Earlier this week, WWE announced that the victim of the ‘original screwjob’, Wendi Richter would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in April. Coincidence, then, that in the same week another Diva is the victim of a modern day screwjob. That Diva is Mickie James, a who woman who seemingly had the odds stacked against her this week on SmackDown. See the drama unfold below:
The odds didn’t look good last week, when Vickie Guerrero announced that Mickie would defend her Women’s Championship against Michelle McCool this week with Guerrero serving as guest referee. Factor in Layla at ringside and you had to wonder could Mickie unleash her inner ‘Super Cena’ to overcome the odds? Many, including I, expected Mickie to somehow retain the title. So imagine my shock and awe when I read that McCool had taken the title from James just three weeks after losing it at the Royal Rumble. Vickie Guerrero, who has proven to be quite the thorn in many a Superstar’s life [just ask Edge], can now add Mickie to the list of stars she’s screwed over.
We begin with Guerrero being introduced as the guest referee to a chorus of deafening boos. She’s followed by the challenger, McCool and run-in buddy Layla, sporting new red hoodies. The champion, James is last to enter the arena. Vickie holds up the Women’s Championship before the bout begins in a rather official manner. Nice touch.
As the bell rings, Michelle and Mickie look up before Michelle applies a side headlock to the champion. Mickie throws Michelle against the ropes but she comes back with a shoulder block and knocks the smaller statured James to the canvas. Michelle goes against the ropes again but is met by a dropkick from Mickie followed by a low dropkick. Mickie then paces towards McCool but is met with a kick to gut. McCool throws Mickie into the corner, Mickie this time is the one to hit Michelle with a kick to the gut. Mickie then hits a neckbreaker on Michelle and goes for a pin cover. Convienently, Layla jumps up on the apron and referee Vickie is forced to deal with the intrusion while Mickie in the ring, could have pinned Michelle to retain.
Mickie has words with Vickie before Michelle sneaks up on her from behind and tries to throw her out of the ring, instead Mickie counters and throws Michelle out of the ring through the ropes. Here’s where things pick up. Mickie hits a baseball slide on McCool followed by an elbow. Mickie then struggles to use the apron for a couple of seconds to hit her patented headscissors but eventually connects. Great, great selling from Michelle. We then get some shrill shrieking from Vickie telling the pair to get back in the ring. Mickie takes no notice and hits Michelle face first into the barricade before rolling her back into the ring.
As Mickie gets up on the apron, Layla distracts her and Mickie kicks her. Michelle slides back out of the ring and grabs Mickie’s leg, throwing her off the apron onto the floor outside. Mickie seemingly hits her face on the floor… ouch! Michelle now in control, rollows Mickie back into the ring, mounting her and smashing her head against the canvas.
As the action continues, we cut to backstage where Beth Phoenix after weeks of absence has finally re-appeared! Yay! Beth — with a flowered hairband [really Glamazon-like, Beth] — is watching the championship match unfold. The insinuation here is that she wants a piece of whoever wins the belt. We want to see it too, Beth!
Back at ringside, Michelle lays in a kick to a fallen James and continues to kick her, keeping her on the ground. Michelle signals her finisher but in the corner, Mickie has managed to get to her feet and kicks Michelle in the stomach. Mickie fights back with forearms but McCool lays in knee strikes to Mickie’s stomach. Michelle sets up Mickie for her finisher, with Mickie in powerbomb position, she begins fighting back with punches to the head and then hits a hurricanrana on McCool.
Mickie begins mounting a comeback with a clothesline and forearms but is then hit with a belly-to-belly suplex by McCool. Michelle goes for the cover but as Vickie tries to get into position for a pin, she somehow falls through the bottom rope onto the floor outside. Time for some Layla comedy as she comes to Vickie’s aid and rubs her bruised butt for her. Meanwhile in the ring, McCool is aggravated and perches on the ropes trying to find out what’s going on. Mickie from behind rolls her up and screams for Vickie to get back into the ring. Vickie gets back in the ring, taking her sweet time but instead of going for a pin — slaps Mickie across the face!
Mickie begins screaming at Guerrero but out of no where is hit with a big boot from Michelle who covers her for the 1, 2, 3 and becomes the new WWE Women’s Champion!
After the match, Guerrero celebrates with Layla and the now two-time Women’s Champion, McCool.
So… where do we begin? This was an extremely strong episode of SmackDown for the Divas with plenty of drama that should have interesting ramifications for coming weeks. Vickie screws Mickie out of the Women’s Championship. Beth Phoenix watching on. There’s so much going on here that should make for must-watch television over the next few weeks.
