It’s that time of year once again: the Perfect 10 is back to count down the top 10 Divas and Knockouts of 2010. Based on their year’s successes, we’ve compiled (as best we can) the ten Divas and Knockouts we feel gave us a 2010 to remember in WWE and TNA. Check back over the next five days to see the countdown unfold, with the #1 being revealed on New Year’s Eve (Friday).
#7: MICKIE JAMES
LAST YEAR: #5 – 2008: #4
It’s been a strange year for Mickie James. Beginning the year by winning her fifth Women’s Championship, little did we know that we’d see her as a TNA Knockout by year’s end.
Continuing her feud with Michelle McCool and Layla from the end of 2009, there was heartbreak for Mickie as she had a cake smashed in her face in that infamous ‘Piggie James Going Away Party’ back in January. The powerful segment which aired on SmackDown was without a doubt one of the most compelling Divas segments in quite some time and ran nearly 10 minutes long. James exacted her revenge on McCool at the Royal Rumble, defeating her to win the Women’s Championship and dumped a cake of her own on both members of Lay-Cool.
The Women’s Title reign was cut short, however, after Mickie lost the belt in a rematch thanks to biased special guest referee, Vickie Guerrero.
Mickie briefly disappeared due to a staph infection but that didn’t hold her back as she was part of the 10-Diva tag team match at WrestleMania. Shortly after ‘Mania though, James was shockingly released despite being the most popular Diva in WWE. The move was met with intense backlash, with one fan even calling WWE’s headquarters, threatening to bomb it.
During her downtime, Mickie pursued another passion: singing. Releasing her debut album ‘Strangers & Angels’ earlier this year, Mickie went about establishing herself in a new career-path, while continuing to ply her trade in independent matches with the likes of Mia Yim and Mercedes Martinez.
But the bright lights of national television soon called once again. Mickie James returned to TNA Wrestling in October, making her debut on a live episode of Impact and she hasn’t looked back since.
Getting straight into the thick of things, Mickie has been front-and-center in the Knockouts division since her debut, showing us a new side to her and even helping rejuvenate the division. Her feud with fellow former WWE Diva, Tara, spanned three months and included several knock-down brawls all over the Impact Zone.
In November, James made her pay per view debut in a match with Tara that quickly disseminated into chaos but the kept viewers on the edge of their seats. The following month, it was much of the same as the two brawling Knockouts competed in a Falls Count Anywhere match. After Tara stole the victory with the help of Madison Rayne, there was only one thing for it…
Within the confines of a steel cage, Mickie and Tara headlined Impact in December, putting an end to their extremely physical feud. As James leapt from the top of the cage with a Thesz Press on her rival, it was almost a metaphor for James’ own leap this year. A year of dramatic change, but Mickie certainly landed on her feet and continues to be one of the most popular women in the industry today.
We are guaranteed to see James in the title picture in 2011, as she will cash in her #1 Contendership on the first pay per view of the year in January. It’s almost inevitable that the ‘Hardcore Country’ Knockout will win the gold at some point next year, solidifying her place in history as the first — and only — woman to hold the TNA Knockouts, WWE Divas and WWE Women’s Championships.
Check back tomorrow for #6
Catch up on: the 2008 list, the 2009 list
45 Comments
at 1:43 am
It has been a strange year for Mickie indeed, but you can never hold a good woman down. I look forward to seeing her in 2011. So proud of Mickie.
at 1:46 am
I can’t wait to see who’s gonna be #1. Mickie deserves to be on this list.
at 1:47 am
A crazy year for Mickie and her gang. 2011 is looking to be much better, though.
I’m so proud of her.
at 1:51 am
2010 Hasnt Been Mickie’s Year but she bounced back! There is not much to say abt my Lovely Mickie James! I cant wait to see more of her in TNA & Make History I cant wait until I Hear ” Here Is Your Winner & New TNA Knockouts Champion Mickie James “…..Love it :)
at 2:04 am
defiantly that wasn’t mickie’s best year put she fought back to get back on top and i am sure she well be in the top five next year.plus going the most racist storyline ever i congratulate her.can’t wait to see her with the ko’s strap around her waistindead a true fighter.
can’t wait to know how is no 1 hopefully not laycool i don’t respect them don’t get me wronge i love them as individual but participate in a racist storyline make me lose respect to the two of them.
at 2:05 am
proud of mickie and hopefully 2011 much better year for her.
at 2:20 am
WTF? How was the ‘Piggie James’ storyline racist? I swear some of the ‘commenters’ on Diva-Dirt need to be taught proper English/grammar!
