Women’s Champion, Michelle McCool and her now former rival, Mickie James dusted off their heated feud for one more outing this week on an edition of SmackDown from London. And the result was perhaps one of the best Divas matches on TV so far this year. It’s no secret that Michelle has rarely wrestled a singles match on SmackDown in the past few months but I guess an international TV taping is a good a reason as any. Watch below:
So, Mickie is back from her little hiatus due to injury and she’s back in the ring with the woman who took the Women’s Championship from her back in February. Despite having surgery and everything, Mickie was on fine form as she skipped and hopped to the ring for her match followed by McCool with Layla and Vickie Guerrero in tow.
The former Women’s Champion gives McCool a little sly wink as she steps onto the ring apron for her signature pose, suggesting that she has not forgotten any of the animosity between them. As the bell rings and the match begins, the two Divas lock up but it’s Michelle who gets the better of the exchange, using her leverage to hit sort of an overhead throw on her. The arrogant champion then segues into press ups which become one-legged press ups, as Layla and Vickie cheer her on. Much to her surprise though, Mickie drops down opposite her and struts her stuff too leading to a nice showdown. Michelle looks surprised and confused as she says, “I didn’t know she could do that” to the crowd. Best to keep your eyes on your opponent Michelle, as James hit a great low dropkick on the champ and goes for the pin but no three count. Mickie goes for another pin attempt, this time sweeping the legs and jumping into a bridge but Michelle kicks out yet again.
The two Divas get to their feet, Michelle kicks Mickie in the midsection and attempts to whip her into the corner, Mickie counters and hits McCool with an elbow. Mickie grabs Michelle by the hair, moving into the corner going for a Tornado DDT but instead, Michelle blocks it and throws Mickie over the top rope to the apron outside. Mickie fights back with a forearm but gets caught with a knee to the stomach instead. Michelle then directs James into the middle turnbuckle, dazing the five-time Women’s Champ. McCool admires her handiwork with some added cheers from Layla on the outside. But Michelle rightfully cuts the celebration short and re-diverts her attention to her opponent, dragging James back into the ring by her hair and slamming her hard against the canvas before repeatedly bashing her head against it. The referee breaks things up and McCool begins arguing with him, meanwhile she uses her leg to choke Mickie in true heel fashion. She then goes for the pin but no three count.
Michelle now applies a submission move, wrapping her legs around Mickie’s neck in a headscissors. Michelle lifts herself up off the canvas, which according to Matt Striker ‘intensifies the pressure’. She then turns over and uses her legs to slam Mickie against the canvas. Hmm, I recall seeing a similar move used by Madison Rayne against Tara last week. I’ll let you speculate as you will… Anyhoo, Michelle strengthens the lock, using the ropes to her advantage as some sweet little fans in the front row will Mickie to fight out of it.
Michelle breaks the hold, gets to her feet and slaps her hands together signalling the end but as she turns around, here comes Mickie fighting back with forearms but McCool hits her with a knee strike to the stomach. She then follows through with huge knee strikes to the head before shoving Mickie down to the canvas. As a dazed Mickie holds onto the middle rope trying to regain composure, Michelle runs at her with her devastating patented knee strike, taking Mickie out before taunting her a little bit. Mickie begins fighting back now with a kick to the stomach and a back elbow before using the corner to hit her own patented move, the hurricanrana which is sold beautifully by Michelle. Michelle then walks into a clothesline and another elbow before rolling out of the ring as if she’s had enough.
Mickie chases Michelle out of the ring, grabbing her from behind and throwing her into the barricade. Then, in a highly unusual spot for a Divas match, she steps up onto the barricade and hits a Thesz Press on McCool which gets a big pop. Layla then runs at Mickie but gets a smaller-sized Thesz Press for her troubles. Mickie then spots Vickie, the woman who cost her the Women’s Championship but rather than be distracted, she turns around and takes control of her opponent who is now on her feet.