The match wasn’t as good, I felt, as the match at TLC last December but I particularly loved the spots on the outside — it had some of that aggression that we expect to see in a PPV-caliber Women’s Title match. I appreciate the effort there. I thought both Divas were solid in the ring but the match lacked a certain oomph until the explosive ending.
The whole situation with Mickie and Vickie has been interesting to see unfold over the past few weeks and I’ve said plenty of times in the Redux that I like the idea of Vickie getting involved. Last week, I feared that Vickie may herself challenge Mickie for the Women’s Championship but with her now aiding McCool to the belt, we can wipe our foreheads! I’d much rather see Michelle as champion than see Vickie potentially feud with Mickie. At least now, it grounds the storyline to the girls that can wrestle with Vickie acting as a plot device.
So Mickie’s three-week Women’s Championship reign comes to an end. I know a lot of people are going to be annoyed about that and yes, I think it’s awfully short but I think it’s also exciting at the same time. While Michelle held the title for a long time and it seems too early to give her another run, I felt she was a strong, entertaining champion and I think it makes more compelling television to see the likes of Mickie and hopefully, Beth chase her for the belt. The question here is whether Mickie will again chase for the title. With her music career and supposedly tenuous position with WWE management, it does seem like a possibility that this could have been her final title run in WWE. Does WWE know something that we don’t? Time will tell. It just seems to me that with all that they did to Mickie, all the fat jokes etc., they had to reward her with the Women’s Title at the Royal Rumble in a ‘good prevails’ sort of way to put that storyline into context, but they never intended to really give her a lengthy title run. So I feel like this may have been in the works all along — to give Mickie the belt as a device to put that storyline into context but then take it off her sooner rather than later. If my theory is correct, I just find it extremely shady.
My guess is that this is the end of the line for Mickie in the top title storyline, being pushed to the backburner for Beth Phoenix. The emphasis of Beth Phoenix watching on to me suggests that she may be the next challenger in line for McCool’s title — perhaps she’ll take exception to the way that Michelle won the belt? I’ve really enjoyed the development of Beth, that is until they dropped her randomly a few weeks ago. With her now back, I would like to see that development in her character continue because she has a great tweener quality to her.
I think they may split off now into two Diva feuds: Michelle vs Beth for the title and Mickie vs Vickie in a grudge feud. Both of those excite me, the Mickie/Vickie feud moreso now that the title isn’t involved. Meanwhile, Beth vs Michelle, I mentioned at the beginning of the year is my dream match for WrestleMania 26. Fingers crossed.
In all, this week’s show was either good or bad depending on who you’re a fan of. For me, I’m excited to see Michelle as champion because I find her entertaining as champion and I think with her alignment with Vickie, she’ll be that much more amped up. I do feel bad for Mickie but I think she still has a great storyline coming with Vickie Guerrero who is an absolute heat magnet. The most over Diva versus the most hated ‘Diva’, should be great.
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72 Comments
Michelle’s push is starting to aggravate me; can she not be involved with Smackdown’s title storyline for once? She’s either been the top contender or the champion of the division since it got a title– that’s almost two years.
If this is part of a big plan for WM26
no ideaaa of what are they trying do for real,
Man…. Michelle looked AMAZING.
Well, the talent pool on Smackdown was pretty shallow, and now, the face pool is pretty shallow. Without Maria, I don’t know where this is going other than Michelle vs Mickie. I’m glad that the belt is off Mickie, I don’t really like her and haven’t since about two summers ago. But, Michelle needs someone new to toy with and they need a new angle. I like her pairing with Layla too. I think, that they need to have Michelle and Maryse feud like they did with Melina and Maryse, which I enjoyed. Just have Michelle be more technical but Maryse is always a step ahead.
Why didn’t Vickie get a sexy referee outfit?! Also, where is her entrance music! She needs some!
Michelle finally got new bangs?! She does look really good, and I think her ring attire is classy and sexy at the same time. :]
I really don’t think that they’ll go Beth vs Michelle, I think it’ll be Beth vs Mickie vs Michelle. With guest ref Vickie, at WrestleMania 26. I hope what they do is Mickie gets her return match, looses because of Vickie or Beth, leading into that triple threat match at WM26. I think they’d get a greater review if it was a triple threat, instead of a one on one match. Plus, knowing WWE they don’t just want TWO Divas in the ring at WM.
Beth is back, but what’s in her hair?