at 2:35 am
@McCooLover you may loved the storyline but that storyline send a bad massage to the women is either be a model figure or starve yourself to death plus promoting such thing is disrespectful and i am not talking about mickie only but ”.vickie lita … ect ”serously my opinion if you are going to pick on someone weather is a heel or a face do it but physical appearance are of limit.and FYI i am not the only one who didn’t like the concept behind the storyline a lot of readers feel the same way.
at 2:36 am
WTH? HOW IS IT RACIST? Do you know what racism is?
at 2:37 am
I wouldn’t call that stoyline racist, however it did rub some people the wrong way, me included.
at 2:45 am
Response to A.E.:I never stop respecting Layla or Michelle because they did their jobs as performers. But my respect and admiration grew for Mickie, she endured a lot of disrepect with that storyline but she bounced back even better in TNA.
at 2:45 am
Um, I think you need to calm down, McCooLover. Sure, they don’t seem to know what racist means, but you blowing up about it is equally as mind-boggling, if not moreso. Just saying.
Anyways, Mickie deserves this slot, if not a higher one. Despite being released she accomplished a ton this year. Frankly, I think she alone deserves credit for turning what could have been a hideous angle in ‘Piggy James’ into something half-decent with her promo work and genuine likability. And obviously she’s taken the KO division by storm as well, and is practically the reason why they’ve taken a renewed interest in it lately.
at 2:47 am
Callin someone fat is NOT racist.
at 3:01 am
i know i may have gone overboard actually if you put it in that way it also include the physical appearance which is distasteful if i offend anyone i apologize for it.
at 3:10 am
Actually the Mickie vs Tara feud did have an element of racism when Tara said that Mickie looked like ‘Pocahontas’, ie. a native American princess (don’t really know how that’s a bad thing though).
In my opinion Mickie was perhaps the most valuable performer of the year. The ‘Piggie James’ feud while hated by many, drew much attention to WWE, more so than any other feud in WWE in recent times, and fact is, will be one of the most memorable feuds as well. Lay-Cool played their role very well, but Mickie had the harder task in portraying the demoralized victim, which she did perfectly.
The whole idea of the feud was how ridiculous the comments by Lay-Cool were. No one in their right mind would actually believe that Mickie was fat, so Lay-Cool were able to generate intense heal heat and put their gimmick as ‘mean girls’ over. Of course the problem was that many younger viewers (and older viewers for that matter too) would be unable to work this out, and would actually think that Mickie was really being teased because she was fat. I think if WWE wasn’t PG rated, this would have been a perfectly fine angle, or there should have been a better explanation of the actual nature of the feud.
Anyway, when Mickie left, the momentum in the Divas division seemed to slow down, and of course when she entered TNA she revitalized their division. So I really do see her as the most valuable asset to whichever promotion she’s in. I do agree with this ranking though, given her absence in the middle of the year. Hope she continues to do well next year, and maybe we’ll get a Mickie Daffney feud! :D
at 3:16 am
2011 is this girls year Gurandamntee it :)
at 3:25 am
I LOVE MICKIE JAMES :D … i love her moves and she is damn sexy n stylish :)
<3 <3
at 3:40 am
My #1 is Mickie while her year been hit and miss she still one of the best around.
I never liked the ‘Piggy James’ storyline i was into because of Mickie and only Mickie.
at 3:42 am
@Piggie James that angle was a message from WWE to Mickie bout her so call weight problem although we know she had no weight problem. Also shame they had to do that to get heat for Laycool.
at 3:49 am
As far as it being a message from WWE to Mickie, that’s essentially speculation, although I would personally agree. Still Mickie went along with it, and it really set up the rest of Lay-Cool’s feuds throughout the year. Anyway, like I said, you’d have to be very impressionable yourself if you actually believed that any of Lay-Cool’s insults had any credibility. Of course that’s the problem since younger viewers are impressionable.
at 3:50 am
I think Mickie conducted herself with dignity this year. The jump to TNA might have been typical in some eyes, but it did reaffirm her passion for wrestling. I wish her nothing but more success for 2011.
Agree with PiggyJames. The angle became a vehicle for sympathising with Mickie and turning Lay-Cool into caricature villains — it wasn’t particularly nice to watch at times, but it was undeniably effective.
at 4:09 am
Go Mickie!! :D. 2011 is going to be a good year!
at 6:10 am
mickie is a solid performer & the whole piggy james thing even thou i hated it,made me feel for mickie being able to cry & feel embarrassed was truly how good she is…
heres to a good 2011 for mickie..
at 6:21 am
Yes a weird year indeed if you mean being buried and taunted by the greatest diva of all time, the outrageously talented, the most consistent amazing decorated most over diva,The first ever diva’s champion, the ever unified diva’s champion,the first ever woman to win both the diva’s and women’s title: Michelle McCool.
at 6:28 am
I dont really like Mickie’s character now in TNA