In the Saturday Supplement, the Diva Dirt team will aim to discuss a news story, a televised event or other relevant and current topics. The objective, like the average weekend newspaper, is to offer more indepth and lengthy discussion.

Talks of Divas in the media has been ample and well… I’m striking while the iron is hot.  A woman’s personal life is her personal life, whether or not she may be in show business.  And don’t you try to tell her any differently.  However, when it comes to the disesteemed offense of “Dating while Diva,” is there a double standard?

We’ve seen this trend more recently this past week.  In break of some rather personal news, Superstars like Batista will be called “man-whores” by boasting their alleged sexual prowess to the masses… while Divas such as one Kelly Kelly will receive just as much, if not more criticism for being spotted in a harmless social engagement.  The very same can be said for Divas like Michelle McCool who have been accused for dating for power.  It seems as though the Divas can’t catch a break when it comes to relationships outside of the ring.

Recently, it was reported that Batista has courted none other than Raw’s Rosa Mendes.  The reaction to the story was universal.  “What a pig/sicko/pervert…how disrespectful…women are not to be objectified.”  So on and so forth.  It became apparent that the Animal plows through Divas like cornfields, and Diva fans were none too pleased with the discovery.  Somewhat of an outpour of outrage and disgust commenced as news broke on the Internet.  Some even suspect that Rosa’s success on Raw can be somewhat attributed to any passed relationships she might have attained. Whether or not there may be any truth to that, there is little question that men like Batista have major pull backstage.  So, what’s the appeal?

Backpeddling even further, in sight of this trend, one could easily pick out many similar instances.  There is no doubt that “Miss Misdemeanor” Michelle McCool endures plenty of objection from the WWE fans based purely on hearsay or tales of her trysts on the Internet.  There has been question of her position in the company due to these “rumors,” as well as her seemingly high spot within the Diva hierarchy.

Spiraling news of the altercation between Rhaka Khan and Kurt Angle has also been reciprocated with almost identical reception.  It goes to show that some will even go as far as to pose blame on the victim.  With fans often howling insults at Divas (without a second thought) just for how they choose to express their personal lives, it seems as if regardless of whatever a female wrestler may accomplishment in the ring, the fourth-wall stigma of a personal relationship can and will always follow her.

An aftermost victim of this onslaught would be repeat offender, Kelly Kelly.  The Diva is no stranger to online speculation of her romantic… situations.  Just yesterday, she was spotted rather innocently with Hollywood actor, Jeremy Piven on the streets of New York City and at an NFL game the night before.  Pretty innocent, one would think?  However, the story was hit with an invasion of derogatory and belittling terminology toward the Diva under headlines. Insults that were so easily slapped onto a man bragging to the world about his liaisons had now found themselves attached to a woman dating someone with whom she simply enjoys sharing her company. The disrepency is almost repugnant.

So, what happens when the tables are turned?  What happens when the woman holds the power, and the man falls under the “opportunistic” role?  Well, we have seldom seen this in the Divas division, however history will dictate that it does indeed happen.  The “Billion Dollar Princess,” Stephanie McMahon-Levesque is notorious for many things, her marriage to Triple H being one of them.  In this instance, the flack is received most by the partner rather than the Diva.  Though, even with the bit of role reversal ensues the accord between “affair” and “affirmation.”  Still, the relationship will be placed under question.

Which begs the question: is there a double standard at play here, or can it all be attributed to a zest for social standing or power?

No two circumstances are exactly alike, and ideally it can go either way.  Unfortunately, we see situations like these more skewed to the Divas’ disfavour.  It happens, but not often do we see the shoe on the other foot.

People will always speculate; being “dogged on” comes with the territory of being in the spotlight.  It’s all about how a Diva carries herself and chooses to respond to such belligerence.  An example of someone who counters ignorance with poise and class, look no further than the current Women’s Champion Michelle McCool who never cowers from a disparaging remark thrown her way.  Often putting her own humorous spin on her situation, she is inclined to respond with a sassy rebuttal of her own.

So, whether it be by getting caught in a web of rumors or by being romantically linked to a Superstar or even by being photographed with some man candy on her arm, a Diva will face many hardships in the public eye.  That withstanding, self-assurance goes a long way.  Relationships are challenging enough, but the added pressure can be overcome.  Moral of the story?  Let s(he) who is without sin love cast the first stone.

In the Saturday Supplement, the Diva Dirt team will aim to discuss a news story, a televised event or other relevant and current topics. The objective, like the average weekend newspaper, is to offer more indepth and lengthy discussion.

With last week’s debut of Courtney Taylor I thought, amongst other things, how awful that name was. But let’s be honest–for a girl that used to be named Wesley Holliday, you can only go “up” in the name department. That thought led me to think of how and why the WWE and TNA name their Divas and Knockouts the way that they do. Some names stick, some don’t, and others just boggle the mind with their awfulness. I’ll ponder that, and take a look at some of the aliases that have become some of the most recognizable names in business, as well as some that just don’t make a damn bit of sense.

Of course, a discussion on wrestling names wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Victoria, er.. Tara. The internet breathed a collective “Huh??” at the unveiling of the new name. After all, how would that sound on television? “Tara hits the Widow’s Peak!” Eh, not really feeling it. After having a name as fitting as Victoria, is was strange to see her suddenly have to change monikers. But let’s figure out why she had to do it: did the WWE have a trademark on the name? Probably, but WWE-to-TNA transfers have often found loopholes and ways to get around that. Christian Cage, anyone? After the recent debut of Lashley, who of course didn’t have to change his name from his recognizable WWE moniker, it makes me wonder if Victoria was forced into changing her name, and if so, why? She had a long, storied history with the WWE, and if any Knockout commanded respect right from the get-go, it was her. Unless I’m wrong and it was her idea to change names, I think it’s pretty crappy to make her switch from something she’s been associated with for so long. After all, don’t TNA love getting a rub from the WWE’s past successes? Why would they want to sever that mental tie to Tara’s success in the WWE by completely changing her name? And for the love of God, why Tara? It’s such an un-intimidating name (Yeah, I get the Tara-Terror connection), and just sounds silly in the context of a wrestling match. Maybe if she had a faux last name with it, it would be easier to digest. Though I will admit, it’s been growing on me after a while, but probably just because I’m getting more used to it.

