Perfect 10 of 2010: Michelle McCool (#1)
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).
#1: MICHELLE MCCOOL
LAST YEAR: #1 – 2008: #1
For the third year in a row, Michelle McCool tops the Perfect 10 and really… is it any surprise? Love her or hate her, the controversial Diva has had continued success in the WWE Divas division over the past 12 months. After becoming the first ever Divas Champion in 2008, the first ever woman to hold the Divas and Women’s Championships in 2009, the question was, ‘Just what more could Michelle accomplish in 2010?’ It seemed nothing. How wrong we were.
In the past 12 months, Michelle has held both the Women’s and Divas Championships and became known as the ‘Flawless History-Maker’ by unifying the two belts in September. The cherry on the cake? Being crowned ‘Diva of the Year’ at the Slammys in December.
Continuing her feud from 2009 with Mickie James, Michelle and ‘flawless BFF’ Layla continued their mockery of James into 2010. In January, the pair held a ‘Piggie James Going Away’ party for the multi-time Women’s Champion, splattering a cake in her face in what proved to be one of the most powerful Diva segments in some time. Michelle got her comeuppance, however, at the Royal Rumble when James took the Women’s Championship from her and added insult the injury by dumping a cake of her own all over Lay-Cool.
But that was only the beginning of Michelle’s year. With SmackDown’s official consultant and friend of Lay-Cool, Vickie Guerrero, as special guest referee in a rematch, Michelle regained the belt after Vickie slapped Mickie distracting her long enough for Michelle to hit her devastating big boot.
Lay-Cool turned their attention to Beth Phoenix next, dubbing her the ‘Manazon’ and ‘Glama-man’. In April, McCool and Phoenix made history by competing in the first ever Extreme Makeover match in which the Glamazon was victorious. After suffering an ACL tear injury, Michelle and Layla managed to defeat Beth in a two-on-one handicap match in May when Layla pinned Beth. Though she was the official Women’s Champion, Lay-Cool introduced a second Women’s Title belt and declared themselves co-Women’s Champions.
While finding the time to successfully mentor Kaval to victory on NXT season two, Lay-Cool also found themselves in a tag team feud with the Blondetourage: Kelly Kelly and Tiffany. Layla successfully put away Kelly Kelly in a Women’s Championship bout at Money in the Bank in July, while Michelle successfully pinned Tiffany for the belt in a quasi-rematch.
Next up, having defeated all the Divas on SmackDown, Michelle and Layla turned their attention to Raw’s new Divas Champion, Melina, just moments after she won the belt at SummerSlam. Laying her out and making a statement that they were the top dogs in the Divas division, Lay-Cool then challenged Melina to a title unification match at Night of Champions. Despite Layla being the official Women’s Champ, it was Michelle that did battle with Melina and made history once more. This time, she had successfully unified the Divas and Women’s Championships, earning the title ‘Flawless History-Maker’ at WWE.com.
Once again sharing their newly won title, Lay-Cool became co-Divas Champions and faced off against Natalya. Michelle successfully retained the belt against the third-generation Diva at Hell in a Cell, as did Layla at Bragging Rights, but they lost the belt to Natalya at November’s Survivor Series. Adding insult to injury, that same week, Lay-Cool were humiliated on Raw by 87-year-old Mae Young who pinned them in a match which earned them a Slammy award for ‘Knucklehead Moment of the Year’.
It was also as the Slammys that Michelle won a Divas battle royal to become ‘Diva of the Year’.
Continuing to make history just in time for the holidays, Lay-Cool, Natalya and Beth Phoenix took part in the first ever Divas Tag Team Tables Match.
With the Women’s Championship and Divas Championship around her waist, two ‘first ever’ matches, and a Slammy award, it’s no surprise that Michelle McCool is once again at the top of the summit on the annual Perfect 10. As they say, good things come in threes. Can anyone knock Michelle off the top spot next year?
