The Divas Title is on the line as Lay-Cool take on Natalya. Will the Hart Dynasty Diva retain or will we have BFF champs again? The DD team weigh in…
April: Given the fact that this match is a little random, I’m going to have to go with Lay-Cool. Not taking anything away from either side but it just seems a little odd that all of a sudden, Lay-Cool remembers they have a rematch clause. Obviously, they’ve been feuding with Beth Phoenix while Natalya has been focusing on Melina. I have a bad feeling that Natalya is going to lose her Divas title going this route. I hate it because I think she makes a great champion and I’m a little tired of Lay-Cool hogging the spotlight, but it’s inevitable. No one seems to hold the Divas Championship very long anymore and when they do, it always has odd circumstances. But, as usual, the match is bound to be interesting. I’m extremely happy they put a Divas match on the card. The Royal Rumble is a key pay-per-view and has always been one of my favorites. I can’t wait to see what happens.
Cryssi: Well this is not the match I expected to be predicting this week, but here we are. Lay-Cool versus Natalya… again. Since Nattie has been the Divas Champion she’s feuded with two people; Layla and Michelle McCool as I hardly count her three week interaction with Melina as a feud. Her title reign has been less than impressive and that’s entirely the WWE’s fault. Nattie has done the best she could do with what’s been given to her and that’s not much. Unfortunately, the WWE will probably blame Natalya and thus I see Lay-Cool regaining the Divas Championship at the Royal Rumble. But the question is, which member of the team gets the pin? In my little brunette head I see Layla and Natalya putting on a clinic and Layla hitting the Lay-Out close to the ropes. As she goes to pin Natalya and win the championship, Michelle reaches over, tags herself in much to Layla’s dismay, and picks up the victory. Michelle celebrates like she won the Super Bowl and Layla just looks pissed off. Michelle hands her the championship and coaxes her into celebrating and eventually, Layla’s icy exterior thaws a bit and both girls make their way back to the lockerroom happy again… for now.
David: It doesn’t seem like many people are excited about the Divas Championship match at the Royal Rumble. As you know, Lay-Cool exacted their rematch clause this past week on Raw, so now Natalya is forced to defend her title in a handicap match at the pay-per-view. I am looking forward to the match because I like all 3 of these wrestlers but I understand people’s confusion and disappointment. What happened to Melina and Eve? Why were they just pushed aside for Lay-Cool? What about Beth? She’s been dominant on SmackDown. In general the Royal Rumble is a fun PPV and I think we’re going to see a surprise Sunday night. Maybe Amazing Kong makes her debut. In my opinion, though, Lay-Cool is going to win the title and then immediately after the match someone else is going to exact her own rematch clause. Due to injury The Glamazon never did receive her own rematch after losing the belt in May. So Sunday night I think Beth cashes in and walks out of Boston with the Divas Championship, keeping the Sisters of Destruction on top and Lay-Cool without the belt.
Eric: When Lay-Cool’s music hit on Monday night, I, like many of you began cursing and throwing tantrums. After all, wasn’t this feud settled with the tag team tables match? I thought so. However, maybe it is the little bit of optimism that refuses to leave my cynical body (and reports that Melina self sabotaged this push) but I have to believe that WWE has a bigger plan for this match than a simple title switch or defense. So , am joining many of you in praying that Oprahgod brings us Kong. The match will be a simple 7 minute affair with Natalya making Michelle tap. Double teamed by Lay-Cool after. Beth comes for the save. Bam Kong destroys Beth and Nattie. Touchdown dances all around. Kong will be a trending topic and maybe the #iwantwrestling folks will get their wish.
Erin: The abrupt about-face that resulted in this match makes me wonder what the WWE is actually planning for Natalya’s title reign. The feeling that zero planning has gone into this match doesn’t give me a lot of faith in Natalya’s chances of coming out on top–it’s as if the WWE suddenly realized that Lay-Cool need to stay at the very top of the Divas division, and what better what to solidify that than to give them the Divas Championship once again? Clearly, they think it’s inevitable that Lay-Cool be involved in the title hunt in some shape or form, so I don’t expect them to go long without the belt. The rumored debut of Kong makes me wonder if this match could result in a completely new feud–Lay-Cool vs. Kong–and the dynamic duo might need the title to make the feud as big as the WWE is hoping it could be. I say that Lay-Cool (specifically Michelle) will get the pin and once again claim the Divas Championship.
Melanie: So let’s analyse: Natalya was in a feud with Melina on Raw. That feud got blown off in a 3 minute match. Lay-Cool, who have had no dealing with Natalya in over a month, appear and announce they’ll be facing Natalya for the belt at the Rumble. To me that suggests WWE was looking for a quick way to get the belt back on Layla and Michelle for an upcoming storyline. What will that storyline be? Not sure. But my prediction is that Lay-Cool were not put in this match simply for the hell of it, but because they are supposed to win the belts. Lay-Cool wins. But the real question is: Will Kong debut?
Steven: As much as it pains me to say it, I don’t see Natalya leaving the Royal Rumble with the Divas Title around her waist. After the lackluster feud with Melina and it’s abrupt ending on Monday, it looks like WWE is looking to put the strap back on Lay-Cool, who had a much better run as co-champions. What makes me so frustrated about the possible (and very likely) title change, is the fact that WWE never even came close to scratching the surface of what Nattie could bring to the table as champion. At the Royal Rumble, expect Natalya to drop the belt to Lay-Cool.
Leave your predictions in the comments!
