She-1: Ace of EVE – Who’s Who in Block A?
This weekend, Pro Wrestling: EVE hosts its biggest event of the year. Four shows. Two days. She-1: Ace of EVE.
Ahead of this epic weekender, we’re introducing you to the talented women that will make up the league. Every fighter in each of the three blocks will wrestler each other, with the winner of each block progressing to a triple threat final. The winner gets a title shot at a very special show next year, when EVE hosts the biggest women’s wrestling show Europe has ever seen at York Hall in Bethnal Green.
All three blocks are stacked, but Block A is an absolute belter. Here are the women you need to know about.
Charlie Morgan
When Charlie Morgan came out in an emotional promo at an EVE show a few months ago, few people expected it would have the impact that it did. Yes, it turned Morgan from a dickhead heel into an instant fan favourite, but it also caught the attention of everyone from Diva Dirt to Pink News and Gay News Europe.
It’s obvious she’s somebody the crowd will root for in the She-1, especially given her injury woes over the summer. A strong performance will help her regain some of the momentum she lost with a broken collarbone – but in truth, she’s probably most looking forward to getting her hands on Nina Samuels, who seems quite keen to keep Morgan as injured as possible.
Nina Samuels
Why isn’t Nina Samuels everywhere? By far one of Britain’s most underrated performers, Samuels is currently earning herself impressive levels of heat at EVE shows by bullying smaller, younger wrestlers in her ‘Little Girl Challenge’. Let me show you what a real woman is, she says, by beating you up and proving that you’re not one. It’s the most anti-EVE statement going and she’s turning it into a hell of a run.
It will be interesting to see how this angle carries through the She-1 weekend, given that Samuels is already due another showdown with Morgan. But even if storylines end up on hold, she’ll give us some matches to remember. Like that time she gave Viper a powerbomb. Yes, you read that correctly.
Kay Lee Ray
If you’ve watched any women’s wrestling in the past five years, Kay Lee Ray needs no introduction. The ace of ICW’s women’s division and a regular in EVE and Progress, she’s comfortably at the top of the UK scene. She has great matches in Stardom and Shimmer and made an all-too-brief appearance in WWE’s Mae Young Classic this summer. Also, she’s a total lunatic who likes to jump off things she shouldn’t.
That doesn’t mean she isn’t a good technical wrestler – her mat work is tight and she does a good line in submissions. But the nickname ‘Hardcore Daredevil’ didn’t just appear from nowhere, and KLR will go to lengths that few other people would to win a match. She’s one to watch in the tournament, and not just because her matches will be spectacular.
Nicole Matthews
Women’s wrestling is not in a place where we can honestly say it has many ‘big names’ – at least not outside WWE. Nicole Matthews is one of them.
Working all over the world, including tours in Japan and Australia as well as the US and her native Canada, Matthews is one of the best performers in the industry and brings a decade of experience to the She-1. She hits hard and likes to keep her opponents grounded, which is probably why I’m more excited for Matthews vs Kay Lee Ray than any other match in this group. When those two start a strike exchange, they’ll be hearing it in Glasgow.
Matthews has held plenty of championships, beating men and women alike on her way to titles in Shimmer and ECCW among others. More importantly, the Vancouver Manoeuvre is a bloody good finisher which is very satisfying to say.
