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.
30 Comments
at 6:34 pm
Maryse seems to be the only diva getting major screen & mic time, especially on live TV. I hope this is a good sign that they’re fully backing her to be one of the top 2 divas in the company (and heir apparent to Trish/Lita). She’s an excellent heel who really sells “self-absorbed conceit” well, her in-ring skills improve every week, and her looks speak for itself. The hairwhip is the sexiest signature in wrestling (besting Melina’s split entrance). ZIP IT!
at 6:40 pm
I’m glad they swerved having Kelly win, I fully expected Mickie to win it and face Maryse.
I’m surprised that you didn’t mention the whole Miss Wrestlemania thing, its the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen. Beth Phoenix had been trying to beat Santina for months to win the crown, and they have Vickie win it with no pay off at all for Beth. Its just lame, but hopefully this is the end of Santina.
at 6:45 pm
Lets pray it’s the end of Santina!
at 6:54 pm
Why isn’t Vickie mentioned in the Raw Redux? After all, she did defeat Santina Marella in order to become our new Miss Wrestlemania. But the most important thing on Raw Diva wise was clearly the ending to the battle royal. The ending is basically a “to be continued” sort of thing, because although Kelly Kelly won, she won with the help of Maryse. I wonder how Mickie will handle this; will she just except it? Will she help Kelly Kelly win the Divas Championship or will Mickie try to get revenge on Maryse who ultimately screwed her out of the championship? My thought would be that Micke would try to get revenge on Maryse, but at what costs? Would Mickie cost Maryse her match against Kelly for the champion-ship or what? I don’t know how, but this ending, this “to be continued” ending, leaves a lot of us interested.
If Mickie does screw Maryse out of her championship match, then Kelly will win and become the Divas Championship, but with that in mind I wonder who will become the first ever Divas and Women’s Champion. My money is on Mickie as of right now, but who knows? Maybe the WWE will magically spark up the feud between Gail, Melina, and Michelle soon.
at 6:57 pm
Melanie, great post! I agree, great curve ball with Kelly winning. Can’t wait until next week.
at 6:58 pm
The fact that I didn’t include Vickie or Santina in the Redux should tell you something. I don’t care about the whole Miss WrestleMania thing, neither really are Divas and it just doesn’t bear me wasting my time writing about.
at 7:13 pm
But to those who might have not watched Monday Night Raw last night, they might just read your blog and assume that the only thing that happen last night on Raw including the Divas was a Divas battle royal in order to be the #1 contender for the Divas Championship, since you never once mentioned the match. Eh, it was a simple question and since it was a Raw Redux I assumed that everything that happened last night involving the women of Raw would have been included, but I was clearly wrong.
at 7:20 pm
I’m thinking maybe Mickie could go psycho on Kelly, claiming she stabbed her in the back, yada yada. Please God, I hope so. :o
at 7:27 pm
The Redux isn’t an alternative to watching Raw and I’m sure everyone who reads it has already watched Raw. It’s a thoughts column on the Divas action. I have nothing nice to say about the whole Santina situation and I don’t want to waste my time writing about it, nor does it really constitute as Divas action.
at 7:38 pm
Did anyone else notice the face pop Jillian got? I was pretty excited, but then I remembered they were in Louisville last night.. Jillian needs to go face…
Anyways, I thought the battle royal was decent and maybe Kelly will be added to the mix come the next ppv. I really have no desire seeing Mickie as champion when she pretty much holds the title around this time of year for the past 2 years and drops around the fall; old news. I’d personally rather see Kelly take it as it the 2nd rate title and she would be a fresh champion compared the Melina, Beth, Mickie rotation we have had to endure for the past 2 years.
I dont know about anyone else, but I thought Vickie played her role very well last night, but I do hope that was the last of Santina and they move towards a Santino vs Regal angle.
at 7:55 pm
Funny thing is I noticed that as well Jordan, but once I found out they were in Louisville, Kentucky it made sense why she was receiving such a decent pop. I love Jillian H as a heel, but it’s so obvious that on Monday Night Raw Jillian will never become one of the top ranking Divas. She’ll sadly always be a jobber and I wish that-that would change.
Agreed, Jordan. I love Mickie James as champion, but something new like Kelly Kelly becoming champion would break the mold of the regular routine. That way, Kelly Kelly can finally get some praise or at least a decent sized feud with Maryse, before, the spotlight switches back onto Mickie.