Catch up on: the 2008 list, the 2009 list
rockyy56
December 31, 2010 at 11:32 pm
Michelle deserved to be #1! YAY
JillianHallTNA
December 31, 2010 at 11:35 pm
So can now finally someone tell me ho is at 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2 place?
callie superperv
December 31, 2010 at 11:38 pm
just look back at the last few days ?!?
JDernTrishStratusFan
December 31, 2010 at 11:42 pm
As much as I disagree with Michelle being #1, I guess I have to give her some credit…she did know who to involve herself with in the WWE.
Congrats to all the Divas and Knockouts who made the list this year!
Goodnightddtmnm
December 31, 2010 at 11:42 pm
Love or Hate Michelle McCool She accomplished Alot in 2010! I used to Hate Michelle with a PASSION trust me I did , but she grew on me even tho I ddnt agree with some of her accomplishments thus Year. I truly Have Respect for Michelle McCool.Not a Big Fan of hers , but I have ” Enough” respect for her. And Just Like Her Theme Song Song ” Your Not Enough For Me”… Damn right she isnt enough for me lol she is TO much for me.
Richard
December 31, 2010 at 11:47 pm
Can’t stand the people who thinks she earned this because she’s with “the right people”. If she didn’t have the talent, she could be just like Debra, Miss Kitty, Karen Angle/Jarrett, etc. She is the most well rounded performer along with Beth and Nattie in the E, and deserves every minute of the spotlight.
Don’t forget the WWE pushed her way before her “associations”. These backhanded compliments to Michelle are getting old. “I have to give her SOME credit, but blah blah blah”.
Great Top 10 list! Really enjoyed it DD.
GailKimFan09e
December 31, 2010 at 11:55 pm
Yea i agree with everyone Love her or hate her, Everyone would be in Denial if they think that Michelle isn’t Number 1 and hasn’t had a Flawless year….
JDernTrishStratusFan
December 31, 2010 at 11:55 pm
@Richard and to anyone else who has an issue.
You can “not stand’ the people who make those comments all you want, but it’s OUR opinion. No one is telling you yours is wrong, I just don’t agree with it. Simple as that.
MickieFan226
December 31, 2010 at 11:57 pm
Three years in a row, Michelle takes the #1 spot on Diva-Dirt’s Perfect 10 of the year. You can’t really disagree, even if you hate this women.
She’s worked 11 out of 13 PPV’s this year, as well with being on TV every week on both Raw and SmackDown. She deserves this spot.
I’m happy for Michelle. She’s one of WWE’s best female workers! A lot of people assume things due to her relationship but she can’t deny her in-ring ability.
Congrats, Michelle.
And Diva-Dirt, another great list this year! :)
litafan2000
January 1, 2011 at 12:09 am
Diva dirts new Trish Stratus! J/k I’m happy for McCool!
Richard
January 1, 2011 at 12:19 am
@JDernTrishStratusFan: Isn’t it ironic for you to have to reiterate my point then? I never said its wrong for people to have their opinions, but I can also have my opinions that the negativity towards Michelle is getting stale. So why do you feel like you need to defend yourself or even comment on my “opinion”? Simple as that. ;)
LaceyVonErichFan
January 1, 2011 at 12:20 am
Michelle is one of my all time favorite female wrestlers (:
the time were i loved her the most was when she was turning heel and started attacking a few of the divas, she definetly deserves to be number one but i just hope in 2011 they tone down the spotlight w/ her.
Holbrook
January 1, 2011 at 12:34 am
love her or hate- she rly does deserve this, i truly belive that.
blackjack
January 1, 2011 at 12:47 am
“She’s worked 11 out of 13 PPV’s this year, as well with being on TV every week on both Raw and SmackDown. She deserves this spot.”
yea yea….She hasn’t worked a damn houseshow in 4 months..No other diva gets that kinda of special treatment (unless they’re injured) pretty much all of them BUT the almighty Michelle work a full time schedule.
