Four to watch

Rosita  

 Photo:  Lee South

A few weeks ago I promised an update on my "Four to Watch" in women's wrestling this year.  To refresh your memory the ladies are Rosita of TNA (formerly Divina Fly), Athena of ACW and SHIMMER, Mia Yim of JAPW, REINA (Japan) and SHIMMER (valet with ROH and CZW), and Marti Belle of WSU.
I picked them back in December of 2010 and their careers have skyrocketed since then.

http://dafalcon10.blogspot.com/2011/02/four-to-watch-in-2011.html

Of course Rosita's career took the fast track to the stars when TNA signed her this winter.  She has teamed effectively with Sarita (Sarah Stock) and they own the TNA Knockout tag belts at present.  You can't have a more successful six months than Rosita has had.  She went from 1000 followers on Twitter to 14,000+ !  Any questions?  TV definitely makes a huge difference.  Let's not forget that Rosita is the youngest of the four and arguably the most acrobatic in the ring with her picture-perfect moonsault always at the ready.

Athena

Photo:  David Falcon

Athena began the year with a dramatic 10,000 thumbtack match v Rachel Summerlyn in ACW.  Fans said it was off the hook!  Athena was victorious on that occasion, but not on the recent Queen of Queens tournament where she walked through the opposition until she got to Rachel who put Athena in her place.  She was inches from a trophy though and her SHIMMER tournament was nothing short of spectacular.  Dave Prazak and the SHIMMER fans love her.  She was booked against Cheerleader Melissa, Jessie McKay, and other great opponents.  Look for Athena to get a SHIMMER title shot in the next year or two.

Mia Yim

Photo:  Takehisa Kashima

Mia Yim has had a year of great experiences, but not many victories in the ring.  Of course "jobbing" is a part of the ladder climbing in wrestling.  She had an ACW (MD) title shot on her birthday, April 16, v Kacee Carlisle, but she came up short.  The next weekend she had an epic match with Sara Del Rey in RCW but lost.  At SHIMMER she teamed with Jamilia Craft to form JAMMIA.  They lost their two outings against Regeneration X and Tomoka/Haze the current SHIMMER champs.  Then the news that Mia was going to Japan to work for REINA.  There she had a great match against Hiroyo Matsumoto and later a tag match v the great Manami Toyota and Hailey Hatred.  You can't ask for much more by way of experience.  Now she is back in Japan and has had a rematch with Hiroyo, even better than their first match, and she will compete several more times between now and the end of August.  For taking so many losses, and never owning a belt, it has been a breakout year for Mia.

Marti Belle

Photo:  Scott Finkelstein

Finally, the beautiful Marti Belle, one half of the Belle Saints in WSU, began 2011 as owner of the WSU tag belts.  She got an opportunity to defend the belts with Jazz as a stand in partner for the injured Tina San Antonio.  However, more recently she lost the belts to the Boston Shore who are in ascendancy at the moment, especially Lexxus who will have a title shot vs. Mercedes Martinez in August.  On August 6 Marti will be in action for WSU and we shall see if the Belle Saints can regain the belts.

Congratulations to these four amazing women for their great success (and for making me look like a credible prophet).  I enjoy watching each of you work and I would not be surprised to see each of you in possession of belts from the top indy promotions in the next 2-3 years:  WSU, SHIMMER, ACW, and perhaps others.  Finish 2011 strong!!