Diva Dirt » Features

Your Two Cents: Can the Divas Dominate the Ratings?

Erin — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:05:15 +0000

“Your Two Cents” is the new interactive feature where we gauge the opinions of our Twitter and Facebook followers on different discussions in women’s wrestling.

This week, we’re asking this: The Knockouts are consistently topping Impact’s ratings. Do you think the Divas could do the same with more screen time and better marketing, or is it not comparable? We’ve read your responses on our social media pages and picked some of the best submissions to highlight here on the website. As always, you can join the debate by leaving your comments!

Our Two Cents

Batting for Team DD this week, it’s Cryssi giving us her personal opinion on this week’s topic:

Cryssi: This is a tricky question because the WWE has the talent, Diva-wise, to make this happen. But with their lack of effort it seems like it really isn’t comparable. Part of me wants to say yes, but in order to make the majority of the fans care about the girls they would have to do a complete overhaul of the division and that’s just not something I can see them doing. The WWE doesn’t even take time to build younger talent, let alone try to make their Divas special. The focus will always be on the same three guys, with various others playing supporting roles or getting a big push here or there. The Trent Barretas and Tyson Kidds of the world will continue to be misused and unappreciated.

The Divas are worse off. Even when they get their pushes, like Eve Torres and AJ are getting now, fans still complain that it isn’t good enough, or that something is off. Without spoiling SmackDown, AJ was crucified in one of the spoilers that I read, and whenever you read results on other so-called sites, the Diva match always seems to have the description ‘typical Divas match.’ Attitudes like that don’t help things and are the reasons why the Divas can’t really compare to the Knockouts right now in terms of getting respect. Kharma‘s reaction from the crowd at ‘Rumble and the way Prince Dolph sold for her give me a small amount hope. It proves that there are people in the company who care and want to help. As you can tell, I’m very mixed on this. It’s so whatever.

Your Two Cents

@CaffeineJack | Of course they could. Sure, there’s audience apathy to deal with, but if WWE excels at anything, it’s getting people over and making the fans get behind them. If Superstars like Alberto del Rio, Sheamus and Alex Riley can be pushed into the main event from obscurity in months as a result of good booking and strong investment in storylines, the Divas can too. A call to the WWE – give Beth Phoenix and Natalya ten minutes on Raw or Smackdown to show what they can do, and you’ll get an audience behind the entire division with a single match.

Charles Parker | Probably not. The WWE has consistently trained their audience to not pay attention to anything outside of a handfull of people. Unless Vince or his successors spend a lot of time completely rebuilding the division and how its handled, its probably not going to change.

@GregLucM | It can only happen if WWE becomes like TNA and is willing to take risks in their management and let the women do actual work. Giving the competitors time to, you know, have a wrestling match is certainly part of it. Nobody would be tuning in to the KOs if they were conditioned to expect a match that barely goes over a minute, with a grand total of 3-4 moves performed, and people seriously questioning if more than three people in the division can actually wrestle. But the other part of it is risks. Nobody would be tuning in to the KOs if there weren’t the occasional off-beat match, like cage matches, or intergender matches.Nobody would be tuning in if every girl was a variation of generic smiling face or generic not-as-smiley heel. The proof is in WWE already, and her name is Kharma. She didn’t look like any Diva WWE has ever had. Her character was unlike any Diva. Hell, she’s still NOT listed as a Diva on WWE’s site. She got more over than most guys on the roster without a single proper match. People are STILL waiting for her to come back full-time and somehow do something to “save” the division.

And yet, Kharma is one of many undercut by the reason why the Divas are not a draw. While she was busy giving a finisher to *title-contender* Dolph Ziggler at the Royal Rumble, the announce team was more busy being concerned with the ever-present Michael Cole getting eliminated by a girl, like a bunch of school children and despite how un-Diva like Kharma is. At this very moment, WWE is running with a damn fart gimmick on one of the few women people tend to agree can wrestle, and besides that is (or was, rather) supposed to be part of a duo who went on about being taken seriously. This past Monday night, they had a 6-woman tag match where half the participants didn’t even get tagged in, and cut to the crowd sitting on their hands as if they expected a different reaction. WWE does not take their women seriously inside the ring and downright undercuts them, and until that view changes, the Divas, collectively, will not get reactions or ratings.

Leron Mason | That’s comparing apples and oranges. First of all, Impact only gets about a 1-1.2 in the ratings anyway. The Knockouts get that range so that’s about average. If the Knockouts went to WWE with the exact same amount of time, they would still average in the 1-1.2 range. For WWE that would be horrible, but for TNA it’s fine. There is no Diva with the ability to draw in 3.2-3.6 that Raw does. Maybe if Lita came back or Mickie James. The whole division needs to be revamped and with Britani Knight, Tenille Tayla, Kharma and Sofia Cortez, it looks to be headed that way.

@Miss_Diesel Diva’s? They can definitely have the same success as the KOs, and it is all a matter of doing the correct marketing, giving a decent amount of time as well as putting the correct girls out in the forefront. WWE can do so much with girls that they currently have; in both their main roster and their developmental roster. If they spent less time focusing on how beautiful the girls are and more on what they are capable in the ring, worked with them on mic work and gave them more to work with than silly playground issues they would be doing just perfectly fine. Perhaps actually reaching the same level as the KOs.

Mondarious Brantley | Can the Divas pull off high ratings for WWE? In my opinion I think if given the proper attention like the Knockouts the ratings could increase for them. In the past Diva storylines used to good now its like WWE comes up with something and if they dont like it they just drop it without any reason. So can the Divas top ratings for WWE. I say yes look at TNA’s Knockout roster half are former Divas who didn’t get proper attention from WWE, but TNA has given them something to work with character, storylines, and promos and look at how fans take to them!!!

Sarah Flannery | Honestly, I think they could. With them introducing AJ and Eve Torres into main storylines, and giving Beth this unstoppable diva like power, and Kharma waiting in the wings, all they need is the chance! People out there know they’re talented, they just don’t trust the booking.

And now we turn it over to you…

What are your two cents on the debate? Do you think the Divas could top the ratings too? Tell us in the comments…

This Week in History: Katie Lea & Rosita Have Their Debuts, Awesome Kong Has Deja-Vu & More

Erin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:00:29 +0000

Welcome to Diva Dirt’s This Week in History, where each week we’ll take a look back at some of the most memorable moments in women’s wrestling from years gone by.

So, join us in taking a trip down memory lane…

February 7th, 2002 | Two Divas and two gay men are feuding. How to solve their differences? With a pose-off, of course! Yes, Torrie Wilson and Stacy Keibler took on the duo of Billy and Chuck in what amounted to a swimsuit competition and an opportunity for the ever-cultured WWE audience to gasp and grimace at the male-on-male “action”. Torrie and Stacy won, of course, sending a message that every popped-collar frat boy has professed from the dawn of mankind: guy-on-guy: ew, girl-on-girl: hot!

What are your memories of this classic moment? Tell us in the comments…

The Diva Dirt Perfect 10: Week of January 29th, 2012

Bobby — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:00:25 +0000

It’s back! The Diva Dirt Perfect 10 makes a return as we look at the movers and shakers of the Divas and Knockouts division this past week a la WWE.com’s Power 25. Which femme fatales impressed on Raw, SmackDown, NXT, Superstars, Impact Wrestling and FCW? (Note: Pay per views will be counted the following week.)

Let’s find out…

#10. Eve Torres

Last Week: 8

Not a strong week for Eve Torres, as she left the Royal Rumble on the losing side of an eight diva tag, and was also defeated on Raw in a Divas Championship match that lasted under a minute.

Hopefully the coming week will be better for Eve so she can start to rise in the ranks of the Perfect 10!

Continue on for #9…

Your Two Cents: Most Shocking Moments

Erin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:00:03 +0000

“Your Two Cents” is the new interactive feature where we gauge the opinions of our Twitter and Facebook followers on different discussions in women’s wrestling.

This week, we’re asking this: Kharma’s surprise appearance at the Royal Rumble has us wondering: what do you consider to be the most shocking moment in women’s wrestling history? We’ve read your responses on our social media pages and picked some of the best submissions to highlight here on the website. As always, you can join the debate by leaving your comments!

Our Two Cents

Batting for Team DD this week, it’s Katelyn giving us her personal opinion on this week’s topic:

Katelyn: There’s been a few moments in women’s wrestling that have truly shocked me. One that immediately springs to mind is Trish Stratus‘s heel turn at Wrestlemania XX. By that time, Trish had been the quintessential, numero uno, top babyface for several years and everyone was hoping and praying that, despite Chris Jericho’s childish bet with Christian for one (Canadian) dollar over who could sleep with Trish or Lita first, it would have a fairytale ending and Trish and Jericho would ride off into the sunset together.

Turns out that Trish had a change of heart, and with one mighty slap, became a heel again for the first time since the beginning of her career. It was a great career move for Trish, who is a naturally funny person. Following a “Vicious and Delicious” alliance with Christian and their “Problem Solver” Tyson Tomko, she added a fifth Women’s title reign to her accolades in June and dominated the women’s division in a very enjoyable run. That’s probably my favorite ‘shocking’ memory… in recent memory.

Your Two Cents

Henric Grubbström | Strangely enough it would have to a strict kayfabe moment, when Chigusa Nagayo finally defeated Dump Matsumoto in the hair-versus-hair match and the anticlimax when Dump was shaved by her own accomplices and didn’t seem to care at all about losing her hair.

@IAmNELLEZ_ | I’d have to say Madusa throwing away the Women’s title on Nitro was pretty shocking.

Josie Michelle Pearson | Molly Holly getting her head shaved at Wrestlemania 20! Seriously, I really did not think they would end up doing it!

Josue Guzman | Chyna‘s run with TNA. When Kurt Angle announced that he had hired a mistress to take on the Jarretts I NEVER thought that it would end up being Chyna! Since her departure from WWE, Chyna had become notorious for her drug use, money problems and, of course, her sex tape. She was a train wreck looking for a comeback and may have had that chance when TNA called her up. Unfortunately, her time was cut short because of disputes between her and TNA but it is definitely an unforgettable moment.

Mickey Micklon | The Original Screwjob, where Wendi Richter lost the WWF Women’s title to the masked Spider Lady despite raising her shoulder to stop the three-count (which was obvious). Spider Lady immediately unmasked, revealing herself to be the Fabulous Moolah.

@RingPostsTesta | That TNA actually went through with shaving Roxxi‘s head after the Makeover Battle Royale ladder match, knowing she was bleeding.

And now we turn it over to you…

What are your two cents on the debate? What do you think is the most shocking moment in women’s wrestling history? Tell us in the comments…

The Diva Dirt Perfect 10: Week of January 22nd, 2012

Bobby — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:00:12 +0000

Let’s find out…

#10. Audrey Marie

Last Week: 3

She lost her coveted FCW Divas Championship this week, but Audrey Marie still put on a solid showing and certainly proved she will not go down without a fight.

Her performance was certainly enough to score a spot on the Perfect 10!

Continue on for #9…

This Week in History: The Women’s Title Goes Inter-Gender, Beth Competes in the Rumble, Mickie Loves Trish & More

Erin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:00:13 +0000

Welcome to Diva Dirt’s This Week in History, where each week we’ll take a look back at some of the most memorable moments in women’s wrestling from years gone by.

So, join us in taking a trip down memory lane…

January 31st & February 3rd, 2000 | Right at the dawn on the new millenium, the WWE’s powers that be took a long look at its Divas division and thought “You know what we need? A male Women’s Champion!” Yes, in probably the most infamous Women’s Title match in history, Harvey Wippleman (dressing in drag and calling himself Hervina) won the title after defeating The Kat in a Snowbunny Lumberjill match. Jacqueline did her best to salvage the belt’s credibility when, a few nights later, she faced Harvey with the title on the line and promptly won it.

What are your memories of these classic moments? Tell us in the comments…

Virtual Diva Rumble 2012: And the Winner is…

Melanie — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:00:17 +0000

For the past three weeks, you have been voting for your favorite Divas, tossing the ones with the least votes over the virtual top rope. It’s now time to unveil the winner as voted for by you!

And the winner is…

THIRD ROUND: We are down to our final five. First out is former Divas Champion, Kelly Kelly, who couldn’t quite hang on in there despite making it to the final stages. In a respectable fourth place, but ultimately tossed over the top, it’s Maxine next. The NXT Diva who loves to be on top can take solace in the fact that she outlasted several veteran Divas. Third place goes to feisty young AJ, who with her small stature no doubt knows how to cling to the ropes and avoid elimination. Ultimately, AJ’s luck run out leaving us down to just two… Layla and Kharma. With her sheer size and strength advantage, it isn’t hard to imagine Kharma making quick work of the former Women’s Champion to take the Diva Rumble victory for 2012.