But while we’re on the topic of TNA, that company has a pretty storied history of questionable Knockout names. ODB, for instance, stands for One Dirty Bitch, clearly a moniker fitting for her over-the-top character, but it’s so damn weird. All I think of when I hear it is the rapper Ol’ Dirty Bastard, which probably isn’t too far fetched, since he often went by the initials ODB as well. Now, I can’t knock her for doing something out of the ordinary, but I personally wouldn’t name myself a bitch. I probably wouldn’t drink from a flask on my way to the ring either, so we’re probably not destined to see eye-to-eye on much. TNA has a plethora of other names that jump onto many fans’ “worst” lists: Sojo Bolt, Salinas, Taylor Vaughn, Priscilla, Goldy Locks, April Pennington, Lollipop, Desire, Simply Luscious/Nurse Veronica (same lucky woman), Moose, Payton Banks, Rhaka Khan, and Lauren Brooke. Most of these names suffer from “Porn Star-itis”, as I like to call it–they sound like they belong in the credits of “Debbie Does Dallas 27″. Though, I must say, the names that take the porn-flavored cake are none other than the Beautiful People themselves: Angelina Love, Velvet Sky, and Madison Rayne. I remember the confusion when Angel Williams and Talia Madison changed their names–did they flip open a hippy parents’ name book, pick two names at random and just combine them? Granted, some fans like the names, but I prefer not to associate my women’s wrestlers with porn stars, however similar they may be at times.

That seems to be the biggest hurdle in coming up with a name in women’s wrestling: Does it sound too porn-y? The random combination of first and last names often sound contrived, fake, and thus like a porn alias. Don’t believe me? Ask Saylor James, Wesley Holliday (now our lovely Courtney Taylor), Taylor Wilde, Rosa Mendes (though Eva might object), Kelly Kelly (the name so nice stupid they used it twice), Alexis Laree (a combo of Mickie James’s “dancer” name and middle name), and Brie & Nikki Bella. There’s always the random woman who is both a wrestler personality AND a porn star–like Jasmine St. Clair. Clearly she wouldn’t mind being included in this group, since she’s more into doing gang bang videos these days than wrestling. I have to say, too, that a name like Chyna ain’t exactly clear of those types of connotations–think of her as the godmother of wrestling porn names.

What about the single-named women? Names like Melina, Lita, Ivory, Layla, Sable, Tori, Sunny, Maria, Sarita, Jacqueline, Maryse, Natalya, Sharmell, and Daffney add a little bit of mystery, but tend to come off to me like Prince or Madonna–too stage-y. A lot of these women are using their real names and just chopping off their last names. So, it’d be simple to just add those on and you’d get a full name–would you prefer Melina Perez, Layla El, Maria Kanellis, Maryse Ouellet, and Natalya Neidhart? Personally, I’d prefer the last names to be added on. It adds an element of realism and makes the character less like a character and more like a real person. Some prefer the theatricality, but I don’t.

Speaking of real people, many wrestlers tend to stick with their full, real names–no smoke and mirrors here! Women like Mickie James, Michelle McCool, Eve Torres, Gail Kim, Christy Hemme, Torrie Wilson, Lilian Garcia, and Stacy Keibler are examples of this. Some of these are Diva Search contestants who were introduced under their real names and just stuck with it, and others just prefer to go all natural. It’s not as creative as other options, but if your birth name has enough pizazz, why not go with it? It also makes things a bit easier if you leave your company and want to branch out elsewhere–they shouldn’t be able to use legal ties to keep you from using that name. As I mentioned before, I like the realism, and you don’t run the risk of concocting some stripper-esque stage name.

All of that considered, what names stick while others don’t? Fan or not, you have to admit that Lita succeeded in making a single name more synonymous with her than anyone else, even rock legend Lita Ford. How was this achieved? Well, the single name certainly didn’t hurt when it comes to fans remembering it, and its uniqueness made her stand out amongst all the more Americanized names. It’s almost as if she took the name and made it an adjective, defined as “red-haired, tattooed, high-flying female wrestler”. And Trish Stratus.. These days, that name sounds a little hokey in itself–the Stratus part, obviously–but there’s no denying that she (real name Patricia Stratigias) made the name popular and catchy. It never seemed silly to me as a young viewer. And I won’t deny that, while studying various cloud formations in elementary school science class, I couldn’t help but think of Trish when memorizing which clouds were stratus and which were cumulus. Sable is another example of this. A sable, technically speaking, is a small Russian mammal, hence her famous growling entrance music. Though, many people conjure up the image of the blonde bombshell when hearing that word. But she is arguably one of the most famous women in wrestling history, so commandeering the name of an entire species of animal is small potatoes for her.

What other names are destined to be forever attributed with their owner? Well, it’s obvious that Awesome Kong‘s name won’t get her confused with anyone else anytime soon. That name is wonderfully old school–it calls to mind the powerful wrestlers of the 80′s–and fits her perfectly. I mean let’s face it, and regular old name just isn’t going to work for her. Beth Phoenix, while probably inspired by a certain X-Men member, has a name that’s equal parts theatrical and memorable. It’s not all that silly, but still commands your attention when you hear it. MsChif, the SHIMMER wrestler, has name that’s a bit fractured and MySpace-y, but it’s perfect for her–her character is spooky and strange–so a weird name just fits. Alicia Fox, I feel, has a fantastic name. It almost has shades of an Austin Powers character, but it’s funky and cool. It’s unique, and not her real name (that’d be Victoria Crawford), yet when Lilian announces her name, it doesn’t sound like she’s next on stage 3 at the strip club next to the airport.

What can we learn from these successes and failures? Maybe, that a name in itself should be memorable. In wrestling, the Divas and Knockouts are often an afterthought in the minds of fans. Having a “blah” name isn’t going to help you stand out amongst a sea of silicone implants and tanning booth-tinted skin. But, with that in mind, one cannot forsake taste and integrity in choosing a name that’s cheesy or skanky. When your name is announced, you don’t want people to conjure up images of a rough-around-the-edges stripper or a porn star. Whether they go with their birth name or come up with something new, the important thing is to make sure it reflects their personality–when I think of “Melina”, do I think of a dark-haired, limber latina? When I hear the name “Mickie”, is there anything else that can pop to my mind other than the smiley Diva and that peppy music? What about “Maryse”–does anything reflect that sense of French sensuality better than that? You want a name that becomes synonymous with you, much like Lita, Trish, and Sable. With that, you’ll be on your way to becoming as fabled as they are. And that, my friends, it what is in a name.

What are you favorite and least favorite monikers in women’s wrestling? Share your love and hatred below in the comments!

TNA is setting out to live up to their tagline, ‘Cross the Line’, but not in the ways you would think. In an attempt to push even more boundaries and utilize their ever-growing roster of Knockouts, they’ve decided to implement a tag team division. In the coming weeks, a tournament will take place to determine the first ever Knockouts Tag Team Champions. The question is will the division work?

