WWE has announced the pro and rookie duos for it’s new series, WWE NXT to debut next Tuesday but quite unsurprisingly, it doesn’t seem this ‘season’ will feature any Divas. Boo! The show will feature ‘WWE Pros’ teaming up with ‘Rookies’ as their mentors throughout the series. So we decided to come up with our own pro/rookie team suggestions for NXT. WWE, please feel free to steal and put them into practice.
AJ Lee & Melina
Pro: Melina. Three-time Women’s Champion, one time Divas Champion, Diva of the Year 2009 in Diva Dirt Year-End Awards.
Rookie: AJ Lee. Queen of FCW, former WSU Tag Team Champion.
Perhaps the most obvious pairing for WWE NXT would be to put FCW’s ‘Pocket Rocket’, the young and talented AJ Lee with Melina. Lee has long been a fan of Melina and looks up to the former Women’s Champ so it’d a dream come true for her to one day be on the same roster as the A-List Diva. But how about going one step further and having Melina mentor AJ on NXT? Melina is known for her fire and passion which comes through in the ring, but outside of the ring she’s just as easily able to play the smiley babyface and the bitchy heel. No doubt, she’d have some invaluable lessons to share with Lee who is already well on her way to one day becoming a WWE Women’s Champion! She’s already the Queen of FCW and the standout female wrestler there with Serena now called up. Melina is sweet and good-natured and would be a positive role model to Lee who I think should play a babyface. She has a great likable quality to her just like Melina.
Aksana & Maryse
Pro: Maryse. Former Divas Champion. Best Heel in Diva Dirt Year-End Awards.
Rookie: Aksana. Former world renowned fitness model.
Aksana — known in the fitness world by her real name of Zivile Raudoniene — it seems was hired following the success of Maryse in the Divas division. Both are voluptuous blondes and both have a foreign sexiness to them. Aksana could play the bitchy heel role like her mentor, Maryse in NXT — trying to psych out the other girls and make sure that she stops at nothing for success. With Maryse’s help, Aksana could be the ‘villain’ of the reality-like show. But then again, Maryse being the attention-loving Diva that she is, why would she want more competition on the main roster? This could be an interesting dynamic with Maryse sabotaging Aksana along the way and the pair clashing would make for great drama.
More after the cut:
Courtney Taylor & Kelly Kelly
Pro: Kelly Kelly. Starred in Timbaland music video and FHM photoshoot.
Rookie: Courtney Taylor. Former ECW Diva.
Courtney Taylor had a brief and forgettable stint on the main roster which brings her right back to the drawing board. She’s now having to work her way up in FCW and fight for a spot on the main roster again just like any other Diva. Courtney has luscious blonde locks and has a cute ‘girl next door’ vibe about her that could make her a perfect babyface Diva. So who better to mentor her than WWE’s current sweetheart, Kelly Kelly? Kelly has quickly become one of the Diva fan favourites even though she has yet to really be pushed for a title run. Taking Courtney under her wing could allow some of that popularity brush off on Courtney as she tries to make it onto the main roster. But there’s also the question of whether Courtney could overtake Kelly’s popularity — would Kelly really want that? These two would probably strike up an immediate bond on NXT and be one of the most cohesive rookie-pro duos which would surely help Courtney eventually make it to the main roster where they could eventually team up in the Divas division.
Naomi Night & Alicia Fox
Pro: Alicia Fox. Best Newcomer in Diva Dirt Year-End Awards.
Rookie: Naomi Night. Former Orlando Magic dancer.
In the first matches we’ve seen of Naomi Night in FCW, it looks as though the former Orlando Magic dancer is definitely taking to wrestling like a duck to water. In her rookie matches, she’s looked competent despite only having a few months training and has a definite attitude/swagger about her — not dissimilar from another FCW born and bred Diva. Alicia Fox has become one of the Divas division’s hot young prospects with a bright future ahead of her — could she rub off some of her spark on Naomi? Night is the perfect example of a girl that could use a mentor that’s been through what she’s going through which Alicia has. Alicia could help her hone her skills and character while retaining her own personal spark. Once the student of Michelle McCool, could the student become the teacher for another?
