It’s official: this is where women’s wrestling is at. SmackDown, in my humble estimation, is now the premiere series to be watching if you are looking for women’s wrestling on your televisual boxes. That was never more evident than tonight’s episode, where despite not even having a match, SmackDown proved that it is the show that everyone should be watching. Compelling storylines, well written characters and great performances — it’s hard not to do double-take. This is WWE, right? Despite the recent years of fluff and disappointment, WWE have delivered perhaps one of their strongest Divas storylines in quite some time and this week’s show is a seminal moment in what I expect will be a turning of the tide. There’s nothing Diva-y about this week’s SmackDown, to spin the old line used by WCW — this is where the big girls play.
Beginning this week’s Divas action, we saw the debut of Serena Mancini in what may go down as one of the most memorable debuts in Diva history.
PART 1 PART 2 Serena appears as a fan jumping the barricade during another scintilating straight edge promo from CM Punk, claiming she needs him. He says she knows he needs him. Honestly, the initial dialogue was as cheesy as a Twilight movie and I was expecting Punk to throw in a “You are my life now” at some point. That said, it did get better and Punk is golden at his whole shtick. We see Serena willing to make the ultimate sacrifice and denounce her life of addiction etc. and has her shaved head in the name of her saviour, Punk.
All in all, I think this was a good segment and Serena played the cult-like psycho very well. It’ll be interesting to see how she’s used from here with her bald head. I hope this works out for her, it’s a great sacrifice to make but she’s in the big leagues now. I hope she didn’t sacrifice this just to be the glorified bald manager for Punk’s Straight Edge Society. The setup of that group doesn’t really suggest to me that it’ll have a typical manager/wrestler dynamic ala Hart Dynasty. I expect we’ll see Serena actually getting nitty-gritty and I look forward to it. Perhaps she herself could target a Diva and try to ‘help’ them?
Next up, Mickie’s ‘going away’ party:
Not since the days of Trish [you know, when WWE actually cared about writing for the Divas] have we seen a promo as elaborate as this. The Divas got to be part of an in-ring segment complete with props with the red carpet and table of food and also received plenty of time for their spot. What the Divas accomplished in this segment, I feel, is much more than what could be accomplished in a standard Divas match that we see every week. As I wrote earlier in the column, I feel this was a seminal moment for this feud but also for the WWE Divas. WWE has shown here that they can write good stuff for the Divas because this was extremely strong.
PART 1 PART 2 Michelle & Layla decide that tonight is Mickie James’ last night on SmackDown and throw her a going away party and we see some funny banter between them before Maria hits the ring. I have to hand it to Maria, I thought this was the promo of her career — she was extremely convincing and didn’t come across as the ditzy girl or the unlucky in love girl, but a strong female.
Mickie then comes out and cuts the promo we have been waiting on for weeks, telling Michelle and Layla that all women of all different shapes and sizes are beautiful. If only WWE believed that. Mickie’s promo, again was well spoken but I have to say, I preferred Maria’s.
Mickie goes after Layla and then Michelle as all hell breaks loose before the Glamazon, Beth Phoenix hits the ring and chooses Team Lay-Cool after weeks of ‘will she turn face?’. Disappointing as I had hoped Beth would move away from being a stoic heel as she has been in the past few years.
The moment when Michelle hit Mickie in the face with the cake and then dumped the bowl of punch on her, this for me was a turning point. In that moment, I felt like I could feel Mickie’s emotions and that kind of empathy is so hard to write in scripted television. It really did give me chills, Mickie in tears so convincingly — broken down and battered by Michelle and Layla finally. It’s hard to believe that a scene like this could have been written by the same people who have shafted us for so many years but they were always capable of it. The connection that WWE has created between Mickie and the viewer after the end of that scene is golden. I’d have to think that after that, even the most casual fan would want to see where this goes next and want to see Mickie get her revenge.
This is perhaps the best written scene WWE has pulled out for it’s Divas in years and it’s not just them, kudos to all the women involved for pulling it off so effectively. All five played their parts well and sold the drama to the viewer. Each of them were convincing and so congrats to them.