Mickie rolls Michelle into the ring and irish whips herself off the aprons, McCool gets to her feet and tries to clothesline her mid-flow but Mickie ducks and counters it into a neckbreaker. Mickie then goes for the pin, seemingly having Michelle down for three, but Layla is now on the apron screaming at Mickie. James kicks her and Layla stumbles into the ring. Meanwhile, Michelle is now back on her feet and as Mickie turns around, she walks into a huge big boot from Michelle, which she sells to perfection. McCool covers her and wins.
After the match, Michelle is seemingly not finished with James, kicking her around and smashing her head into the canvas. Michelle screams at Mickie to get up but is shoved by Mickie instead. Just then, the Glamazon Beth Phoenix hits the ring and grabs Michelle’s leg as Layla and Vickie try to pull her out of the ring. Simply Flawless hightail it over the announcers’ table and into the crowd to get away from Beth. We then get an awesome, awesome shot of Beth just standing on the barricade towering over her nemesis. Meanwhile, Michelle and Layla taunt Beth calling her a man.
Beth then gets back in the ring and has a little friendly exchange with Mickie, with the two now seemingly seeing eye to eye.
This match was just fantastic and really seemed like a pay per view quality bout. The timing of the match worked out perfectly for it to develop and tell a story. You also had some spots that you don’t necessarily see in a Divas match, with Mickie Thesz Pressing Michelle by jumping off the barricade. Considering that Maria just revealed to us that Michelle and Melina were told off for being ‘too devastating’ during their Night of Champions match last year, I was surprised to see the Divas allowed to go for a spot like that on the outside. This was definitely a real treat for the British fans who only get TV tapings like twice a year, it’s great to see that added effort go into the Divas match.
It’s becoming rare to see Michelle McCool in singles action on SmackDown but when she does, boy is it worth it. I always enjoy seeing Michelle in the ring, she has developed into an amazingly consistent, high quality worker that can go with just about anyone. I thoroughly look forward to seeing her against Beth Phoenix in the future, I feel that match could perhaps be something really special. Looking back at their one match in October 2008, when Michelle was the babyface Divas Champ and Beth was the heel Women’s Champ, McCool’s transformation and growth as a wrestler since that time has been a great one. What I like about McCool is that you can see the growth and changes in her moveset as she has gone from happy, smiley babyface to conniving, vindictive heel. The spot such as aggressively smashing her opponents head against the canvas is just one example. I don’t often see that change in style and tone from other Divas or Knockouts when they switch from babyface to heel or vice versa, so I think it’s well worth pointing that out and complimenting McCool on that.
And also kudos to Mickie, who had surgery just under two months ago and is back in the ring, fighting fit and delivering matches like this. Looking back at her match with Michelle at TLC in December, I get the feeling that Mickie is challenged by Michelle as a performer and in turn, ups her own game. Her matches with Michelle [barring the Royal Rumble] have been consistently great. There was a lot of worry that Mickie had become complacent on Raw, but I definitely feel like Mickie and Michelle provide a challenge to each other which reads on screen and leads to an awesome match.
The one disappointment I have is the ball-dropping of Mickie and Vickie. You would think that Mickie would be furious and want to get her hands on Vickie, the woman who cheated her out of the Women’s Title. Instead, she returns from her injury to little fanfare [thanks to WrestleMania] and what could have been an awesome comeback has been lost. I would have loved to see Mickie kept off TV after losing the title and then reappearing out of nowhere one week and attacking Vickie Guerrero. That in itself should have been a secondary storyline to accompany Beth and Michelle. I feel that potential has been wasted and now Mickie, I guess, will play second string to Beth.
Speaking of the Glamazon, what a unique ending to this segment with Simply Flawless escaping through the crowd and as I mentioned, I absolutely loved the shot with Beth just standing on the barricade looking so powerful and statuesque towering above Michelle and company. That was a really imaginative new way to do things rather than the usual escape up the ramp. Pretty creative.
All in all, this was a great week for the Divas of SmackDown and I think we may finally get that Beth/Mickie vs Lay-Cool match we’ve been waiting for next week!
