As we reported here on Diva Dirt earlier this week, Trish Stratus recently gave her opinion on WWE’s current women’s Division and she didn’t pull any punches. Some might think that she was slamming WWE and the present roster, but I happen to believe otherwise. Trish brought up some valid points that I agree with. Let’s face it, ever since Trish retired, the women’s division has been on a slow downward spiral. Despite gaining a new title, having rookies develop into solid wrestlers (Michelle, Kelly and Maryse), and signing ACTUAL talent (Natalya and Gail), Diva matches are still just a glorified bathroom break for many fans. If WWE wants to restore the division to it’s former splendor(which is doubtful), they need to take some of Trish’s tips(as well as mine):
Step 1: Narrow down the roster.
I hate to see anyone lose their jobs, especially in our fickle economy, but the first step that needs to be taken is to hand out some pink slips. WWE’s female payroll is the largest in company history. However, the vast majority of these Divas have nothing going on at the moment. While Candice and Maria are majorly over with the fans, their ringwork leaves a lot to be desired. This is inexcusable, as they have been in the company for several years. Part of the reason WWE fans pay no attention to the Divas, is that they tend to have some sloppy matches. They would the first casualties if I was the one looking to cut costs. Besides the weak links ring-wise, Divas who are utterly missable could be at risk. Katie Lea is one of the most talented wrestlers to be signed in a while, but we barely get to see her. I’m sure I’ve said this before, but if Katie gets released, there aren’t many of us who would even bat an eye.
Step 2: Develop and establish rising stars.
In the ever growing crowd of Divas, there are a few standout stars that are sure to be major players in the near future. These girls include: Alicia Fox, Natalya and possibly The Bella Twins(if they’re used properly). If the WWE wants to get them over with the fans and let them live up to full potential they have to properly showcase their talent. Stop booking them in these multi-Diva tag matches, where only two or three diva compete and book some single matches. The fans aren’t going to acknowledge them if they’re just being fillers in some pointless tag match. Kelly Kelly and Maryse are perfect examples that this method works. Both Maryse and Kelly came in as relative nobodies and developed into top divas. Kelly managed to score several single victories over Beth Phoenix, Maryse roped in some gold and both have the fans firmly behind them or against them in Maryse’s case.
Step 3: Invest in storylines with the top divas.
Last but definitely not least, WWE needs to develop some storylines with their top Divas. For months upon months we, the fans, have seen several matches that served no purpose but to fill a quota. The last decent feud and storyline we’ve seen was Mickie James vs Trish and that was ages ago. The matches we’ve been treated to as of late have done nothing for character development or storyline advancement. The closest thing to an actual storyline at this moment is the Santina/Beth which says a lot for the state of the division. Maybe Mickie could revert to her old psycho self, or giving some of the rookies an actual character to build upon. A good storyline and a high profile feud could be the first and most important step to restoring the women’s division and getting people to care again.
In conclusion, I just want to thank Trish for giving her opinions on the state of the WWE Divas. Us Diva fans have been saying these things for months, but maybe now that our thoughts have a public face, WWE will take notice and do something about it. Leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments.