All of the topics covered here on SmackDown this week have been a greatly welcomed move away from the stupid storylines based around jealousy or looks as has been the status quo for the past few years. From Serena and Punk’s straight edge cult to Mickie standing up for her femininity, the subject matter here is gritty and it’s intriguing. Easily one of the best nights for the Divas in quite some time.
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80 Comments
omg I’m loving the new DivaDirt make over,
i didn’t like the Serena segment it really made me cringe, especially the weird orgasm faces they were all making and the slow motion replays, it was beyond weird
i liked this weeks divas segment it was a lot better then i had suspected it would be
however it felt like the ending to this story line, so I’m disappointed the beth face turn never actually came into fruition
Both the segments was great. Love Serena for her sacrifice and can’t wait to see whats next for her. WOW at the last one. Michelle, Mickie, Layla, Maria and Beth did what many have been hoping for an d thats finally show the Divas can do it too. Best segment since the Mickie/Trish psycho Lesbian fued.
Both segements were great.
Also Mel , it to me looked like Beth was trying to choose when she first entered the ring. Like she was thinking should I help Mickie or be againts her. I mean she paused for a good 5 seconds and looked then went for maria. So I was thinking that she didnt really wanna help Lay-Cool
Serena’s debut was awesome. So much better than the typical Diva debut of “show up, look sexy, and…that’s about it”. On an aside, I didn’t know she got a nosejob, but it looks good on her. I’m glad she kept relatively the same shape and didn’t go for the tiny nose that a lot of celebs seem to go for.
People assume that CM Punk/Luke Gallows are going to win the tagteam titles (they are being wasted on DX), so that means they can work both SD and RAW, so that would probably mean Serena can valet for them on both shows, thats like the best debut you can have as a Diva.
theregoeskitty wrote:
“i didn’t like the Serena segment it really made me cringe, especially the weird orgasm faces they were all making and the slow motion replays, it was beyond weird”
I watched a documentary 2 weeks about about cult leaders and their followers, and Cm Punk/Serena played it very convincingly, just like real cult followers. And thats obviously what WWE is trying to accomplish. References to “beyond a shadow of a doubt”, “i’m your true savior” etc.
I haven’t watched the videos yet, but amazing Redux, like usual. You go Melanie!
I agree. SD needs to keep booking the women like this. And the talent right now is just buzzing. Michelle, Beth, Mickie, Natalya (provided she gets more matches) and now Serena (again if she’s added to the division as a regular)!
Both segments were very well done. Serena got the best introduction possible for a Diva debuting with one of the top heels in the company.
And that mock Mickie farewell party had everything you wanted. Mickie is really strong on the mic, McCool is improving on the mic and Layla is really funny!
The SD women’s division right now, in terms of booking, blows both RAW and TNA out of the water.
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL @ Mickie’s reference to Michelle’s appearance on Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader. Her promo seemed quite different for WWE. Never thought they would let her cut a promo about ‘real women’ coming in different sizes, etc.
This is the company which poked fun at Molly Holly’s butt and the looks of Alundra Blayze (Lawler) and Luna Vachon on several occasions.
While Mickie came out looking like the loser with cake shoved in her face it put her over even more as a sympathetic babyface. Drafting her to SD, no matter what you think of this storyline, was a blessing for her after what happened on RAW months before.
Amazing. I just wish that Smackdown diva matches be just as good as this segment.
I think that Serena looks pretty, and I hope this storyline work out for her.
The thing I love about Serena’s debut is how much they tried to make it look like she was really just some crazed fan. Gallows calling for security had me chuckling a bit. This is really a great opportunity for Serena. She may not have the “WWE look” until her hair grows back, but it makes her unique, which is what you want to be when trying to get over.
Michelle, Layla, Maria, and Mickie really knocked it out of the park with that promo. The aftermath was heartbreaking. But aside from the obvious, what I really appreciated about the promo is the women earning the WWE’s trust. With their great work in this feud, they EARNED a 11 minute promo. Furthermore, by really nailing it, they’ve earned future opportunities, and a storyline that could possible be stretched all the way to Wrestlemania. Beth, I still believe, will be turning face, and I look for her to give in to the angel on her shoulder and help Mickie win the title at the Royal Rumble.