Sarona Snuka & Beth Phoenix
Pro: Beth Phoenix. Two-time Women’s Champion, Diva of the Year 2008.
Rookie: Sarona Snuka. Daughter of Jimmy ‘Superfly’ Snuka.
Sarona Snuka is set to follow in the footsteps of the talented Natalya in becoming a multi-generational Diva in WWE. She has her own unique look, her beautiful face ever so distinct and seems to be similar to Natalya and Beth Phoenix being something of a powerhouse. You could say that she’s a ‘glamazon’. Ring any bells? As the certified ‘Glamazon’ in WWE, Beth Phoenix seems like the perfect Diva to guide Sarona into WWE Divadom. She’s not only an incredible wrestler but a smart one too — the Glamazon is portrayed as being astute, bold and perhaps even a little conniving. On NXT you could have Beth realise that she’s onto something special with Sarona, a monstrous Diva that she could control. But what happens when Sarona realises she’s being used for Beth’s own gain? It’d make interesting television to say the least.
What pro/rookie duos would you like to see in NXT? Leave your suggestions in the comments.
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46 Comments
AJ & Melina is my fave combo here.
I dont think I can picture Maryse or Kelly in mentoring roles though!
Askana and Maryse??…..i see a Slaughter/Kernoodle angle but with Billy & Chuck
overtones…..
WHAT AB0UT MiCKiE AND MiCHELLE? THEY C0ULD DEF BE MENT0RS ALS0!
how about liviana and jemma palmer
ummm, how about mickie and courtney taylor instead of k2 and courtney taylor..
My favs are AJ/Melina and Naomi/Alicia
the others are okay i guess. it’s hard to pair up the divas when AJ and Naomi are the only reason now to watch FCW(unless Serena is still there)
Rootin for Fox-Naomi defently!
i think Naomi can bring some guetto ass bi__h role to the main roster
and.. Maryse and Aksana mmm not kinda sure how are they gonna comunicate between them but.. is on.. always on with maryse (L)
and AJ i was hoping Gail to be her mentor :(
i totally agree with gmosoto…. AJ is like a young gail kim from 6 years ago, they would’ve been fab together. I hope some more pairings are created. Maybe stick Gail with Savannah and start an oriental tag team to rival the bellas. Michelle, Jillian and Mickie should all be in mentoring roles too!
0H YEAH GAiL KiM T00.. AND iF Y0URE G0NNA USE GHETT0 (WHiCH i D0NT KN0W WHY Y0U W0ULD) AT LEAST SPELL iT RiGHT. BUT ANYWH00 i REALLY H0PE THEY HAVE THE DiVAS iNV0LVED T0 SEE THE NEXT GENERATi0N.. HEY MAYBE THEYLL GiVE THEiR MENT0RS S0ME P0iNTERS :-P THE 0NES WH0 NEED iT HAHA
i think the only reason why someone like Naomi and Layla El and Eve Torres has improved as most of them did is cause they have a dance background and can pick up moves easily
If the idea is to have “twin like wrestlers” then yes.
The combinations are a bit boring though
Lets name this teams shall we.. ?
AJ/Melina:
Aksana/Maryse:
Courtney/k2:
Naomi/Fox:
Sarona/Beth:
Melina and AJ are my fav duo.I would love to see AJ meet her (my) idol.
All of the other duos I’m not really feeling at all…
I’m liking the pairing of AJ/Melina, Courtney/Kelly & Naomi/Alicia. However the rest are … meh.
