As we all know, the Vicious Vixen, Victoriamakes her TNA debut this Thursday night on Impact. Find out how she does it by highlighting the text below:
Angelina Love d. Sojo Bolt in a Knockout Championship match. Cute Kip, Madison Rayne, and Velvet Sky also made their return here. After the match, Angelina got on the mic and asked Kip why he was still hanging out with them. She fired him a long time ago and only brought him back to take out Kong, which he couldn’t do. She has security force him to leave the ring. Angelina then talks about how she’s beaten Kong and how she needs someone new to face, which leads to Victoria’s entrance. She gets in the ring and takes out Madison and Velvet before hitting a crazy Widow’s Peak on Angelina. Madison and Velvet drag Angelina out of the ring and take her up the ramp while Victoria (who looked fantastic, BTW) gets on the mic. She’s accepting Angelina’s challenge.
This past weekend, FCW held another one of its weekly event for our Divas. After not having any Divas action on the FCW card last week, we were definitely treated to a great match this time around. The reigning Queen of FCW, Angela Fong, put her crown on the line against the third generation Diva, Natalya. In a weird turn of events, Beth Phoenix‘s intern, Rosa Mendes, was in the corner of Natalya (with matching outfits). Apparently Rosa’s infatuation with getting the crown off Angela continued, so she resorted to bringing Natalya in to hopefully dethrone the Queen. Check it out below:
FCW: Angela Fong vs. Natalya w/ Rosa Mendes
Talk about impressive! I definitely think this match was Angela’s official “tryout” match if you will before she gets a call to ECW. This is definitely a feud I can see happening on ECW and it looks as though management wanted to test the waters to see how Angela works in the ring with the best of them, and who better than Natalya? I think Angela held her own and showed she is ready for the big leagues.
My major disappointment with this match was the ending. After almost 6 minutes of action, Rosa has to jump on the apron and cause a blatant disqualification? All this obsession over the crown is getting pretty stale, and it makes me wonder why in the world they don’t just turn this “crown” into a title belt?! At least Rosa would have a legitimate reason for being obsessed with getting the championship instead of that tacky plastic crown.
Technically speaking, this match really showed why Natalya is the most under-utilized Diva on the roster. Hopefully, her participation in the New Hart Foundation will allow her to get more presence in the ring, but I think as long as she’s on ECW with no other Divas, all she’s going to get is more TV time, not wrestling time. She didn’t blow my mind away with her offense, but she definitely impressed me. Like I said last Recap, Angela continues to improve in the ring. Her high-flying offense matches up with her Matrix-like defense, and I loved when Natalya got frustrated and started stomping in the ring; great qualities for a heel to have.
Natalya was truly showing why she is the powerhouse, veteran Diva. She worked Angela on the mat like a pro and has all of the technical moves down, especially the surfboard submission. Catching Angela off the turnbuckle and slamming her down in the Samoan Drop was definitely the big “Ouch!” moment of the match. Dusty Rhodes said it best, “What it comes down to is experience… and Natalya is beating the snot out of Angela.” I am glad the commentators spend the majority of the match time focusing on the Divas, unlike Raw or SmackDown where they are forced to continuously hype other matches or recap what’s already happened.
Just when the match was heating up with Angela’s high-flying tactics against Natalya’s strength, Rosa made her interference. Hopefully this match showed WWE that Angela can get the call up to ECW and hopefully develop a personality to match her in-ring skills! I’m thinking a rematch or a tag match next week to continue this rivalry… we’ll just have to wait and see!
We’ve had a huge influx of new followers on Twitter this past week (if you’re one of ’em, hey!) and we have definitely found our ‘tweeting’ groove too. As well as writing up full-length blogs at Diva Dirt, we’ve also been posting alot of news shorts etc. at the Twitter page so it’s well worth checking out and keeping up to date with for even more Diva Dirt-goodness.
If you’re not already following us you can do so at twitter.com/divadirt. If you’re not a Twitter follower, you can still check out all our updates at the page or to make life even easier for you – you can even check our tweets out in the little widget on the right hand side of this page.
As well as news bits and stuff, over the past few weeks we’ve been tweeting through Raw which we will continue to do, we even tweeted through last night’s TNA Sacrifice pay per view. So if you want up-to-minute thoughts on live, ongoing shows – check out our Twitter or the widget to the right.
We’ll be tweeting through tonight’s Raw, so if you’re following us hit us up with replies and tell us what you think too!
It seems as though Tiffany may remain the interim General Manager of ECW for a while longer. At first, the WWE wasn’t sold on her talents on the mic as well as her inability to connect with the fans. However, now it appears that things are looking up for the ECW Diva. It had been rumored that Tiffany was going to be replaced by Tommy Dreamer once his contract expires in June 2009 (at Extreme Rules), but the catch was if Dreamer even wanted the job. Well, it now has come to light that Dreamer does not want to be the General Manager of ECW if he doesn’t achieve his goal of being champion before his contract expires. He took to his blog to talk about the situation:
I think Tiffany does a great job [as the GM]. She is impartial which I can’t be in that postion and she looks so much better than me in a skirt. I do not want a non wrestling role if things don’t work out after June 6. I am all in as they say in poker. Win and I accomplish my dream. Lose and my dream is over!
