A New Format for the Championships

[mlb]

Hello, Shimmer fans! It's been a good while since I was active on here. A couple of days ago, I had a "what if?" moment about Shimmer and their two championships. Throughout the company's history, I believe a fan can count on one hand the number of times the Shimmer Championship (especially) and the Tag Team Championships have not been defended on a show. However, what if the titles were defended twice throughout the weekend?

Now don't get me wrong. I do not oppose how the titles have mostly been defended on all four shows of the weekend. I just would like to hear what you guys would think of this simple "what if?" format for the championships' picture, which is the first and third show include Number One Contender's matches, while the second and last show include the subsequent title matches.

[quoipourquoi]

Interesting concept. But I feel that too-defined of a structure could ultimately prove limiting. More than that, I feel the more title defenses, the better. Personally, I'm just as excited (and based on Mia Yim and LuFisto in recent events, sometimes even MORE excited) for title matches before the intermission than the last match of the day, because MsChif and the Canadian Ninjas have both shown that champions can lose in the first show of the day.

Plus on DVD re-watch, we can't always watch it back-to-back the same as we see it in person, so each volume has to feel whole on its own rather than part of a pair. Having said that, I do love it when a weekend of shows carry an isolated theme or story (Death Rush, Portia Perez stealing things, etc.), because it's the pay-off on all of the little things during the 4th show that always keeps me coming back.

[tystates]

I think the titles should be defended all four shows every time. Having contender matches isn't always needed as the general booking is someone wins 3 in a row on a weekend and gets a title shot.

[mlb]

Sept 6, 2014 5:05:31 GMT -6 quoipourquoi said:

Plus on DVD re-watch, we can't always watch it back-to-back the same as we see it in person, so each volume has to feel whole on its own rather than part of a pair. Having said that, I do love it when a weekend of shows carry an isolated theme or story (Death Rush, Portia Perez stealing things, etc.), because it's the pay-off on all of the little things during the 4th show that always keeps me coming back.

Since I've never been to a Shimmer show (hope to one day), it's always good to hear from the perspective of someone who has been to them. You're right about whenever there is a story that is carried out throughout the weekend; that's pretty cool. Unfortunately, I've been reading the results lately. The last show I saw was volume 53, the live iPPV, but I had not bought the shows prior to that event past volume 42, which was the last DVD added to my collected. Hopefully, I will update my collection. And, thanks for expressing your thoughts on the concept.

[G-Reg]

It's a terrible idea in that you restrict most of the ways you can determine new contenders. It's a great moment when, following a heel saying they have the night off, Bryce comes out and more or less says "screw you, she's the top contender, and you're defending TONIGHT!" Or after a title match in the afternoon with interference in the ending, leading to an immediate rematch for the next volume, no DQ. From a DVD selling point, more big title matches gives more incentives for fans to buy. There are so many ways to do things, that intentionally eliminating most of them for an arbatory format is just bad.

[stevea21]

There's probably a financial/marketing issue involved - while Shimmer has certainly done a great job of promoting the Shimmer brand as compared to being dependent on promoting particular matches to sell the live shows, I would bet that, all things being equal, DVD's where titles are being defended are going to sell better than shows where titles are not being defended.

[mlb]

Sept 6, 2014 14:51:31 GMT -6 G-Reg said:

It's a terrible idea in that you restrict most of the ways you can determine new contenders. It's a great moment when, following a heel saying they have the night off, Bryce comes out and more or less says "screw you, she's the top contender, and you're defending TONIGHT!" Or after a title match in the afternoon with interference in the ending, leading to an immediate rematch for the next volume, no DQ. From a DVD selling point, more big title matches gives more incentives for fans to buy. There are so many ways to do things, that intentionally eliminating most of them for an arbatory format is just bad.

There are lots of things I like about Shimmer, and one of them is that most, if not all, contenders have come off a string of victories or a real big one. So, even in situations like the one you stated, where Bryce makes an impromptu title match, the challenger has a great claim for their opportunity; unlike how sometimes in WWE or TNA somebody is named the number one contender despite doing nothing to earn the shot.

[Woo]

As said, despite the well intentions the idea wouldn't be the best.

It got me thinking though- how many times have the belts been defended just twice during a weekend?

The first one I could think of is that the Shimmer championship was defended just twice during the Vol 29-32 weekend due to Madison's injury.

Any more?

[aaroni93]

The recent tapings from April this year had Cheerleader Melissa defend the championship twice; she teamed with Mercedes volumes 63 & 66. Other than that though, I can't really think of much else, not counting the shows from 2007-2008. Hope this helps.

[DJWeedPizza]

Yeah but Melissa teamed with Mercedes to challenge for the Tag Titles, so she was at least in a title match for the main event.