The last year and a half has been very good for ACW Champion Diane Hunter. After ten years of struggling for a shot at greatness in the field of apartment wrestling, Hunter was finally able to put everything together and mounting a vigorous and highly touted series of matches against then-champion Daniella Cartier. After nearly pulling a number of upsets, Hunter finally reigned supreme, defeating Cartier in the what was called “Match of the Year” by Catfight Tonite magazine.
After years of hardship and struggles, Hunter was unable to fully savor her monumental victory and bitter chastised ACW officials and the apartment wrestling world as a whole. As if to demonstrate how difficult her quest had been on her, she refused to give Cartier an immediate rematch. Through political maneuvering based in part on the temporary upending of Tanako X’s reign as ACW President, Hunter was able to avoid a rematch with Cartier until November 30, 2005. With many believing Hunter would refuse to show up or pull a stunt, the champion not only showed up, but dared Cartier to take the belt from her.
The match began with Daniella as the aggressor. launching herself at the champion and mounting a ferocious attack. Although seemingly prepared for the offensive flurry by the challenger, Hunter was barely able to counter the assault. Cartier grabbed Hunter, scooped her off of the ground and in one motion seemed poised to body slam her to the ground, but caught herself and realized that a disqualification would end her title dreams. After dropping Diane on the ground like a sack of potatoes, she planted a stiff kick in the champions back.
Undaunted, the champion showed that her time in the spotlight had helped her develop a supreme confidence as she got right back in Cartier’s faces, taunting her repeatedly, telling her “this is my belt, this is my belt.”
In the midst of their trash-talk, Hunter failed to notice that Cartier was pre-occupied with something behind her back. When Hunter’s attention finally focused on her Daniella’s hands, Cartier revealed gloves on her hands and landed a haymaker across the side of the champion’s head. Reeling, Hunter fell onto the couch in a daze. Cartier sprang onto her like a leopard, launching into the air and kneeing her in the ribs, again and again.
After escaping from her predicament, Diane chastised the challenger for the use of the gloves and as Cartier moved in to continue her assault, Hunter deftly slipped to the side, letting the challenger shoot past her, losing her balance. Hunter immediate secured a guillotine choke hold on her. On the verge of being choked out, Daniella regained her composure and bucked like a bronco, forcing Hunter to release her hold. As the two talked back and forth, Cartier charged, grabbing the champion and lifted her off of the ground and pressed her against the wall.