From the looks of things, I’d say Tiffany should be pretty thrilled to hear this news. Whether or not company officials like her as the GM remains to be seen, but so long as they can’t find a replacement, she’s set to keep her job.
Aside from this, and I might be the only one, I am really warming up to Tiffany being the General Manager of ECW. I think throughout the time she’s spent as GM, her mic skills have really improved and she seems to be getting over with the audience as a big fan favorite. Plus, I believe keeping her as the General Manager for now will be better for her character in the future.
Judging by her recent match in FCW where she teamed with Angela Fongto take on Katie Leaand Alicia Fox, she has also come a long way inside the ring. As long as she continues working in FCW on her wrestling skills, I think keeping her in front of the ECW audience and working on her speaking will only help her when she eventually transitions into the ring as a full-time ECW Diva where feuds with Natalyaand Katie Lea, and maybe even Serena down the line will be great matches.
What do y’all think? Are you finally warming up to Tiffany as the General Manager?
As the dust settles on the big news of the weekend, it’s all but confirmed that former two time Women’s Champion, Victoriais heading to TNA. Given the timing of the announcement (this past Friday), it has led me to speculate if Victoria – real name Lisa Marie Varon – could make her debut tonight at the company’s Sacrifice pay per view.
Whether you agree with it or not, and let’s make no mistake – I myself am indifferent to this move on Varon’s part, the once loved Diva known as Victoria will be becoming a Knockout. For a Diva who led a respectable career in WWE, something that is highly unusual given WWE’s treatment of it’s Divas and it’s turnover of females for that matter, Victoria’s career could be described as storybook. It had a beginning, middle and an end. WWE gave the Vicious Vixen a decent send-off in my opinion, allowing her to leave with some grace and dignity and say goodbye to the fans. Her WWE.com profile we moved to the Alumni section, which in my eyes, is a pre-cursor to eventually joining the Hall of Fame. I am certain that Victoria would could be a Hall of Fame candidate after the likes of Trish Stratusand even Lita are inducted.
However her jump to TNA puts her good standing with WWE at jeopardy now. Like Mick Foley, Victoria could hurt her chances at being inducted into the Hall of Fame and I have no doubt that WWE.com will pull her Alumni page the moment she debuts in TNA.
But what’s done is done and we can’t wonder about the “What ifs?” Instead I aim to look to the future in this blog and look at where Victoria’s career could go in TNA. I won’t sugarcoat and say that Victoria was a ‘top draw’ in the same way as Trish Stratus, but her longevity in WWE and the respect she garnered from women’s wrestling and casual fans alike will no doubt help her standing in TNA. If you ask me, the company’s search for a new top babyface Knockout is over. Here she is – Victoria. Sure she may have played the heel for most of her career, but characters and gimmicks aside, Victoria is extremely well respected in this industry and I think she could act on that and convince fans to get behind her.
I won’t pretend to know why Victoria is going to TNA but looking at the last few years of her career in WWE, it could be for another ‘stab at glory’ considering she was primarily used to job out to the likes of Maria and the Bella Twins in the last year alone. And if that is the case, who can fault her? The tease of real women’s wrestling, real athleticism and even the chance to be a champion again is not something to sneer at, and I’m sure Victoria didn’t.
If I’m to be really frank, I have to admit: I think the Knockouts division has many of the same flaws as the Divas division in WWE. The wrestling may be far superior but that doesn’t mean booking and storylines shouldn’t be scrutinised at the same level as we seem to with WWE. TNA hasn’t really appealed to me because aside from the matches, I find the booking to be all over the place in the same way as WWE.
With that said, I can’t say that TNA’s creative team will really do much with Victoria and to be honest again, I don’t really have high hopes. The Wrestling Globe Newsletter ran one scenario that’s being talked about as a way to bring her in and let’s just say, it sounds like crap.
I honestly think TNA could make an impact (no pun intended) with Victoria and make her a big company-wide draw. The tease of her signing with the company is enough to draw eyeballs onto the product and no doubt, fans – and not just Diva fans – will be tune into Impact out of curiosity. TNA could use the opportunity to push Victoria as the serious women’s wrestler she is, as the multi-talented woman she was never really allowed to be in WWE. Bringing her in and really backing her, in the way that WWE never did, from the outset and I think Victoria could be a huge hit with TNA audiences and even bring in extra viewers like myself who would be curious to see her in TNA.