Serious women’s tag team wrestling has been a niche for quite some time now. During the mid-80s, it was rare to see a women’s match let alone a tag team match. However, that didn’t stop the World Wrestling Federation from making a tag team division for the ladies. In 1983, Velvet McIntyre and Princess Victoria’s NWA Women’s Tag Team Championship belts were converted into the WWF Women’s Tag Team Championship when the two defected from the National Wrestling Alliance and joined WWF. In it’s six years of existence, the belts passed through the hands of several teams before they were captured by the Jumping Bomb Angels (Noriyo Tateno and Itsuki Yamazaki), who would be be the last women to hold the titles before they became defunct in 1989.

Women’s tag team wrestling became all but extinct until the mid-2000s, when all-female promotions such as Women Superstars Uncensored and most notably SHIMMER brought it back into the limelight.

In October 2008, both promotions introduced their own Tag Team Championships to further utilize their rosters. SHIMMER introduced their’s in a critically acclaimed six team gauntlet match, while WSU held a tournament. Both promotions met general success; WSU’s tag titles have been sought after by stars such as Taylor Wilde and current WWE signee, April Lee while SHIMMER’s tag team division’s most recognizable champion is TNA Knockout, Madison Rayne.

TNA hopes to replicate some of success those promotions have had, when they debut the Knockout tag titles in the months to come. To be honest, I’m sure TNA can surpass the achievements of others in this field, if they can take the necessary steps. So what can TNA do?

First off, they need to establish their division. Instead of just throwing random girls together, just for the sake of doing so, pair them according to their chemistry and compatibility character-wise. High flyers Taylor Wilde and Sarita are the best example of this. From the moment they stepped in the ring, they showed a natural affinity towards each other, while teams such as Tara and Christy Hemme seem mismatched and awkward.

Secondly, bring in new competitors. With the vast amount of Knockouts on the roster, it’s easy to form new teams from the current roster, however there are plenty of ready-made tag teams on the independent scene, particularly SHIMMER, that have years of experience as partners.

Teams like the Pink Ladies (Madison Eagles and Jessie McKay) and the Candian NINJAs (Portia Perez and Nicole Matthews) from SHIMMER as well as the Soul Sisters (Jana and Latasha) from WSU could bring a whole new dynamic, not only to the Knockouts division but to TNA as a whole. Other prime candidates include Team Blondage (Krissy Vaine and Amber O’Neal) and the veteran team of The Experience (Malia Hosaka and Lexie Fyfe). TNA could even reunite the newly liberated Madison Rayne with her old partner and co-champion, Nevaeh or team Daffney up with her old SHIMMER charge, MsChif.

Lastly, TNA needs to give the Knockouts tag titles the same attention they give to the male tag division. While in WWE, tag team matches are often an afterthought much like the Divas, TNA has always had a soft spot for them. It’s not unusual for TNA to create new and innovative ways for their teams to compete and that creative flare could draw even more attention to a division that is already a fairly unique concept. Why not have a Knockouts Monster’s Ball tag team match or a Steel Asylum Match? Much like the recent 10,000 Tacks Match between Taylor Wilde and Daffney, these match ideas could a fire under the newly created division.

In closing, the fate TNA’s Knockouts tag team division lies in the hands of management and the creative team. If given the care and nurturing that the Knockouts division recieved during its infancy, it can flourish into something truly revolutionary in today’s world of professional wrestling. Given the right tools, this division could be the factor that brings women’s wrestling back to it’s former glory. But given how the Knockouts division has been treated as of late, how likely is that to happen?

In the Saturday Supplement, the Diva Dirt team will aim to discuss a news story, a televised event or other relevant and current topics. The objective, like the average weekend newspaper, is to offer more indepth and lengthy discussion.

With TNA President, Dixie Carter set to make her first official on-screen appearance for TNA this coming Thursday, this week we are looking at what it means to be a woman in power in the wrestling industry in relation to promoting women’s wrestling.

It is assumed that any women in professional wrestling with a position of power would want to advocate their women. Surely they would want to create a strong, empowered representation of their Divas, Knockouts et al for the audience? Given hindsight, it can be argued that isn’t the case. In fact, looking at the McMahon family and the two women in prominent roles, Linda and Stephanie McMahon, what have either of these women really done for the Divas in WWE?

It is almost shocking that in the time that Stephanie McMahon has been in power as head of WWE’s Creative Team, that the women’s division has been on a decline. The emphasis on sex appeal rather than brain & braun can date back to the early soap opera-esque feuds on SmackDown in 2002, including a lesbian angle with Dawn Marie and Torrie Wilson. Publicly, McMahon has been acknowledged as somewhat of an advocate, including by the aforementioned Dawn Marie. In a shoot interview also featuring Torrie Wilson, Dawn said something along the lines of how Stephanie worked with the girls in order to be portrayed as having brains and not just being sold as a sex object on television.

However, looking at the television output — there has been countless situations in which under McMahon’s governing, the women of the company were perceived as just that, sex objects. The Diva Search in 2004 particularly changed the way the WWE Divas brand was run and the way that the women’s division would be considered. The after effects of which are still felt to this day. However in today’s WWE, there seems to be a bigger emphasis on wrestling due to the PG rating, yet the Divas segments continue to be an afterthought and unregarded by the writing staff which McMahon heads. It is true that the senior McMahon, Vince, is ultimately the one that signs off on most of the television but given their personal dynamic, would it not be easy for Stephanie to stand her ground if she were truly an advocate of the women in the company?

Women in business tend to get a bad wrap; they are branded as ‘ball busters’ or ‘bitches’. Psychologists suggest that to survive in a business environment, women have to desensitize their femininity and behave more masculine. In professional wrestling – or sports entertainment as WWE calls it – there is no denying the industry is a man’s world. And while the female McMahons may have positions of power, one could argue that they too, act like males in order to survive and achieve longevity in the wrestling business.

The negative stereotypes of women in business can’t be unfounded, right? Most stereotypes have some semblance of truth hidden away in there somewhere. For argument’s sake, perhaps Stephanie McMahon is the competetitive, threatening female businesswoman that stereotypes will have you believe. Women in business, supposedly, are more competetitive with each other than with men. Could McMahon’s separation of investment in the female talent be because of this? Does she fear coming across ‘weak’ if she is seen striving for a part of the product that is ‘inferior’? Continuing the hypothetical trend, could Stephanie also feel threatened somewhat by women in the industry as she feels she is on a higher plateau?

It was reported that McMahon was behind the release of former ECW Diva, Ariel – real name Shelly Martinez. Among the reasons speculated, one was that she felt Martinez didn’t fit the ‘WWE Diva look’. Fans often fall into the line of thinking that in a man’s sport, men dictate what is the ‘look’ for the women in this industry. This piece of news suggests that a female herself conforms to this stereotypical ‘WWE Diva look’ and as a result, looks down on women who don’t fit that mould. Does this add credence that women in business try to hold back other women?

