISE is a place for developing fresh talent, not gilding the records of seasoned performers.
It is possible that Martinez may not have to defend the title against whoever wins the battle royal. She will have to defend her championship against Kylie Ray beforehand, in January. But if she does face the winner, her opponent could come from anywhere on the world of independent wrestling.
Who would you like to see participate in the first-ever RISE of The Contender match? Who would you like to see win it? Check back in with Diva Dirt as the event gets closer for further updates.