I defy TNA to prove me wrong, up until this point there hasn’t been enough substance in the Knockouts division to hook me in. I defy TNA to bring Victoria in, put some weight behind and book her solidly. For a company that loves to stick it to WWE, I ask TNA to use Victoria in the manner that so many of us so wished to see her in WWE – because to me, that would be the biggest ‘FU’ to WWE that TNA could ask for. Don’t just wave her in their face as a new acquisition that you ‘stole from them’, book her well and let her shine in the way that WWE never allowed her to. Actions speak louder than words.
This just in from our partners at the Wrestling Globe Newsletter: Serena Deeb, who was spotted on ECW this past Tuesday, has signed with the company.
Serena previously worked for OVW and SHIMMER. Deeb worked for OVW while it was a WWE developmental territory, thus has wrestled some of our current crop of Divas. She was also recently used at the SHIMMER tapings at the start of the month.
This past Tuesday on ECW, Deeb was seen backstage as Finlay walked past leading many to believe she had or would be signing with the company. Earlier this week, an independent source told us that ‘nothing was signed [at the time of the taping] but it looked likely’. Looks like a deal has been worked out in the past few days.
One has to wonder how WWE will use Deeb, her ‘cameo’ on ECW could mean she’s joining the brand or will she be sent to down to FCW? Either way, good news for a talented female worker.
EDIT:Diva Dirt has learned from a reliable source that Serena has not signed a contract with WWE, after all. That said, the chances are looking likely.
Our partners at the Wrestling Globe newsletter have confirmed what we have heard and have been speculating about – dearly departed WWE Diva Victoria will most likely be making the jump to TNA, along with another adventurous endeavor:
Lisa Marie Varon, who wrestled for years in WWE as Victoria, is coming in (to TNA). She will be doing both wrestling and MMA ala Bobby Lashley. Dixie Carter met her at the UFC Fight Night show in Nashville on 4/1 and expressed an interest in using her. She could debut as soon as Sunday or the TV tapings next week as her WWE no compete just expired.
This is not definitely confirmed, as the WWE gave her a decent sendoff (hell, better than Lita‘s) and could even be a candidate for the Hall of Fame one day. Thus, we aren’t completely sold on the thought of her jumping ship to their direct competition. Even so, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter – tell us what you think about Victoria possibly being the next Knockout!
As we first reported on our Twitter page yesterday, TNA’s Jeremy Borash is teasing that the company had ‘come to terms with a well known female wrestler’.
Though we haven’t been able to confirm it, there was one name that was sent to us late last night and if indeed true, would make Borash’s quote an understatement! Said female is very well known and this would be a game-changing signing for the Knockouts division, if you ask me.
Now, this is just my theory but given the timing of the announcement – just two days before a TNA pay per view, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this new acquisition make her debut tomorrow night at Sacrifice as with other past key acquisitions.
Also trying to see where a new Knockout could fit in, my theory (or fantasy booking) is that the new signing could play a big part of theAngelina Love–Awesome Kong Knockouts Championship match. Bearing in mind, that Kong has decimated every member of the Beautiful People in recent weeks on Impact, you could have Angelina call in help from outside of the company – enter new Knockout to help her retain her title.
We’ll see what happens tomorrow night at Sacrifice. Like I say, this is purely conjecture at the moment because I haven’t even confirmed the new Knockout, it could turn out to be Debrain the end, who knows?
EDIT: You can find said new Knockout’s identity by clicking here, courtesy of our partners at the Wrestling Globe Newsletter.
Sorry for the Britney inspired title, but it just made sense at the time. Anyway, after you watch this week’s dose of SmackDown action, you’ll realise exactly what I mean. This week’s Divas action is almost like a three course meal; you have your starters, your mains and your dessert.
For starters, we got gasp… an actual Divas promo. That’s right! Melinajoined Josh Matthews backstage with Alicia Fox getting involved too:
I have to say, I think Alicia is well on her way to becoming the total package. She can more than hang in the ring with the best of them (see last week’s match) and this week, she proved that she can cut it in terms of promo ability too. I think she came across really well here and even better than veteran, Melina, who I felt was very stiff and wooden. It was passable for Melina, but something didn’t click for me, it just came across as 90210-style acting (read: the acting on that show is bad). Alicia on the other hand, I felt did a good job.
Now onto the mains. In their third singles outing, Gail Kim and Michelle McCool once again wrestled up a storm – however this time, the #1 Contendership for the Women’s Championship is at stake:
I have been a big fan of their work thus far, they’ve had two very good matches. Gail picked up the win last month and Michelle beat her two weeks ago on SmackDown, making this the rubber match of sorts. With the opportunity to face the Women’s Champion on the line, I felt the treatment of this match and the way it was executed was very well handled. From the in-ring work to the announcers putting emphasis on it, it really made this match feel like a ‘big time’ match that was worth watching and worth winning for the two participants.