On the other side of the spectrum is TNA’s Dixie Carter. From the beginning stages of the Knockouts division, officially launched in October 2007, Carter has come across as a true advocate of women getting ahead and to an extent, the opposite of the McMahon females. She has often boasted her respect for the women in her company, even appearing on camera on last year’s ‘Knocked Out’ DVD.

Carter’s progressive Knockouts division has capitalised and strengthened in areas that WWE views as inferior. Among the Knockouts’ assets are the promotion of different body types, different looks for the girls and a non-comformist attitude. In other aspects of the division; women are promoted more equally to the men — though not entirely as such, however. The boundary-pushing women’s wrestling on TNA television allows the Knockouts to be received on the same level as the men’s matches, for example. Compared to WWE, who we ourselves have confirmed from multiple sources, doesn’t allow the women to wrestle in a style that may ‘outshine the men’ or a style that could be comparable to the men, Carter’s Knockouts are a refreshing alternative. TNA have also made headway in merchandising such as DVDs and t-shirts; two prominent features of the WWE Divas brand of yore that have been as overlooked as the product in recent years.

However Carter too, is not without her criticisms. Her recent statement of women being ‘properly represented’ was shot to pieces last Sunday on pay per view. The ordeal surrounding Cody Deaner’s involvement in the Knockouts division and the Knockouts Championship it was deemed, was a WWE-esque tactic that we would not expect of TNA. The further humiliation of the Beautiful People at the hands of Deaner harkened to WWE’s oft misogynistic writing which at one point had Trish Stratus barking like a dog. This from TNA and from a president who has gone on record several times in her advocation of women’s wrestling and her Knockouts division. The hypocritical actions have led to this writer being more sceptical of the Knockouts division in future and not taking things at face value. While on the surface, the product may seem more progressive than it’s rival — there are many holes that could still be poked in this division that would further call into question Carter’s advocacy of women’s wrestling.

It seems to me that the best female promoters seem to be the ones that have actually gotten in the ring themselves. Listening to SHIMMER co-founder, Allison Danger discuss her backstage duties and the level of care she seems to have towards the women who compete for SHIMMER is admirable. No doubt, her own experiences have helped forge the advocacy that seemed apparent in our own Women of Wrestling Podcast.

And to bring things even more closer to home; Women’s Champion Michelle McCool is often slandered for her ‘political stroke’ due to her relationship with the Undertaker, though no solid suggestion has been made of her using said political stroke. Sure she may have some but does that mean she has ever wielded it? From those we have spoken to in the WWE lockerroom past and present, McCool seems to be in the same boat as all the other Divas and is subject to the same inane writing or lack of writing in most weeks that the rest receive. I ask you, if McCool were to wield the political stroke that its assumed she has, wouldn’t the women’s division be in a much better state than it currently is? Like Allison Danger, having been there and done that, wouldn’t McCool want to present women’s wrestling in WWE in a way that she could be proud of? I boldly suggest that I think the division would be better off if McCool did exercise the political stroke that seems to be the ire of Internet fans.

Digging deeper, there doesn’t seem to be a ‘black and white’ mandate amongst women in power in relation to women’s wrestling; there are always shades of grey. It seems that women’s wrestling in the main promotions is only advocated when it suits the promoter.

I am not denying that it’s hard to be a woman in business because we all know the stereotypes. In the wrestling industry alone, one Lia Maivia [grandmother of The Rock] was almost demonized by some for her efforts as wrestling’s first female promoter.

Yet I can’t help but feel that the female higher-ups should be called into question more for their hand in women’s wrestling and more scrutinised by fans, female fans in particular, for the lack of advancement. As a female wrestling fan, do you not think: “Hold on a minute… You’re a woman and you’re representing women like this?”

In the Saturday Supplement, the Diva Dirt team will aim to discuss a news story, a televised event or other relevant and current topics. The objective, like the average weekend newspaper, is to offer more indepth and lengthy discussion.

We’re in a era of women’s wrestling where it’s not only possible, but likely for former porn stars and models to get title shots, while professional wrestlers with years of experience get put on the backburner. With that said, I ask the question: What are the components for the ‘perfect Diva’? And even if you have the total package, will you still be marketable to the WWE Universe?

The first ingredient to the ‘Perfect Diva’ recipe is skill. An extremely valuable asset to any Diva (though you wouldn’t know it judging by some of the girls in recent years) should be in-ring skill. A pretty smile and a great rack can only get you but so far in the wrestling world. If you want to be taken seriously by a wrestling promotion and their audience, you should at least be able to take a decent bump.

The next component is sass. While in-ring skills are extremely important, personality is just as vital. It doesn’t matter if you’re the best wrestler to ever step foot in a wrestling ring; no one is going to care if you have the personality of a brick wall. The biggest offender of this rule is current Women’s Champion, Michelle McCool. While McCool has come leaps and bounds since her debut, in regards to her wrestling ability, her lack of charisma has been her downfall. The fans just can’t seem to get behind (or against) Michelle and some might attribute this to absence of spunk outside of the ring.

As shallow as it may sound, another important aspect of women’s wrestling is beauty. Professional wrestling for women, especially in this day and age, is based mostly on aesthetics. If you don’t have the so-called ‘look’, chances are you won’t make it very far in a mainstream promotion. That said, in the last few years, wrestlers such as Awesome Kong, ODB and Beth Phoenix, who may not be considered ‘beautiful’ in a conventional sense, are breaking the mould of the typical Diva. They are prime examples that a female wrestler doesn’t have to look a certain way to get noticed.

Last but probably the most important part of this formula is passion. While passion is probably one of the most important tools for a wrestler, male or female, a lot of women’s wrestlers in a certain mainstream promotion seem to be lacking. It’s not surprising given how girls are recruited these days. Talent scouts seem to be looking for models they can turn into wrestlers, as opposed to actual wrestlers.

Most Divas possess some of these qualities that I have listed but a select few have the ‘total package’. There is an elite group of girls, who are able to captivate audiences with their skills, attitude and beauty. Only a minuscule percentage of ladies who have dedicated their lives to learning every subtlety and nuance of pro-wrestling. Unfortunately, these Divas never get the push.

Over the last decade, the most popular Divas have had a certain look for the most part. Model-esque looks and figure, blonde hair, etc. The pattern can be traced back to WWE’s golden girl Trish Stratus, all the way to current flavor of the week, Kelly Kelly.