It’s Serena, bitch!
Teri-ROFLMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!
Goodnightddtmnm is right,Beth did pause for about 5 seconds before chossing.I expect her to turn on Michelle at the Royal Rumble,so it wasn’t disappointing for me.
Serena played her role perfectly,but when she was shaved I cringed through the whole thing!I found myself grabbing my head to feel my hair,just freaked out by the whole thing,and I’m a guy!
The Mickie-Michelle promo wasn’t what I expected it to be.It wasn’t a letdown,just not up to par with what I was initially expecting.It was still good,though.And I LMAO when Michelle said,”We can’t miss you,your huge”,almost under her breath.It was very skillfully done! :)
When Mickie was crying I was crying inside.I felt bad for her,and now I want to see her beat Michelle,but I expect that feeling to die down in a few days…
Overall, Smackdown is now officially the show to watch!
wow most awesome debut i’ve seen of any Diva hehe
cant wait to see where they go from here Serena
Maria and Mickie both totally amazed me with there promo!
man it got pretty intense though havent seen a beatdown like that in A WHILE
oh and Mickie looked great in that outfit
I didn’t really care for Deeb’s debut, I’m not into Punk and his little stable. But good for her for having a unique debut and with one of the WWE’s top guys, this is pretty much as good as it gets as far as the girls are concerned. I mean, most of the girls employed right now were introduced via the Diva Search…
As for the “Piggie James” stuff, wow was it good. I was laughing so hard at LayCool’s antics and some of their harsh digs were pretty funny. I found/find Maria to be annoying when she tries to be a “powerful woman”, but she is convincing as the good friend watching Mickie’s back. Mickie was pretty good and damn did she look pretty hot, I must say. I loved it when she screamed “look at me!” and Michelle goes “we can’t miss you, seriously” it was very understated but God was it funny. The “easiest to see in the ring” and “Animal Planet” ones were kind of lame but got me to chuckle. I did feel Mickie’s emotions when she got the food and drink in her face, that was some good acting.
As for Beth’s involvment, it felt really out of place this week and I think it’s only because she teamed with LayCool. To me, it didn’t make much sense and I don’t see how it added anything to the segment.
i really wanted to see Beth turn on Michelle and Layla at the end…
hopefully she gets involved in the match at the RR
That Mickie & Maria / Michelle & Layla promo was amazing. This was one of the few times that I’ve found myself reacting to what went on in the ring as if it were real. It’s really nice to see the WWE creating storylines for the women that really make the fans care. Perfectly done by all the women involved.
My only issue is that Beth’s involvement doesn’t really make any sense. Mickie and Michelle are the main rivals, Maria and Layla are the sidekicks, but Beth has no real reason to be there. Having her take Michelle and Layla’s side makes her seem more like a lacky than the dominant wrestler she is. I don’t know, it just seemed a bit random and unnecessary to involve her in this promo at all.
Maria knows how to cut a promo, she was awesome in this! This whole segment reminded me of some of the greatest Divas segments like Mickie’s present for
Trish and Lita and Kane’s wedding. I believed and felt every moment of it. Wrestling gold.
I’m scared for Serena, she was pretty and all but even with her hair she didn’t quite make the WWE Diva cut in terms of look… I really hope WWE is slowly drifting away from the emphasis on looks and Serena the bald Diva is pushed as she deserves to be.
I LOVED Smackdown this week! I’ve never seen Serena before, but I already love her. And she totally ROCKS the shaved-head look!
Maria was great. I love angry Maria. She really gets good when she’s angry. That’s why I was kinda sad to see the Melina/Maria thing cut off when Melina was drafted back to Raw.
The segment started out really funny and I liked how it wasn’t a “Going Away Party” but a “Go Away Party”. Haha. Then it ended really sad. The acting was done great by everyone (especially Maria) and I was almost in tears watching Mickie.
I’m amazed at how great Smackdown is getting compared to just a few months ago.
I LOVE YOU MICHELLE!
I found it kind of ironic how Mickie said she wouldn’t let Michelle and Layla’s antics affect her, but she reacts to it every week. She cries, freaks out, gets super pissed, then cries some more.
