Mercedes Martinez will challenge Allysin Kay for the SHINE Championship at SHINE 57, it was announced late yesterday evening. Kay won the title at SHINE 53 by defeating Martinez in the finals of a tournament for the then-vacant belt. Their match is one of three title defenses scheduled for the event.
The title opportunity comes on the heels of an exciting year for Mercedes Martinez. She set the record for the longest-ever women’s wrestling match in United States history, winning a 75-minute Iron Woman match for the Phoenix of RISE Championship against Tessa Blanchard at RISE 10. Her second-round match against fellow veteran Meiko Satomura in last year’s Mae Young Classic was widely acclaimed as one of the best wrestling matches of 2018. Most recently, she became the first woman to win the AWS Heavyweight Championship after defeating Tyler Bateman in the main event of AWS Break Time Is Over – All New Rules.
The strangest of the three title matches is certainly the tag team match for the SHINE Nova Championship. The champion, Aja Perera, will team with Aerial Monroe as #TeamSPAM to face off against Kiera Hogan and Dementia D’Rose of Cutie Pie Club. #TeamSPAM will be accompanied to the ring by Ayla Fox, and Cutie Pie Club by Candy Cartwright.
According to the official Facebook event page, “[if] any member of the Cutie Pie Club pins any member of #TeamSPAM they win the SHINE Nova Championship [but if] the Cutie Pie Club loses they must break up & Candy Cartwright must leave SHINE for 90 days!”
Perera won the SHINE Nova Championship from Cartwright at SHINE 54 and defended it against D’Rose and Hogan at SHINE 55 and 56 respectively. #TeamSPAM previously faced Cutie Pie Club at SHINE 47, their first match as a tag team, and competed against Cutie Pie Club, The Twisted Sisters and Las Sicarias (Mercedes Martinez & Ivelisse) in a fatal four-way to crown the tag champions at SHINE 52.
Finally, the Twisted Sisterz (Holidead & Thunder Rosa), recently dethroned as SHINE Tag Team Champions by Rainbow Bright (Luscious Latasha & Gabby Gilbert), will have a chance at redemption when they face Rainbow Bright in another title fight.
SHINE 57 takes place Saturday, March 16th at La Boom in Queens, NY. The show is the first half of a double header with EVOLVE 124, who have yet to announce any talent or matches.
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