Maryse, a mentor?! She needs one herself at this moment in time not the other way round. xD I say pair … Jillian with Aksana instead, that would make things interesting. xP
And finally Sarona/Beth, now as much as this looks cool anyway I don’t see Sarona as a Beth/Natalya type of person. I say team her up with Mickie because I sense something in her that the fans will learn to love very quickly about Sarona, and Mickie will help her with that. =)
Rhawk [Thee AJ Styling, Torrie loving, Diet Coke consuming maniac]- “Maryse, a mentor?! She needs one herself at this moment in time not the other way round”
lol xD it’s so true
anyway, I really don’t think the divas are gonna wrestler on NXT, some might become managers but their’s just not enough divas to do anything with them
Yess my fave ppl Aj lee ad Courtnee taylor if aj lee comes she wiill b my fave wwe diva
i like the ideas, but i would go in the opposite direction with some and have for instance, beth phoenix mentor aj lee. to be the best you need to learn and know as much as possible, having an almost opposite in style as a mentor i think could be more productive to an extent.
as for nxt as a whole, i really hope the divas do get their fair share and have their own season next year or whenever it is this upcoming one ends. vince implying they’ll be heavily involved makes me dread possible “reality” tv-esque dinner dates and stuff.
OMG I really want to see Maryse and Aksana lol that’s so funny european b****s .. well Maryse isnt really european but she’s got the vibe lol.
Gail Kim and Angela Fong(Savannah) would be a terrific combination, but then each of these Divas have been concerned that they are easily mixed up by fans … so we do not want to strain those fans too much. :)
Thats disappoining that there wont be any Divas on NXT. But i like the Melina & AJ Lea pairing, Hopefully Courtney comes back to the Main roster again soon.
Uhmmm i must disagree on courtney taylor and kelly because courtney is already better than kelly in terms of wrestling! Courtneys pro should have been mickie james.
Nice pairings, but the Pros are mostly rookies themselves. If you go for the rookie/pro system i would bring back some veteran divas (also good for the tv ratings).
Lita – AJ
Trish Stratus – Aksana
Gail Kim – Savannah
Jacqueline – Naomi Knight
Molly – Courtney Taylor
Luna Vachon – Sarona Snuka
Wow it just seems like the innovative Brunettes, the Foreign Blondes, the All-American Blondes, the Black Girls and the Musclier Girls have just been paired together.
If you ask me, if AJ Lee should be mentored by anyone it should be Gail Kim, whose the only Diva round there that has a similiar style. Melina might jump around time to time but I think if you put them in a ring together, AJ could outdo Melina on skill. She’d be a great way to put AJ over, but then again I think her own skill could do that that, plus Kim is respected and it’d give her something to do other than lose screen time to Maryse.
Courtney as a face is boring, she has drive in her yes, but if you ever saw her and Alex Riley in their Frat/Sorority gimmicks, you’d find Beverly plays a better heel as a popularity queen, always complaining about her man getting the gold. I’d never let Kelly Kelly mentor her, for the fact Kelly needs mentoring herself half the time. I mean everyone says they have similiar styles which I just don’t see. I’ve followed her since her in-ring debut and Courtney’s move-set is completely different. Its not like she’s doing that stale head scissors takedown that Kelly spends about four hours doing. I think if Courtney were going to learn from someone it’d be someone a bit more all-round like Katie Lea, whose a great wrestler and could teach her some really great skills.
Alicia and Naomi I do agree upon, just for the fact Alicia possesses the jazziness and the attitude that Naomi’s showing a lot of right now, they’re move sets are pretty matched, they both get in quite standard offensive moves. Although I wouldn’t mind pairing Michelle with Naomi either, just for the fact it’d make Michelle more interesting as a character to have someone who has a decent amount of charisma like Naomi, plus Michelle does have some pretty good moves Naomi could pick up on.
Aksana I’d either put with Natalya, who is also very athletic and could teach Aksana a more powerhouse route (I know Aksana is quite small, but as a bodybuilder she must be quite powerful) or Jillian, who has also been in the industry for a while and like Katie Lea could teach very well. Another reason why I could see Jillian and Aksana working is the fact these could be lost in translation on screen or Jillian could gain her first and only fan in Aksana.
Sarona hasn’t even debut in FCW, she’s still unassigned. I do actually agree with you again here. Beth is one of the top heel Divas in WWE and having a protoge thats not Rosa Mendes could make her even more powerful, especially when its Sarona, who conformes to the Glamazon message of having the perfect combination of strength and beauty. I could again though see Michelle training Sarona for the fact she could be part of Team Laycool as the muscle type, because lets face it Michelle has a constant bad knee and Layla’s not your first choice for a body guard is she?