SECOND ROUND: The second round of voting has ended and it’s time to find out who the next six Divas are to be tossed over the top rope based on your votes. She may be flying high on SmackDown, but the Samoan Princess Tamina is the seventh Diva to be eliminated. She’s followed by her current rival, Natalya, so we’re going to assume that they tussled & fell out of the ring at the same time. Next out is Brodus Clay’s other funky momma, Naomi, lasting a long stretch compared to her dancing partner Cameron. Following her it’s the Divas Champ, Beth Phoenix. Following Beth, we say so long to Alicia Fox and her Fancy Fox Hood, while Eve — she of John Cena telling off fame — is the 12th Diva eliminated. I’m sure you’ll agree that there were a few shockers in that bunch!

FIRST ROUND: Last week in the opening round of voting, you cast your votes in droves! Now it’s time to find out who will be the first six Divas to be tossed over the top rope… Out first is the woman made infamous during the premiere episode of Tough Enough last year: one of Brodus Clay’s funky mommas, Cameron. Perhaps its kismet, because just like last year, the Bella Twins, Brie and Nikki, are next out in successive order. Following the twins, we say goodbye to another spicy Latina as Rosa Mendes’ dancing can’t save her now! Next up, thanks for coming Aksana and last but not least, Kaitlyn is out, also.

ORDER OF ELIMINATION
1. Cameron
2. Nikki Bella
3. Brie Bella
4. Rosa Mendes
5. Aksana
6. Kaitlyn
7. Tamina
8. Natalya
9. Naomi
10. Beth Phoenix
11. Alicia Fox
12. Eve Torres
13. Kelly Kelly
14. Maxine
15. AJ
16. Layla

Your Two Cents: The Next Diva in the Royal Rumble

Erin — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:00:01 +0000

“Your Two Cents” is the new interactive feature where we gauge the opinions of our Twitter and Facebook followers on different discussions in women’s wrestling.

This week, we’re asking this: The Royal Rumble is this Sunday, so we’re wondering: Which Diva would you have follow in the footsteps of Chyna & Beth Phoenix and become the next woman to compete in the Rumble? We’ve read your responses on our social media pages and picked some of the best submissions to highlight here on the website. As always, you can join the debate by leaving your comments!

Our Two Cents

Batting for Team DD this week, it’s Steven giving us his personal opinion on this week’s topic:

Steven There’s only one current Diva that I could imagine making an appearance in the Rumble and her name starts with a K. Yup, that’s right… Kharma. Although she’s currently out on maternity leave at the moment, making a Royal Rumble appearance impossible, I think Kharma would be the perfect Diva for this role. The one thing that Chyna and Beth Phoenix, the only two Divas to ever compete in the Royal Rumble, have in common is their intimidating and impressive physique. I feel that Kharma also has that factor, making her the perfect Diva candidate for the Rumble. Hell, I think she might even be able to take out quite a few Superstars in the process.

Your Two Cents

Andrew C. Kunzeman | Have Beth Phoenix return to it and Natayla be in it as well. Let them eliminate three or four apiece before they get eliminated and have Beth in the final four.

Josue Guzman | No contest, Kharma. I think it would be a fair statement to say that she is in the same league as both Beth and Chyna. Both Beth and Chyna were able to eliminate heavyweights during their run but I can see Kharma, with her experience and being of a heavyweight class, lasting longer and eliminating opponents in a more convincing matter.

Laura Lee Alberts | Honestly, I think it would be awesome if EVERY diva entered the Royal Rumble. They’d make a statement and prove that the women can work just as hard as the guys.

Megan Walsh | If a Diva was to enter the Royal Rumble, considering her push i would say Tamina. Although I’d rather see Nattie in it but sadly she’s been jobbing every damn week.

Mondarious Brantley | Seeing as both Chyna and Beth are seen as intimidating women I could see Natalya or Tamina being in the Rumble. Or WWE could play up the fact that Brie & Nikki Bella are trying to impress Del Rio and put both of them in saying they wanna win it for him.

@MxdBoysDoItBest | Out of any current WWE Diva, I would love to see Natalya be the next woman to compete in the Royal Rumble. Each member of the Hart Family has competed in the Royal Rumble at some point in time, so I fell that it’d be only fair if Natalya did as well. I also feel that just like Beth & Chyna, she has the strength, athleticism and beauty to compete in the Royal Rumble and outsmart the other guys. My other choice for a diva that’d I’d love to see compete in this year’s Royal Rumble would have to be Kharma, but it’s such a shame that she’s inactive right now. But if she wasn’t, I feel that it would’ve been a smart move for the WWE to have Kharma compete in it. I feel that there could’ve been a storyline with her where she started competing against the men since she already dominated the women’s division. I personally feel that if she was to have competed in the Royal Rumble, she could win the match because of how dominant she is. Plus,I would love to see her compete at Wrestlemania for either the WWE or World Heavyweight Title, and maybe even win one or the other.

And now we turn it over to you…

What are your two cents on the debate? Which Diva would you choose to compete in the Royal Rumble? Tell us in the comments…

Virtual Diva Rumble 2012 (Round 2 Results): Six More Divas Go Over the Top Rope!

Melanie — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:03:30 +0000

It’s time for the second annual virtual Diva Rumble at Diva Dirt!

Every year it seems that fans want to see the Divas get in on the action with their own Rumble match. Well, short of kidnapping the entire Divas roster and forcing them to compete in one, we can’t make that happen. But we do have a fun — albeit virtual — alternative!

The annual Diva Rumble allows you to vote who wins, who gets eliminated, and the order in which they’re eliminated, simply by casting your vote! Over the next three weeks, we’ll give you the chance to vote for your winner, and each week we’ll take a vote count to see who will be eliminated. The people with the lowest votes will be tossed over the virtual top rope and the person with the most votes over the three rounds of voting will be selected as your Diva Rumble winner! Pretty simple, right?

ORDER OF ELIMINATION
1. Cameron
2. Nikki Bella
3. Brie Bella
4. Rosa Mendes
5. Aksana
6. Kaitlyn
7. Tamina
8. Natalya
9. Naomi
10. Beth Phoenix
11. Alicia Fox
12. Eve Torres

It’s now time for the third and final round of voting. Five Divas remain. The winner will be revealed on Sunday!

Take Our Poll

May the best Diva win…

Who did you vote for and why?

This Week in History: Chyna Makes Rumble History, Chicago Street Fight, Straight Edge Head Shaving & More

Erin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:00:47 +0000

Welcome to Diva Dirt’s This Week in History, where each week we’ll take a look back at some of the most memorable moments in women’s wrestling from years gone by.

So, join us in taking a trip down memory lane…

January 24th, 1999 | At the 1999 Royal Rumble, Chyna made history as the first woman to compete in the annual match. Coming in at lucky number 30 (the last entrant), Chyna was in a prime position to win the match. Unfortunately, she spent a mere 35 seconds in the ring eliminating Mark Henry before being eliminated by Steve Austin. Hey, that’s 35 seconds longer than any woman before her! We’re just thinking of it in a “glass half full” kind of way..

What are your memories of this classic moment? Tell us in the comments…

The Diva Dirt Perfect 10: Week of January 15th, 2012

Bobby — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:06:21 +0000

Let’s find out…

#10. Vickie Guerrero

Last Week: –

While she didn’t win a match or take part in any sort of diva related segment, Vickie Guerrero did manage Jack Swagger to United States title victory…and not only that, but she also gave us some hilarious entertainment on Friday Night Smackdown in a dance off against Brodus Clay.

That’s surely enough for a spot on the Perfect 10!

Continue on for #9…

Virtual Diva Rumble 2012: First Names Tossed Over the Virtual Top Rope Are…

Melanie — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 14:00:45 +0000

It’s time for the second annual virtual Diva Rumble at Diva Dirt!

ORDER OF ELIMINATION
1. Cameron
2. Nikki Bella
3. Brie Bella
4. Rosa Mendes
5. Aksana
6. Kaitlyn

Join us again during the week when we’ll take another vote count and toss some more Divas over the top rope! Keep voting for your favorite below…

Take Our Poll

May the best Diva win…

Who did you vote for and why?

Your Two Cents: Most Wanted Memoirs

Erin — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:14:41 +0000

“Your Two Cents” is the new interactive feature where we gauge the opinions of our Twitter and Facebook followers on different discussions in women’s wrestling.

This week, we’re asking this: With news that Madusa is penning her autobiography, we’re wondering: which women’s wrestler do you most want to see write her memoirs? We’ve read your responses on our social media pages and picked some of the best submissions to highlight here on the website. As always, you can join the debate by leaving your comments!

Our Two Cents

Batting for Team DD this week, it’s Erin giving us her personal opinion on this week’s topic:

Erin I think it’d be pretty informative to read Stephanie McMahon‘s autobiography. She was one of the most hated on-screen personas in recent WWE history, and her personal life hasn’t been without its controversies, but I think the most interesting aspect of this hypothetical book would be her take on the inner workings of the WWE, from growing up with her dad and mom running the WWE to becoming a high-ranking figure in her own right.

Your Two Cents

@AlexxRavenSonja | That would definitely be Lita. Her first book stopped as soon as the most controversial part of her life and career were just starting. Everyone’s heard Matt’s side of the story & made assumptions about her. I’d love to hear what she has to say and hear how she really felt about leaving and more about her life after WWE too.

Justin C Dutton | I would love to read Ivory and Jackie Moore‘s because they both have been in the industry for so long and worked for so many different main stream promotions (WWE, WCW, TNA). I could only imagine all the stories and insight they have, and I would to hear how they, unlike a lot of main stream female workers, were able to maintain the longevity that they maintained.

Mondarious Brantley | Out of all women’s wrestlers I would love to see former WWE Diva Jillian Hall write an autobiography. Seeing as Jillian was a well rounded wrestler before entering the company she was used mainly to get others over and basically used as a joke kind of like former Diva Victoria towards the end of her career. So if Jillian were to write an autobiography I think it would be a really great book to read from her point of view.

Mark Myers | I would love to see Sherri Martel‘s book come out. I know she was writing it before she passed and I heard someone was going to see that it was published, but nothing has come to light as of yet.

@MxdBoysDoItBest | I would absolutely love if Melina was to write a memoir. Melina is considered the most controversial Diva in WWE history. Backstage politics and former Divas blasted her for having a bad attitude. I personally would love to hear her side of the story. Just because backstage politics and former Divas said that about her doesn’t mean it’s necessarily true. It’d be great to hear her side. Also, Melina had a tough road when she found her passion in wrestling. She was told she was too fat, too skinny, too short, etc. I would love to hear about how she handled all the criticism, both with that and the bad things people said about her.

Ozzy Valentine | Tough one as there are so many women who I’m sure have their fair share of stories to tell. I would love to read something from both Molly Holly and Tara. Molly because she worked with so many legendary women, more so than the other women. She grappled with the ultra talented Madusa/Alundra Blayze and even the animated Sherri Martel! She worked with Macho Man in WCW and then wrestled many greats in WWE. Tara has an interesting background too. She went from bodybuilder, to playing a Godfather lady, to one of the greatest women wrestlers ever! And going strong and better than most young girls today. Tara is so humorous as well, so im sure it would be a fun and interesting read without a doubt.

And now we turn it over to you…

What are your two cents on the debate? Who in women’s wrestling do you wish would write an autobiography? Tell us in the comments…

This Week in History: Chyna Defeats Two Men, Trish Wears a Bullseye, Victoria’s Last WWE Match & More

Erin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:00:28 +0000

Welcome to Diva Dirt’s This Week in History, where each week we’ll take a look back at some of the most memorable moments in women’s wrestling from years gone by.

So, join us in taking a trip down memory lane…

January 18th, 1999 | Under most circumstances, a Handicap match pitting two men against one woman would seem like an unfair fight. But, when it’s Chyna taking on Gerald Brisco and Pat Patterson, we think the scales are tipped in the other direction. Despite having two opponents to fend off, Chyna didn’t have too much trouble getting the job done, pinning both simultaneously while sitting on their backs.

What are your memories of this classic moment? Tell us in the comments…

The Diva Dirt Perfect 10: Week of January 8th, 2012

Bobby — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:12:44 +0000

Let’s find out…

#10. Eve Torres

Last Week: 8

Not so smooth sailing this week for Eve Torres, as she was chased away by Kane from not only her match on Raw, but a shot at the Divas Championship.

Hopefully Eve can get another shot at Beth’s title! Will the Royal Rumble prove lucky for our Rubik’s Cube solving philanthropist?

Continue on for #9…

Diva Dirt’s Virtual Diva Rumble 2012: Who’ll Win Your Royal Rumble? (Vote Now!)

Melanie — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 15:00:50 +0000

It’s time for the second annual virtual Diva Rumble at Diva Dirt!

LAST YEAR’S DIVA RUMBLE: In the first annual Diva Rumble, Gail Kim won the most fan votes and outlasted the rest of the competition to win the Rumble match. Current Divas Champion Beth Phoenix was a close second. Read all of the results from the 2011 Diva Rumble here.