95 Comments
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Beth Phoenix vs. Michelle McCool in a falls count anywhere match at One Night Stand. I can’t say how exited I’ll be if they do it.
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Well, I think I am speechless after watching that match, seeing Mickie & Michelle reach new heights of the Divas division, & in Mickie’s case it is literal lol. But I would have liked to see Mickie give a kick to Vickie to show her, “I havent forgot about our little tussle.” But all in all this was an amazing match, cant wait for Michelle vs Beth, it could be amazing-er xD
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This was such a great match. Best match in weeks!!
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This just goes to show that you really can NOT judge smackdown by the spoiler reports. Most were thinking…ugh that’s it? But when it plays out on TV, you get one of the best divas segments you can imagine. Kudos to all 5 ladies, especially Mickie for putting on a great match after returning from injury not too long ago. I loved all the barricade work, as well as the unique push ups spot. BIG thumbs up for SD
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Also forgot to add, great job on the redux Melanie. I loved the shot of Beth standing tall on the barricade as well =]
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Awesome match!! It’s crazy to think these girls work for the same company as the RAW girls. The segment was almost 8 minutes long WITH editing… we are lucky if we get 8 minutes A MONTH total for the RAW divas.
I really hope this feud continues and is not effected by the draft.. I’m actually hoping no divas are traded at all since they did a diva trade not too too long ago
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Once again smackdown gives us what TNA and Raw didn’t. This match was incredible. You don’t normally see a WWE diva match last that long these days. Both Mickie and Michelle put on a great match. And I am looking forward to see what happenes next week.
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I 100% agree Melanie! Phenomenal night for all the divas.
I hope to see Beth/Mickie vs. Lay-Cool next week. But I hope they set it up for Michelle vs. Beth vs. Mickie @ Extreme Rules in a Falls Count Anywhere match.
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That was amazing. This is one of the best Mickie match I have seen in months. Michelle was once again great. When Mickie’s did her move on barricade was great.
I love at the end when Lay-Cool and Vickie got into the crowd I never saw it done with the divas.
I really hope that Mickie, Michelle, Layla, and Beth stay on SM but I doubt it.
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I KNEW the crowd reaction wouldn’t be as loud as it was on that diva dirt fan’s video, but it was alright, they were more cheerful than the usual dead-beat british fans. (I’m british/welsh so I shouldn’t complain 2 much x___x) Really good match, one of the best in the last few weeks thats for sure. I liked the Thesz Press Mickie did on McCool from the barricade, plus SF (Simply Flawless) hiding IN THE CROWDS!! Come on, when was the last time DIVAS hid in the crowds? Also Beth starting at them over the barricade was like, ‘GRRR, YOUR DEAD BEOTCHES!!!! >=(‘
Hopefully next week won’t be so bad, but knowing how things go, when theres 1 good week, theres a bad or dull week after it. -____- Really good match nonetheless though, 7-8 minutes of DIvas time, niiiice. =P
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Nice write up and I agree with most of the stuff brough up Melanie. I have to say, Michelle’s move to Mickie during the Headscissors was very similar to Madison Rayne’s move, I see where you came from with that one!
I thought the match eas good, shame it couldn’t have been a bit longer, or the ending could have been longer, but still, this was WAY better than the dross seen on RAW. Shame Beth didn’t do her pose when she was stood on the barricade but I love Simply Flawless’ mick take of her lol.
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“The segment was almost 8 minutes long WITH editing… we are lucky if we get 8 minutes A MONTH total for the RAW divas.”
As a general ruie, a Diva match on either show (just counting the actual match) will get at least 2 minutes but less than 4 minutes. The entire segments are typically over 5 minutes long, unless the actual match was abnormally short, like under 1:30. Usually, that happens for the purposes of furthering an angle or to fit in mic time.
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i liked this segment alot! Mickie wrestled like she never left. Michelle may have used the move that madison uses, but michelle makes it look impactful and not sexual…haha I love Layla and Vickie’s screaming during the match, so funny!
