Every hour until the clock strikes midnight (Eastern time) and we usher in 2015, Diva Dirt will highlight – in no particular order – the women who made an impact in 2014.
Nicole Matthews
Two major moments defined Nicole Matthews’s 2014: one history-making, one explosive.
In August, Nicole became the first female ECCW Champion, defeating Bishop to make history. A steel chair to the back and a powerbomb was enough to keep him down for the three count. With the win, she virtually conquered ECCW, already reigning as its Women’s Champion.
Nicole would lose the title to Bishop on October, but not before successfully defending it against Danni Deeds in September.
She didn’t mourn that loss for too long, though, because just 14 days later, she became SHIMMER Champion at the volume 68 tapings, winning a Four-Way Elimination match against champion Cheerleader Melissa, Athena and Madison Eagles. The finish would come in spectacular fashion, Matthews blowing a fireball (yes, a fireball) into the face of Eagles with some timely help from partner Portia Perez.
She would emerge from SHIMMER weekend with the belt still around her waist, surviving fierce challenges from Evie and Tomoka Nakagawa.
To say she entered the year with one belt and left with two undersells Nicole Matthews’s 2014: rather, she made history and burned images into our minds (and one face).
Previously, some have known her best for her two SHIMMER Tag Team Title reigns with Portia Perez. 2014’s legacy, then, will be defining her as a singles competitor. She may always be a Canadian Ninja, but now we all know that she’s more than capable of standing on her own.
Come back at the top of every hour to see who else has been crowned one of 2014’s Women of the Year.