Last week, I felt Gail Kim truly arrived. Since she debuted in March, she’s had some good matches but last week’s match wasn’t just good, it was great. It was the arrival of the Gail Kim who we saw reach a pinnacle of excellence in TNA that rivalled that of the company’s top males. The arrival of the first ever Knockouts Champion. Perhaps Internet rumours that WWE had ‘soured’ on her made her up her game, but whatever it was – it worked. And this week, we saw more of that fiery Gail Kim, with her unique and innovative style. And if you ask me, she has proven that she is the best female wrestler on the WWE roster bar none.
From the get-go, this match started out very technically, with submission-based offense from Gail. Wrapping her body around Michelle, who then reverses that but Gail manages to counter into an arm drag. Very good start. And to start as we mean to go on, we then have some ‘story’ added to the match as Michelle drives Gail’s knee into the ring post. This worked very well as it’s something that Michelle can work on throughout the match and allows the match to tell a story. Michelle continues to work on the knee, grounding the high-flying Gail Kim, however things pick up as we see the return of Gail’s fantastic submission move, the Christo now renamed the Flying Dragon. I really love this move and it was sold well by both Divas, as Michelle begins to ‘pass out’ and they eventually fall to the canvas.
Michelle once again goes for the knee to ground Gail and pulls her out of the ring. It seems every week, Gail does a spot that sees her take a bump to the outside. Ouch! As the match progresses, we see another hot spot from Gail, virtually climbing on Michelle and kicking her in the head, nice stuff. This is then followed by Gail’s finisher, the arm trap neckbreaker but super-Michelle manages to kick out.
Gail goes to the apron, where we get our regularly scheduled Alicia Fox interference. Alicia gets a nice shiner from the ring post to match Melina’s slap earlier. Gail goes up to, Michelle with a kick which leads nicely into the Faith Breaker, which I have to say was poorly executed this time. The last time these two had a match, Michelle hit it perfectly and Gail sold it perfectly… this time, not so much. Michelle gets the win (as expected) and is the #1 Contender for Melina’s title. Great match, though it was clear from the outset who would win.
And for a light dessert after a very filling meal, WWE teases a match between Eve and Layla next week on SmackDown:
The booking behind this storyline has been nicely done, giving us a little bit each week and making next week’s match seem important. Let’s hope these two can deliver.
We’re debuting a new format for our Eye Candy posts – complete with more detailed critiques and “graded” categories. View the photoshoot we’ve “hung” on our wall, read our critique, vote, and last but not least – sound off in the comments!
The Look: Well, we asked for more Beth photoshoots, but I’m pretty sure this isn’t wwhat we had in mind. This one’s nothing more than a glorified game of “dress up”, and Beth looks less like Marilyn Monroe in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” and more like a costume contest reject. It’s not only the fact that this is soooooo far departed from her character (although that plays a big part), but it looks so cheap. The dress itself looks like something from the sale rack at a department store, and her hair just falls flat. To be honest, I’d hate any Diva in this look, but Beth looks so out of place in it that I’d almost prefer it on anyone else. Grade: C
The Poses: The statuesque poses and sly smirk are perfect for a costume-y look, but the glamourshot-esque “far off” stares just look creepy. I love the photo where she’s smiling, and I believe she should’ve stuck with that for the whole shoot. If you’re looking to evoke Marylin, you should do what she did best – be playful and grin from ear to ear. I’m no Marylin Monroe expert, but I’m pretty sure she wasn’t a ice queen, and that’s what Beth is evoking in this shoot. Grade: C
Uniqueness: Everyone and their mother has dressed up like Marilyn Monroe, so it’s hardly a unique concept. (I think Lindsay Lohan has cornered the market on terrible Marilyn “tributes”.) However, the fact that it’s Beth doing it gives it a different spin – it’s something you certainly wouldn’t expect out of the Glamazon. In that sense, it’s unique. But honestly, did they really think the world needed another blonde girl in elbow-length gloves and a strapless gown evoking a Hollywood icon? Because I sure didn’t. Grade: B-
Overall: From the costume shop aesthetic to the rigid posing, Beth sure doesn’t pull off the “classic screen siren” look. As much as I like seeing her mix it up and show that (like Marilyn) you don’t have to be built like a stick to look sexy, I can’t bring myself to like this shoot all that much. Grade: C
New online reports have surfaced suggesting that Rhaka Khan is now gone from TNA, following in the footsteps of Roxxi who was released last month.
Of course, all of this comes just a month after news of a backstage altercation between the two which led to a 60-day suspension for each. Roxxi was later released, while suspended.
There is currently no word on whether Khan was released or left the company of her own accord.
In an interview with Diva Dirt, Roxxi told us: “There was an altercation but that stuff happens in wrestling. There was a miscommunication in the ring between her and I, but it was solved that day.”