I don’t know why I got so involved in this, the Trainers will only be on-screen, its not like its actually happening off-camera.
I say keep AJ with Melina cause this would be a good way to slowly bring her back from her big injury and it would keep her on the fans mind. And scrap the rest of the pairings and bring back former divas. Most of our current divas need more training themselves or are need for a major feud. I would pair Aksana with Stacy. Taylor would be with Torrie. People want Naomi to be the b!tch then why not have the baddest one mentor her Jazz is on good standing with the wwe know so it could happen. Dump Sarona for Savannah and pair her up with Trish everyone has high hopes for her they could even have an spot where Trish teaches her the whirllybird headscissors takedown ( I know she already knows it but when she does it now people won’t go thats Trish’s move but Trish taught her that)
I agree with AJ/Melina, Askana/ Maryse, Snuka/Beth
but you are guys are way off with Kelly Kelly/Courtney and Naomi/Alicia.
Kelly is at no position to become a mentor and Alicia is still a rookie who is trying to find her way in the roster. I don’t if you paired those two together because they are both black but i don’t think Alicia needs to be Naomi’s mentor.
I
I think a wwe pro would be someone who has one a wwe championship. Kelly and Alicia have not won any championships yet so they would not really be considered pros because they are still very young. Mickie and Michelle would be better pros for Courtney and Naomi. Michelle was a great mentor for Alicia so she would be a great trainer for Naomi. For Courtney, Mickie looks like she could be a great teacher for her.
ahlanthony – “Uhmmm i must disagree on courtney taylor and kelly because courtney is already better than kelly in terms of wrestling! Courtneys pro should have been mickie james.”
ahaa heck yeah! k2 is talented, but courtney is way ahead of her with the ring skills. mickie and courtney will definitely be much better.(:
I agree with all of these!! Great Job Melanie! I Love AJ Lee & Courtney Taylor!! :)
Kelly would be great for Courtney & Melina with AJ!!
Just read on her Wikipedia page that AJ Lee was confirmed for WWE NXT under the ring name ‘Alexa Jane’. Given the fact anyone can edit it and there’s no link, this is untrue isn’t it or has anyone heard anything similiar?
I would’ve paired Sarona Snuka with Natalya Neidhart, to keep the “wrestling families” idea alive. And why are Kelly, Maryse & Alicia Pros? They’re just improving! Replacing them with Mickie James (with Courtney Taylor), Beth Phoenix (with Askana) and Michelle McCool (with Naomi Night)
if i had to pair up the rookies & pros it’d be:
AJ Lee & Gail Kim
I would pair them off because of the same moveset. Melina doesn’t really have the same moveset as AJ, and Melina usually plays the more ‘safe’ type of wrestling techniques, while AJ does suicide dives, hurricanrana’s, etc. Just like Gail Kim, perfect.
Sarona Snuka & Natalya Neidhart
I would pair them off because it could have a ‘Legacy’ vibe to it. Natalya could take the Orton approach and make it seem that Sarona is lucky to be under her wing, and have Sarona be the muscle, to the muscle.
Naomi Night & Michelle McCool
I would pair them off because of how Michelle suceeds having a go-to companion. Not only do her companions strive off of her “star power” but she gets the charisma that she lacks from them. Layla & Alicia Fox both used their personalities to elevate Michelle’s lack of personality with the crowd, to get heat. With somone like Naomi who already is unique, creative, and has personality in the ring, it’d be good for both of them.
Penny Cash? & Jillian Hall
Released or not, I would pair them off (stealing Looking Glass’ idea) to have a Mickie-Trish vibe, but not for Jillian’s wrestling, her singing. Like Penny could introduce herself as Jillian’s #1 fan, Christmas CD in hand lol. Penny with her annoying voice already (sorry) could sing with Jillian before matches and annoy the hell out of the crowd for real heel heat.