I think Michelle as champion looks better for Beth & Mickie to chase it, Michelle is a great womens champion! I also do think that this was Mickie’s last title reign! Maybe the end of her carrer ! it would be very shady if they just released her knowing all the hard work she did for them. you know like how they screwed Lita! But who cares who ever they screw they always beg them to come back
Also, what I forgot to mention, is that this Mickie/Michelle feud has WAY too much intensity to just blow off like that and put Mickie in a feud with Vickie. It just doesn’t make sense. It makes more sense to have them have a huge blow off match at WM, and if Mickie looses, because of Vickie, then put her into a feud. Not now. In my opinion, it’s stupid.
maybe now we will FINALLY have a face Beth Phoenix feuding with McCool for the title,getting the same that Edge and Randy Orton are getting now,being turned by the crowd.
i hate Tara style title reins but i am interested in seeing Beth vs Michelle, unfortunately with maria’s release today Mickie is the only face, so I’m guessing this is the start of Beth going face, and I’m hoping Savannah goes to SD aswell
Don’t count Mickie out just yet. On her twitter someone asked her if she is leaving soon and she said “Now way, I’ve got history to make.” I have a feeling we’ll see a triple threat match at WrestleMania. Mickie still has a rematch clause to use.
I’m kind of curious if they’re just going to pretend Maria never existed from here on out. They probably will. I loved when Maria came into the Mickie vs Michelle feud. Maria always had the crowd behind her.
Hopefully Beth will bring the life to Smackdown that Maria always did. Beth vs Mickie James is my dream Wrestlemania 26 match too. Probably won’t happen though.
I miss Maria already.
This is a very good match. Unfortunately it’s another ammo for the mccool conspiracy. As much as I like her transformation it is just so difficult to swallow
how she’s been so dominant and always in a major diva storyline despite her lack of
charisma and overness with the crowd. I have never seen a diva pushed so hard and given so many chances and still get lukewarm reaction from the fans. If it was any other diva, they would have been either released, relegated to a backstage segment or use as a jobber. Not Mccool..it’s a head scratcher unless you’re inclined to believe all the rumors and the politicking happening backstage.
Don’t know what’s gonna happen next but they should have just let this scene play at the Royal Rumble. Instead of that short match we got and an equally short reign for Mickie. Premature title reigns for both cheapens the legacy of the womens championship. Now lets see them fux up Beth’s rumble mommentum.
I’m really seeing Beth vs Mickie vs McCool with Vickie as special guest referee at WM26. I kinda want Mickie to out-do Trish Stratus in a way… can’t believe I just typed that.
Michelle has had the title too long and for her to get it back already makes it way boring. I hope when Melina comes back, she goes to SD and takes Michelles title.
I like this.
First of all,I can’t stand Mickie as champion.Second,ever since LAyla’s come into the fray I absolutely love McCool.Third,Bethy’s finally gonna’ get pushed!Maybe….
If those aren’t good things to look forward to,I don’t know what is.
Man I miss Melina vs McCool…
Mickie is so damn sloppy!
She was out of breath, she couldn’t even yell, “COME ON” to the crowd.
Seriously, if you want to wrestle, get into shape FFS!
In that match she seemed to have gained even more weight since the Piggie jokes.
gasp…i love michelle, she looked flawless….cant wait till wrestlemania
For Everyone who is aying they want Beth as face and take the belt from Mccool. Are going to be the same ones who say Im tired of Beth Champion she is so boring , then as soon as she turns face ppl will start kalling her OVERRATED like they did Melina!
I’d love to either see McCool vs Beth one on one or the triple threat at Wrestlemania, either would be better than we have gotten in the last few years. I think Mickie vs Trish was the last real women’s match at Wrestlemania that didn’t involve Playboy. I guess that is one thing the new PG era is good for, no stupid gimmick matches. Oh, wait, there’s always Miss Wrestlemania! How exciting!
No offense to Mickie fans, but it’s really time for her to go. She wrestles the same match again and again. Just going through the motions. She isn’t as over with the crowd as you pretend she is. She’s not attractive by diva standards, and she looks really out of shape(by wrestling standards). She might say she wants to wrestle, but I see no enthusiasm. Her voice is really irritating as well. I think this quick title loss might be a sign that her days are numbered. I’m expecting to hear of her release very soon.
Mickie is my top fav! I think WWe should really really give her a break after this to promote her album. Maybe she kan come bak for the winter or da end of summer. I want to see Mickie rest for a while!
If she does get a break, resting shouldn’t be what that time is used for. She should get on a treadmill and diet, because she is so out of shape right now it’s getting sad to watch her try her heart out.