And now it’s time to vote for this year’s winner! Vote for the person you want to win the Diva Rumble 2012. Next week, we’ll close the voting and toss the first lot of Divas over the top rope before re-opening the voting.

Vote now!

Take Our Poll

May the best Diva win…

Who did you vote for and why?

Your Two Cents: The Most Missed

Erin — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:00:10 +0000

“Your Two Cents” is the new interactive feature where we gauge the opinions of our Twitter and Facebook followers on different discussions in women’s wrestling.

This week, we’re asking this: Bull Nakano’s retirement earlier this week has us wondering: Of those who have left women’s wrestling, who do you miss the most? We’ve read your responses on our social media pages and picked some of the best submissions to highlight here on the website. As always, you can join the debate by leaving your comments!

Our Two Cents

Batting for Team DD this week, it’s Bobby giving us her personal opinion on this week’s topic:

Bobby | I’d have to say the woman I miss most in wrestling would have to be Nidia. She was the first diva I connected with, as random as it sounds, but the segments between she and Jamie Noble are still to this day some of the most hilarious things I have ever seen. She was a good wrestler who only seemed to improve, and I never forget how excited I was the night she won that Contract on a Pole match…only to lose the title shot three seconds later. I always wanted her to come back, but I think she has a family now and lives in Texas, so I just pray she ends up doing a convention in Florida one day so I can meet her!

Your Two Cents

Josue Guzman | One of the first woman I’ve seen wrestle: Madusa. I think she is one of those people in wrestling, who when you hear her name, you KNOW who she is. Whether it be from her incredible athleticism, multiple championships, International fame, controversial moments or legendary feud with Bull Nakano, there is no doubt she has made an impact in women’s wrestling. Would love to see her in the ring one more time!

Michael Kelly | Ivory. She was the mould for the anti-diva, she could talk and in my opinion was one of the best females on the mic ever, she could fight in any type of match & still look good & she shown skill over beauty which makes her iconic.

Mondarious Brantley | Michelle McCool. WWE put a lot of work into getting her over with the fans be it as a heel or face. She really gave it her all and made history for herself. Not only that, but she also gave a rub to other Divas like Layla and Alicia Fox.

@MxdBoysDoItBest | Out of all the women that don’t wrestle anymore, I definitely miss Molly Holly. Molly Holly was one of the most talented divas in the WWE. She was one of my favorite heels because she played the character well. Her in-ring style stood out from all the other divas because she was a great technical wrestler. Her character stood out as well because she played the “virgin” woman who didn’t exploit her body or show any skin, and I feel her character helped the fans lover her and hate her. Molly could’ve became something big if she had stayed around and if the WWE hadn’t put her on the backburner. She only held the Women’s Championship twice, and she deserved to hold it more times than that. Hopefully one day she’ll come back. Boy, do I like the sound of a Molly vs. Beth Phoenix feud!

Nick Gross | Lita. She’s the reason I started watching wrestling again. She’s the one women’s wrestler that as a guy, I could see myself talking to & hanging out with. She had an approachable quality to her that everyone else didn’t have. And the more I learned about her, the more I liked her. She likes the same music as me and is funny & quirky in real life. And I liked that. It’s a shame that the fans caused her to retire early (and her injuries started piling up), she was one in a billion and I personally think that Vince OWES it to her to put her in the Hall of Fame this year. She’s more than earned it. He also owes her a VERY pubic apology for how she was treated at the end of her career.

PortuguesePoison P-Cat Negro | Luna Vachon, god bless her soul, I started watching her in the 90′s when I was 3 or 4 and ever since fell in love with women’s wrestling. I really wished she had a run with TNA before she died, it’s a shame she never was Women’s Champion.

@sofbomb Lacey. Unlike wrestlers like Trish and Lita, I don’t feel we ever got to see all there is to see from Lacey. I would have loved to see her on TV, or even as a part of the fantastic and always growing North American independent women’s wrestling scene. It would have been great to see her work with some of the newer SHIMMER girls like Jessie McKay and Joshis like Ayumi Kurihara. Imagine potential interactions between her and the Canadian Ninjas or the Knight Dynasty?! And if the news about ROH developing a women’s division comes to fruition, her being a part of it would have been absolutely incredible. Who better to represent the Women of Honor than one of the originals? It’s a shame she left wrestling so early, but I’m happy that she was able to get out of it 100% on her terms.

And now we turn it over to you…

What are your two cents on the debate? Who do you miss the most? Tell us in the comments…

This Week in History: Lita & Edge’s Live Sex Celebration, Gail & Kong Main Event Impact & More

Erin — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:00:50 +0000

Welcome to Diva Dirt’s This Week in History, where each week we’ll take a look back at some of the most memorable moments in women’s wrestling from years gone by.

So, join us in taking a trip down memory lane…

January 8th, 2001 | Trish Stratus got a front row seat to the implosion of her tag team T&A when she was booked in a handicap match pitting her and Albert against Test. Trish clearly didn’t like the idea of wrestling Test, as she avoided in-ring action until she was dragged into the ring. Before he could do her any major damage, though, a knight in shining armor appeared in the form of William Regal. He pulled Trish out of the ring and escorted her to the back while the distraction cost Test the match.

What are your memories of this classic moment? Tell us in the comments…

The Diva Dirt Perfect 10: Week of January 1st, 2012

Bobby — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:00:07 +0000

Let’s find out…

#10. Rosa Mendes

Last Week: –

Making her way back into the Perfect 10 this week is none other than the freakin’ Costa Rican, Rosa Mendes, who not only managed Primo & Epico to a victory over the Tag Champs on Smackdown, but even got to cut a backstage promo that was shown prior to the match.

Clearly this is the most prominent role Rosa has had since Glamarella, and we certainly hope it continues because she’s finally getting to showcase herself and form an actual character. Keep up the good work!

Continue on for #9…

Your Two Cents: Who Will Make the Biggest Impact in 2012?

Erin — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:47:07 +0000

“Your Two Cents” is the new interactive feature where we gauge the opinions of our Twitter and Facebook followers on different discussions in women’s wrestling.

This week, we’re asking this: Which women’s wrestler do you predict will make the biggest impact in 2012? We’ve read your responses on our social media pages and picked some of the best submissions to highlight here on the website. As always, you can join the debate by leaving your comments!

Our Two Cents

Batting for Team DD this week, it’s Cryssi giving us her personal opinion on this week’s topic:

Cryssi | First let me start off by saying that it’s only fitting that the first “2 Cents” response of 2012 comes from yours truly. I mean, who else has the people in the palm of her perfectly manicured hand? I daresay that I’m the choice of Break-Out Star because when all is said and done, 2012 is going to the year of Cryssi. Every single one of you better get used to it. That aside, Erin insists that I pick a wrestler. There’s only one obvious choice in my humble opinion. There’s a lady down in FCW that we all know and love named Shaul Guerrero. As her alter ego, Raquel Diaz, she’s been rising in the ranks as a champion, a queen, and what I call her, “the total package.” Shaul/Raquel has the look and she has the pedigree, and as the daughter of the late Eddie, and the fiercest Diva on the roster, Vickie, she’s destined to be a big star. If she’s not terrorizing the main roster as a devilish heel or rallying the masses behind her as a lovable face within the next six months, it would be a crying shame. But of course I am khaleesi, and I’m never wrong. Happy new year!

Your Two Cents

Daniel Royce Wilhelm | Hopefully its not just one Diva or Knockout making an impact in 2012, personally I want to see ODB, Tamina, Kharma and Traci Brooks make impacts.

ODB: Let’s be honest ODB has been on the backburner for too long in TNA. She gets one of the biggest reactions from the crowd when she is on TV and she has awesome in-skills. Why is someone with her charisma and talent not in the spotlight?

Tamina: I am hoping her impact is coming fairly soon. Recently attacking Natalya and beating her on Smackdown this Friday could be a hint to bigger things. Not to mention Vickie Guerrero’s interest in her.

Kharma: She is overdue for her dream coming true. I would love to see her return at Wrestlemania and clearing out the entire Divas roster, leading to a feud with whoever the current champ is and a dominating title reign, along with resurrection of the Womens Championship.

Traci Brooks: There has always been something about Brooks that I love and I cannot put my finger on it. To me she just comes across as someone who loves to wrestle and I hope she gets into the ring a lot in 2012. I would love to see her eventually beat Gail Kim in a groundbreaking match (ladder would be awesome) for the KO title, or teaming with Velvet to win the tag titles but I prefer the first.

@_HEELMAFIA | Kharma. When she comes back, she will dominate the division and ‘squash’ all matches & become champion within the first 2 months.

Josue Guzman | I think Natalya will have the biggest impact in 2012. We’ve all heard the rumors of her turning on Beth and feuding with her for the Divas Title some time at Wrestlemania. If it does happen, the first half of 2012 will be amazing for Natalya as she becomes the new babyface of the Divas and will be involved in a highlight feud. The second half of 2012 will have a returning Kharma who, I can see, will also feud with Natalya thus furthering her career.

Luc Tempest | I think and hope Alpha Female will get her break in America. She is ultra talented and she’s got a great look. Seeing her up against Sara Del Rey and Cheerleader Melissa in Shimmer would be amazing!

@MxdBoysDoItBest | I think Tamina is going to make the biggest impact out of all the Divas in 2012 and here’s why: first, her and Vickie Guerrero have been talking about wanting to team up. If Tamina was to team up with Vickie, it would do wonders for her career, just like it did for Dolph Ziggler. Vickie could help Tamina get to the top of the Divas division and even win the Divas Championship. Also, recently on Smackdown, Tamina attacked Natalya for costing them their tag team match against Kaitlyn and Alicia Fox. To me,that’s a sign that the WWE is planning on pushing Tamina, whether it’s her challenging Beth Phoenix for the Divas Championship, or her replacing the “weak link” aka Natalya in Divas of Doom.

@sofbomb | Brittani f’n Knight. Regardless of whether she gets the call-up this year or not, she’s bound to make a huge impression down in Florida. She’s truly a one of a kind talent and there are no talents, male or female, like her in FCW. She’ll be extremely difficult to ignore, unlike most of the other Divas there. As soon as she gets down there and starts impressing, I’m sure people’s opinions on the potential of the WWE Divas will change.

And now we turn it over to you…

What are your two cents on the debate? Who will have the biggest impact in 2012? Tell us in the comments…

This Week in History: Dawn & Al Get Married, Trish’s Shower Troubles, Gail and Kong Go “No DQ” & More

Erin — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:00:29 +0000

Welcome to Diva Dirt’s This Week in History, where each week we’ll take a look back at some of the most memorable moments in women’s wrestling from years gone by.

So, join us in taking a trip down memory lane…

January 7th, 2002 | Once upon a time, it wasn’t unheard of for the Women’s Champion to compete in T&A contests, and in the midst of her first reign, Trish Stratus was challenged by Terri Runnels to compete in a wet t-shirt contest. Not one to turn down a challenge, even for a contest driven by fans’ satisfaction with t-shirt clinginess, Trish accepted. However, before she could get hit with the Super Soaker by the ever chivalrous Jerry Lawler (but not before Terri got soaked and delivered on the WWE’s “you’ll see nipples poke out tonight” promise), Jazz ambushed Trish and DDTed her, bringing the contest to an immediate end.

What are your memories of this classic moment? Tell us in the comments…

The Diva Dirt Perfect 10: Week of December 25th, 2011

Bobby — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:00:31 +0000

Let’s find out…

#10. Natalya

Last Week: –

Although she didn’t come out with a victory this week, Natalya managed to get her face on TV for two separate occasions as she competed on both Raw and SmackDown.

Although we aren’t quite sure about a few things that happened in either bout, hopefully Natalya can get back on that brief win streak she was assembling a few weeks ago.

Continue on for #9…

Diva Dirt’s Wishes and Predictions for 2012

Melanie — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 01:58:43 +0000

Ahem, so it may be past midnight on January 1st in the UK making this post a little late, but it’s still 2011 somewhere!

It’s that time of year again when we make our annual wishes and predictions for women’s wrestling in the year ahead. Previous wishes/predictions posts here (2010) and here (2011).

2012 Wishes
* We want Naomi and we want her now! #WeWantNaomi… Tweet it, people!
* Sarita for Knockouts Champion. It’s long overdue!
* Jessicka Havok to stay out of prison. We love you and your matches, but don’t kill someone and spoil the fun!
* We wanted it last year and we still want it this year: Beth Phoenix vs Natalya. The time is now!
* Continued prosperity for Cheerleader Melissa as SHIMMER Champion.
* More great women’s wrestling on Internet pay per view! We’ve seen WSU deliver this year and raise their profile in the process. How about more promotions feature women on iPPV and give the world a chance to see them?
* Maxine to finally reach the top and be the amazing Diva she is destined to be!
* Sara Del Rey to have her dream of joining WWE come true. She deserves the big money contract!
* More focus on the Divas division. 2011 has not been a good year. We’ll remain hopeful for 2012 ~~though not holding our breath~~.