I love that this week she finally seemed to get angry instead of just emotional. (i.e. when she yelled “I said look at me!”.) I want to see more of that.
And more of Maria. I the side of her that has come out during this feud. She never really got to give payback to Michelle for last year’s events and I’ve been waiting for her to really stand up to Michelle all year long.
I loved the Diva’s segment. I’m super surprised WWE gave them that much time and that good of promos to do. “Lay-Cool” are very comical together and I think that Maria did a great job considering she’s always been portrayed as the cute, ditzy girl. I’m happy that Mickie finally got the chance to talk about women of different sizes and stuff. I feel like Beth was conflicted when she got in the ring, like was mentioned earlier she paused for a while before attacking Maria.
I’ve never really been a fan of Mickie James. I mean I think she’s great but, yeah, anyway I really felt bad for her after Michelle shoved the cake in her face and poured the punch on her. She was so convincing. All in all I think it was one of the best Diva moments we’ve seen in a long time. It wasn’t a pointless match or just running mouths, it had a purpose and I thought it was great. Where has this been all these years?
Mickie showed good emotion, and Maria was great on the mic. The ending, though, gave me a feeling of deja vu as we’ve seen Mickie laid out and embarrased regularly for the last couple of months.
The crowd didn’t give a damn about the segment prior to Maria coming out. Michelle and Layla drew absolutely no heat with their schtick. In fact, the only heat they and Beth got was a brief chant (when Mickie was crying) that died quickly. That’s kind of scary, actually, given how long this angle has been going on. WWE needs to realize you can’t force the crowd to react to the people that the company wants to get over. The crowd decides who they care about and who they don’t, simple as that.
Wow. That was pretty brilliant. Way to go WWE for making Smackdown the best show for girls this week. Everyone in this segment was amazing.
And Serena is just bad ass. I cringed as I watched the video. Then I got jealous because she got to grope CM Punk :(
I’ve been more or less just reading what happened on the show rather than watching, but this I felt I had to take the time to see, and I’m glad I did. The segment with Mickie, Maria, Michelle, and Layla, was excellent. This storyline, even though I think is a tad bit cruel, is really good and getting people to feel something, and Mickie really sold it at the end. Was definitely one of those moments where you want to give them a hug and make it better, gave me chills. Best I’ve seen in a really long time from WWE.
Can’t say I totally agree. I like that they’re devoted time to the women, but it seemed plain to me that Mickie was the only strong aspect of this segment, as was expected tbh. McCool was weak, Maria is struggling and Layla’s humour really doesn’t shine through it involves her speaking. Good concept. Delivery? Not so good.
Anyway, one thing that’s really becoming obvious, especially now that Melina’s out of the scene, is that Mickie is BY FAR the premier diva of this generation. She was miles ahead of the others here in terms of ability to manipulate and connect with the crowd, emotion and delivery in general. Unless WWE decide to turn Melina heel so that she can shine in angles and storylines, I can’t help but feel that WWE are going to suffer badly as far as the women’s division goes in Mickie does indeed retire.
Wow just amazing show tonight I almost cried when that happened to Mickie but ever diva did so well and btw way to go wwe that segment took like 14 minutes with cheers not jeers like we hear many times when divas cut promos also serena holy crap that chick has balls and the way it looked for me Is that she may be CM punk GF lol no match no problem! Beautiful Smackdown had the better wrestlers the better storylines and the better divas! I also like how Michelle mentioned Maria and her celebrity gig and Mickie mentioned Michelle stint on 5 th grader haha loves it. A great day in womens wrestling today!!
*if it involves her speaking
‘Mickie’s promo, again was well spoken but I have to say, I preferred Maria’s.” I have to disagree with that. While Maria was pretty good tonight, this was really one of Mickie’s best promos. I really enjoyed the whole segment, all the divas did their part great. I really loved how beth looked torn on who she should side with. Interesting that she went for Maria first and not Mickie. While Michelle is getting better on the mic, her voice just ruins it for me, I find it too annoying for some reason. Never would I think that WWE would let a women come out and say that all women; whether thin or fat, short or tall, they are all beautiful and sexy.