(BTW I just realised Penny Cash is a symbolic name for money, LOL, dumb me)
Liviana & Melina
I would pair them off because I see more of a look-alike with these two, then AJ. Both have unique sexy looks, and in the backstage skits in FCW, Liviana is playing the bitchy heel that Melina is customed to play.
Courtney Taylor & Mickie James
I would pair them off because I thought up of a storyline. Because I like the heel Courtney, it would be fun to see Courtney loathing being with fan favorite Mickie. Purposely costing Mickie matches, making her entrance on her own, cheering for Mickie’s opponent, teasing Mickie about her looks, etc.. It would have more of a dynamic approach then the faces together and the heels together.
PS does anyone know whats going to happen on NXT, will there be tag matches? single matches? are the pros managing the rookies?
“Just read on her Wikipedia page that AJ Lee was confirmed for WWE NXT under the ring name ‘Alexa Jane’.”
That info will probably be removed soon, but it usually takes a few days until false information on wikipedia is removed. The mods have to ‘vote’ first as soon as someone reports it to be false.
Does this mean Beth wont be on smackdown and Melina wont be on raw?
I would love to see Katie teaching Liviana.
Natalya should teach Jemma Palmer
Jillian teaching Jillian Beyor
Maria teaching Penny Cash . Cause i dont think Penny got released i just think they will change her name.
But i dont know lol
Good Choices. However I don’t see how Sarona and Beth would work. Maybe a Sarona and Nattie tag would make more sense, since they both have a Legacy in wrestling.
i just heard that jemma palmer is Not signed by wwe according to diva-fiva.com
Melanie is that true?
Althought stereotypical, the combinations work. Yet Sarona/Beth seems odd to me. Sarona is even referenced to being like Nattie in the description, so I would have put those two together.
I would pair Beth is Jenna Palmer. Jenna was after all a formidable Gladiator and Beth being a Glamazon is quite similar.
Jemma even*!
They’d all work, but I could also see Sarona/Natalya and AJ/MIckie.
@Zephyr5326
Id have to disagree with Jemma being a formidable glad, she wasnt featured much at all, only in group events.
i do hope however she becomes successful with fcw ect.
I think the Alexa Jane story on wikipedia COULD be true because that writing looks legit to me. Also I could see WWE giving AJ that name so we’ll see
I hope it is true because My future wife AJ would love that
DAMN YOU DIVA DIRT!
When I saw this I thought it was real, my hopes were sky high!
Then I was crushed when I saw it was ‘hypotheticals’.
Either way, I love these hypothetical articles but like most said, it was extremely stereotypical. I liked Melina with AJ because I thought it was real, but I’d rather put AJ with Beth. I also believe AJ could work well with Maryse, they’re both sexy and could be a far better, less sluttier version of TBP. Naomi with Fox is predictable but the best choice nonetheless. Don’t care too much for the rest, maybe Courtney with Melina perhaps? Other than that, shuffle them up, and it would be better.
Your hate and disrespect of Kelly is sickening to me.
Who’s that directed at? DD? If so, prepare a certain someone to go apeshit.
Yes, absolutely. I am sick of the disrespect of her. We get it, you don’t like Kelly, but have some respect for the girl.
Shes been wrestling almost every week on the live show since she was 21. Most of the other young girls employed by WWE haven’t even had one match on their programming.
She refused to do Playboy wheras girls like Tiffany and Maryse have done so numerous times for their low end stuff, not even the main magazine.
She has been wrestling a lot the last two years and only has missed a month with injury. Compare that with other current divas, compare that with other past divas.
For approx 8 months she was the only one to beat Beth Phoenix in a singles match.
She is highly popular and basically the only diva under 30 in the company. This despite not even having a belt yet and jobbed out a lot this year.
Her 7-11 campaign might be the largest ad campaign for a womens wrestler ever.
So keep putting people like Alicia over that failed as a face and gets zero heat as a heel. What the hell upside do you see there when she cant get over as either. And doesent have a very good look or a look they will ever use as the centerpiece of their marketing.
And keep thinking the highlight of KK career is posing for FHM 3 years ago.