2012 Predictions
* Knockouts Championship reigns for Mickie James, Velvet Sky and Madison Rayne.
* Another prominent independent name to be signed by WWE.
* Divas Championship reigns for Kelly Kelly and Layla.
* Jessicka Havok will win the WSU World Championship.
* Lita will return to the ring.
* A Diva or Knockout will retire rather than being released, but who?
* The Divas reality show on WWE Network will not meet our expectations.
* ROH will go ahead and launch its proposed women’s division and we will all be joyous.
* Shaul Guerrero will be called up to the main roster and get a decent sized push.
* Karen Jarrett will return and we will be ecstatic at the resurrection of Miss Karen.

Those are our wishes and predictions, now it’s your turn! What are you wishing and predicting for 2012?

The Woman of the Year 2011: Kelly Kelly

Melanie — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 20:00:49 +0000

A la TIME’s Person of the Year list, Diva Dirt has compiled a countdown of the women we feel have best embodied the zeitgeist of the year in women’s wrestling. To compile this list, the Diva Dirt team have tracked the headlines here at Diva Dirt over the past 12 months, followed the lively fan debate on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, considered the impact that the women have made within the industry, and taken into account personal achievements as well. More information on the Women of the Year list here.

KELLY KELLY
Woman of the Year

Some consider her a “Diva”, some consider her a “model”, but Kelly Kelly now has a new tag — the Woman of the Year.

When the Diva Dirt writers sat down to discuss who would be our Woman of the Year, we considered many things: Who made the biggest impact in 2011? Who made the headlines? Who was hotly talked about and fiercely debated amongst fans? Who was good for business? And ultimately, who defined the year in women’s wrestling? The woman that ticked all of those boxes was the young WWE Diva from Jacksonville, Florida.

Watching Kelly Kelly in 2011 has been like watching a coming of age story; we’ve seen her grow from a young, naive girl to becoming a young woman and an important part of the WWE both inside and outside of the ring.

Inside the ring, Kelly has blossomed, and as such, this year marked her biggest year in WWE to date, becoming the top Diva in the company and winning her first Divas Championship. Though it’s true to say that the Divas division on the whole has seen a further decline this year due to lack of investment on WWE’s part as well as other factors, Kelly has been a constant presence. In a rocky year of change that has seen big names depart the company, get injured or in one case, become pregnant, Kelly has been the rock that has kept the Divas division together. From the early part of the year right through to the end of the year, Kelly has managed to stay healthy & ready to go in the ring, been seen regularly on TV, and has remained as popular as ever.

In early 2011, Kelly headlined an episode of SmackDown, successfully defending the World Heavyweight Championship as she teamed with Edge against LayCool and Dolph Ziggler, in what the Diva Dirt team considered to be a turning point in her career. Moving to Raw in April, Kelly continued her hot streak, becoming a fixture in the Divas division, and has consistently been seen on television over the past eight months. While she’s not the best wrestler in the world, Kelly has shown growth as a performer, despite what her naysayers may think. In her series of three consecutive pay per view matches with Beth Phoenix from August to October, Kelly held her own and impressed in some of the better Divas matches of the year. While it could certainly be argued that Kelly’s success on WWE TV this year is because of what’s been scripted for her by the writers, one must factor in that WWE considers itself a television show and pushes its most photogenic stars. It’s up to those stars, then, to take the ball and run with it — something that Kelly Kelly has done this year.

Kelly has solidified her place as the face of the WWE Divas division, and given WWE’s global reach, she is also effectively the face of women’s wrestling to the mass majority around the world. And while some will no doubt argue that the spot was “handed” to her, the fact is that professional wrestling/sports entertainment is a business — something hardcore fans tend to forget — and how hard you work outside of the ring is just as, if not more, important as what you do inside of the ring. Kelly Kelly has perhaps one of the biggest workloads on the roster, logging in more promotional hours representing the company than any other Diva in interviews, live appearances, autograph sessions etc. One could argue that she ranks up there with the likes of John Cena and The Miz in the amount of promotional work she does. Given how demanding the job of a WWE Superstar or Diva is without all of that promotional work, Kelly ought to be commended for her work ethic. In fact, Kelly has even brought in publicity to the company by appearing on the cover of Maxim magazine and ranking on their annual Hot 100 list. Considering the fact that the WWE Divas are geared to young male viewers as “eye candy”, Kelly being offered the cover of a magazine that is targeted to a similar audience is lucrative to WWE. Simply put, Kelly Kelly has been an important cog to the WWE machine in 2011.

Of course, it cannot go without mention that Kelly Kelly is certainly a figure that divides fans. She has been the Internet’s most hotly-debated woman in wrestling this year on social networking sites such as Twitter (where she’s trended worldwide several times this year, perhaps more than any other female wrestler), as well as in comments sections of websites such as Diva Dirt. Though some of the criticism lobbied at Kelly, such as the way she runs the ropes, has merit, Kelly has not only be criticized, but she’s been discussed, debated, analyzed, scrutinized and nitpicked. In a similar way to John Cena (albeit on a much smaller scale), Kelly has increasingly become a polarizing figure. While adorned by the majority of WWE viewers, she’s rejected by the hardcore fans who tend to unfairly lambast her as all that is wrong with the Divas division, and categorize her as a “model who can’t wrestle”. Though her looks are one of her greatest assets to the larger demographic, they are seen as a deterrent to the smaller, yet more vocal, demographic. In the end, however, she’s had people talking.

No doubt Diva Dirt’s decision to name Kelly Kelly our Woman of the Year will lead to more controversial debate regarding the Diva, but that would be apropos given the year she has had. Would it have been a safer choice to select an independent wrestler or a name such as Beth Phoenix or Mickie James to alleviate any potential backlash? Perhaps. However, we’re not ones to conform to opinion and play it safe. Kelly was and is our only rightful choice.

Ultimately, when we look back on 2011, it will be seen as the year of Kelly Kelly.

Main eventer. Divas Champion. Maxim covergirl. Woman of the Year.

Congratulations, Kelly Kelly!

PREVIOUSLY:
- The Women of the Year 2011: Gail Kim (#2)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

The Women of the Year 2011: Gail Kim (#2)

Melanie — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 19:00:26 +0000

GAIL KIM
The Headline Grabber

No woman has defined the news agenda for women’s wrestling in 2011 more than Gail Kim.

As a news outlet, no story was bigger, juicier or grabbed more attention amongst the readers of Diva Dirt than Gail Kim quitting WWE and later re-joining TNA, now Impact Wrestling. In fact, coverage of Gail’s first interview during a live Internet pay per view broke traffic records for our website.

In the unyielding corporate world of WWE, it’s hard to think of the last time that an employee so successfully challenged the status quo, “sticking it to the man”, as it were, and spoke out in the way that Kim did when she quit WWE this past August. Of course, we all have our own opinions on how wise or professional it was of her to speak out, but one cannot deny the impact that Gail Kim made this year.

Kim’s revelations in interviews with Diva Dirt, The Sun and others had women’s wrestling enthusiasts, and the wrestling world in general, abuzz.

It was a pretty gutsy move on Gail’s part to quit WWE, a job that most in the wrestling industry strive for, leaving behind a big salary and television exposure around the world, but Kim’s principles must be admired. Since her departure, the first ever Knockouts Champion returned to Impact Wrestling and in hindsight, it certainly looks as though her gamble paid off, as she sits atop the Knockouts division once more with not one, but two championships.

Whatever you may think of her actions this year, Gail Kim went from being in the background to being one of the most talked about people in wrestling this year.

Gail Kim has indeed been the headline grabber.

PREVIOUSLY:
- The Women of the Year 2011: Jessicka Havok (#3)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

The Women of the Year 2011: Jessicka Havok (#3)

Melanie — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:47:10 +0000

JESSICKA HAVOK
The Serial Thriller

Cast your minds back to a year ago. Jessicka Havok was barely known and (in the nicest way possible) frankly, a blip on the women’s wrestling radar. In the past 12 months, she has become the most terrifyingly brilliant female prospect on the independent scene.

Jessicka Havok is a different type of beast and unlike anything we’ve really seen in women’s wrestling before. Quickly rising through the ranks of WSU this year, Jessicka has turned heads, and rightfully so. Capturing the imaginations of fans with her incredibly believable portrayal as a psychotic heel, Jessicka has delivered some of the strongest promos of the year and matched her aggressive temperament with just as brutal matches.

From her early bout with Nikki Roxx in January at WSU’s Final Chapter Internet pay per view, it was clear that J-Hav was a future main eventer. Cementing this status, Havok went on to have a stellar months-long feud with WSU icon, Alicia, that saw the pair compete in two hard fought bouts at June’s Uncensored Rumble, in which Havok wore her opponent down to the point of Alicia’s mom having to throw in the towel on her behalf, and a further “Last Woman Standing” match during the August 6th tapings which headlined the show. In November, Havok was one of six women to step inside the steel cage for WSU’s first War Games match in a bout that felt real, brutal and bloody.

Setting her sights on Mercedes Martinez‘s WSU World Championship, Havok is on the cusp of becoming one of the biggest stars in independent female wrestling. The hype around Havok, as well as her own promos and matches, have made her the closest bet to be the one to finally defeat Martinez and end her near three year reign as champion.

Havok has a rare quality that adds a new dimension to women’s wrestling. While some may see the WWE Divas and think that women’s wrestling has to be “girly” and “playful”, Havok is showing that women can be intense, physical, violent and positively exciting at the same time.

Jessicka Havok has been the highlight of the independent scene for Diva Dirt this year and the scary thing is that in this case, the best truly is yet to come.

PREVIOUSLY:
- The Women of the Year 2011: Hailey Hatred (#4)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

Best Moments from 2011: Maxine Returns to NXT

Bobby — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 16:41:59 +0000

As 2011 draws to a close, the Diva Dirt writers have each picked a personal highlight to reminisce on the year gone by.

Today: Bobby shares his best moment from 2011 — Maxine‘s return to NXT.

So, I’m sure it’s pretty obvious by now that I live for NXT. It’s my favorite program in all of wrestling, and I personally feel it deserves weekly two hour programming, house shows, and pay per views dedicated solely to it.

A big part of my admiration is because of the storylines, time, and effort put into developing characters, and perhaps there is no better example than Maxine! That is why my moment of 2011 is when Maxine surprised the world and made her grand return by attacking AJ and forming the greatness that was BateMax.

I think part of why I loved this so much was because it was live and I had absolutely no idea it was going to happen. Very rarely do we get to have that feeling of complete shock, and seeing Maxine just pop up out of nowhere was one of those times I thought I was dreaming because it was handled so differently (aka one million times better) than most Divas get for their call ups. She was given time to develop an actual character and has since given us some of the best segments in female wrestling in my opinion.

She also stepped up her ring work tremendously, and has pretty much done nothing but impress since. NXT is all about crowning the next breakout star of the WWE, and for me, while she didn’t “make the rain fall” and win her own season, the past few months have shown why she deserves to win this one. (But if we are ever given the option to vote, support the Bate in BateMax!)

Watch Bobby’s best moment below:

The Women of the Year 2011: Hailey Hatred (#4)

Melanie — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 01:27:29 +0000

HAILEY HATRED
The Golden Globetrotter

It’s pretty daunting to pack up your entire life and move half way across the world, but when the rewards include becoming the first foreigner to hold one of the most prestigious belts in wrestling, one can safely say that Hailey Hatred made the right decision.

Hailey Hatred has been in the wrestling business for nearly a decade, initially making her name in the early days of ChickFight as well as competing for promotions such as Absolute Intense Wrestling, however, unlike most, Hatred never had aspirations to one day join WWE or TNA, instead she dreamed of wrestling in Japan and Mexico, and becoming a world-traveled superstar. After living in Mexico and various tours of Japan, Hatred finally packed her bags and moved to Tokyo in 2010.

This year, Hatred put herself on the map by becoming the first American female in quite some time to truly say she has cracked the renowned world of Joshi Puroresu, perhaps the most respected form of women’s wrestling today. Making history as the first “gaijin” (foreigner) to win the JWP Openweight Championship, the oldest and most coveted championship in Japanese women’s wrestling, Hatred has cemented herself in the history books. Hatred would also be the first woman to take the title outside of Japan, defending against Cherry Bomb at AIW.

Being accepted into the Joshi world is no easy feat, but Hatred has more than made her mark and her success in Japan has arguably made her an even bigger star in her native America, where she received much fanfare in her homecoming as she debuted for SHIMMER and returned to AIW.

Holding an inimitable six championships at one point in 2011, Hailey Hatred is arguably 2011′s biggest success story. She has shown that you don’t need to vie for a WWE contract to be successful. In fact, Hatred’s rise to stardom in Joshi Puroresu seems to be ushering in a new wave of American imports looking to live and make a name for themselves in Japan.