At the time of Trish’s first title win, there were other women such as Ivory and Jacqueline, who were more experienced competitors that were passed over in lieu of Trish. In the modern day, competitors like Victoria and Natalya were pushed aside for the less experienced Maryse, for the Divas Championship. Coincidentally, both these Divas are similar in terms of looks. Hmm…

The reason for this, I daresay, can be explained by looking at WWE’s demographic. Monday Night Raw, WWE ‘flagship’ show markets itself to the young, Caucasian male group, from the ages 18-35. In WWE’s eyes, a blonde, Caucasian woman would catch the attention of it’s audience, better than a brunette or a African-American Diva.

On the other hand, Friday Night SmackDown has a large percentage of Latino viewers and often utilizes Latinos in their broadcast to boost rating. Evidence of this include Rey Mysterio’s success, Melina‘s abrupt return to Smackdown last spring and the recent success of Eve Torres.

This favortism doesn’t stop at who’s booked on which roster. Take a look at WWE’s most recent marketing campaign with 7-Eleven. Instead of choosing Mickie James, who is a five time champion, Gail Kim or Melina who are top contenders in their respective divisions, they chose Kelly Kelly to grace their SummerSlam cups. Once again, WWE’s ‘key demographic’ seems to be more responsive to a female of the blonde, Caucasian persuasion. Before Kelly became the proverbial poster girl of the WWE, Divas like Trish and Torrie Wilson were often at the helm of such marketing initiatives. Is it really a coincidence that all of these girls are seemingly cut from the same cloth? Why not choose girls who are just as beautiful such as the three listed above. Couldn’t any Diva on the roster sell Big Gulps or pay per views just as well as Kelly? If they’re all as “Smart, Sexy and Powerful” as WWE likes to boast, what’s the harm?

Is it really that implausible that Raw’s demographic could get behind a Diva who doesn’t necessarily fit the All-American girl mould? Can SmackDown’s audience relate to a Diva who isn’t Latina? Should slim, fair-haired girls be the face of such a diverse women’s roster. The ‘Perfect Diva’ shouldn’t have a race, shape or size. Maybe WWE should  let the fans decide who we want to support, instead of telling us who we should.

In the Saturday Supplement, the Diva Dirt team will aim to discuss a news story, a televised event or other relevant and current topics. The objective, like the average weekend newspaper, is to offer more indepth and lengthy discussion.

Since its inception, the TNA Knockouts division has been a burst of fresh air to many who have been soured to the world of women’s wrestling.  Over the past years, the TNA Knockouts have opened many eyes to what an ideal women’s division could look like during a time when its popularity was not as its highest.  A growing fanbase, a 2-hour syndication, a women’s championship, and a locker room of talented women would seem like the ideal formula for success.  However, to every victor goes the spoils, and with the spoils often comes hindrances.  TNA has not been without faults over the years, especially when it comes to the Knockouts, yet the company still manages to redeem itself and reserve its spot for quality wrestling.  So, does TNA’s booking do more harm than good or do the Knockouts still remain at the top of the food chain?

TNA has always appeared allegedly ‘high’ on its women’s division.  In a recent interview, TNA President Dixie Carter released this statement:

I’m very proud of the Knockouts. As a woman, it’s important to me that these ladies be represented properly. They are the best in the business, and the recent addition of new Knockouts, such as Tara and Sarita, will only further strengthen this division.

While the Knockouts could be blindly conceived as the proverbial “apple of TNA’s eye,” that is not necessarily the case. TNA has made some drastic faux pas in dealing with its talent. With the Knockouts delivering the some of the highest rated segments on air, that puts into question if TNA is even aware just where its strengths lie.  Due to its advantage of a growing female roster, TNA typically provides longer and more frequent matches for its Knockouts.  The indie superstar initiative (comprising the likes of Sarita and Ayako Hamada) has sprung new life into the Knockouts division, but has also caused the roster to become a bit crowded.  A locker room full of women may be convenient for the usual battle royale, but it also means less face time for some of the Knockouts.  Understandably, the weekly 2-hour program can only feature so many wrestlers at a time.  So, TNA tries to rectify this rolling admission with multiple feuds.  Unfortunately, having too many rivalries jeopardizes the development that is required of a successful feud week in and week out.

With so much investment as the face of the division, losing Gail Kim was a tremendous blow to TNA.  Her loss had the company scrambling for a way to recreate the magic that made the division as popular as it has become.  Thus, Victoria‘s arrival to the company was met with red hot anticipation and excitement.  What would inevitably be channeled into a title opportunity, her rapidly swelling momentum was soon swerved against her.  Well, so much for ‘Victory‘! Victoria winning and losing the title in a matter of a couple weeks was irresponsible booking on TNA’s part. Instead of drawing out the feud, TNA opts to move on with Victoria as a whole. Now, there lies a total disregard for the history between Victoria and Angelina Love. With not so much as a rematch for Victoria, both females branch off into separate feuds with Awesome Kong and ODB respectively.  Now, with the announcement of a title opportunity at Hard Justice, this leaves fans questioning the point of Victoria’s title win in the first place.  This type of topsy-turvy booking desensitizes the prestige of the title as well as the talent involved.  Alas, TNA managed to turn its own investment against itself.  And with the horrid scandal that was Jenna ‘Jennagate‘ Morasca, at some point, you have to take a moment and rethink: this is the same division that was receiving so much praise just a couple years ago?  Instead of progressing, TNA seemed to be taking one step forward and three steps back.

In what could be perceived as a desperate attempt, TNA has also recently rummaged through a pile of WWE’s leftovers.  This time, in a form of a Playboy pictorial featuring the original Knockout, Traci Brooks.  While the potential success of this development is still vague, it vastly contradicts the tagline of “No Divas here” in a way that sheds a hypocritical light on the Knockouts.

As a product of bad booking, over-exposure, and negligence, does this leave the Knockouts division at a complete loss?  Well, no.

TNA has all the talent in the world.  With a collection of accomplished wrestlers and creative clairvoyance at its disposal, TNA continues to impress.  The implementation of new on-air personalities such as Sarita, Alissa Flash, and Ayako Hamada has produced hope for a stronger division that has all the tools to break new ground.  The first encounter between newcomers Sarita and Alissa Flash reminded us of a women’s division that we all could be proud of.  The fast-paced, nonstop action elicited many “oohs and ahhs” from Knockout and Diva fans alike.  “Gail Kim…who?  Diva’s Championship what?”  With the assistance of those two women as well as the continued effort of the talented women of the TNA roster, Impact has slowly begun to become a mirror of itself in 2007, if not better.