Why do we have to have a face vs heel rivalry? A rivalry between two heels would work just as well. Lets have Serena take on Michelle. Michelle can make bald jokes and Serena can call Michelle a sinner and then they can have a bitch fight. Sounds like some good television if you ask me.
I like mickie but I think this should be her last title reign, hey she’s a 5-time womens champion and a 1-time divas champion those are amazing accomplishments. She doesn’t have to tie or break Trish’s record to prove anything, the fact that she won the divas title is an accomplishment Trish never had
i LOVE this storyline ! & i really like how you mentioned how this week did a lot for the divison. i assumed people would complain because mickie lost but wwe just keeps throwing us fast ones ! smackdown! gets more & more interesting. i really want layla to turn on mccool at WM
Solid match. IMO it was actually better than their TLC match. They definitely work well together and the match got a lot more response than that dull Maryse/Gail title match on RAW. McCool is really becoming a favourite of mine.
Did anyone else LAUGH when Vickie fell out of the ring and Layla massaged her ass? LMAO that was hilarious.
Best thing about this match was the atmosphere. It actually felt like a significant match. The crowd was firmly behind the most popular woman in the company, while outraged by its most hated woman.
Mickie isn’t going anywhere. Even though Michelle won the title, Mickie still seems to be the focus here. Vickie isn’t going to get away with screwing Mickie, and they aren’t going to separate the Vickie/Laycool combination anytime soon, so it’s likely that Mickie isn’t done in the title scene. Quite the contrary, I’d say she is the most likely victor at Wrestlemania this year.
@ redstyle Come on Kid lets stay professional here stop hating on Mickie’s weight wat if she is fat what the hell r u gonna do abt it ?. Yeah Nothing…. so shut up dude 4 real!
What do you mean what am I going to do about it? She’s becoming sloppy and out of breath so quickly. she’s fatter than she was before so get over your love for whales and be done with it. I never said I didn’t like her, she’s just sloppy as hell because she’s gained weight and she should get back into shape if she wants to put on good matches.
@ Redstyle! Ur just Sad! Im not going to argue with you . Poor Child :(
Hmmm….because you know I’m right and have nothing else to say.
maybe i’m missing it, but mickie didn’t look sloppy during that match to me. i actually think mccool could learn a thing or two from her as seeing michelle getting knocked to the ground, only to get up before her opponent is.. well, it’s plain bad selling.
i, like some here, am pretty bored of seeing mccool dominating the smackdown diva scene. as many have pointed out, they’re forcing her down so many people’s throats and unfortunately it’s starting to put me off her (it’s the same with maryse on raw, and boy i love me some maryse). what’s gonna happen when being aligned with vickie doesn’t give her that much needed heel heat she needs?
i’m still surprised beth isn’t a face.. it’s been in the making for almost a year now. if they really want to make a fast switch for her, they should have her glamslam vickie. the cowd would love that. with only one face on smackdown, i dread any possible match ups this next month. now that i think of it, they could introduce tiffany to smackdown as the d list maria replacement. her history as gm could also come in to use for when she sides with mickie against vickie.
this sucks but i hope TIFFANY goes to smackdown and gets the tittle that would awesome
Pretty decent match. Mickie remains one of the few women to get a reaction and I think it helped the crowd get behind booing Michelle, in addition to having Vickie involved. I’m interested in seeing where this goes. I’d honestly like to see Michelle/Beth as Michelle/Mickie would just be a rehash of what we’ve been seeing already.
cmd918 i was hoping the same exact thing lets hope it happens =^-^=
I thought the match was decent. My only problem with Michelle winning the title back is that I hate short title reigns. I like to see people hold the belt for atleast a good 3 months. I also want to know what the hell that was when Vickie fell out of the ring. I couldn’t stop laughing at that.
sorry but i agree with ReyStyle94 i noticed mickies gut during this match & it kinda distracted me. i dont think mickies fat at all i just find the outfits she choses to wear are un flattering for her figure. the match wasn’t as good as i expected, but it i enjoyed it.
I understand that some of you do not like the “short title reigns”, but having them will make fueds better. For me, I hate seeing them long title reigns, that become too predictable. Although, Michelle’s last title reign was very long, I think this will help the Smackdown women’s division (not using Diva, because I hate the fact that WWE wants them to be Divas, not wrestlers). Also, I do think they need to throw someone else in there (other than Mickie). WWE is misusing Natalya, at the moment. She needs to get bitchy backstage, and let the creative team know…she wants a title reign (I wouldn’t mind her having a long one, because we all know it would be her last).