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Okay I’m officially sick of Michelle McCool I couldn’t even finish watching this match.
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@xcc77, Exactly!
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I never doubted these two women would put on a great match, but I still don’t like the repetitiveness. Either way, the Beth towering over her enemies shot was epic! I don’t know what was up with the crowd, but when Beth’s music hit there should’ve been a flurry of cheers commence. Oh well.
All in all, great, great Smackdown. They always salvage the week.
And kudos to (I think it was) Inferno who informed us that a wrestling source site reported the WWE was on the brink of turning the Divas Division serious again. Thanks for that! And if this week was any indication, the report seems to be true!
:)
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Nice redux, Melanie! :)
SmackDown rocked this week. I loved it.
From Mickie doing the Thezs Press off the barricade, to Mickie selling the ‘big boot’ perfectly, and the ending, this is all Diva fans ask for!
Along with Beth & Melina, Michelle McCool is another person who Mickie James has very good chemisty with in the ring with. They always put on a great match!
I’m looking foward to see Beth & Mickie vs. LayCool next week.
Unfortunately, I don’t think WWE is adding Michelle vs. Beth at Extreme Rules. There is only one more show left before the PPV so they have time to add the match last minute. But everytime that happens, the champion usually retains.
If they don’t have the Title match on the card, maybe WWE can give us something like Beth & Mickie vs. Michelle, Layla, & Vickie? That would be quite cool and something different in some type of stipulation! I doubt it though. WWE has been on a roll with having Diva matches on PPV’s, so hopefully they keep it going for this months event.
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I loved it.. really did… I hate michelle being shoved down my through, but cant help but love this match… Mickie was AWSOME… wow… Michelle was good in the ring as usual.. and I even loved the post match.. it was great to see a good divas match for a chnage :D… RAW sucked balls this week… so this was a refresher…
I hope that something good will come out of these segments… even though beth vs michelle would be good.. how about a triple threat with mickie in there and a nice stipulation like falls count anywhere that people have been throwing around… How sweet would that be.. Imagine the possibilities… omg… smells like match of the year for the divas….
one thing though.. Melanie… you sound really pro michelle mccool… arent ppl suppose to be neutral when writing blogs like these??? I am not critisizing u at all… i loved the recap.. I just dont like michelle being praised over others =P…
Melanie Reply:
April 17th, 2010 at
Mickielover_kvw — Perhaps you’re new, but we have never been a ‘neutral’ website. We are a blog site, blogs are about personal opinion and our response to what we see. So if it seems like I’m praising McCool more than the others, that’s my prerogative. However, I do think I have given sufficient amount of praise to every Diva involved and the whole segment for that matter.
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Very good match, extremely proud of all the ladies tonight and the execution of their moves and roles. Was i the only who watched this that was hoping, thinking, praying, wishing, really wanting to see Beth leap off of the barricade and into the crowd onto Simply Flawless, that would’ve been insane.
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ok this weeks SD was the best i have seen in many of the past weeks normaly (since i am a Beth phoenix addict) dont grace other divas but this match calls for it, like many have say Mickie fought like she never had surgery, Michelle (eventhough i hate her (character)) did pretty awesome showing how mean she can be, althougth in my opinion mickie should have won because she did amazing it was too quick, dey did good by not making her look weak (beacuse she obiusly isnt) dey put the whole layla distracting her thing to cost her the match. over all it was a great match. the post match was amazing (although i was surprise layla didnt came in the ring to help mccool beat down mickie) i love how Beth come out and made the save n it was so cool how dey show how intimidated the whole laycool team including vickie of course were and are of beth. i love the way beth went and help mickie up that was so sweet and tbh i never thought i see it since when mickie was face beth was heel and vise versa dey never seem to be in the same team. also the gesture Beth did after mickie rase her hand up was kind of telling her ” wow dont tink wrong just cuz i saved u doesnt mean i like u but i want laycools destruction n if i have to team up with u to do it den im ok with it” sort of thing. hope no SD diva gets drafted to raw they are too good for 2 min matches .( sorry for the long comment peeps i got carried away lol :))
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i meant “prase other divas” sorry im not good with my english yet i speak only about 95% of it lol forgive me plz :)
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Good match. Although by the recent standards it’s probably one of the best diva matches this year.