Hungry for fresh meat, there is still a staple to succeed that protects established aspects of the division that are successful.  The Beautiful People, the ever-popular crooked alliance that has gone strong for almost two years now, still continues to dominate and entertain on Impact with Angelina Love as the rightful Knockouts Champion.  The cunning ex-champion Victoria has now found herself injected into a struggle with Awesome Kong which could be the opportunity she needs to recover from the blow she suffered at Victory Road.  Moreover, TNA has been boosting Traci’s Playboy deal in an already far more interesting manner than we’ve seen in WWE.

So what can this do for the morale of the TNA Knockouts?  Well, for every con there are a few pros to accommodate TNA’s faults.  Forgiving the Victory Road incident, TNA has been pretty decent with separating the wrestlers from the squire.  Now, stars are being made and being given the chance to fully shine.  All signs indicate that the Knockouts will continue to outdo themselves and further push women’s wrestling into magnate status.  So, the ball is in your court, TNA.  With all of these credentials, how can you really lose?

In the Saturday Supplement, the Diva Dirt team will aim to discuss a news story, a televised event or other relevant and current topics. The objective, like the average weekend newspaper, is to offer more indepth and lengthy discussion.

Some may have thought that the Women’s Championship match at Night of Champions signaled the end of the feud between Melina and Michelle McCool. Some may have even been hoping for that. However, for better or for worse, the feud isn’t stopping just yet. After upstaging the more hyped match last Sunday, Melina and Michelle are still showing the fire and intensity of a brand new feud, despite having been foes for nearly 3 months. They obviously haven’t had enough of each other just yet, but some fans aren’t feeling quite as content. Calls for its end or complaints about this “never-ending feud” have got me wondering: when it comes to Diva feuds, how long is too long?

The WWE has seen its fair share of extended feuds. The likes of Triple H, The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, John Cena, and even Edge have participated in slow-burning feuds that spanned months and headlined PPV after PPV. But when it comes to Divas, those examples are few and far between. One could say that Lita and Trish Stratus feuded for quite some time, but with that we aren’t talking about a constantly-running feud. In between their battles were moments of comradery and truces, so I wouldn’t quite count that as a “long-running” feud, but more so a career-long love/hate relationship. So, what could be considered a long feud in Diva-dom? Read on and speculate with me.

Another feud, also connected to Trish Stratus, is the epic “obsessive fan” feud between her and Mickie James. It commenced on October 10th, 2005, and through the twists and turns, it lasted all the way until Backlash 2006, precisely April 30th, 2006. Doing the math, the feud lasted a total of 171 days. Now, it may not be fair to compare it to the Melina/Michelle feud, as this was a full-blown storyline, complete with the introduction of a brand new Diva, an awkward friendship, a slow heel turn, and finally commencing with a more standard heel/face feud at WrestleMania and Backlash. This was much more than a simple feud, and simply cannot be duplicated without some major groundwork being laid. In this day and age, with the WWE running on a surplus of Divas, I can’t see anything like that happening again in the near future. In fact, the feud only ended when Stratus dislocated her shoulder and was forced on to the disabled list. Who knows how long this could have gone without her injury?

A more comparable feud would be the one between Trish and Victoria (seeing the Trish connection here?). Again, the usage of an “unexplained connection” between the Divas was the basis of the feud – Victoria only hinted at a possible rift between the two in the past when they were both fitness models. Beyond that, most of the tension was in the here and now, with Victoria’s “pyscho” persona adding interest to the feud. The animosity ignited in July 2nd, 2002 when Victoria made her re-debut (remember her initial stint in the “Save the Hos” campaign?), having more of a war of words with Trish while she was also feuding with Molly Holly. Things kicked into high gear a few months later when Victoria defeated Trish in a hardcore match to win the Women’s Championship. This was at about the midpoint in the feud, which lasted until Victoria dropped the title to Trish at Wrestlemania XIX. All things factored, the feud clocked in at 271 days, exactly 100 days longer than Trish’s much more publicized with with Mickie. Its longevity is even more impressive given the fact that this feud wasn’t as complex as the one with Mickie – there were no in-your-face lesbian innuendo (if you don’t count Victoria licking people’s faces) and no flashy “Ashley in a box” tricks. The main connecting thread is the “psycho” factor, with both Mickie and victoria seemingly a little off their rockers. Is that what it takes to have a feud with staying power? Is that the only way the fans can find a Diva feud compelling, by adding in a dash of “Crazy Bitch”? I certainly hope not, because it doesn’t seem as though Michelle nor Melina have any budding mental disabilities, minus the blood curdling screams and over-inflated egos.

So, is it the Trish factor, then? Is the WWE’s most celebrated and popular Diva the only one who can handle a long-term feud, or is she the only one manage and trusted thus far to maintain the fans’ interest for that long? Keep in mind that Trish was constantly in the front of the division. When she finished one feud, she moved on to another, so it’s clear in that respect that the WWE had immense confidence in her to engage the audience and introduce new Divas to the WWE mainstream. Victoria and Mickie probably owe her some debt of gratitude, however small.

But when I think about it, there were a few non-Trish feuds that lasted the test of time. Remember the feud between Torrie Wilson and Dawn Marie? That one went through the marriage of Torrie’s father and Dawn, a hotel room video, and a mind-burning shower scene. While the feud was very T&A heavy, it still had the staying power of more wrestling-oriented ones, lasting just about 108 days. Spanning from October 2002 to January 2003, the highlights included two PPV matches, one at No Mercy and the other at the Royal Rumble, a match which signified the end of the feud. Another Torrie feud, this time with WWE legend Sable had similar elements to it—plenty of bikinis and girl-on-girl action—ran significantly shorter, only approximately 56 days. Maybe without Torrie’s dad to seduce, Sable (and the WWE’s creative team) ran out of things to pull from her bag of tricks.

So, I think we’ve found the two mitigating factors in our experiment: lesbians and psychos. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your interests), the feud between Michelle and Melina has neither of those. They don’t even have that much of a history between each other. No petty jealousy or T&A either—just an intense desire to wear the gold. That makes it all the more impressive that their feud has lasted this long: approximately 71 days as of this article’s publishing. That doesn’t even scratch the surface of the feuds mentioned about, but in this era, that’s pretty impressive. Now, if it has the staying power of these lengthier feuds discussed above is another matter. Fans are already complaining about it getting boring or that we’re seeing “the same thing every week”. Don’t believe me? Read a few comments made in this post and tell me everyone’s peachy keen on the idea.

