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.
NXT Diva of the Year: Paige
There are many an interesting character down in the NXT roster. While some flourish in the character department (Bayley) and some have improved by leaps and bounds in the ring (Charlotte and Sasha), only three women have managed to thus far dominate screen time enough to showcase both an engaging personality and impressive in-ring acumen.
However, one has shone brighter than the others, and the thoughts of many fans were echoed by WWE management, who allowed a then 20 year old hellcat from Norwich, England climb to the top of the mountain first to become the inaugural NXT Women’s Champion. Whilst Emma and Summer Rae have both thoroughly entertained all who have witnessed their work, only one woman can say she’s won gold. That woman is the very first NXT Diva of the Year, Paige.
Paige started the year with only two losses as part of NXT. She was clobbering Audrey Marie, brutalizing Sasha Banks and pummeled main roster divas such as Aksana and Tamina Snuka. However, although we were all impressed with her impeccable wrestling talent, it was not until she embarked on a feud with Summer Rae that she truly blossomed.
After being attacked from behind by then ring announcer Summer, Paige unleashed a fury that had never seen before. Summer would ultimately injure Paige, causing the rage inside to intensity even further. Through backstage promos and consistently great booking, Paige and Summer Rae both set the world alight and Paige managed to run just that little bit further with the ball.
Come the summer, Paige defeated both Tamina Snuka and Alicia Fox before besting Emma in a Match of the Year candidate to make history and become the first ever NXT Women’s Champion, an accolade no other Diva can say that they accomplished.
Following on from her momentous victory, Paige continued to show off her three dimensional character, interacting and defeating the likes of Natalya, continuing to steal the show each week.
Come 2014, Paige may no longer be eligible to win this award again and as much as I have enjoyed every second watching her grow in NXT, let’s hope the main roster is ready to handle the Anti-Diva who will Rampaige her way through the competition.
Stay tuned for more Writers’ Choice Award reveals.