I’m not actually looking forward to Beth vs McCool, though. Michelle still has a bad habit of not selling anything too well, and I’m fearful of her making Beth look terribly weak.
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i dont think beth vs michelle vs mickie will happen but michelle vs beth would, but not in any type of match like falls count anywhere,But tht would be nice.
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I agree with every word Melanie wrote. Michelle’s on top of her game. She makes an effective heel as a lot of people are cursing her. Its the storyline that makes her suck sometimes but her in-ring skills are undeniably awesome! her move may seem similar as that of Madison’s but if we’ll be more technical about it, its different with a headlock scissors with submission. SD have 7 divas (including Vickie) but they put up a great show as compared to Raw which holds most of the divas they have. I think Melanie can make a great review if the match is worth it.
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disclaimer:Michelle is an amazing wrestler, but a thief is a thief is a thief, and save the “everyone steals bs”, this is not a sting & bret hart situation- she’s knows it and admits it herslef, but I’m getting ahead of myself-
Melanie’s write ups are as entertaining (sometimes more) than the matches (clap clap clap- you rock); that REALLY needs to be said and Melanie thanks for the underhand slow pitch over the plate…
“[Michelle] then turns over and uses her legs to slam Mickie against the canvas. Hmm, I recall seeing a similar move used by Madison Rayne against Tara last week.”
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MICHELLE MCCOPY thanks for visiting SHOP TNA yet again, let’s review your recent purchases
*THE AJ STYLES FINISHER & HOODED ENTRANCE COMBO* check
Actual Michelle McCopy quote (not a bit)
“Yeah, that seems to be the hot topic with some Twitter “fans!” 99% of the time I move on. Sometimes, and normally only when people are out of line with their message, I answer to entertain myself. Regardless, the answer is always the same. From headlocks to rollups, it’s all been done before yadayadayada. Plus, it works! Why would I not want to do it?”
yadayada fu michelle, won’t don’t you do the tombstone, I’m sure it’s been done enough to you by your bf PLUS IT WORKS! you stole the styles clash cause it’s safe to steal from tna u underwhore, but back to the bit-
*A WATERED DOWN PG Beautiful People* for SIMPLY FACSIMILE” check
AND THANK YOU MCCOPY for your most recent purchase-
*MADISON RAYNE’S NATONAL TV use of the FACEPLANT- WITH EXCUSES PROVIDED BY DIVA DIRT MEMBERS* check
for no extra charge here’s some excuses from the diva dirt posters- In Video: Fan Footage from This Week’s SmackDown 4-4-10:
serena deeb used that move many times in the indies
I think Courtney Taylor’s also used that move for a long time, or something similar
You mean the standard knee smash that hundreds of wrestlers use? Maybe she learned it in her kickboxing/muay tai lessons, or maybe Triple-H inspired her (he used that a LOT in the past). The Japanese puro style has lots of moves that involve knees and kicks, so most likely thats where it originated.
ha ha ha ha ha hahahaha or she watched TNA last week- ahem sorry back to the bit-
THAT’S RIGHT MCCOPY, all these excuses come free when ripping of madison rayne and ripping off TNA again
THANKS FOR VISITING SHOP TNA MCCOPY see you again soon
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… stop reading now: below is an inside joke against the “I’m more mature than you” type of haters …
hail the tag & knock out champs ~ tbp untied in my lifetime ~ and 4 lve haters a big chokeslam-
and so help me if anything alice might fall through calls me immature one more time I will steal his/her/it’s lunch money and apply a wedgie – holler!
“get up, get up… angel on myyyyyyy shoulder – da da da da”