This was for Matthews’ SHIMMER Title, following LeRae winning a battle royal earlier in the show.
While far from mechanically perfect, it’s yet another match from the Matthews reign that gets every other bit completely correct. A natural easy match up between SHIMMER’s best and most unscrupulous villain and one of the most natural and sympathetic babyfaces of the decade. A lot of taunting, a little bullshit, and it’s no surprise that it works out in the end when paired with great action down the stretch. As always, there’s a great sense of how to use the nonsense to fake people out, given that they expect it will always happen.
Following a phantom submission for the Gargano Escape by Candice with the referee down, a title belt across the head fails to steal Matthews the win, bringing the people out of their chairs. It’s an impressive thing for such a gimme win (as Matthews/Eagles IV is booked for the taping after this), and then doubly so when they’re able to break everyone’s hearts just a moment later. LeRae gets the hold on a second time, only now for Matthews to roll her way into a pin with a foot on the ropes to steal it in a way that’s both more impressive in its resourcefulness and also all the more crushing given the swiftness by which it comes.
If not all it can be, a perfect reminder going into Matthews/Eagles IV of why you should want to see Nicole Matthews finally get what’s coming to her.
HANDWERK 