As for the CM Punk/Serena segment, I loved it. What a great way to debut on the main roster. For a while I’ve been wanting their to be a female in Punks stable, and now I got my wish. I love the fact that she isn’t your average looking diva. Like Mickie, Serena is very curvy and on the shorter side which I totally identify with since I’m 5’1 and a curvy woman.
I find Michelle and Layla’s act to be incredibly contrived and forced. Its excruciating to watch. I must agree with you about Maria though. The segment picked up when she came out and she was believable for once. Though, Mickie James stole the show in my opinion. She is by far one of the best talkers to ever come through the women’s division. I’m not trying to be a hater but these segments die every time Michelle takes control. I felt myself dozing off when she was preparing to put the pig in Mickie’s face.
ha ha ha Layla:
“I’ve got manners, im from England!”
Good promo overall. I think Beth could have been kept out, because coming out to help LayCool, does not make her look strong. If she had to be involved, she could have come out and simply watch the ending.
IMO, it would be nice if Beth helps Michelle defeat Mickie at RR, and after the match attack Michelle and hold the title, as if to say “I’m your next challenger.” If Mickie were to win, that means Beth remains a heel and focuses mainly on her, since she has the title, which further means she won’t really feud with Michelle.
Strong performances by all. I was pretty impressed by everyone. I hope this convinces the WWE to give the Divas more mic time, because all of them (especially Maria) have the skills for it. I wish Maria would be serious more often–she killed it on the mic.
Both of those segments were great. I wish great things upon Serena. Shaving your head is a big sacrifice and I hope it isn’t in vain.
The Mickie segment….that’s what I miss. I was so involved, talking back to the screen as if I was in the ring for her. Hell, I was ready to throw down on LayCool. Seriously. And the ending….I felt so bad for Mickie, that I was really calling for Michelle and Layla’s blood. That’s what we need right now.
I was kinda depressed when I heard there was no match but damn was it worth it. Mikas, I actually didn’t think of that, as that sounds like a great idea. I also heard than Nigel McGuinness might be brought into CM Punk’s stable so this stable could be larger than life.
The Good: Maria’s mic skills, Mickie stands up for women, Lay-Cool’s comedy eg. McCool tries to pick up Mickie (the pig cake) but struggles to pick it up as it’s too heavy, Amount of time given, Crowd reaction.
The Bad: Again, as I said, no match, but this promo well made up for it.
The Ugly: Beth’s involvement. IDK why, but she just seemed out of place, she was defending Mickie and girls that are big but then turns her back on her and helps Lay-Cool. It just made her seem like she is their minion and not the Glamazon like we all know she is.
Also, at the end, I was really cheering for Mickie to stop crying and just go after Lay-Cool. I really wanted her to just go crazy and destroy them, as this promo really made me feel bad for her and I wanted her to stick up for herself as she said she would.
Best night for divas since October 22, 2007.
what a night for the divas! & there wasn’t even a match tonight.
serena had one of the most interesting debuts i have ever seen for a diva. i am very much looking forward to seeing what the wwe has in store for her. i’m not sure she will see much action right away, but she will be part of one of wwe’s biggest storyline. i also prefer this gimmick for her then the stereotypical mafia girl they gave her in fcw, this gimmick has more range.
and what a promo for the other divas. that promo alone makes me want to order the royal rumble to see mickie vs, michelle. the raw writers could learn a thing or two from smackdown about how to write for the divas.
“Best night for divas since October 22, 2007.”
If this is about Candice getting injured, then you are what’s wrong about the world today. This injury ruined her career, and your saying this is the best thing to happen to the Divas? I think not,
1 thing I forgot to add was:
The Good: Lay-Cool gets heat! Especially at the beginning where they were just standing in the ring, you could hear boos, and not many heel superstars get heat when they just enter.
Wow I’m not really a big Maria fan, but I loved her in this segment. She really stood up for her friend, and I was proud of her. She’s right, everyone is annoyed with LayCool. Yes I’m loving that they are doing more with the Diva’s, but I don’t like the weight issues. I think it’s a big thing in society today, and WWE is kinda making it worse with this.
