WWE has announced the pro and rookie duos for it’s new series, WWE NXT to debut next Tuesday but quite unsurprisingly, it doesn’t seem this ‘season’ will feature any Divas. Boo! The show will feature ‘WWE Pros’ teaming up with ‘Rookies’ as their mentors throughout the series. So we decided to come up with our own pro/rookie team suggestions for NXT. WWE, please feel free to steal and put them into practice.
AJ Lee & Melina
Pro: Melina. Three-time Women’s Champion, one time Divas Champion, Diva of the Year 2009 in Diva Dirt Year-End Awards.
Rookie: AJ Lee. Queen of FCW, former WSU Tag Team Champion.
Perhaps the most obvious pairing for WWE NXT would be to put FCW’s ‘Pocket Rocket’, the young and talented AJ Lee with Melina. Lee has long been a fan of Melina and looks up to the former Women’s Champ so it’d a dream come true for her to one day be on the same roster as the A-List Diva. But how about going one step further and having Melina mentor AJ on NXT? Melina is known for her fire and passion which comes through in the ring, but outside of the ring she’s just as easily able to play the smiley babyface and the bitchy heel. No doubt, she’d have some invaluable lessons to share with Lee who is already well on her way to one day becoming a WWE Women’s Champion! She’s already the Queen of FCW and the standout female wrestler there with Serena now called up. Melina is sweet and good-natured and would be a positive role model to Lee who I think should play a babyface. She has a great likable quality to her just like Melina.
Aksana & Maryse
Pro: Maryse. Former Divas Champion. Best Heel in Diva Dirt Year-End Awards.
Rookie: Aksana. Former world renowned fitness model.
Aksana — known in the fitness world by her real name of Zivile Raudoniene — it seems was hired following the success of Maryse in the Divas division. Both are voluptuous blondes and both have a foreign sexiness to them. Aksana could play the bitchy heel role like her mentor, Maryse in NXT — trying to psych out the other girls and make sure that she stops at nothing for success. With Maryse’s help, Aksana could be the ‘villain’ of the reality-like show. But then again, Maryse being the attention-loving Diva that she is, why would she want more competition on the main roster? This could be an interesting dynamic with Maryse sabotaging Aksana along the way and the pair clashing would make for great drama.
More after the cut:
Courtney Taylor & Kelly Kelly
Pro: Kelly Kelly. Starred in Timbaland music video and FHM photoshoot.
Rookie: Courtney Taylor. Former ECW Diva.
Courtney Taylor had a brief and forgettable stint on the main roster which brings her right back to the drawing board. She’s now having to work her way up in FCW and fight for a spot on the main roster again just like any other Diva. Courtney has luscious blonde locks and has a cute ‘girl next door’ vibe about her that could make her a perfect babyface Diva. So who better to mentor her than WWE’s current sweetheart, Kelly Kelly? Kelly has quickly become one of the Diva fan favourites even though she has yet to really be pushed for a title run. Taking Courtney under her wing could allow some of that popularity brush off on Courtney as she tries to make it onto the main roster. But there’s also the question of whether Courtney could overtake Kelly’s popularity — would Kelly really want that? These two would probably strike up an immediate bond on NXT and be one of the most cohesive rookie-pro duos which would surely help Courtney eventually make it to the main roster where they could eventually team up in the Divas division.
Naomi Night & Alicia Fox
Pro: Alicia Fox. Best Newcomer in Diva Dirt Year-End Awards.
Rookie: Naomi Night. Former Orlando Magic dancer.
In the first matches we’ve seen of Naomi Night in FCW, it looks as though the former Orlando Magic dancer is definitely taking to wrestling like a duck to water. In her rookie matches, she’s looked competent despite only having a few months training and has a definite attitude/swagger about her — not dissimilar from another FCW born and bred Diva. Alicia Fox has become one of the Divas division’s hot young prospects with a bright future ahead of her — could she rub off some of her spark on Naomi? Night is the perfect example of a girl that could use a mentor that’s been through what she’s going through which Alicia has. Alicia could help her hone her skills and character while retaining her own personal spark. Once the student of Michelle McCool, could the student become the teacher for another?
Sarona Snuka & Beth Phoenix
Pro: Beth Phoenix. Two-time Women’s Champion, Diva of the Year 2008.
Rookie: Sarona Snuka. Daughter of Jimmy ‘Superfly’ Snuka.
Sarona Snuka is set to follow in the footsteps of the talented Natalya in becoming a multi-generational Diva in WWE. She has her own unique look, her beautiful face ever so distinct and seems to be similar to Natalya and Beth Phoenix being something of a powerhouse. You could say that she’s a ‘glamazon’. Ring any bells? As the certified ‘Glamazon’ in WWE, Beth Phoenix seems like the perfect Diva to guide Sarona into WWE Divadom. She’s not only an incredible wrestler but a smart one too — the Glamazon is portrayed as being astute, bold and perhaps even a little conniving. On NXT you could have Beth realise that she’s onto something special with Sarona, a monstrous Diva that she could control. But what happens when Sarona realises she’s being used for Beth’s own gain? It’d make interesting television to say the least.
What pro/rookie duos would you like to see in NXT? Leave your suggestions in the comments.