Diva Dirt had the great opportunity to speak to recently departed TNA Knockout, Roxxi aka Nikki Roxx. Among the highlights, we talk to Roxxi about her release and that situation with Rhaka Khan. Plus Nikki’s thoughts on working for WWE, the Knockouts Championship and much more.
Nikki, thank you for taking the time out to do this interview with us. Diving right in, the obvious lead question would be about your TNA departure. Three weeks ago on your Twitter page, you wished TNA well in their future endeavors. There are conflicting reports about the situation; some say you requested the release and some say you were released by the company. Can you cast your mind back and tell us about the whole release?
ROXXI: I was told TNA’s creative team had just gone as far as they can with my character. They are taking the company in a new direction.
In regards to TNA, over the past couple of months there has been talk of an altercation between you and fellow Knockout, Rhaka Khan that led to a 60 day suspension? Can you shed light on that for us?
ROXXI: There was an altercation but that stuff happens in wrestling. There was a miscommunication in the ring between her and I, but it was solved that day. Her and I are actually friends. As for the suspension I have no idea what that was about. I was never told I was on suspension.
Do you have any reason to believe that situation may have led to your departure from the company?
ROXXI: I would hate to think that was the reasoning. But from what I was told it was not.
There have been a lot of rumours in regards to Rhaka aside from the situation with yourself, from a trading card incident, to her so-called political stroke with Kurt Angle and more recently, working stiff with newcomer Madison Rayne. From working with her, can you tell us what your personal opinion of her is?
ROXXI: My personal opinion of her is she is a good character but just needs a little more training in the ring is all. She’s in a great place for that. Having that many great wrestlers surrounding her it should take no time.
I’m sure you’ve all been dying to know just what are a Diva’s thoughts on Miss California, gay marriage and Susan Boyle, right? Well wonder no more! Here is Kelly Kelly to satisfy our knowledge cravings.
Watch as Kelly shows a softer side, oh how far she has come from the days of peeing in a sink. She seems like a total sweetie, so don’t be shy… next time she’s at your local airport, stop by and stalk her say hello.
Were you guys watching ECW last night? If so, you might be wondering who that mysterious woman standing in the hallway was when Finlay was heading to the ring. Upon further research, it has been revealed the randomly placed Diva is none other than Serena Deeb.
In case you’re not familiar, Serena is a 6-time OVW Women’s Champ and current SHIMMER star. Serena has a lengthy history with WWE Divas Beth Phoenixand Katie Lea, as well as TNA Knockout Sojourner Bolt.
What does this mean for the landscape of ECW’s Diva Roster? Will we see Serena in the WWE? Will Serena be on hand to help Finlay against the Hart Trilogy? I, for one can’t wait to find out. Check the video below to see what Serena is made of. And a special thanks to Hassan for his help!
UPDATE: The ECW “After The Bell” segment features Mark Henry flirting with Serena, only to be interrupted by Tony Atlas. Check out that video here!
UPDATE #2: Courtesy of SHIMMER co-founder, Dave Prazak, here’s another Serena video. This one was shown before her first SHIMMER title match against MsChif. Enjoy!
OVW: SERENA VS. KATIE LEA VS. BETH PHOENIX – NO DQ MATCH
We’re debuting a new format for our Eye Candy posts – complete with more detailed critiques and “graded” categories. View the photoshoot we’ve “hung” on our wall, read our critique, vote, and last but not least – sound off in the comments!
The Look: Mickie is known for her unique style, and this outfit is no exception. A flowy dress, wedges, and messy hair don’t necessarily fit together in the traditional sense, but she has a tendency to pull different things together and make it work. You’ve come to expect that much from Mickie, so it doesn’t look as strange as it would if someone like Maryse wore it. The bamboo bracelets and dangly earrings don’t mesh that well either, but at least they’re in the same color family. Maybe with a different, more casual dress the look would pull itself together better, but it’s still remarkable how Mickie can make such a tacky look almost fit. Almost. Grade: C+
The Poses: Her poses are often as lively as her personality, jumping for silly and fun to serious and sexy. Mickie pulls all of them off equally well and exudes such a casual sexiness that it almost makes you overlook her over-done look. Grade: A
Uniqueness: You can never say that Mickie’s playing it too safe, and in this, like almost every other photoshoot, she’s going for broke. Her fun poses and eye-catching outfit (whether you like it or not) aren’t going to allow her to fade into the background, that’s for sure. Grade: A
Overall: Her mismatched (tacky?) style has been a mainstay for a while now, so it’s almost as if I’ve gotten used to her odd outfit pairings and jewelry overloads. Still, I’m not a fan of this one, and while the other elements of the photoshoot work quite well, her look keeps me from loving the whole thing. Grade: B
Welcome to a new feature here at Diva Dirt, the concept of which you may recognise from The Late Show with David Letterman. In every episode of The Late Show, Letterman has a satirical ‘top ten’, that combined with the recently published “20 Rules for the Diva Afterlife” gave us an idea! Check back every week for Diva Dirt’s Letterman-esque Weekly Top 10!