Great discussion everybody! Loved reading your comments. Tonight was a fantastic night for the Divas – which is amazing since they didn’t even have a match. I am not a Mickie lover (or Maria for that matter) but I will admit they cut GREAT promos and I was super impressed with all the girls. I was jazzed to see Beth come down – and she definitely was conflicted – although I thought she should have destroyed everybody and not chosen a side. Regardless…it is cool we have a Royal Rumble title match to look fwd to – one that actually has been built over time. Congrats WWE! (PS – the site looks GREAT!)
I’m kind of upset that Beth didn’t go for Michelle or Layla. You would think that because of Beth being a more fit woman that she would be offended by what LayCool have been talking about. But there is still the Royal Rumble. I hope Mickie wins. Here is how I hope it plays out: Mickie vs. Michelle but Layla gets involved, then Beth comes out and takes care of Layla and Mickie picks up the win. And hopefully a face turn by Beth soon…it’s much needed.
Melanie – I was just wondering if you guys maybe have some screencaps of the old DivaDirt site because I already forgot what it looks like. I agree with the majority, the site looks great.
“The Good: Lay-Cool gets heat! Especially at the beginning where they were just standing in the ring, you could hear boos, and not many heel superstars get heat when they just enter.”
At what point? I re-watched the whole part of the segment before Maria came out, and the crowd was dead.
Upon a second viewing, this segment really leaves a lot to be desired. Mickie had an inspirational speech, but then she just gets humiliated again. This was her Carrie moment and I’m bummed she didn’t snap once and for all and embrace her psycho roots. If something exciting like that were to happen the Royal Rumble would be a must. But it didn’t, and now I’m sure I’ll just end up catching the match on YouTube the following morning. Like you suggested, I’m really hoping Serena will get involved in the women’s division, trying to “help” one of the other girls and sparking a feud in the process. Team LayCool are no Beautiful People, and their jokes are beyond tired. Lord knows SmackDown!’s heel scene could use some freshening up.
And I must say that Mickie and Beth looked really great tonight!!
I thought of Carrie too after that punch got dumped on her!!!
Love me some Beth but I agree that she was superfluous in this promo. I saw her hesitation as well and think that in the end she’ll be for Mickie or outside of it all. I think that she’s included at all just to give her a storyline, which I’m not complaining about.
I would LOVE to take Serena’s place. Punk, I’m bald and straightedge already–take ME!!!!
i liked smackdown this week. sad, of course, that there was no match, but taking what we were given, it was really good.
maria needs to stick with that attitude more often, i want to like her and i want to get behind her, but the oh-so-ditzy stuff i can’t help but dislike. i agree with whoever mentioned lay-cool coming across as too contrived. for me, it’s as if they saw the success of tna’s tbp and are trying to emulate it too badly, but in a kid friendly manner. the screeching things in unison while throwing up their arms is really starting to annoy me.
disappointed with the beth stuff. i still think they had the perfect time to turn her last year, during the santina stuff, but just like then it feels they won’t bother. hopefully she will interfere in the royal rumble match though, it could also turn this feud into that official 3way we’ve been longing for. mickie vs mccool vs beth at wrestlemania? sure, bring it on.
restyles94. nigel mcguinness has actually been signed to tna for the last few months as desmond wolfe ;)
B Fizzle wrote:
“I’m really hoping Serena will get involved in the women’s division, trying to “help” one of the other girls and sparking a feud in the process.”
I dont see her wrestling for at least a few months, she will probably valet for Punk/Gallows for a while so the fans can get familiar with her. I do expect she gets involved in the match against DX though. Its unlikely Punk/Gallows will cleanly pin DX, so she is the most logical choice to help punk win. I would love it if Serena attacks Hornswoggle during the match, that would make her the most hated diva of the past few years ;-)
wow what a great show! once again sd proves it’s better than raw! i know everyone wants beth to turn face but personally im hopin she’ll stay heel! she is meant to be heel! plus her and mickie have hated eachother form the begining, it wouldn’t be right if they team up :/
love lay-cool their gettin better and better each week :D and for once maria was’nt the one makin me cringe!