Though she just recently lost the JWP championship to Tsubasa Kuragaki, Hatred can hold her head high for her incredible year. We hope that more fans will discover and follow Hatred, a shining representative for North American female wrestling, in 2012, also.

In a history-making year, Hailey Hatred has become one of the most important women in wrestling.

PREVIOUSLY:
- The Women of the Year 2011: Sara Del Rey (#5)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

The Women of the Year 2011: Sara Del Rey (#5)

Melanie — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 21:52:04 +0000

SARA DEL REY
Royally Respected

In the promotional material for her latest album “4″ earlier this year, Grammy-winning star Beyoncé began referring to herself as “King B”, a bold statement suggesting that she had transcended her own gender and was not just one of the biggest female artists in the world, but one of the biggest artists in the world, period. In many ways, Sara Del Rey is wrestling’s “King B”.

In 2011, Sara Del Rey played an important role for the future of independent wrestling, leading the charge for female wrestlers who are challenging — and often breaking — the gender barrier, helping revolutionize the roles of women on wrestling cards.

While it’s true to say that Del Rey isn’t the only woman leading the charge, she’s perhaps the most prominent example due to her work in CHIKARA, one of the leading and higher scale independent promotions in North America. Del Rey has greatly benefited from CHIKARA’s inclusiveness of its female wrestlers, making them an important part of the product, and no woman has played a more important part in CHIKARA than Del Rey. In 2011, Del Rey has not only wrestled fellow females, but has competed against several respected male wrestlers in highly competitive matches. Perhaps the best example is Del Rey’s main event match earlier this year when she faced, and was victorious over, her former ally Claudio Castagnoli. This was a victory for not only herself, but for female wrestling in general.

In the ring, as has been well documented, Del Rey had one of her greatest years yet including the aforementioned match with Castagnoli, as well as two highly praised matches with Joshi star Kana in SHIMMER and CHIKARA. Del Rey further went on to headline CHIKARA’s JoshiMania events with the likes of Aja Kong and Ayako Hamada, victorious on all three nights of competition.

Sara Del Rey has always been an exemplary female talent, but as she has shown in 2011, she is not just a great female, but an incredible wrestler regardless of her gender. Del Rey has earned her right to be ranked up there, or even above, some of her male counterparts.

The positive impact that she and CHIKARA have made this year for females in wrestling will hopefully set an example for other independent promotions to follow.

Sara Del Rey isn’t just the Queen of Wrestling, but she’s probably fit to be King too.

PREVIOUSLY:
- The Women of the Year 2011: Mickie James (#6)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

Exclusive: Wrestler of the Year Sara Del Rey Reflects on Award-Winning 2011

Melanie — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:19:09 +0000

When it comes to the squared circle, there is perhaps no greater ring general in North American women’s wrestling than Sara Del Rey, so it’s only fitting that earlier this week we crowned her the Wrestler of the Year in our inaugural Writers’ Choice Awards.

This year, just when fans thought she had done all there was to do and accomplished all there was to accomplish in the ring, the Queen of Wrestling continued to set the bar high and won praise for her body of the work in 2011, including a main event bout with Claudio Castagnoi;, not one, but two stellar matches with Joshi star Kana; a dream match with Aja Kong, as well as another great clash with Ayako Hamada at JoshiMania.

As we wrote earlier this week when we announced Del Rey as our Wrestler of the Year, Del Rey’s in-ring resumé in 2011 was simply “heads and shoulders above the rest of her competition.”

Speaking exclusively to Diva Dirt on her win, Del Rey said: ‘Wrestler Of The Year!!! I am a bit curious how I won… don’t get me wrong, I’m not surprised, just curious what the exact qualifications are.”

“All kidding aside, this has been a huge year for me and it is just now sinking in. From traveling across the globe to wrestling my idol [Aja Kong] it has been non-stop (awesomeness). I didn’t have time to really look back and realize what was happening, it just all kind of [happened], [but] seeing the efforts of all my hard work pay off with a great recognition like this is really something.”

As we pinpointed above, the Diva Dirt writers had a few specific matches that we loved this year, but does Sara have any particular favorites of her own? “I am very proud of every match I had and it would be impossible to choose one that stood out above the rest.”

Speaking of those matches, some of Del Rey’s best bouts from 2011 are featured on a new “best of” DVD which also contains a 50 minute interview with the Queen.

Of the future ahead, Del Rey signed off by saying: “I hope 2012 brings even bigger and better things for Sara Del Rey.”

With a Ring of Honor women’s division possibly on the way, we’re confident that Del Rey’s statement will ring true, as she will no doubt be a big part of the division and hopefully receive much deserved television exposure. However, as she revealed to us last month, Sara’s goal is to join WWE in 2012. Can she make it happen? We couldn’t think of anything bigger or better.

But for here and now, all hail the Queen of Wrestling and the Wrestler of the Year!

“The Queen of Wrestling: The Sara Del Rey Story”, featuring a 50 minute interview with Sara and over 20 matches, is available now at Smart Mark Video.

Best Moments from 2011: Cheerleader Melissa Wins the SHIMMER Championship

Steven — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:39:50 +0000

As 2011 draws to a close, the Diva Dirt writers have each picked a personal highlight to reminisce on the year gone by.

Today: Steven shares his best moment from 2011 — Cheerleader Melissa winning the SHIMMER Championship in October.

My greatest moment of 2011 is a strange one, as most of you reading this probably haven’t seen it at all. At this past set of SHIMMER tapings in Berwyn, IL, Cheerleader Melissa captured the SHIMMER Championship, an event that seemed to be years in the making. In my humble opinion, this was one of the most emotional title wins in women’s wrestling this year.

When the SHIMMER Championship was introduced in 2007 by way of a two day, 16 woman tournament, many fans considered Cheerleader Melissa as a favorite to win. Melissa had several high profile victories under her belt at that point and had cemented her position in the promotion as a top contender. However, Melissa was knocked out of the tournament in the first round by the debuting “Dark Angel” Sarah Stock (TNA’s Sarita), shocking many in the process.

Melissa went on to become one of biggest stars in SHIMMER, but the SHIMMER Championship was still just out of her reach. That all changed in April 2010 when Melissa faced off against Madison Eagles in a #1 Contender’s Match for a shot at MsChif’s championship. Unfortunately for Melissa, Madison cheated her way into a title shot and went on to become SHIMMER Champion, leaving Melissa, as well as the SHIMMER fan base, furious.

At the next set of tapings, Melissa demanded that she receive the title shot that she was cheated out of by Madison Eagles and SHIMMER management granted her request. Melissa fans rejoiced at the news, believing that this was going to be Melissa’s chance at redemption — a chance to prove to the world that she was deserving of one the most prestigious titles in women’s wrestling. Sadly, Melissa came up short once again, effectively dashing her championship dreams.

Melissa spent the next few volumes working her way back into title contention, defeating the likes of Britani Knight, Christina Von Eerie and Kana along the way. On Volume 44 of SHIMMER, Melissa got her rematch against Madison Eagles and this time it was all or nothing. During the match, the crowd was on the edge of their seats, as Melissa and Madison gave it everything they had in a match that covered nearly every square inch of the Berwyn Eagles Club.

You could cut the tension in the air with a knife each time a near fall was had or a submission hold was locked in. Melissa was so close to the title she could taste it and as fans, we were living vicariously through her.

In the end, Melissa managed to get the pinfall and finally capture the title she had been chasing for so long; and at that moment, the Berwyn Eagles Club exploded in rush of excitement and elation. Whether you were a fan of Melissa or not, you couldn’t help but to get on your feet and cheer for the new champion. And as she stood in the middle of that ring, overcome with emotion and eyes glassy with tears, it was as if she won that title, not only for herself, but for every one of her fans.

While I don’t think the overwhelming reaction to Cheerleader Melissa’s win could be nearly as strong on film as it was live, I suggest that you all go pick up the DVD as soon as it hits shelves, as it is a moment you won’t forget anytime soon.

The Women of the Year 2011: Mickie James (#6)

Melanie — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 01:30:49 +0000

MICKIE JAMES
The Centerpiece

Seasons may change. Titles may switch. Some will come and some will go. Ultimately, one thing tends to stay the same, and that is that, no matter what, or where she goes, Mickie James is always the centerpiece.

In her first full year in TNA after joining the company in 2010, Mickie James quickly got into the thick of things and has stayed consistently in the spotlight for the past 12 months. Competing on nine out of 12 pay per views, James has in many ways been the glue that has held the Knockouts division together in 2011.

As the centerpiece of the Knockouts roster, Mickie has been in several Knockouts Championship storylines. Beginning the year in a months-long feud with Madison Rayne, many expected the former six-time WWE champion to quickly take the gold in the pair’s first encounter at January’s Genesis pay per view, however, Mickie wouldn’t hold the belt until April, giving chase to Rayne over three pay per view matches. Finally winning the title inside a steel cage while also putting her hair on the line, Mickie became the first woman in history to hold the WWE Women’s Championship, WWE Divas Championship and the Knockouts Championship.

After successfully defeating Rayne in a rematch in May, James then feuded with Angelina Love and Winter, dropping the title to Winter in August only to win it two weeks later, and then lose it a further two weeks after that. Though the quick title changes certainly didn’t help the credibility of the belt, when all is said and done, in the history books, James will go down as an eight-time women’s champion.

Despite losing the belt a second time, James managed to stay in contention, competing in a four-way match at October’s Bound for Glory before pinning six other women in a gauntlet match to earn another shot at the Knockouts Championship. This time, she’d face the new champion and fellow former WWE Diva, Gail Kim at December’s Final Resolution. The feud continues as of this writing.

Though Mickie had a fairly tumultuous 2010 due to her WWE release (she herself has admitted she saw herself finishing her career there), the Hardcore Country Knockout has rebounded better than even she could have hoped for as the centerpiece of the Knockouts division, a position that will likely be hers as long as she wants it.

Mickie has proven that there is life after WWE by making history in mainstream female wrestling and continuing to be as popular as ever. It’s a big undertaking to be the face of a division and be relied upon to keep it going for the entire year, but for James, this role seems to be ‘old hat, new surroundings’. TNA obviously sees Mickie as its Knockouts breadwinner hence her continued success and their willingness to rely so much on her. Additionally, Mickie was selected as the only currently contracted female to appear on TNA’s new television project in India, another vote of confidence. James has acclimatized well and has quickly been thrown into everything from being on TV nearly every week and, very importantly, being a big part of the company’s marketing with numerous media interviews, appearances etc.

Mickie James was the MVP of the Knockouts division in 2011.

PREVIOUSLY:
- The Women of the Year 2011: Mercedes Martinez (#7)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

The Women of the Year 2011: Mercedes Martinez (#7)

Melanie — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:12:04 +0000

MERCEDES MARTINEZ
Heart of a Champion

The word “champion” says it all really.

Not only is she physically the WSU World Champion, but Mercedes Martinez exudes what it means to be a champion — and it’s more than just holding a belt. In many ways, Martinez is to thank for successfully bringing WSU into the Internet pay per view era this year by headling every iPPV event and making sure fans got their money’s worth. Being in the main event is surely an honor for any performer, but making sure fans go away with a good last impression so they’ll want to come back for more is a pretty daunting task. This is where Martinez has truly delivered by putting on hard-fought, gutsy main event matches in which she left it all on the mat. Without her, it could be questioned whether WSU’s venture into iPPVs would have paid off.

Kicking off 2011 with a brutal ladder match against Angel Orsini in January (a personal highlight for this writer), Mercedes and Orsini put their bodies on the line and certainly proved that women too can have amazing ladder matches, complete with heart-stopping moments such as a mid-air spear. Continuing into March, Martinez put her title on the line against a woman who perhaps matches her in pedigree, Serena. After a back-and-forth contest, Martinez held onto her belt as her reign surpassed the two year mark. In June, Mercedes brought Brittney Savage, a young diamond in the rough, to her best match yet. And of course, in November, Martinez went to war and wouldn’t quit until she had to be stretchered out of the arena and taken to hospital in the brutal steel cage War Games match.

Outside of the Internet pay per views, Martinez’s 73 minute match with Lexxus in August, which is dubbed the longest women’s match in history, is another testament to just what this woman can do. Throw anything at her and she’s ready for the challenge.

Nearly reaching an unprecedented three-year mark as WSU World Champion in March, Mercedes Martinez has been instrumental to the success of WSU over the years, and 2011 was perhaps the biggest year yet for the company and for Mercedes.

Outside of WSU, Mercedes, one of the SHIMMER originals, turned heel, refreshing her character in that promotion and providing a nice juxtaposition to her work elsewhere.

Martinez also made her debut in Japan after 11 years in pro wrestling, facing Nanae Takahashi for the STARDOM promotion.