Aksana
January 1, 2011 at 12:53 am
I dislike Michelle, a lot. But I still think she did deserve it. Anyone who says different is pretty blind. Michelle is full of talent, and she’s shown that in all of her matches. So what if shes the WWE’s main girl? she has every right to be, the girl can wrestle. If anybody says that she’s only #1 because she’s being shown every single week is correct, but that isn’t a bad thing. She’s shown on Smackdown every single week, would we rather see a poor match featuring girls who can’t wrestle? I like watching McCool because she’s a skilled wrestler.
Aksana
January 1, 2011 at 12:55 am
Oh, by the way Happy New Year DD!
GailKimFan09e
January 1, 2011 at 12:59 am
“yea yea….She hasn’t worked a damn houseshow in 4 months..No other diva gets that kinda of special treatment (unless they’re injured) pretty much all of them BUT the almighty Michelle work a full time schedule”
Well actually if you wanna call one diva out might as well call all of them like, Tamina, and as must as i love her Gail kim, Eve (hasn’t worked a House show in a while), same goes for Kelly kelly, Maryse and The Bellas
The_JM
January 1, 2011 at 1:00 am
Michelle deserves this award more than any diva or knockout, she gives everything 100% to w/e she does. Her mic skills have very much improved since 2008/2009. The crowd reaction can sometimes be unreliable but she gets the job done at the end of the day. She brings out the best in anyone she wrestlers (maryse, kelly, maria,). The woman has busted her ass to get where she is and from what I hear she wants to be respected for her wrestling. Could you imagine how good she’d be if she trained in japan or mexico? This countdown has been for me completely fair and I wonder who will be able to over throw michelle next year. Melina, Beth, Madison, or Nattie come to mind. Anyway great countdown, can’t wait for the year end awards.
Kaledrina
January 1, 2011 at 1:06 am
i don’t know. i don’t really think she’s improved that much between this year and last year, her wrestling has pretty much stayed the same and the only real impressive thing she did these past 12 months for me was taking that tame table bump.
should somebody who was been pushed down viewers throats non-stop for the last three years really be rewarded with this recognition considering the likes of tara or angelina love in tna get berated for hogging the spotlight for a couple months? especially as the last three years has arguably been one of the worst times in women’s wrestling in the wwe? coincidence?
hope she gets shown the backseat in 2011, would love to see wwe make the effort in trying to give their other ladies a personality.
blackjack
January 1, 2011 at 1:06 am
Gail kim, Eve (hasn’t worked a House show in a while), same goes for Kelly kelly, Maryse and The Bellas
Actually, all of them especially Bellas and Eve work houseshows all the time they were just doing them this week aday after xmas. Not to meantion WWE uses them for promotional tours as well.
sugarrush28
January 1, 2011 at 1:08 am
@Richard I learned along time ago it’s no use trying to get some people to give Michelle credit cause it’s not going to happen. As long as she’s with who she’s with it will be brought up in every post involving Michelle McCool. Anyway I’m so happy Michelle is number one again this year. She, along with Layla, have dominated the WWE this year so to me it makes sense that she would top the list.
sugarrush28
January 1, 2011 at 1:12 am
“hope she gets shown the backseat in 2011, would love to see wwe make the effort in trying to give their other ladies a personality.”
@Kaledrina I pretty much disagreed with everything you said except for the line above. I love Michelle and everything but it would be nice to see the other divas get some shine. It seems WWE is heading that way anyway with Nattie getting the title and starting something with Melina. Plus Laycool hasn’t won a match since TLC.
blackjack
January 1, 2011 at 1:18 am
Not a fan of her but also Kelly works houseshows its been her vs Layla at almost every event. You must not read any of the shows results, b/c Kelly,Gail, Eve, Maryse and the Bellas are always used at houseshows whether its in a match or just hosting they are there.
Aksana
January 1, 2011 at 1:26 am
Kelly Kelly works her f*cking ass off for house events, she needs more credit imo.
layla1fan
January 1, 2011 at 1:29 am
Good job McCool another year at the top… she’s truely the most Well rounded diva on TV. Even though I’ve just recently started liking her character which I find hilarious now, sarcasm is her thing!
-PRESS ON McCOOL!