Background: Two events prior, Sara Del Rey defeated Lacey to become the first SHIMMER champion in the company’s history. At “Volume 13”, the new champion successfully teamed with Nikki Roxx to defeat Lacey and Rain in a tag team battle.
SHIMMER Volume 14
Inverness, FL
July 1, 2007
Sara Del Rey vs. Lacey
Like their match in the finals of the SHIMMER Title Tournament, the champion and challenger jockeyed for an advantage. Lacey complained several times that the champ was cheating by turning her holds into chokes. Del Rey didn’t complain when Lacey cheated, just deciding to make her pay by punishing her on the mat. Lacey tried to stall Del Rey into frustration, but got stretched instead. Lacey’s game plan was not working as everything she did ended with her being put in a submission. The frustration turned into anger as Lacey just slapped the taste of the champ’s mouth. Not realizing this, Lacey just angered “Death Rey” more, causing Lacey to get Yakuza kicked before being put in the Gory special. Lacey was able to save herself, knocking Sara to the floor.
Before the champion could reenter, Lacey came through the ropes with a baseball slide that sent Del Rey into the guardrails, breaking the locks that held the rails together. When Lacey was able to get Sara Del Rey back in, she focused on the lower back of the champ before moving to the legs, putting Del Rey in the Boston crab. In between legal moves, the challenger used the ropes to choke her opposition. Sara tried to fight back, but was taken down and put in the cobra clutch. It wasn’t enough to make Del Rey tap out, but did force the wind out of the champion. The combination of a non-air conditioned building and the hot ring lights beaming down on them had both women drenched in sweat as Del Rey hit her patented Yakuza kick combo.
Somehow, Del Rey was able to get Lacey up in the Royal Butterfly, but couldn’t get her over for the slam due to her hurt back. This allowed Lacey to hit the back cracker, but only got a two count. Sara blocked the Implant DDT, going for a moonsault; only to miss. Lacey was in shock when the champ kicked out of the top rope assisted neck breaker. Lacey was so focused on the Implant DDT that she left herself open for the counter into the Royal Butterfly slam. When the slam couldn’t get the pin, Del Rey locked in the Royal Butterfly again, holding her in the submission. Lacey tried to hold on, but couldn’t fight the pain, tapping out.
Winner: Sara Del Rey (29:11)
Is It A Classic: Their first encounter over the championship left a lot of fans wondering how they could outdo themselves. Without question, both women stepped up and delivered an exceptional main event. Lacey looked like she could do the unthinkable and actually trump Del Rey before “Death Rey’s” extensive work over the course of the match came back to haunt the challenger. A great way to kick off Sara’s title reign.