But I loved the segments involving Vickie and her match against Santina. This bought me back to when Stephanie was feuding with Trish, of course, Santina will never be Trish and Vickie will never be Stephanie, but the match reminded me of the whole Trish and Stephanie feud. Except the concept of the match was not the same.
at 8:28 pm
Yeah sadly she will always be at jobber status as a heel.. But on the bright side at least she is not being eliminated first anymore. Looks like Rosa has kinda taken the low status heel role for right now, and the Bellas will never be anything more then managerial eye candy, so who knows.. Maybe some day Jillian will at least be like Kelly and get a win here and there… Wishful thinking I know lol
at 9:10 pm
i loved the surprise ending with kelly getting the win, but we all know she isnt going to beat maryse… at least right now anyway.
more importantly, i really enjoyed the pop jillian got on her way to the ring!!!! jillian needs to be promoted out of jobbing status. i’d send her over to ECW; she is really a hidden treasure!
at 10:06 pm
I agree people I was shock I thought Mickie was gonna win for sure,but i was wrong in the end maybe this was a good change seeing Kelly Kelly win. I mean they have to change up teh order for champonships reigns. There are many outcomes in which this incident can turn out.
1:Mickie can Cost Mayrse her title.
2.Mayrse retains her belt and shows why she is on Raw and Champion.
3.Mickie attacks kelly kelly turning her heel,costing kelly her title match.
What i would like to see is Beth get into tihs some how.
at 10:19 pm
I Dont Know Your Opinion But Kelly Deserve That Title Opportunity Because She Prove A Lot To All The Fans And To All The WWE That She Is More Than The Pretty And Innocence Girl That All Think , She Is A Wrestler Too And I Hope See Her Like The New WWE DIVAS CHAMPION !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And If Mickie Do What Katielea Rocks Says In The Number 3 She Is A *itch Because I Know Than Mickie In Kelly’s Places Do The Same
at 10:22 pm
Anyone see Angelina Love and Velvet Sky on their MySpace pages crying like children about Maryse spraying Mickie in the eyes? As if they invented that. Have they ever heard of Missy Hyatt, Precious, or any of the numerous other women in wrestling who did that long before they did?
at 10:24 pm
Whoops. Didn’t see that there was a post about that already.
at 11:19 pm
Very odd win, but its the first time Raw has been interesting in months. I think Kelly definitely deserves the title shot but I dont see anything coming out of it other than pushing the Mickie-Maryse feud. Its a little sad cause while the Kelly-Maryse feud would probably be weaker, it seems fresh and id rather see it at this point over Mickie-Maryse, their matches have been a little lacklustre and stale.
at 12:55 am
I would be nice to have the title match at the PPv but its extreme rules, so no chance there. BUt i would liek to see Kelly and Maryse go at it and have Mickie come in and Have Kelly win by disqualification, and it sets up a good triple threat fued.
at 1:40 am
..BUT you are eliminated if you are threw on the TOP ROPE. Why Mickie wasn’t eliminated on the TOP ROPE?
at 4:53 am
sheLooksGud2me, that doesn’t apply in Divas matches. The Divas hardly ever get eliminated going over the top rope.
at 4:57 am
the only person thrown over the top rope was rosa mendes. divas RARELY go over the top rope… is this your first divas battle royal??? lol! go watch any of them on youtube… victoria always did her signature backwards fall through the bottom rope
at 5:56 am
yay i finally got the match i wanted kelly vs maryse for the title hopefully kelly gets a non title win over maryse first i hope they dont just do the title match next week and have her lose……and too bad jillian didnt win a face turn for jillian would be nice…..
at 7:21 am
Jordan, you said at least jillian isnt being eliminated first anymore…
i was looking over her record in battle royals and shes always done pretty well.
her worst battle royal was the trick or treat battle royal in 2006.
speaking of Jillian. just looking at her she the body of a powerful diva. she looks like she could match power with power against Natalya, Vicotia and even Beth. During her face turn and feud with melina Jillian became the number 1 diva on smakcdown but then Ashley showed up and it all went down hill for Jillian as all the atention and screen time went to Ashley the ‘wrestler’. But i think the point at which Jillian officially became a jobber was after the Summerslam battle royal in 2007.
at 8:26 am
Raw sucked, end of story. Ive seen better battle royal with less botch involving trashley and maria.