Top 10 Things You’d Never Hear in a Diva Promo
10. “I’m really a man!”
9. “I’m gon’ cut a bitch!”
8. “Please, you can keep your title… just don’t hurt me again!”
7. “If I could quote Shakespeare for a moment…”
6. “Randy Orton threatened to defecate in my bag if I didn’t mention his name at least once during this promo.”
5. “We decided against having a match tonight, we thought a bikini contest would better solve our issues.”
4. “I know most of you will use my match for a pee break, so I’ve decided to use it for a pee break too.”
3. “I hate to admit this, but Batista’s started writing his next book so…”
2. “Vince promised if I slept with him, I could cut this promo. Here I am…”
This week’s SmackDown spoilers are in. Highlight below to check them out:
EDIT – Much more detailed spoilers have been added.
– Melina is backstage with Josh Mathews. She talks about the number one contender match between Michelle McCool and Gail Kim. She says she ran through Raw and now it’s time to see what SmackDown has. Alicia Fox comes in and says that McCool says to warm the title up for her. Melina smacks her.
– Michelle McCool w/ Alicia Fox b. Gail Kim to become the #1 Contender. Quick match. Fox tries to get involved but Gail hits her face on the ring post. McCool connects with a Styles Clash for the win.
– Ricky Ortiz & Maria are shown backstage talking. He says he is going to rally up. Jeff Hardy walks by and Maria ditches Ortiz. She tells him he did a good job at Judgment Day. They then talk about Extreme Rules. Hardy leaves and Ortiz tells Maria she is looking for love in all the wrong places. He tells her to “keep your head up and rally up” then gives her his rally towel.
– A replay of the Eve & Layla feud is shown. Eve vs. Layla is announced for next week.
To continue the analogy I used in last week’s SmackDown Redux, it looked as though Raw carried over some of that ‘finale week’ drama onto last night’s programme. Last night’s Raw utilised the plotline device of the ‘game changer’, something unexpected that comes out of left-field and makes the viewer go, “Oh my God!” And that’s exactly what WWE did last night and here’s something I never thought I’d say — I applaud them for it.
In a world of crutch-booking and storylines that we can smell coming a mile off, WWE swerved us last night on Raw, diverting from what we expected to happen and gave us something completely different and at the same time, fresh and exciting too. We had expected that the battle royal last night would be a vehicle to give Mickie James the Divas Championship title shot she had already earned in my opinion, instead we were thrown a curveball as Kelly Kelly emerged the winner. I really liked that WWE managed to surprise us and veered away from the predictable booking we’ve seen time and time again.
Honestly, there isn’t much to comment on about this match. Battle royals are never the most technical displays of wrestling, so I won’t overanalyse this one. Instead, I’d rather talk about the storyline that the Creative Team set up last night. Sure Kelly Kelly gets a title shot and for diehards, that will surely be a point of ire. But in my estimation, the context in which Kelly won and will receive her title shot are what we really need to be looking at. If you ask me, Kelly’s title shot will be used as a device to further the Maryse-Mickie feud which continued last night. Maryse spraying whatever it was that she sprayed, into Mickie’s eyes tells us that their feud isn’t over. And while in the short term, Kelly may have received a title opportunity for the Divas Championship, in the long term, WWE is building to an eventual title match between Mickie and Maryse.
Last night’s Raw really did leave me excited. The match may have not been great, but the booking and the way that storyline can be fleshed out next week and developed beyond next week, is exciting. Not only does this further the feud between these two, but it gives a useful role to another Diva – Kelly – it gives her a bit of a rub too. While SmackDown has done a great job of using it’s Divas in roles that contribute to the programme, Raw rarely focusses on more than two Divas at a time. By giving Kelly the title shot, it gives her character a little more meaning too.
So where should they go from here? I say give Kelly her title match next week and have Maryse go over clean. That way, Maryse can show the audience she is a serious champion by retaining her title. This sets up Maryse as a worthy champion, one that could retain her title against the more experienced Mickie James. After the match, you could do the Mickie run-in, getting revenge for the spray debacle this week.
Speaking of the spray debacle. I instantly knew that there would be comparisons made between Maryse and the gimmick of TNA’s Beautiful People. And lo-and-behold, comparisons have been made. In my estimation, that type of gimmick isn’t really a gimmick at all. It’s not something tangible that can be tied down to one Diva or Knockout in the same way that you could say Raisha Saeed‘s burkha babe gimmick or Melina‘s A-List gimmick are unique to them. The whole ‘sexy bad girl’ thing is not tangible and has been done to death by dozens of acts including male wrestlers, long before the Beautiful People. Furthermore, it’s not that idea is wholly original in itself as you could argue that gimmick was lifted by the Beautiful People from movies like Mean Girls or Clueless and TV shows like The Hills. I don’t have a problem with Maryse using the spray can, and I don’t think it’s something that should be overanalysed either.
