Diva Dirt presents its third annual Writers’ Choice Awards, the awards that celebrate the year in women’s wrestling, as decided by the editors and contributors of Diva Dirt. The Diva Dirt team has watched hundreds of episode of wrestling television this year, followed a countless number of wrestlers and reviewed tons of matches. Now, as we come to the end of 2013, we have picked the best of the best to be awarded our Writers’ Choice trophies.
Best Match: Gail Kim vs. Taryn Terrell in a Last Knockout Standing Match
TNA’s Knockouts division has had a rocky 2013. The division was flourishing at the beginning of the year after Velvet Sky won back the belt in the United Kingdom, Mickie James turned heel and became the most decorated women’s wrestler in television history and the company even taped an all-female Pay-Per-View event back in March.
However, financial difficulties crippled the division, with TNA letting go Vice President of the Knockouts Brooke Hogan, record-tying five-time Knockouts Champion Tara, Madison Rayne while she was pregnant and up-and-comer Taeler Hendrix. On top of that, Mickie James’s contract expired while she was the Knockouts Champion. All of this was sitting on the horizon, but that didn’t stop the original Knockouts Champion and a plucky ex-Diva from stealing the show, creating the Match of the Year in the process.
It was June 2nd at TNA’s Slammiversary pay-per-view. Seasoned grappler Gail Kim and rough-around-the-edges Taryn Terrell has been feuding for a few months after Gail disrespected Taryn’s authority, who was the Knockouts referee at the time.
Taryn had caused Gail to get pinned by Velvet Sky in February, costing Gail championship glory. The pair fought backstage and has nasty catfights in the ring, all leading to this event. The match was a Last Knockout Standing match, yet after it, it was the entire audience and fans at home who were on their feet, applauding the efforts of both combatants.
The girls utilized high flying offense, intricate submissions and of course, they got the weapons out! Taryn made enemies with the entrance ramp, Gail puckered up for a steel chair (and it wasn’t a pleasant kiss!) and the match ended with Taryn hitting Gail with a running cutter off the ramp. The fans were in awe, the audience at home were in shock and the match was critically acclaimed, and rightfully so.
The two went on to have a Ladder match later in the year, yet it was this match that stood out the most. Gail proved that her career is far from over and Taryn demonstrated how very wrong WWE were to let her go. The girls created some monumental moments, told a fantastic story and both proved that there is more than enough life left in the Knockouts division.
Stay tuned for more Writers’ Choice Award reveals over the next few days.