But, since this feud is continuing despite a bit of protest, what is the end point? Is it SummerSlam? It is the 2nd biggest PPV of the year, and it’s easy to see them aiming for a big blowoff match there. Hopefully it will be something out of the ordinary and special, befitting the amount of time the Divas have put into this feud. Perhaps an “I Quit” match? It certainly plays to their strengths—both Divas have a fondness for submissions and love to venture outside the ring during their matches—so it would make for a suitable “big feel” match to cap off this feud, if that truly will be the finish line. Other options, such a steel cage match, a “Falls Count Anywhere” match or (and I’m reaching here) a ladder match, are ones that often pop up in discussions about dream matches. While the Divas have had their fair share of the “Falls Count Anywhere ” match, the other two haven’t been explored at all (save for the Victoria/Lita cage match a few years ago). It’s clear, though, that the WWE isn’t planning on branching the Divas out into the more extreme, male-oriented gimmick matches, so unfortunately, I don’t see anything too radical taking place. Like I said, an “I Quit” match would be a perfect fit.

The weeks leading up to the PPV could emphasize the fact that both women aren’t going to let up—it has been a 3 month game of chicken, after all—and the only sensible recourse would be to finally have one of them admit defeat, thus the “I Quit” stipulation. It would be the ultimate humiliation, and the desire to embarrass the other would make for a great story. The tension, the intensity, and the determination could build up and explode in an epic, take-no-prisoners match that all of us Diva fans have been waiting for. Finally, this era of Divas would prove their worth.

But then again, it could all be nothing more than a pipe dream.. But hey, we’ve made it this far, haven’t we?

(After the writing of this article, reports had surfaced that Michelle may have suffered a sidelining injury at an untelevised event. Hopefully all is well and this feud can keep on chuggin’…)

In the Saturday Supplement, the Diva Dirt team will aim to discuss a news story, a televised event or other relevant and current topics. The objective, like the average weekend newspaper, is to offer more indepth and lengthy discussion.

When we look at the Divas roster today, there are only a handful of girls that can call themselves a ‘top Diva’ despite there being 20 Divas on the main roster. Only that select handful are really, if we think about it, likely to be Women’s Champion in the near future. Among them are Mickie James, Maryse and Beth Phoenix for Raw while Melina and Michelle McCool have the stranglehold on SmackDown. In an ideal world, talented Divas like Natalya and Gail Kim would be at there at the top of the division and who knows, they may eventually get that push as may the ‘bubbling under’ Divas such as Kelly Kelly or Maria.

But one Diva that seems to have come out of left-field and surpassed the ‘bubbling under’ Divas is SmackDown’s Eve Torres. It’s hard to believe that until WrestleMania, Eve’s main role was as a backstage interviewer. But in the four short months since then, she has seen regular competition on SmackDown and is already onto her second feud. Her strong booking combined with the tide-turning reaction Eve seems to be getting of late from Internet fans, leads me to wonder if Eve just may be the next Diva to be pushed to the next level. In fact, I have begun to wonder if in a limited pool of Divas, if Eve could even be Michelle McCool’s next challenger for the Women’s Championship. Let’s explore…

As mentioned, the 25 year old was just four months ago, a backstage interviewer and had seen limited in-ring action. All that changed after the WWE Draft in April, when SmackDown had begun to flourish in the Divas department: incoming talent included Melina, Alicia Fox and Layla. While SmackDown mainstays, Michelle, Gail and Eve were seen regularly. Eve got her first high profile feud against fellow Diva Search winner, Layla immediately following the Draft, admittedly it was a one-sided feud in Eve’s favour. The 2007 Diva Search winner defeated Layla in a dance-off, arm wrestling match and two eventual singles matches — one of which was highly advertised in the week prior, which is an unusual occurence for Diva bouts.

And now having aligned herself with Cryme Tyme since they hosted the dance-off between her and Layla back in April, Eve has joined them in a feud with The Hart Dynasty. The Dynasty transferred to SmackDown from ECW in the ‘Trump Trade’ of June, a move that brought third generation Diva, Natalya back to SmackDown. Perhaps Eve’s alignment with Cryme Tyme that led into this 3-on-3 intergender feud was a stroke of luck, but no doubt about it, the Diva has found herself in a strong position.

Teaming with Cryme Tyme last week on SmackDown, Eve lost her match after a powerful discus clothesline from Natalya but got her receipt on last night’s show, when she defeated Natalya one-on-one with a moonsault. Eve has been booked very strongly in the past few months, even moreso than the Divas involved in the Women’s Championship picture — Melina and Michelle McCool. Consistent wins and hype from Jim Ross and Todd Grisham on her improving ring skills, have elevated Eve in the eyes of WWE & now the fans too, are beginning to jump aboard.

Looking at the past few months, there seems to be a very specific turning point when Eve’s tide began to turn from being a ‘bad, green worker’ to an ‘ever-improving worker’. I will share my theories after the cut:

Eve’s much hyped match with Layla on May 29th saw criticism from Diva Dirt and it’s readers. The general consensus was that Eve lacked in the ring, while her opponent had more ‘fire’ and better use of the ring. However there was one specific point in her feud with Layla that turned the tide and it seems since Eve has successfully fought the uphill battle to gaining fan backing. The moment I speak of is the June 16th edition of WWE Superstars, when Eve performed for the first time her handspring moonsault, grabbing the attention of Diva Dirt readers and fans across the Internet, in general.

Can a single move really change fan opinion that much? There could be arguments made one way or another, but in my estimation that moment opened the eyes of fans who until then, were either unimpressed or indifferent to the former Diva Search champion. Since then there seems to be a change in momentum in Eve’s favour, our popular Redux posts for instance have seen more and more complimentary comments towards the young Diva, while the feeling seems to be mutual on the abundance of fan forums out there too.

Eve is beginning to win over the fans, online anyway, who seem to feel that she has improved at a dramatic rate. Her execution of the handspring moonsault and most recently, a top rope moonsault, have gained a lot of attention. Combine this with her strong booking on television – and one can never count out the powerful commentary of Hall of Famer, Jim Ross – put those elements together and you have a Diva on the rise. I can’t help but aliken the situation to a similar one last year involving another young upstart SmackDown Diva — who went onto become the Divas Champion and is now the top heel on Monday Night Raw. Our current Divas Champ, Maryse a little over a year ago had never wrestled on SmackDown. But when she did fans were pleasantly surprised. Green though she was, like Eve, she had shown a lot more in the ring than people expected of her. Almost over night, Maryse began to gain traction amongst Internet fans in a similar fashion to Eve right now. Her growing popularity didn’t go unnoticed by WWE and by September of last year, a few short months after her SmackDown wrestling debut, she was put into a title programme with then Divas Champion, Michelle McCool.

I can’t help but feel it’ll be only a matter of time that like with Maryse, WWE begins to notice the growing endearment towards Eve. And how long before she gets a shot at the Women’s Champion, Michelle McCool? Looking as things stand right now, the answer could be not very long.

