Diva Dirt presents its fourth annual Writers’ Choice Awards, as decided by the Diva Dirt team. As we come to the end of 2014, we have picked the best of the best to be awarded our Writers’ Choice trophies.
Indy Star of the Year: Ivelisse
In 2014, Ivelisse experienced the best of both worlds: championship glory and television stardom.
She kicked off the year in roaring fashion, defeating Rain at SHINE 16 in January to become the second ever SHINE Champion. She would turn out to be the definition of a fighting champion, retaining it no less than thirteen times throughout the course of ten months.
In doing so, she bested the likes of Mercedes Martinez, Jazz, Saraya Knight, Serena Deeb, Madison Eagles, Nevaeh, La Rosa Negra, Leva Bates, Shanna, Allysin Kay and Su Yung, a veritable “who’s who” list of indy women’s wrestlers. The combined efforts of these matches took her from “one to watch” to our 2014 Indy Star of the Year.
[media-credit name=”Photo: SlamminLadies.com” align=”aligncenter” width=”550″]
[/media-credit]
Perhaps the most buzzed about match among them was her battle with Serena Deeb at SHINE 20, which saw the competitors wrestle to a draw when they reached the match’s 60 minute time limit. Needless to say, that’s no easy feat.
After 296 days as SHINE Champion – 100 more than previous champion Rain – Ivelisse would lose the title in a similar buzzed-about fashion, being defeated by Mia Yim in a SHINE showcase match in Beijing, China. The loss was shocking, but it went a long way towards proving SHINE’s unpredictability and raising the title’s profile on the independent scene.
To some, that would be more than enough excitement for one year. Not for Ivelisse.
In the fall, the former Tough Enough contestant would return to our television screens on Lucha Underground, playing a sinister heel that made her presence felt in and out of the ring, managing Son of Havok and mixing it up with Sexy Star.
Lucha Underground is poised to take the wrestling world by storm in 2015, and Ivelisse will be right there, accessible to millions on a weekly television show. Not too shabby for someone who has been unjustly overlooked by both WWE and TNA.
Ivelisse made significant steps towards conquering the wrestling world in 2014. If this was only the beginning, 2015 better watch its back.
Stay tuned for more Writers’ Choice Award reveals throughout the day.
