Diva Dirt presents the first annual Writers’ Choice Awards, the awards that celebrate the year in women’s wrestling, as decided by the editors and contributors of Diva Dirt. The Diva Dirt team has watched hundreds of episode of wrestling television this year, as well as hundreds of live events on DVD, additionally, we’ve followed a countless number of wrestlers over the year, and reviewed tons of matches. Now, as we come to the end of 2011, we have picked the best of the best to be awarded our Writers’ Choice blue ribbons.
INDEPENDENT MATCH OF THE YEAR
Steel Cage War Games
Jessicka Havok, Allysin Kay & Sassy Stephie vs Mercedes Martinez, Brittney Savage & Alicia
WSU Breaking Barriers II, November 19th
Intensity. Emotion. Drama. All words that could be used to describe one of the year’s most talked about matches.
Even before the steel cage War Games match on November 19th, the heated rivalry between the Midwest Militia and Team WSU had been brewing and getting fans excited for this show. There was a lot of smack talk amongst the opponents, particularly the Militia who had threatened to kill someone. Unusual for the modern day wrestling business, the buzz around this match was almost as if it was a real fight. This was a can’t-miss event — and it didn’t disappoint.
From the moment that the women stepped out to ringside, there was a tense feeling, a feeling that had fans on the edges of their seats, awaiting these six women to finally get their hands on each other. And who’d have thought that the Midwest Militia would actually make good on their threat to take a life? The stakes were incredibly high in this match and all six women — as well as special guest referee Amy Lee — put their bodies on the line for the entertainment of the fans.
A rollercoaster of emotions, our hearts stopped as Allysin Kay was left hanging from the side of the cage for what seemed like an eternity. Our eyes welled as Jessicka Havok threatened Mercedes Martinez with a machete. And yes, we even felt legitimately scared of the Midwest Militia and what they were capable of. This match managed to heighten emotions in a way that wrestling so rarely does these days. Again, it felt real.
The ending was perhaps one of the most controversial finishes we’ve witnessed — you either loved it or you hated it — but looking back, it accomplished so much. By the end of the match, the Midwest Militia had cemented themselves as the biggest, baddest and scariest heels in women’s wrestling, while Mercedes Martinez’s never say die attitude and the punishment endured by herself, Brittney and Alicia, won them even more respect from the fans.
No one was expecting a technical affair. This one was always going to be an all out bloodbath, but it captured the imaginations of the fans and certainly had everyone talking.
This was the most heart-stopping 30 minutes of the year.
Image credit: hollow.smugmug.com
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