From a business aspect, Mercedes has certainly helped define WSU in 2011 along with rising stars such as Jessicka Havok, as well as leading the charge into the iPPV era. And in the ring, Martinez is a valiant and prideful warrior who even when pushed to her limits, leaves it all on the mat. Perhaps intensity inside the ring for the fans’ enjoyment has been to her own detriment, ending the year with a severe concussion suffered during WSU’s November Internet pay per view. This only shows further what a champion she is.

Mercedes Martinez was a shining beacon for female wrestling in 2011.

PREVIOUSLY:
- The Women of the Year 2011: Madison Rayne (#8)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

Image credit: Lethalwow.com

Best Moments from 2011: Velvet Sky’s Knockouts Title Win

Katelyn — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 15:32:55 +0000

As 2011 draws to a close, the Diva Dirt writers have each picked a personal highlight to reminisce on the year gone by.

Today: Katelyn shares her best moment from 2011 — Velvet Sky winning the Knockouts Championship.

For me, the best moment of 2011 was a title change. That title change took place on October 16th at TNA’s Bound for Glory pay-per-view and the championship that switched hands – from Winter‘s to Velvet Sky‘s – was the TNA Knockouts Championship. Now, I’m not necessarily the biggest TNA fan, but this was one of the better things they’ve done for the Knockouts division this year and I have to commend them highly for it.

Velvet Sky, then known by her independent circuit ring name Talia Madison, made her in-ring debut for TNA in October 2007. The match was a ten women gauntlet match to crown their first ever Knockouts Champion. It seems almost fitting that Sky would win her first ever singles title for TNA at the very same pay-per-view four years later.

As previously mentioned, Sky debuted for TNA in late 2007 and has been a prominent feature in their women’s division ever since. Whether it’s as a face or heel, as part of The Beautiful People or not, she stuck by the promotion through thick and thin, most certainly made her mark, and has helped contribute to some of the better ratings Impact Wrestling has received. A previous TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship holder, Sky’s constant improvement, crowd support and company loyalty left many wondering when ‘her time’ would come – and finally, in October 2011, it did.

Although the match ending was slightly sketchy, and perhaps not the best start to one’s reign, Velvet’s title win was extremely well received by the audience. The hard-working Knockout ended up losing the title less than a month later to a returning Gail Kim – disappointing indeed, as Sky could have benefited greatly from retaining her title (cementing herself as a fighting champion). Still, a babyface gunning for the title almost always makes for a much more exciting storyline than one with the roles reversed, and hopefully Velvet gets a second title reign sooner rather than later – and the lengthy one that she deserves.

Watch Katelyn’s best moment below:

The Women of the Year 2011: Madison Rayne (#8)

Melanie — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 03:11:01 +0000

MADISON RAYNE
The Killer Reign

After an incredibly impressive 2010 in which Madison Rayne reigned supreme over the Knockouts division, things barely slowed down for the Killer Queen in 2011. In an era of Knockouts where former champions are seemingly cast aside after losing the belt, Madison Rayne continued to her hot streak, staying in the forefront for much of the year and made history by having the single longest Knockouts Championship reign in history.

Continuing her “Rayne of terror” from 2010, Madison continued to hold the Knockouts Title through April though many expected her to lose against Mickie James at January’s Genesis pay per view. Rayne would pick up consecutive victories over the iconic James before finally dropping the belt at LockDown. Despite losing the title, Rayne could take solace in the fact that she surpassed Awesome Kong‘s 178 day reign by 10 days to mark the longest Knockouts Title reign in history at 188 days.

After losing the belt, the nine-month long partnership between Madison Rayne and Tara would finally implode in a moment that fans had been waiting for. Tara won her freedom from Rayne (she was previously indebted to Madison) after James again defeated her at May’s Sacrifice pay per view. Madison then turned her attention to Tara as the two finally faced off in a grudge match which was to be won by the veteran Tara.

After a short absence from the screen, Madison quickly re-emerged and found herself once again in a position of notability, seen schmoozing with then Knockouts VP Karen Jarrett on a regular basis. Aligning herself with the VP would have its benefits as she and the returning Gail Kim would successfully challenge for the Knockouts Tag Team Championships, ending Rayne’s year exactly the way it started — with gold around her waist.

In the latter part of the year, Madison announced that she had been crowned the new Knockouts VP, taking on a new hat and a new role of prominence on Impact Wrestling. Just like she ruled the Knockouts division with her 188 day title reign, it looks as though Madison will be as iron-fisted in her new position of power.

While TNA has brought in big names like Mickie James and Gail Kim in the past couple of years, Madison Rayne continues to be one of TNA’s most successful homegrown Knockouts, and no matter the direction of the division, she always seems to find a place. It’s not hard to see why, either, as Rayne knows her character inside-out and has all of the nuances down pat — including the patented shrieking — as well as delivering strong, often amusing, promos on the microphone and in backstage segments. Though not exactly on par with her stellar 2010, 2011 was almost as consistent for Rayne. TNA’s vote of confidence in Rayne to take on the new role of VP, which requires more personality and less wrestling ability, is another testament to her versatility as a performer.

Outside of TNA, Rayne also returned to SHIMMER as Ashley Lane at the October tapings, feuding with her former tag team partner Nevaeh. Madison’s return was a welcome surprise and shows that despite hitting the big time, she still remembers her roots.

PREVIOUSLY:
- The Women of the Year 2011: Velvet Sky (#9)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

The Women of the Year 2011: Velvet Sky (#9)

Melanie — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 23:30:23 +0000

VELVET SKY
A True Underdog Story

Everyone loves an underdog and for the past four years, Velvet Sky has been TNA’s underdog Knockout, a consistent force in the division while others were let go, quit or were injured, yet she’s watched on the sidelines as others have won the Knockouts Championship before her. This year, it was finally her turn and though the moment was fleeting, Velvet’s journey to the Knockouts Championship was perhaps female wrestling’s best underdog story this year.

Since the beginning of 2011, Velvet has been as regular a fixture as a Knockout can be on Impact Wrestling, featured in several storylines, each with a similar theme: Velvet was the poor underdog pitted against meaner, tougher Knockouts. In the early part of the year, Velvet feuded with Sarita, losing a strap match before putting her career on the line against Sarita on Impact. Velvet would win, finally defeating Sarita, however, would then have to turn her attention to the growing relationship between Angelina Love and Winter. The mysterious Knockout finally broke apart the Beautiful People, controlling Love in a trance-like state. As the feud continued, Velvet would be forced to face Winter and Angelina in a two-on-one match, further cementing her as a valiant underdog as she scored the victory.

In the summer, ODB and Jackie would return to TNA, attacking Velvet and deeming her the reason that they previously lost their jobs with the company. The feud would continue over the course of the next couple of months as Velvet defeated ODB and Jackie in a two-on-one match that would kick them out of the company. The pair didn’t hold true to their promise, however, and soon returned to attack Velvet again. Velvet snapped, and in a turning point in her TNA career, acknowledged her underdog status in a gutsy promo, and from that point, became a much more determined competitor, setting her sights on the Knockouts Championship.

After much anticipation and a rivalry with Knockouts VP Karen Jarrett, who vowed that Velvet would never win the Knockouts Title, Velvet finally reached the top of the summit, winning the Knockouts Championship at TNA’s biggest pay per view of the year in October.

However, Velvet’s reign would be short lived, as she lost the title just a month later to Gail Kim and has seemingly dropped off the radar despite being so consistently used over the course of the year.

If Velvet’s story arc this year were a movie, it couldn’t have been better written. Velvet’s months long journey to the championship, overcoming obstacles in the form of bigger, stronger, badder foes to get to her goal is one that we can all relate to. Though not the best wrestler in the division, Velvet has always been one of the most popular and is one of the most talented on the microphone. This year, Velvet was thrown a lot of storylines and more than rose to the challenge. It’s disappointing, however, that after a year long build to her winning the Knockouts Title, Velvet lost the belt so quickly and almost vanished into thin air. 2011 could have been Velvet’s year, but ultimately, she (through no fault of her own) fell short at the last hurdle.

It’s easy to underestimate what Velvet brings to the table in TNA amongst the likes of Madison Rayne, Mickie James and Gail Kim, but Velvet continues to be the inspiring, valiant runt of the litter that fans root for, and has earned a place in the fans’ hearts this year.

PREVIOUSLY:
- The Women of the Year 2011: Cheerleader Melissa (#10)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

Best Moments from 2011: Kelly Kelly Defends the World Heavyweight Championship

Cryssi — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:08:17 +0000

As 2011 draws to a close, the Diva Dirt writers have each picked a personal highlight to reminisce on the year gone by.

Today: Cryssi shares her best moment from 2011 — Kelly Kelly defending the World Heavyweight Championship in a main event match on SmackDown with LayCool, Dolph Ziggler and Edge.

My moment of the year should come as absolutely no surprise to anyone. The February 2, 2011 edition of SmackDown will be forever etched in my wrestling memory as my favorite television show episode of wrestling, ever. I’m not saying that it won’t ever be topped, but it’s going to take something of sheer perfection to match what went down in the early part of 2011. For weeks hot, rising star Dolph Ziggler had been on a quest to gain the elusive World Heavyweight Championship, which at that time, was strapped securely around the sexy waist of blond, tall, and handsome Edge. It seemed that no matter what Dolph tried to do it wasn’t enough, and it didn’t even matter that his seductive partner in crime, Vickie Guerrero, was doing everything in her power to help as well. After failing to capture the title at the Royal Rumble, Dolph seemed to grow desperate and Vickie took matters into her own hands. She went to her friends, the sassy duo known as LayCool, who had ran over the entire Divas division, and booked them in a match alongside Dolph for the World Heavyweight Champion. Vickie didn’t leave Edge without a partner though, oh no. She teamed the well respected veteran with arguably the most popular Diva on the roster, Miss Kelly Kelly. It was a move that left Dolph, Michelle McCool and Layla smirking and a move that left Edge weary and unsure.

The night kicked off with an in-ring segment, which basically set the tone for how the entire episode was set to play out.

Throughout the course of the night, everyone seemed to doubt Kelly, including her own partner, not that he said it in so many words.

At that point, Kelly hadn’t accomplished anything in her career and no one gave her a snowball’s chance in hell of helping Edge keep his title. Michelle and Layla had all the accolades. They were the queens of the Divas division. They had beaten everyone. Vickie knew what she was doing, and that was giving her man the best possible chance to finally get his greedy, strong hands (that I want on myself) on that title.

When it came time for the match, much to my delight, the men proved to be a mere afterthought. Once Vickie banned Edge from using the spear, you just had a feeling. It was the girls who put on the show, and ultimately Kelly Kelly who stole the spotlight. She took a beating at the hands of Michelle and Layla, and what stands out most in my mind is the shot on the outside to the barricade. It was an absolute sick looking bump and as a fan watching it I didn’t see how she could possibly go on. Kelly did go on. She fought with everything inside of her. And when the chips were down, her partner rallied behind her. Edge got the crowd behind Kelly and somewhere deep inside of her she found the strength to go on. On the opposite side, Michelle and Dolph encouraged Layla and berated the fans. The last thing they wanted was for Kelly to find her second wind. At one point towards the end, Kelly finally made that tag to Edge. But it proved to be pointless. Dolph had distracted the referee and he’d never even saw it. Layla scurried towards Kelly to continue the beatdown and things quickly fell apart.

Edge basically decided to take matters in his own hands. He forced his way past the referee and took out Dolph. Their brawl spilled to the outside of the ring. Michelle came into the ring to help her bestie double team Kelly. Layla got Kelly to her feet and Michelle got sick to deliver one of her vicious kicks to the blond’s head. But Kelly moved. Layla ate the stiff looking shot and went down like a ton of bricks. Michelle was stunned and that allowed to Kelly to get rid of ‘Cool. It came down to just Kelly and Layla, and the crowd was roar was pretty deafening. Edge was back in his corner, while Kelly managed to pull herself up. He called for the spear, and guess what, the crowd did too. With tears in her eyes, Kelly set herself up and delivered a devastating spear. She threw herself on top of Layla and got the pin.

She seriously defended the World Heavyweight Championship.

Edge ran inside the ring and took Kelly in his arms. The two celebrated while cheers rained down on them from all corners of the arena. Vickie was sick to her stomach on the outside and everywhere, people were stunned at what had just transpired. The celebration for Edge and Kelly was short-lived, however. Vickie climbed into the ring and she took matters into her own hands… again! She fired Kelly from SmackDown and sent her packing, and she put another one over on Edge. She gave her man a rematch for next week for the title and announced herself as the special guest referee. SmackDown ended with Vickie laughing hysterically as Dolph laid Edge out with his finisher, the Zig-Zag.