@Cmd, EatDefeat
Supposedly, Tiffany has been sent back to FCW?
divafan2010
really back to fcw man that sucks
I noticed Mickie’s gut to, but I think they put her in pants that were to small at the waist to make it look like that. I’ve noticed ever since she switched to this new gear that it makes her look plump. I think they’ve exhausted Mickie’s ability for now. She needs to go away and promote her album and do a small tour. Smackdown should keep the title on McCool and do one of these three things.
Have Layla wonder why McCool is champion and demand that she is just as good and go for the title. I think this angle could win Layla over with the crowd and she might be able to help McCool get a reaction as I’d argue the crowd likes her better,
Or, they could have Beth come out and apologize to Mickie, as that cake thing is still fresh in my mind, and to show that she is sorry have a handicap match with Simply Flawless. Have them beat her down a bit, Mickie comes out and distracts McCool and Beth can get the win. This will assist Beth in getting the crowd behind her because of how much the fans tend to love Mickie. Then, have Mickie disappear and let the Beth and Simply Flawless thing go from there. I think they could even add Vickie in to this, but get Beth to start intimidating her into things. Not only would that make for good backstage segments, but it would also let Vickie be the star that she truly is.
The last thing I could think of is have Natalya come and save Mickie, McCool fleas because Natalya can wrestle circles around her and to drive the point home that Natalya is there have her put Layla in the sharpshooter. Then, they could put Layla in a cast for a few weeks and work some comedy around that which I’m pretty sure Layla could manage. But, they should also have Layla tell Michelle that she needs to stick up for her and take on Natalya. Either have McCool a little bit scared to do so, or have her do it and Natalya gets the win. Then, to have Natalya’s turn explained she could say she hasn’t forgotten their Diva’s Championship match two years ago and it kills her that she wasn’t the inaugural champion, and now, she wants to take everything McCool has. It might even be interesting to see her try and take Layla while going after the womens championship.
For get Michelle I don’t care about her or laycool she had the title way too freaking long.Laycool about get their asswhooped The Glamazon and mickie are good wrestlers.
That match was screwed up and they cheated their way to get that title back. Mickie is the best she going get a rematch clause when comes wrestlemania 26 . I’m kinda glad Beth was back I can’t wait until she kicks her ass for that title. I liked how on smackdown how Mickie and Beth team up took out layla and michelle. They were more dominant so Michelle better watch her fluke victory because like Beth said I wouldn’t planning taking that title for that very long.
For Vicki do not please let be consultant she completely sucks I would either have Tiffany to be the new consultant and or have Stephanie McMahon Fire Her,
Lets have Triple Threat match for that title for wrestlemania 26.
I can’t wait for melinas return send her to smackdown whoop michelles ass!
I have absolutely no idea where this leaves the SD! divas now, or do I?
Well, everyone knows that WWE pulled a TNA, which was pretty stupid considering Michelle has been champion for 7 months and now back as reigning champion, you can almost say she hasn’t even lost it considering Mickie won it 3 weeks ago.
Everyones talking about what feud is up next in line, I believe that Mickie vs Michelle is still in the running. They keep getting Beth involved then they just take her off the case. I say, They go on and on throughout March, then, at Wrestlemania 26, Mickie vs Michelle starts, then, Vickie comes out and states that she’s been in cahoots with Beth the whole time and it’s a surprise Triple Threat Match.
Layla finds a way to try to distract Mickie until Beth throws Mickie into the turnbuckle while Michelle tries to give Beth the boot. Beth moves out of the way then hits Michelle with a Glam Slam for the pin to become a 3 time Women’s Champion. Ta-da!
Maryse/Gail was a better match in my opinion, whereas the atmosphere for this match was definitely a notch above. Mickie seems to be back at square one, however I like the idea of Natalya becoming a face and chasing the title, Beth is a total wild card, I think the WWE has her between the two because they have no idea what to do with her.
keep in mind natalya is a part of the hart dynasty which means she can’t go face if they don’t
This is going to WM26 I think.
Mickie will ask for a rematch but then Beth will say that she is the N.1 contender now so, this maybe ends as a triple treat match?
Yes, it pays to date one of the sport’s biggest superstars.
I know Michelle has her fans, and I don’t dislike her. But this is so stupid. She’s a decent wrestler with no charisma, and I’ve never seen a Diva pushed like this. They move Beth and Mickie to help her, team her with the more personable Layla, now they try to use Vickie to get her more heat. Hell, Stephanie McMahon didn’t get this push, and she has 100 times the mic skills than Michelle.
IMO Backstage politics matter. Look at Triple H. Undertaker and Michelle are together, he has long had Vince’s ear and she’s getting treatment far beyond her talent. To me, it is officially hurting the product.