Eve seems to be in a more prime position than Maryse was last year, when she got her push against McCool for the Divas Championship. A diminished women’s division on SmackDown as a result of the ‘Trump Trade’ means there’s only one real contender for Michelle — her current nemesis, Melina. However with a win over Melina at The Bash and a second win expected at Night of Champions this weekend, it seems to be the death-knell for that feud unless of course it’s even further prolonged. Regardless of the outcome, whether their saga ends after tomorrow night or if they feud through the end of summer, Michelle will eventually need a new challenger. Enter Eve.

Considering the booking she’s received, the fanfare she’s receiving, it doesn’t seem all too unrealistic for Eve to be Michelle’s next title contender. An idea that would have been deemed preposterous a few months ago, just like the reaction to Maryse would have been at the same point when she had her first match against Cherry in May 2008. But a few months down the line, Maryse had seemingly proved herself enough to be a logical candidate for McCool. And I am beginning to think that Eve may be the next logical candidate for Michelle, after Melina.

With a diminished women’s division, Eve could be on the cusp of a golden opportunity. And regardless of if she wins the Women’s Championship, being the #1 Contender would automatically raise her ranking on the Diva hierarchy.

In the Saturday Supplement, the Diva Dirt team will aim to discuss a news story, a televised event or other relevant and current topics. The objective, like the average weekend newspaper, is to offer more indepth and lengthy discussion.

After this week’s edition of TNA Impact, the name Alissa Flash is surely on everyone’s lips. Alissa opened eyes and got the fans on their feet in her TNA debut. An event years in the making, it made me cast my mind back to the first time I laid eyes on this surly competitor.

I’ll be the first to admit that four years ago Cheerleader Melissa, real name Melissa Anderson, was an absolute mystery to me. Raised off the glitz and glamour that is the WWE, I was completely oblivious to the independent circuit. I had no idea what kind of treasures were hidden in the small, virtually unknown promotions littering the country. However, all this changed when I laid eyes on what was soon to become the most watched DVD in my collection: SHIMMER Women Athletes Volume 1.

As I read the match listing, one name in particular caught my eye: Cheerleader Melissa. I immediately thought the worst of the situation. No doubt it was just another lame, cliche and mildly offensive gimmick that would serve no greater purpose than to give the crowd a rise. After years of being force-fed that kind of crap, the mere thought made my eyes roll. Oh, how wrong I was.

I watched in awe as Melissa put on a wrestling clinic in her SHIMMER debut against MsChif. I had never experienced such prowess in the ring and I was enjoying every minute of it. I gasped when Melissa bent her opponent in half, a spot that would be repeated years later by Beth Phoenix and Melina. I winced at every stiff forearm and jumped at every near fall. Although Melissa ultimately lost the battle, she had definitely won the war. I left that match a true believer in the power of the ‘Cheerleader’.

From the moment Melissa stepped through that proverbial ‘curtain’, she sparked my interest. Fully equipped with a pleated skirt and pom-poms, her grim expression and no-nonsense attitude completely betrayed her namesake. Nothing about her feral snarls and cold stares screamed ‘cheerleader’ to me. Her cold exterior combined with her brutal style in the ring made myself  and the fans feel the intensity she brought to the squared circle.

Like any true fan, I hit the Internet looking for more information on my new favorite wrestler. To my surprise, I discovered that Melissa was a second generation wrestler, taking after her father Doug Anderson. In addition to having her first match at 17, Melissa had also made a name for herself in Japan. A few YouTube videos later, I decided I had to have more.

Over the passing weeks, I made Best Buy a regular stop, intent on building my SHIMMER collection. The more I saw of Melissa, the more I wondered: “Why hasn’t WWE signed her?!” I guess some higher power heard my cries, because a few weeks later Melissa graced my computer screen. However, this time she was competing in a WWE ring.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think Melissa was going to lose. After all, she was facing Victoria, a seasoned veteran. I knew she was playing the unknown jobber role, but that didn’t stop me from cheering her on. I found myself grinning like a fool when she unleashed some of that signature aggression I’d come to love her for. I hoped this showing would open up WWE’s door to Melissa, but unfortunately she was never seen in a WWE ring again.

My ‘big league’ dream for Melissa was dashed for the moment, but hope was restored when TNA announced a women’s title the next year. After seeing the type of talent TNA had procured from the indies, I was sure it was just a matter of time until they got they’re hand on Ms. Anderson. Turns out I was right, as she debuted soon after the title’s inception, as the Syrian cohort of Awesome Kong, Raisha Saeed. She soon made the transition from manager to wrestler, showing the world what she was made of.

While I was glad Melissa was finally getting to show off her skills to a wider audience, I was not fan of her gimmick. As Raisha she showed more personality that she ever did as a ‘Cheerleader’, but it was all hidden behind a burkha and heavy eye makeup. I found myself yearning for the return of the real Cheerleader Melissa. Once again, the wrestling gods heard my prayers and treated us to Cheerleader Melissa versus fellow SHIMMER athlete, Daizee Haze. Melissa picked up the win with a devastating Kudo Driver. Surely TNA would book Cheerleader Melissa after that? Wrong again. The appearance proved to be a one shot deal and Cheerleader Melissa was M.I.A. in TNA for over a year. Thankfully, all that changed this Thursday night.

This week’s Impact saw Melissa make her TNA ‘debut’ as “Future Legend” Alissa Flash, against the much hyped luchadora, Sarita. Thanks to TNA’s taping habits, I knew about this match three weeks prior to it’s showing. That said, I was still on pins and needles waiting for it to air. While this match was touted as Sarita’s debut, Melissa managed to steal the show with her smash-mouth style of combat. Alissa didn’t get the win, but she made her presence known in the Knockout division and to Sarita. Even though the match clocked in at less than 5 minutes, I daresay it was ‘Match of the Year’ material.

As I watched the match, I couldn’t help but to see ‘flashes’ (excuse the pun) of my first Cheerleader Melissa match. Every kick to the head and punch to the gut took me back to that first match on the very first volume of SHIMMER. Every smirk and sneer reminded me of the deadpan expression that she wore when she first appeared on my TV screen. I took pride in knowing that one of the most deserving athletes in women’s wrestling had finally gotten her chance to shine.

I’m at a loss for what the future holds for the self-proclaimed “Legend”, Alissa Flash, but if this week’s showing is a sign of what’s to come, I’m definitely excited. Hopefully in the coming weeks Alissa can show fans, critics and all of you here at Diva Dirt what I’ve known for years: Alissa is the future of women’s wrestling. It was never a matter of if, but when.