This match is everything a Diva match should be and more. It was filled with edge-of-you-seat action, heart wrenching emotion, and a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs. The babyface was the classic underdog. The heel was the evil, dominant force. The men, as prominent as they are, took a backseat to Kelly, Layla, and Michelle. The girls were given a chance to prove how mainevent worthy they were and no one can say that this match was “awful.” The match itself was flawless, as were the segments and the aftermath. The greatest thing, in my opinion, is how both Edge and Dolph reacted to what was going on. Both are two of the absolute best at their craft and you can’t deny that singles match between the two would have been an instant classic, but they sat back and just watched. Their reactions to what was going on helped the match feel as important as it was. They didn’t have to react to everything. They didn’t have to care. But they did. They emotionally invested themselves into these women and what they were doing and we got a match where everything went off without a hitch.

Kelly came of age, to me, in this match. She proved that she’s the total package when it comes to being a babyface. My heart hurt for her when everyone doubted her, including Edge. And I clapped out loud when she nailed that spear and pinned Layla to the mat. It was the turning point in her career and what helped launch her into Diva stardom, more so than she already was. Getting fired from SmackDown sent her to Raw where she would go on to eventually become the best Diva’s Champion of the year.

The match also furthered the other storylines that took place inside of it. Michelle and Layla began to show cracks in their friendship. Vickie continued to abuse her power as SmackDown’s assistant general manager, something that would land her in hot water later on in the year. Dolph and Edge continued doing what they do best, and as a life-long Edge fan, it gave me another special moment to appreciate. People say Beth versus Eve at Vengeance was the Divas Match of the Year, and maybe it was, but in my humble opinion, Kelly and Edge versus Lay-Cool and Dolph Ziggler was Divas Match of the Year. It was everything and more, and it ties Punk/Cena at Extreme Rules and Punk/Ziggler on Raw as my overall Match of the Year.

– Follow Cryssi on Twitter at @HeelCRYSSI.

What are your memories of this moment?

The Women of the Year 2011: Cheerleader Melissa (#10)

Melanie — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:10:02 +0000

CHEERLEADER MELISSA
The Independent A-Lister

Two titles changed hands on October 2nd, 2011. In WWE, Beth Phoenix became the Divas Champion, while on the independent scene, Cheerleader Melissa became the SHIMMER Champion. In some ways, Melissa’s long-awaited victory was that much more special considering the long, emotional journey that she and the fans took to get to this point.

One of the most valued female wrestlers in North America, Cheerleader Melissa is always relied on to have great matches and wherever she goes — be it SHIMMER, NCW Femmes Fatales or RCW in Texas — is billed as one of the top attractions on the card. 2011 was no different and was perhaps her best year yet.

Melissa kicked off 2011 with a high profile victory over Taylor Wilde in the former Knockouts Champion’s retirement match in February. She also returned to Femmes Fatales in Montreal, scoring victories over the March, June and October tapings, as well as winning the Amazones & Titans tournament in August with Jay Phenomenon.

However, Melissa’s crowning achievement took place in SHIMMER. Returning for the March and October tapings, Melissa began working her way back up the ladder to earn another shot at champion Madison Eagles after losing in their last encounter. Melissa’s victories over the likes of Athena, Christina Von Eerie and Kana put her in line to face Eagles in the main event of SHIMMER 44, and finally, her journey to the SHIMMER Championship paid off. After appearing on all 44 volumes of the DVD series, Melissa was crowned the new champion — and the crowd in the Berwyn Eagles Club celebrated accordingly, almost tearing the roof of the building in a moment of euphoria.

In the modern era of wrestling where everything is so instant, it’s rare to see such a slow burn, but Melissa’s almost agonizing 44-DVD journey to winning the SHIMMER Championship was one of the women’s wrestling highlights of the year.

Melissa made history in the latter part of the year by taking part in what was said to be the first professional female wrestling match in Taiwan when she faced Makoto during the All Japan Pro Wrestling “Pro Wrestling Love in Taiwan” tour. Melissa’s involvement on the tour is all the more spectacular given that AJPW rarely features women’s matches, and hardly ever brings in “gaijin” (foreign) female talent.

Continuing her globe-trotting, Melissa flew to India to be part of TNA and Endemol’s new wrestling television show for the Colors network. Competing as Raisha Saeed, Melissa was one of only two female cast members, the other being Impact Wrestling star, Mickie James.

Outside of the ring, Melissa was part of a mini “rock n’ wrestling” resurrection as she starred in the Smashing Pumpkins’ music video for “Owata” along with Shelly Martinez, giving her yet another distinctive credit.

In 2011, Cheerleader Melissa proved that you don’t need to be a WWE Diva or TNA Knockout to have a busy or high profile wrestling career. In fact, since leaving TNA last year, Melissa seems to have gotten even busier. Picking just the right projects (many of which have buzz surrounding them), rather than wrestling for a different promotion every weekend, Melissa has managed to establish her name value, and this shrewd business acumen has certainly paid off given her varied accomplishments this year, including the SHIMMER Championship, starring in a music video, and traveling around the world.

In many ways, Cheerleader Melissa is female wrestling’s “independent A-lister”.

PREVIOUSLY:
- The Women of the Year 2011: Beth Phoenix (#11)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

The Women of the Year 2011: Beth Phoenix (#11)

Melanie — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 21:26:39 +0000

BETH PHOENIX
Pin-Up Prowess

In 2011, Beth Phoenix helped define the WWE Divas division and started a new phrase, “pin-up strong”… oh, and did we mention that she became the Divas Champion too?

After bouncing around in the background for the first half of the year, Beth finally came to the forefront in August when she turned heel and began a months-long feud with Kelly Kelly. Beth implemented the “pin-up strong movement” in WWE and for the first time, the company acknowledged the constant fan debate about former models wrestling in WWE, incorporating it into the storyline between Beth and Kelly. Beth also aligned herself with Natalya, becoming the new power tandem in the Divas division like LayCool before them.

Since August, Beth has appeared in every pay per view match, facing off against Kelly Kelly in three matches in a row, including one in her hometown of Buffalo, New York, where she received a huge reaction. That match at Night of Champions perhaps had the most fan participation of any match all year. Beth would also face off against Eve Torres on pay per view in a highly praised match at Vengeance, and then deliver an “OMG” moment at November’s Survivor Series in November when she hit a top rope Glam Slam on Eve.

Though great to see Beth atop the division and as champion, perhaps the biggest detractor for placing Beth higher on our Women of the Year list is the fact that Beth and Natalya almost have one hand tied behind their backs. While the “pin-up strong” sentiment behind these characters is admirable, and the war against the models could make for a very gripping storyline, in execution, WWE’s handling of Beth and the rest of the Divas has left a lot to be desired. Instead of being the ruthless predators they could be, Beth and Natalya have been booked in roles similar to LayCool by mocking their opponents in a juvenile manner, when we feel they should be more serious characters. Meanwhile, the “models vs wrestlers” storyline hasn’t had enough week-to-week progression and for many viewers, has lost a lot of its initial sizzle.

However, Beth has certainly delivered in the ring in her pay per view matches against the likes of Eve and Kelly, while her character change-up this year from “Glamazon” to “pin-up strong” has been interesting and gotten fans talking.

One can only hope that WWE will provide Beth Phoenix (and Natalya) meatier characters in 2012, as well as storylines of more substance.

PREVIOUSLY:
- The Women of the Year 2011: Winter (#12)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

The Women of the Year 2011: Winter (#12)

Melanie — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 00:00:11 +0000

WINTER
The Late Bloomer

The former Katie Lea finally blossomed into the star we always knew she could be this year as Winter in Impact Wrestling, and it’s about time too!

Following her WWE release in April 2010, in all honesty, most fans felt sorry for the former Diva. Like others, she never realized her true potential in the company and wasn’t given as many opportunities to break out as the likes of Mickie James or Beth Phoenix. Fast forward to later that year when she emerged in Impact Wrestling with a whole new gimmick which seemed to be a much better fit.

After an adjustment period, Winter definitely came into her own in 2011, becoming accustomed to her new skin, as it were, as she perfected all the little nuances for her mysterious, and slightly creepy, new character. Winter, the slowly talking, blood-lusting, Angelina Love-drugging Knockout, added a new dimension to the Knockouts division.

This year, we saw Winter complete her mission of turning Angelina Love into her personal play thing, and feuding with Love’s former tag team partner, Velvet Sky. The pair eventually turned their attention to then Knockouts Champion Mickie James, and Winter would finally win the Knockouts Title. For many fans, this was vindication for not holding WWE’s Women’s Championship.

Though fans celebrated Winter’s title win, she would lose it just two weeks later — and then regain it a further two weeks after that. Winter’s second run as champion, though a little longer, didn’t amount to much as she dropped the belt to Velvet Sky in October and has been seldom seen since.

While her Knockouts Title reigns left a lot to be desired, seeing Winter finally reach champion status, and so comfortable in her character, was a welcome relief for those who had been waiting for this Kat to finally land on her feet.

Though not necessarily her year alone, Winter was one of several Knockouts who made an impression in the division, and we hope to see her make another one in 2012.

PREVIOUSLY:
- The Women of the Year 2011: Michelle McCool (#13)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

The Women of the Year 2011: Michelle McCool (#13)

Melanie — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 17:51:30 +0000

MICHELLE McCOOL
Going Out on Top

It’s so rare in the wrestling industry, particularly WWE, to see females going out on their own terms and leaving at the top of their game, but in 2011, that is exactly what Michelle McCool did.

Perhaps the only other example of a Diva going out on top is Trish Stratus, who in 2006, retired atop the women’s division. Fast forward five years and it was Michelle McCool who decided to hang up her boots and left with one last hurrah where so many go out in a whimper.

In many ways, Michelle McCool has helped define the current era of Divas, rising from Diva Search contestant to respected in-ring athlete. Over the years, we’ve seen her growth in the ring to the point where Michelle has been relied upon to have great matches with almost everyone she stepped into the ring with. She’s also become one of the most accomplished Divas in history by becoming the first ever Divas Champion, the first woman to hold both the Divas and Women’s Championships, and the woman to unify the two belts.

In 2011, right up until her retirement match at the end of April, Michelle continued to stay in the forefront, appearing at all four pay per views in the first part of the year, and main eventing SmackDown along with Layla, Kelly Kelly, Dolph Ziggler and Edge.

Following a buzzy WrestleMania match that featured reality television star, Snooki, the moment we’d all been waiting for finally happened: LayCool broke up. In an emotionally charged “Loser Leaves WWE” match, Michelle and Layla left it all on the mat, and ultimately, Michelle left the WWE and gave her BFF a big rub on the way out.

Michelle knew when to say “stop”, and she is one of the few women in history who can truly say she left at the top of her game. For that, she has our utmost respect, and we feel she deserves the acknowledgement of placing highly in our Women of the Year list.

Controversial to her last moment, fans have hotly debated Michelle’s merits and will no doubt continue to, even in retirement.

Although she may no longer be on our screens, Michelle McCool will remain forever flawless.

PREVIOUSLY:
- The Women of the Year 2011: Maxine (#14)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

The Diva Dirt Perfect 10: Week of December 18th, 2011

Bobby — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 12:31:31 +0000

Let’s find out…

#10. Rosa Mendes

Last Week: 9

It was a pretty mixed week for our Freakin’ Costa Rican, Rosa Mendes as she managed Primo & Epico to a loss on both TLC and SmackDown, however gained some composure with a victory on Raw!

With her Latin dances and beautifully spoken Spanish cheering them on, we’re sure that Primo and Epico will make up for this pit stop in their road to Tag Team glory!

Continue on for #9…

The Women of the Year 2011: Maxine (#14)

Melanie — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 23:12:42 +0000

MAXINE
Show Stealer

As her entrance song goes, “If you want it, come and get it”, and come and get it she did. In 2011, Maxine stole the show away from the Divas of Raw and SmackDown, and was arguably the only Diva in the entire company to be able to fully show the extent of her talent.

Returning to NXT this year after placing fifth on the all-Divas version last year, Maxine quickly found herself in the mix of things, aligning herself with Derrick Bateman as a devilish power couple. It wouldn’t be smooth sailing, however, as soon Johnny Curtis would insert himself between the pair, leading to a complicate love triangle that saw backstage segments, in-ring promos and more in a storyline that has spanned several months. It’s rare to see a Diva so in the forefront as Maxine has been on NXT, but she has certainly made the most of her opportunity.

Maxine has shown a vast improvement in the ring, debuting a devastating new finishing move, and putting on good matches against the likes of AJ, Kaitlyn and Alicia Fox. Meanwhile, proving to be the modern-day triple threat in the Divas division, Maxine’s promos are second to none. So comfortable on the microphone, Maxine is perhaps the WWE’s best kept secret. Then there’s her exotic looks which she shows off in rather risque ring attire.

Perhaps Maxine’s success is due to the fact that there is so little meddling on NXT compared to Raw and SmackDown by WWE higher ups such as Vince, allowing the writers to actually put an emphasis on a female character, and not just book them as an afterthought.

Maxine has been a shining light for the Divas division in 2011 — despite not actually being in it.