We’re debuting a new format for our Eye Candy posts – complete with more detailed critiques and “graded” categories. View the photoshoot we’ve “hung” on our wall, read our critique, vote, and last but not least – sound off in the comments!
The Look: For once, Rosa isn’t wearing some sort of ruffled contraption. She looks much more sleek and sexy when dressed in a subdued manner, as opposed to the bright colors she usually sports. The black dress isn’t skin tight, but it still fits her like a glove, so to speak, and the sleeves give it that extra “punch”. The ankle boots, in matching black, complete the simple-yet-sexy look. Rosa shows that you don’t need to be buried under accessories or makeup to look good – she looks as natural as can be. Take it from Rosa, fellow Divas – less is more!! Grade: A
The Poses: Rosa keeps is laid back and alluring, letting her legs and eyes do the talking. I’m afraid that her “smirk” might become her version of Maria’s “duck lips”, but we’ll see. She’s certainly come far from her earlier shoots, and her relaxation shows her progress. Melanie even mentioned to me that Rosa might give Layla a run for her money in the “most photogenic Diva” department. Now that’s a compliment if I ever heard one. Grade: A
Uniqueness: It’s nothing ground-breaking, but it’s in the details that this shoot stands out. It’s certainly unique amongst Rosa’s other photoshoots, but in the grand scheme of things, it isn’t terribly inventive. Though, Rosa’s usage of the “less is more” mantra is something her fellow Divas don’t abide by very often, so that makes this unique in its own right. Grade: B
Overall: It’s clear that Rosa is no longer in Beth’s shadow – look at her blossom! She looks to be one of the next top Divas when it comes to owning her photoshoots, but lets not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s just say that we hope to see more of her very soon. Grade: A
Welcome to your afternoon pick-me-up courtesy of Diva Dirt, here’s some short news (and morbid) news bulletins, courtesy of our partners at the Wrestling Globe Newsletter (send an e-mail here to subscribe).
The youngest Diva on the roster,Kelly Kelly was dealt a serious blow in March when her ex-boyfriend Andrew ‘Test’ Martin was found dead at his home in Tampa, Florida. But to make matters worse, Kelly recently revealed that she was still dating Andrew at the time of his death.
If you remember, Kelly went straight back to work, appearing on Raw the Monday after news broke at the weekend. To deal with something like that, especially so young, is heartbreaking and I think Kelly has a lot of dignity and strength to handle the situation the way she did.
• • • • •
FCW Diva, Jenny Cash who recently appeared under the name Fifi, has been sidelined with an ACL tear. Cash, real name Jenny Quinn, will reportedly be out for 9 months.
If I had to speculate, I think that’s the end of Jenny’s wrestling career.
• • • • •
Finally, ex-WWE developmental talent, Lacey Von Erich has been hospitalised and diagnosed with meningitis. Lacey had been complaining of migraines and was taken into hospital. The 22-year-old is a mother to a little boy, so I best wishes go out to her and her entire family. Really sad news.
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Well, not if you ask Angelina Love. We all saw the stunt Velvet Sky… oops, I mean Marysepulled last night during the #1 Contender’s Battle Royal. Apparently The Beautiful People noticed as well.
If you’re a MySpace friend of Angelina (like myself), you may have noticed that she has recently changed her mood to “Imitated.” She also changed her status. It now reads: “You can try, but you can’t and will never be TBP!!!” Coincidence? I think not.
Looks like the claws are coming out again. I have a feeling this is the first of many jabs the Knockouts will be taking in coming weeks. Check out Angelina’s MySpace page to see for yourself: http://www.myspace.com/angel_williams14.
So despite pinning the Divas Champion twice, that doesn’t give Mickie Jamesany leverage as a title shot is up for grabs to all the Divas tonight on Raw.
Announced for tonight’s show is a Divas battle royal, the winner will be the #1 Contender for Maryse‘s title.
We’ll be tweeting live during tonight’s match. You can see our tweets in the widget on the right of the screen or visit our Twitter page
Welcome to the Perfect 10! Following a week of rough-and-tumble Diva and Knockout action, where do our ladies rank? Who scored an impressive victory? Who faltered in the ring? Were championships decided? The Perfect 10 ranks the ten best Diva performances for the week! Check back every Sunday for a new countdown!
THIS
WEEK
MOVEMENT
DIVA
LAST
WEEK
AWESOME KONG
Two weeks at #1 for Kong, as SpikeTV threw out it’s man-woman violence policy to allow her to beat up Kip James. And really, who’s going to say no to Kong?
MICKIE JAMES
Mickie James has a renewed focus: the Divas Championship. For the second straight week, Mickie has Maryse‘s number.
KELLY KELLY
Kelly can boast another tag team victory, after teaming with Mickie on Raw. She may want to watch her timing with the ring ropes, though.
EVE TORRES
It’s down a spot for Eve this week who has been getting more screen time than ever. She instigated a catfight with rival, Layla and it was good!
MELINA
Crashing straight into the Perfect 10 at #5 is the Women’s Champion, Melina. What an impact she made on her return to Friday Night SmackDown.
It looks as though we aren’t the only ones to notice the lack of pay per view exposure the Divas have gotten this year. Our Diva of the Day partner, the Wrestling Globe Newsletter is reporting that Vince is currently ‘down on the division’.
One possible reason given is the ‘sloppy matches on TV of late’. No seriously… I don’t know what Vince or the rest of management are watching, but the Divas action in recent weeks has been the best it’s been in a very long time. Melinaand Beth Phoenix delivered a great Women’s Championship bout last month, as did Gail Kimand Marysewith the Divas Championship.
And post-Draft, we’ve seen some good matches from both brands; Maryse and Mickie had a decent match a couple of weeks ago. SmackDown meanwhile, has been on a roll since the Draft. They had an awesome tag team match on WWE Superstars, followed by an impressive Michelle McCool-Gail match and the excellent tag team match last week.
Not sure how that constitutes as ‘sloppy’ in comparison to some of the slop we’ve seen in the past. I should hope the Divas have redeemed themselves and are put on pay per view soon, because the work has been good of late.
Then again, the women’s division doesn’t really stand a chance when you have a man in drag as the key focal point.
FCW Recap is coming back! Florida Championship Wrestling has held another event for our Divas, and I must say I’ve missed watching it! After WrestleMania 25, the FCW Divas Division went on hold for a while. Now that it’s returned, things are a bit different! Beverly has apparently been released and Jenny Cash has gotten a new gimmick as Fifi the French Maid.
Allow me to fill you in on the storyline development since the last FCW Recap. Rosa Mendesis still fighting with Angela Fongover the Queen of FCW crown. And… that’s it! One week the two had a catfight outside the ring, which was followed up the next week by a match between the two (which you can check out here) where the beloved crown was on the line. The match ended in a DQ due to a run in for Rosa after 4 minutes, so it wasn’t really worthy of getting its own post.
However, the Divas action has finally picked up and with the events finally surfacing online, it’s time to get back into the swing of things. Angela Fong teams up with the Interim General Manager of ECW, Tiffany, to take on Alicia Foxand Katie Lea. Yes, Katie Lea! Unfortunately, there is no more Express News and Gossip (RIP). Check out the action below:
FCW – Angela Fong & Tiffany vs. Katie Lea & Alicia Fox
Â
Well, I’m going to be honest; this match was a lot better in my head than when I watched it. I was pretty excited to see Katie Lea finally get into the ring again in a match that I had really high expectations. I think she is a bit rusty after having not been in a match for several months now.
Overall, I think all of the Divas put in a great effort and put on a pretty solid match. For me, the real stars were Tiffany and Angela. Tiffany was definitely trying out some new moves and did everything from a second rope cross body to suplexes, which is great to see. I think her transition out of the GM’s office and into the ring will be a successful one, and with some more practice she could pull off some great matches on ECW against Natalyaand Katie Lea. She sold the offense of Katie Lea and Alicia well and was pretty active throughout the entire course of the match.
Angela served her purpose to score the victory for her team with the Sake Bomb and once again, she doesn’t fail to impress me. She is definitely a high-flyer and executed all her moves with ease. Although her ring attire could use a few adjustments, I think she could be a great addition to the ECW roster.
Like I said, Katie Lea just seemed to execute some moves that weren’t very polished and didn’t really sell the moves she got done to her. I think she’s had much better matches against Alicia on ECW. Speaking of Alicia, she really showed why she got the call up to SmackDown, even though her time in the ring was really short. I think she is being prepared very well by frequently practicing in FCW and by working alongside Michelle McCool as her BFF.  This match was mostly Tiffany and Katie Lea battling it out, but when Alicia came in, business picked up. I would’ve liked to see her in the ring for a longer time though because we didn’t get to see a whole lot of offense from her. Getting her leg hung up on the top turnbuckle was also pretty amazing to see and Alicia sold it well.
In the end, it wasn’t the best Divas tag match we’ve seen, but it certainly wasn’t bad either. I wasn’t on the edge of my seat like I was for this past SmackDown’s tag match, but I think if FCW keeps up some kind of development of this storyline, it could really work well. Alicia seemed to be better BFF’s with Katie Lea than she did with Michelle. The two held hands for a bit there after their Charlie’s Angel pose! We might even see Katie Lea and Tiffany feuding on ECW or Angela getting in the ring on Raw or ECW. Oh, and the bitchiness by Rosa Mendes as ring announcer was a nice touch too!
This just in from our partners at the Wrestling Globe Newsletter: 
GAIL KIM
ALICIA FOX
MARYSE
LAYLA