Though she didn’t win NXT Season 3, which sought to find the WWE’s “next breakout Diva”, in hindsight, Maxine is perhaps the real winner.

PREVIOUSLY:
- The Women of the Year 2011: Madison Eagles (#15)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

The Women of the Year 2011: Madison Eagles (#15)

Melanie — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 23:08:28 +0000

MADISON EAGLES
Hotter Than Hugh Jackman

There are many amazing Australian imports in American entertainment — Hugh Jackman being one of them — but in 2011, that list of success stories crossed over to the world of women’s wrestling where Madison Eagles won industry-wide acclaim and broke down barriers.

Eagles’ reign as SHIMMER Champion crossed the one year mark in April as she wowed crowds in Berwyn, IL. with hard fought title defenses against the likes of Ayako Hamada and Mercedes Martinez. In a further title defense between tapings, Eagles returned home to Australia where she was part of the first ever SHIMMER Championship match outside of the US for her own promotion, PWWA. Eagles defeated her protege Jessie McKay as well as Canadian Ninja Nicole Matthews in her homecoming.

Though victorious in her homeland, Eagles would lose the title just a month later back in Berwyn against Cheerleader Melissa, however, before losing the title, Eagles once again put on champion-worthy performances against the likes of Serena.

Madison’s success in the US reached beyond SHIMMER in 2011; she became a regular in one of North America’s top independent promotions, CHIKARA, and scored victories over the likes of Sara Del Rey, as well as facing respected Joshi talent such as Toshie Uematsu.

The icing on the cake, however, was being crowned #1 on the PWI Female 50 in September. Eagles became the first ever independent wrestler to top the list, a victory not just for herself, but for independent wrestling.

While Eagles managed to establish herself as one of the top tier performers in women’s wrestling this year, putting her in the same conversation as the Del Reys, Hazes and Martinezs, we didn’t see as much of Madison as we would have liked to — perhaps due to a nagging shoulder injury.

Hopefully fully healed in 2012, Madison Eagles can continue to soar and achieve even more success.

PREVIOUSLY:
- The Women of the Year 2011: Kharma (#16)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

The Women of the Year 2011: Kharma (#16)

Melanie — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 23:00:47 +0000

KHARMA
Lightning in a Bottle

In 2011, one woman captured the imaginations of fans, wrestlers and critics everywhere — her name was Kharma.

Though she was only in the company for five weeks before shockingly announcing her pregnancy live on Raw, for those five weeks, the entire wrestling world was abuzz about the former Awesome Kong and her arrival in WWE. Kharma broke the stereotypical image of what it meant to be a “Diva”, and for a period, ignited interest from all fans, including ones who usually didn’t watch the Divas segments, as they sat on the edge of their seats to see what destruction Kharma would bring that week.

She was unlike anything we’ve ever seen in the Divas division and during her short time in the WWE, quickly grew a cult-like following. In fact, WWE’s treatment of Kharma was unlike anything we’ve seen in the last several years. For the first time perhaps since Trish Stratus’ retirement, WWE invested in a female character so fully, promoting her debut for several weeks with intriguing vignettes and promoting Kharma’s big announcement in her final appearance several times during the Raw broadcast.

The euphoria surrounding Kharma for those five weeks proved what a one-of-a-kind performer she is. Her short time in WWE was like catching lightning in a bottle. It remains to be seen, however, if she’ll return to the WWE post-pregnancy. As they say, lightning rarely strikes in the same place twice, but for our sake, let’s hope that this time it does.

PREVIOUSLY:
- The Women of the Year 2011: Jenny Sjodin (#17)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

The Women of the Year 2011: Jenny Sjödin (#17)

Melanie — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 19:39:45 +0000

JENNY SJODIN
The Pure Athlete

She may not be the most well known woman in wrestling, or the most charismatic character in wrestling, but in terms of the sport of wrestling, Jenny Sjödin may just be one of the most impressive females in the world.

Jenny Sjödin is an incredibly talented, dedicated and disciplined athlete who has risen through the ranks of Europe’s Pro-Wrestling: EVE promotion, from opening the show to becoming the main event.

Jenny is perhaps the purest athlete in popular women’s wrestling today. She takes the craft incredibly serious, and also trains in MMA, as well as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In the wrestling ring, her technicality shines as she utilizes a complicated arsenal of maneuvers including submission holds and grappling techniques.

Earlier this year, she became the Pro-Wrestling: EVE Champion by defeating Britani Knight and is now the face of the company. In October, Jenny had not one, but two stellar matches during the EVE vs Ice Ribbon events in England, facing veteran Japanese star Emi Sakura, and also successfully defending her title against April Davids.

Not only does she take part in professional wrestling, but the Swedish star won earned medals in MMA competitions and wrestled around Europe, earning acclaim.

Jenny Sjödin is truly a positive example for the sport of female wrestling, and in some ways, doesn’t get the credit she deserves. Hopefully 2012 will see Jenny Sjodin’s name that much more prominent around the world.

PREVIOUSLY:
- The Women of the Year 2011: The Bella Twins (#18)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

Your Two Cents: A Dream Match for Christmas

Erin — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:49:29 +0000

“Your Two Cents” is the new interactive feature where we gauge the opinions of our Twitter and Facebook followers on different discussions in women’s wrestling.

This week, we’re asking this: Santa Claus wants to make your dream match happen. What match (only one!) would you ask him for? We’ve read your responses on our social media pages and picked some of the best submissions to highlight here on the website. As always, you can join the debate by leaving your comments!

Our Two Cents

Batting for Team DD this week, it’s Melanie giving us her personal opinion on this week’s topic:

Melanie | This is a difficult one as there’s so many dream matches that I could pick, however, the one match we’ve gotten a little taste of this year that I would love to see is Michelle McCool vs Trish Stratus. The little we did see of them facing off against each other at WrestleMania totally had me jonesing for a full blown match with 10-15 minutes of time. They had insane chemistry, and both have so many accomplishments in the Divas division. That would have to be my pick.

Your Two Cents

Bobby Wells | For me? A first ever women’s Elimination Chamber match: Lita vs. Trish Stratus vs. Gail Kim vs. Kharma vs. Cheerleader Melissa vs. Sara Del Rey. I choose those 6 because, in my opinion, these women put their companies on the map in women’s terms. And these 6 are damn good wrestlers.

Clinton Bowman | I would have to say Manami Toyota vs. Madison Rayne. Manami being the excellent BFIP (Babyface In Peril) that she is, and Madison being the charismatic heel that she is should make for quite the amazing match up if done by the right company. They are two of the best in their craft, and they will definitely put on a show for everyone to enjoy.

@GlamHartDelRio | Oh… This is a hard one… Well I’ll pick a 8 man/diva intergender match… Beth Phoenix, Natalya, Dolph Ziggler & Alberto del Rio vs Lita, Michelle McCool, CM Punk & Wade Barrett. Why? Well, Beth & Nattie are my favorite divas & Alberto & Dolph would just complement. I think it would be a sick match & would love to see Beth go toe to toe with Punk again in a full out match. Also, I enjoy Lita’s & Michelle’s work. Everyone else just complements..

Jack White | Kharma vs. Trish Stratus. Honestly, what more could you want? The girl next door and everyone’s favorite babyface vs the most monstrous heel and potentially most knowledgeable wrestler in the business. Wow.

@JeffrybeliEVE | Divas Championship Scramble match feat. Beth Phoenix (C) vs. Eve Torres vs. Natalya vs. Britani Knight vs. (omg please) Naomi.

Josue Guzman | Madusa & Bull Nakano vs. Lita & Trish Stratus. I think it would be amazing to see two of the greatest rivalries in women’s wrestling team up in an epic match. There can be a whole storyline on how the two teams decided to put their differences aside for a moment to take on the other team.

And now we turn it over to you…

What are your two cents on the debate? What is the one match you would wish for? Tell us in the comments…

The Women of the Year 2011: The Bella Twins (#18)

Melanie — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 23:00:00 +0000

THE BELLA TWINS
Twin Peaks

In 2011, the Bella Twins, Brie and Nikki, finally reached the top of the summit — the coveted Divas Title — and showed off an exciting new side to their characters, realizing their true potential as amazing bitchy heels. (And we mean that in the best way possible.)

Brie and Nikki’s character shift in 2011 was a breath of fresh air after several years as babyfaces. As heels, the twins, Nikki in particularly, showed off their sassy attitudes and given the opportunity, were incredibly entertaining.

When not stuck on backstage duty, which, okay, didn’t feel like a lot of the time, Brie and Nikki certainly had their highest point in WWE thus far when Brie won the Divas Championship from Eve Torres in April. The title win not only put the Divas in the spotlight on Raw, but also in the midst of intense fan debate over Brie’s merits as Divas Champion.

Perhaps the highlight of the year for the Bellas as a tandem was an incredibly strong promo on Kharma during a big segment in which the latter announced her pregnancy live on Raw. That promo showed us what the Bella Twins could be with a little more investment in and screen time for their characters.

Outside of the ring, the twins were part of a huge stir earlier in the year following the publication of an article about the Divas division on WWE.com. For a period, the Bellas — and their family members — had fans abuzz. Additionally, they were incredibly lucrative to the WWE machine this year, a factor which is strongly considered in the Women of the Year selection process. Brie and Nikki have been a constant presence representing the WWE and the Divas division in media interviews, at events and more. Even when not performing in front of the crowds at tapings and live events, the Bellas were still very much on the job throughout the year representing the company.

Love them or hate them — and the Bellas certainly divide opinion — Brie and Nikki showed staying power in 2011. With Divas such as Melina and Michelle McCool departing, while others such as Layla going out with injuries, the Bellas have lasted longer than some fans feel they should have. Brie’s Divas Title win was the icing on the cake.

PREVIOUSLY:
- The Women of the Year 2011: AJ and Rosita (#19)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

The Women of the Year 2011: AJ and Rosita (#19)

Melanie — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 20:43:05 +0000

AJ and ROSITA
Small But Mighty

Both WWE and TNA added pint-sized additions to their respective Divas and Knockouts divisions this year, but don’t let their sizes fool you — AJ and Rosita may be small, but more than make up for it with their endearing stories of success, great personalities and of course, their in-ring work.

Both AJ and Rosita have similar stories: One is from New York, one is from New Jersey, both dreamed of being wrestling superstars, both cut their teeth through independent circles — particularly WSU — and both finally managed to achieve success.

While we saw AJ on NXT in 2010, the young Geek Goddess finally made it to the main roster in 2011, joining her BFF Kaitlyn as one half of the Chickbusters on SmackDown. As we know through her run on NXT, AJ has been a lifelong WWE fan, hoping to one day make it into the company. Well, persistence and hard work pay off, and AJ now shares a lockerroom with the likes of Beth Phoenix and Natalya.

As for Rosita, her story has been well documented. Being inspired to wrestle as a young girl by her father, an amateur wrestler himself, Rosita kept her father’s dream alive after his passing in the 9/11 tragedies. In 2011, she marked the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and her father’s passing by becoming a star in Impact Wrestling, holding the Knockouts Tag Team Championships with her on-screen cousin, the much respected veteran Sarita, and most recently winning Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Inspirational Wrestler of the Year award.

With their dynamic personalities — AJ with her adorkableness and Rosita with her Scrappy Doo-esque earrings-off explosiveness — they’ve won over their brand’s respective fans. AJ, in particular, has quickly become of the most popular Divas in WWE.

They’ve overcome obstacles such as being told “no” or being told they couldn’t make it because of their size, and in 2011, they proved that dreams can come true.

AJ and Rosita represent the potential future of their respective divisions. How will they shine in the year ahead?

PREVIOUSLY:
- The Women of the Year 2011: Karen Jarrett (#20)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

The Women of the Year 2011: Karen Jarrett (#20)

Melanie — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 22:06:35 +0000

KAREN JARRETT
The Evil Queen

Like the Evil Queen in Snow White, Karen Jarrett made us love to hate her (or just love to love her here at Diva Dirt) as she ruled the Knockouts division with her iron fist, making for one of the most exciting periods the division has seen in quite some time.

What she lacks in the ring compared to the other Knockouts, Karen Jarrett more than makes up for on the microphone. Karen’s promos in the ring (including that infamous one with Jeff Hardy), as well as her backstage segments, showed a natural charisma that can’t be taught. For a woman with no prior acting experience, Karen transformed in front of the camera and for a time, was Impact Wrestling’s most reviled heel. Arguably, her time as the Knockouts VP produced some of the best segments we’ve seen involving the Knockouts in 2011, and like any good heel, you just couldn’t wait to see her get her comeuppance.

While it feels as though Karen’s story arc ended too soon, she left an indelible mark in Impact Wrestling, particularly the Knockouts division.

Simply put: Karen Jarrett was one of 2011′s most entertaining characters on TV.

PREVIOUSLY:
- The Women of the Year 2011: Trish Stratus (#21)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown