Thursday, April 25, 2024

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

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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.

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

NXT Watch (December 21st, 2011): Divas Fight for Pride, While Superstars Fight for Divas

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Oh, NXT. I try my hardest to get everyone behind you, I honestly do. I constantly plug the show wherever I’m at on social networking sites, and I praise it to no end here… but unfortunately, tonight’s episode proved that my valiant efforts are not reaching a global audience. I’ll get more into that later on though. Tonight, we saw the return of the coveted Divas match to the yellow brand, as Kaitlyn (still freshly babyface as can be) took on Maxine in singles action. On the flip side, we also had some segments to contribute to this week’s edition of “Maxine’s Choice”, as well as some Tamina main event managing to greet us into the holiday week.

Now before everyone falls into a drunken stupor off their egg nog, let’s get this holiday edition recap of NXT underway!

A match graphic is shown promoting the upcoming bout between Maxine and Kaitlyn, one which I deeply applaud as they are two of my favorite females in wrestling. After a brief commercial break, we become instructed to hit the dance floor, as the perky — and more importantly — still babyface Kaitlyn makes her way out to the ring. Up next, the arena turns bright green and out walks Maxine in a sick black new version of her blue gear. As Eden Stiles makes her final Divas entrance announcement ever, I sit both wondering and greatly admiring how much Maxine crosses the PG line. (The joys of being on the Internet I suppose.)

Once Maxine steps into the ring, the bell rings and the two lock up. Kaitlyn quickly uses her muscular advantage to shove her opponent backwards, following it up with a nice arm drag and a kick to the stomach. A hardbody slam (which I dub all of Kaitlyn’s bodyslams now) connects, soon followed by a leg drop for a two count. Maxine then takes control with a punch to the mouth, as she hops on Kaitlyn’s back and locks in a choke. Kaitlyn once again uses her upper body strength to spin Maxine around and hit an awesome backbreaker for another near fall.

Maxine scurries to the corner, and as Kaitlyn walks over towards her, she takes the advantage and shoves her opponent right into the turnbuckle a few times. Maxine then pushes Kaitlyn’s upper body outside the ring and proceeds to pull forward on her hair, thus amounting in Kaitlyn to be choked throat first on the bottom rope until the referee gets close to a five count. Maxine drags Kaitlyn back into the ring and gets a two count, which angers our NXT queen as she locks in a choke hold. Kaitlyn tries her hardest to fight out, but Maxine absolutely DRILLS her with some brutal strikes to the chest.

Kaitlyn finally begins to fight out of the hold as she shoves Maxine back into the ropes. Maxine charges forward and applies a beautiful front side dragon sleeper until Kaitlyn fights out and shoves her into the corner. Maxine then charges forward and meets a nice spinning elbow to the chest, followed up with a great dropkick as well. Kaitlyn goes to Irish whip Maxine, but she counters and knees Kaitlyn in the midsection, before tossing her back by the hair. Suddenly, out comes Derrick Bateman who begins calling his ex fiancée’s name, which distracts her long enough for Kaitlyn to score a shock roll up victory out of nowhere!

Kaitlyn walks up the ramp, as Maxine begins throwing a tantrum in the ring. After a replay is shown, Maxine immediately storms to the stage and screams at Derrick asking him what he’s doing. He admits that he messed up, and that he doesn’t want her to lose the love and feeling she had for him. Bateman then proceeds to get down on his knees and serenade her by singing the word “baby” over and over until Dirty Curty makes his presence known and ambushes him from behind! From there, he screams to Derrick that nobody walks out on him… to which Maxine immediately struts over Derrick and claims “I’m walking out on you right now.” Wait a second! WAIT A SECOND! Is that a reaction I hear from this otherwise ridiculously silent crowd?! Maxine has just given me a Christmas miracle!


Skip to 1:36

We then head backstage later in the night to see Maxine and Dirty Curty arguing with one another until Derrick Bateman runs right up and almost gets into it with the dirty one. Suddenly, NXT host/GM, Matt Striker interrupts and asks why they are doing this in his office. Maxine claims that this is not his business, but Striker says that this is his show and not “The Young and the Promiscuous”. Matt then books Derrick against Johnny next week in the match to end everything. Maxine claims this is the only thing they can all agree on, as she walks off and Derrick chases after her. Johnny tries to follow them, but Striker stops him and points him to go in the other direction as this segment comes to a close.

Also, check out Tamina in managerial action as she accompanies her new associate, JTG, in his match against Titus O’Neil!

Thoughts: I don’t think I have ever in my life heard a more dead crowd than I did tonight. This wasn’t just for the Divas match either, as literally the entire show gave new meaning to the term “Silent Night”. It really puts a dampener on the matches when barely any noise is made, and I can’t fathom why a crowd that large is so dead. Once again, I’m guessing it’s due to the lame preconceived notions about NXT being a joke, but it’s frustrating that the best program in the company gets so little reaction. I guess the same reason why I love it (presumably, the higher ups have very little to do with it so it doesn’t have to be treated as rushed as Raw or SmackDown) is the same reason why so few know what’s going on with it.

On to the actual match, I thought Maxine and Kaitlyn put on a good showing. I’d rank it second of all the matches I’ve seen between them as I enjoyed their bout a few months ago more, but that’s mostly due to the fact it was given more time, plus the crowd factor as well. I think they are getting a lot more chemistry together in the ring, and it’s unfortunate that an otherwise solid showing came off as anything less due to such tiny reception. Both ladies made the most of what they were given, and I really hope to see more Kaitlyn, as well as AJ make her way back to NXT. Maxine could always team up with Tamina, or hey, you know, do the impossible and call up Naomi!~

Beth Phoenix & Natalya Named Divas of the Year by WWE Magazine

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The Pin-Up Strong movement has worked its magic on the folks at WWE Magazine, as they’ve selected Beth Phoenix and Natalya as their joint Divas of the Year.

The Divas Champion and her third-generation BFF have picked up the award, with Natalya being quoted as saying: “Beth and I are not cookie-cutter Divas. We love power lifting. We love working out. We love painting. There’s so much stuff that we love doing that’s outside of the norm. We don’t pride ourselves on being models. We pride ourselves on being tough chicks.”

She adds: “People compare us to Mae Young and The Fabulous Moolah. She’s Moolah, and I’m Mae.”

The new issue of WWE Magazine is out now.

Did WWE Magazine make the right choice? Sound off in the comments!

Image credit: @fadhitman

Exclusive: Mia Yim Talks About Possible ROH Women’s Division in 2012

As Sara Del Rey revealed to us exclusively last month, word is that Ring of Honor is looking to add a women’s division to its new television show in 2012.

The company never had full-fledged women’s division on its previous TV incarnation, rather the odd match here and there, despite fans calling to see weekly matches and storylines amongst the women. It looks like we just may get our wish in the coming year.

One woman who must certainly be in line for a spot in the division if it does come to fruition is Mia Yim, currently the only female listed on the Ring of Honor roster.

Speaking to us last night on DD360 prior to this weekend’s ROH Final Battle Internet pay per view, she said: “I really hope I’m involved. I don’t know [many] details about it besides that next year… I was just told that next year they’re going to be starting a women’s division. I don’t know if they’re going to have their own belt or anything.”

“I am assuming — this isn’t official or anything — but I’m assuming that Sara [Del Rey] is going to be involved. At least I’m hoping [she is]. Daizee [Haze], MsChif… you know, all the girls that were involved previously with Ring of Honor. I’m hoping that they’re all going to be involved as well.”

When asked who she’d like to see in the division, Yim added: “If I could pick the girls that haven’t been in Ring of Honor already, I would love to see Marti Belle, Jenny Rose, even though she was already in it as Jamilia Craft, I would love to see Jenny Rose, that character, in Ring of Honor because it would definitely bring something different.”

She continued: “There’s a girl in Philly, her name is Kimber Lee and she’s probably been wrestling as long as I have. We train together at CZW and had a couple of matches together, and she can go. She is really good. I can definitely see her in Ring of Honor hopefully at some point. She is as tough or tougher than me. So I’m hoping that she can get in, Marti, Jenny, Annie Social — like, just a different crop of girls.”

Who would you like to see in an ROH women’s division?

Listen to the full interview with Mia Yim by catching a replay of last night’s DD360 at this link.

Exclusive: Rosita Talks About Her Inspiring Rookie Year in Impact Wrestling

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Capping an incredible rookie year, it was announced earlier this week that young Rosita — real name Thea Trinidad — has been crowned 2011’s Inspirational Wrestler of the Year by Pro Wrestling Illustrated.

And it has indeed been an inspiring year for the 20-year-old Impact Wrestling star, who in September mourned the 10th anniversary of her father’s passing during the 9/11 terror attacks in New York. But rather than letting that anniversary define her year, Rosita marked it by achieving her dream of becoming a wrestling superstar and making her father proud.

In 2011, Rosita earned worldwide success when she joined Impact Wrestling, where she quickly won the Knockouts Tag Team Championships with Sarita and landed the cover of Mexico’s Super Luchas magazine.

Speaking on her whirlwind year, Rosita told us exclusively on DD360: “It’s been a crazy journey so far. I look back a couple of years ago, and seeing where I am now, there’s no way I thought I’d be where I am right now.”

“It’s truly amazing to see where determination and drive will lead you. From people telling me, ‘Oh no, you’re too small’ and ‘You can’t do those things that everyone else can do because you’re so small’, and you put those people to rest saying, ‘I can do this no matter what’. I had Tommy Dreamer, who’s amazing to me, from the very first day I met him — he actually was the one to say to me, ‘I believe in you, I know that you can do this. Let’s see what you can do at TNA’. Everybody at TNA has been amazing to me too, so I’ve been truly blessed on this whole [journey].”

And Rosita’s journey wasn’t just recognized by the fans, or by Diva Dirt, but the folks at the respected Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine too. They crowned the pint-sized Knockout their Inspirational Wrestler of the Year, an honor previously bestowed upon the likes of Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair and other huge names in the business.

“I remember when I was first presented the award, I was amazed. Usually when I’m shocked, I’m like, ‘Oh, my God’ — I just lose my breath and I [get] lost for words. I just looked at it like, ‘Oh, my God, this is amazing’.”

“I just remember bringing it home to my mom and she just started crying,” Rosita continues. “She couldn’t even believe that her daughter — her crazy little daughter [Laughs] — actually touched the lives of other people to say that I’m an inspiration. It was an absolute honor.”

Speaking on the company she keeps in the winners’ circle, Rosita admits that she was somewhat speechless.

She said: “To follow 2010 [when] Shawn Michaels had it, he’s one of my favorite wrestlers as well, and it’s an honor to be on that list, [and] to be the first female in history to win this award, but just to win it in general is amazing. To follow in the footsteps of Sting, Hogan, Jeff Jarrett… some really good guys who’ve left footprints on such an amazing business, it’s an honor to follow them.”

Congratulations to Rosita on her wonderful year and winning the Inspirational Wrestler of the Year award.

Listen to the full interview with Rosita by catching a replay of this week’s DD360 at this link.

Irena Janjic Removed from FCW Roster

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The profile for Leah West (Irena Janjic) has been removed from the FCW roster page, which usually indicates a release.

However, recently departed Eden Stiles’ profile still remains online, so one has to be curious if this was simply a mistake.

Janjic was signed to a WWE deal earlier this year after training under Lance Storm in Calgary. She is one of three of his students that were signed, the others being SHIMMER standout, Tenille and Taya Valkyrie.

Irena was featured in a few various matches during her time in FCW thus far against the likes of Audrey Marie and Naomi.

Spoilers for TNA’s New Indian TV Project ‘Ring Ka King’

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As previously noted, TNA in assocation with Endemol is producing a new television series for the Indian market. Tapings took place this week with former Knockouts Champion Mickie James and Cheerleader Melissa on hand.

The show will be titled Ring Ka King (King of the Ring in Hindi) and air on the Colors network from January.

Spoilers below:

Spoiler
Mickie James (w/Bollywood Boyz) defeated Raisha Saeed (w/The Snakes) with the Mickie DDT. The Snakes tried to interfere in the match but were fended off by Bollywood Boyz. (Source)

 

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

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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.

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

RELATED:
Listen Live: DD360 with Karen Jarrett and Kristin Astara
Exclusive: Knockouts VP Karen Jarrett Issues Warning to Rosita and Other Knockouts
Exclusive: Karen Jarrett Addresses Vickie Guerrero Twitter Drama, Comparisons Between Them

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

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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.

TRISH STRATUS
Comeback Queen

Few can say that they had a successful comeback in WWE after years of retirement at the grandest stage of them all. As for a woman being able to say that? That’s pretty unthinkable given the way WWE tends to treat its Divas. However, through it all, one woman has stood the test of time and managed to command high respect from not only the WWE fans, but WWE itself. In 2011, Trish Stratus proved that despite being retired for five years, she is still the Diva of all Divas.

This year felt like Trish had never left. From star roles in WrestleMania and the revival of Tough Enough, to multiple magazine covers, the seven-time Women’s Champion didn’t skip a beat. Returning to the WWE for her first storyline feud since retiring in 2006, Trish teamed with Jersey Shore star Snooki and John Morrison in a feud with LayCool, Dolph Ziggler and Vickie Guerrero in the lead-up to ‘Mania 27. Trish’s return marked a boom period for popular superstars of the past era, putting her in the same company as the likes of The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin, who also returned for ‘Mania. The mainstream buzz surrounding the match due to Snooki’s involvement surely rubbed off on Trish, while she managed to create her own buzz as Internet wrestling fans chattered about friction between herself and John Morrison in the infamous “cold shoulder”-gate.

As the female trainer on Tough Enough, Trish returned to our screens for a further 10 weeks, guiding the wannabe WWE Superstars through challenges, critiquing them and ultimately, helping crown the show’s champion. It was a new role for Trish, who we were so used to seeing in the ring herself, but a welcome new direction and in some ways, a natural evolution of her semi-retired wrestling career.

Though retired, in 2011, Trish was one of the most relevant WWE Divas of the year, and continues to show her crossover success. Trish’s business savvy is second to none when it comes to females in wrestling. She’s built a brand around her name that in 2011 has spawned off a yoga product line, including a DVD and workout essentials, plus she has bagged several magazine covers including Shape and Revive, adding to her already extensive list of credits.

While other female stars fade away or leave wrestling behind, Trish is the shining beacon for longevity and success in and out of the ring. Not only is she inspiring to female wrestlers coming through the ranks, but an inspiring businesswoman also.

This is how a comeback is done.

PREVIOUSLY:
The Women of the Year 2011: Brooke Tessmacher and Tara (#22)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

RELATED:
Exclusive: Trish Stratus Dishes on Tough Enough, Returning to WWE, WrestleMania, Snooki & More

A Londoner’s Eye: Models vs Wrestlers – When Did the Battle Lines Get Drawn? And Why Do We Have to Choose?

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The “wrestler vs model” debate has plagued women’s wrestling fans for as long as I can remember. Being the editor of Diva Dirt for the past four years, I’ve seen a wide spectrum of opinions from wrestlers, writers and most importantly, fans. For it’s the fans who use their ability to have a say on the Internet and are always the most vocal.

In 2011, WWE themselves finally acknowledged this debate that has been argued heatedly amongst Internet fans for years in the current Beth Phoenix and Natalya storyline, and somewhere along the way, it feels like the “heated debate” has turned into something more serious. Perhaps WWE drawing more attention to the debate has made it that much more topical, and made fans that much more fervent in their opinions on the situation — and thus, that much more aggressive towards people with opposing views.

It feels like fans have drawn the battle lines and you’re either one side or the other.

But why? Why do we have to choose? And why do we have to go to war over something that, compared to the real issues going on in the world, is so insignificant?

As the saying goes, opinions are like you-know-whats – everyone’s got one. It’s okay to have them. It’s okay to disagree. However, I can’t help but feel some take it a step too far. I don’t support the need to make blanket statements such as “all models need to be fired”. Doesn’t that sound familiar? Living in London, I’ve heard similar blanket statements such as, “All ****** need to go home”. Those statements would be considered intolerant, sexist, racist, homophobic etc. Of course, I don’t mean to suggest that this little debate we have online is anywhere near as important as very real issues such as racism and homophobia, but the sentiment is similar. Aren’t these comments just as sweeping and bigoted as telling people of an ethnic minority to “go home?”

I can’t help but wonder if the fact that we’re talking about women in a male-dominated sport perpetuates the need people feel to call these women derogatory names such as “rats” and “hoes”. In a business where the males are respected and for a large majority, the women are seen as inferior, does this make it more acceptable to try and denigrate these women as prostitutes because they come from a background in modelling or dancing? It’s offensive that all it boils down to in the end is calling women “sluts” and “hoes”.

I don’t blame anyone for the way they get into the business. If I was a model and a global company dangled a big money TV job in my face, passion or no passion, I would jump at the opportunity. And frankly, I’m guessing so would millions of other people.

I’m not saying that these girls can’t or shouldn’t be criticized. But shouldn’t we base our criticisms on something that is grounded? For example, “I saw XYZ in a match and she was really bad, look at that move she messed up.” Shouldn’t we be criticizing what we see instead of what we think we know? Even then, you may look at a certain former model and see an awful wrestler, while another may see that person and enjoy their work. In that instance, do we need to deride that fan as a “moron” or “idiot” because of who they like?

And let’s not forget, there are alternatives out there. If you don’t like what — or who — you’re seeing in WWE, pick up a WSU DVD, or a SHIMMER DVD, or watch Impact Wrestling on Thursdays. You’re not being chained to the TV and forced to watch. As someone put it to me on Twitter, however, some are creatures of habit and do tune in to Raw because it’s “all they know”. That makes sense, but there are other products out there. Creatures can change their habits, no?

That brings me to the main point I’m trying to make: why do we have to choose? What is this “with us or against us” mentality? “If you’re a fan of Kelly Kelly, you couldn’t possibly be like Sara Del Rey. You have to choose.” Well, no, you don’t. Who says we have to? Who’s forcing us to pick a side? Someone typing furiously into their keyboard?

Personally, I watch WWE and have nothing against the “models”. In fact, some of my favorite Divas came into WWE as former models or dancers – Layla and Alicia Fox, for example. Eve Torres, a former dancer, has impressed me this year. Kelly Kelly has certainly been impressive this year. I find the Bella Twins incredibly entertaining as heels. So does that mean I’m not a “real wrestling fan?” And am I not allowed to like what people consider “real wrestling?” Someone show me the rulebook. Sure, the Divas product isn’t very wrestling heavy, but I’ll support it because of the girls involved. But beyond WWE, I watch TNA which does a better job at presenting matches on TV, as well as WSU and SHIMMER. That’s a pretty broad spectrum. I like the Bellas, but hey, I like Sara Del Rey and Cheerleader Melissa too.

Why do I have to choose a side? And what happens if I don’t?

Eden Stiles Gone from WWE

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WWE ring announcer Eden Stiles revealed on Twitter last night that she requested and has been granted her release from the company.

Eden, real name Brandi Alexis Reed, joined WWE earlier this year and was quickly called up to the road as the new ring announcer for WWE Superstars, and occasionally appeared on SmackDown also.

Reed says she requested her release from WWE three weeks ago and it was her last night in the company yesterday. She wrote: “This was it! 3 weeks ago I asked to be released from my WWE contract. Today was my last day. Sure enjoyed it!! More on the horizon for me.”

She also confirmed that she’s dating WWE Superstar, Cody Rhodes.

WWE NXT Spoilers: December 21st, 2011

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Spoilers for tomorrow’s NXT on WWE.com:

Spoiler
Katelyn beat Maxine. Kaityln got the win after Derrick Bateman distracted Maxine. (Source)

 

The Women of the Year 2011: Brooke Tessmacher and Tara (#22)

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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.

BROOKE TESSMACHER AND TARA
TNT: A Dynamite Duo

Throw two singles competitors together and put the Knockouts Tag Team Championships on them. That is a formula we regularly see in TNA’s Knockouts division. However, unlike other randomly paired teams who don’t really “go” together, in 2011, Brooke Tessmacher and Tara proved to be an exception to the rule.

With Tara taking more of a backseat from the singles spotlight this year, pairing her with the rising rookie was a breath of fresh air for her character, while Brooke welcomed a partner who has done it all and can guide her to success.

From their first match together, in which they won the Knockouts Tag Team Championships, there was an instant chemistry between Brooke and Tara — perhaps a sign that we were onto something special. As well as their chemistry in the ring, TNT gelled together just as easily, with Tara citing that both have similar goofy personalities. In a Knockouts division full to the brim of serious Knockouts, Brooke and Tara are a much needed injection of fun.

True, the Knockouts tag team division is barely existent, but even with the limitations, Tara and Brooke brought much needed attention to the belts and in our opinion, had the best run as champs in recent memory, with each of their matches together being memorable.

Individually, in an industry obsessed with you, Tara celebrated a milestone birthday — the big 4-0 — and proved that you can still wrestle on TV and look fabulous. Particularly for women in the business, who tend to only last until their mid-30s on wrestling TV shows, Tara has been inspiring, and has further cemented her legendary status. Before joining forces with her current partner in crime, Tara finally ditched her last partner in crime — Madison Rayne — following the culmination of nearly a year-long storyline. Tara won her freedom from Rayne and as the icing on the cake, defeated her in singles action.

Meanwhile for Brooke, 2011 has certainly been her breakthrough year in wrestling, as she’s impressed fans with her growing in-ring repertoire and has had the chance to face off with Mickie James amongst others. This girl can only get better.

Who’d have thought that this pairing, who were at two different points in their career, could come together and become one of 2011’s hottest tag teams? However, truth be told, we’ve barely scratched the surface. As Brooke told us in an interview recently, TNT still has a lot of in-ring magic that they haven’t had a chance to show Impact Wrestling viewers, and thus we’re hoping that 2012 will be an even bigger year for TNT, and hopefully lead to a revival of women’s tag team wrestling on TV.

PREVIOUSLY:
The Women of the Year 2011: Britani and Saraya Knight (#23)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

RELATED:
Exclusive: Lisa Marie Varon (Tara) Talks TNA & WWE, Golden Age of Divas, Future in Wrestling & More
Exclusive: Brooke Tessmacher Says WWE Release Was “Expected”, TNA a “Dream Come True”
Brooke Tessmacher Found Tara “Scary” When She Was Younger, Now She’s “Like Blood”

Raw Redux (December 19th, 2011): Alicia Scores a Win, Beth Scores a Bruise, Rosa Rocks and We Have Bellas & Vickie Too!

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Due to the fact that I’ve basically been in a coma for the last 12 hours or so, watching Raw live last night was something that didn’t exactly happen for me. I’m sure the majority of you have already seen it, formed thoughts about it, and are so excited to read my thoughts on it to see if they match your own. They probably won’t, but you never know. Today you’re going to get a treat because I’m going to be writing while watching, so everything you get is going to be my live reaction. I haven’t a clue what happened last night, and haven’t been to any sites, not even this one, to see results. The last thing wrestling-wise I witnessed was the scary ending to Beth PhoenixKelly Kelly from TLC. I literally thought someone was going to die during that exchange but no matter, let’s just get on with Raw, shall we? I’m going to cue up  YouTube now!

I can honestly say that Raw has been amazing thus far tonight. It makes me kind of sad that I went to bed last night, but when you have a two-day hangover and haven’t had any sleep since Friday night, say the odd five or so hours, something’s got to give. Unfortunately, it was Raw last night. But nonetheless, backstage we see a split screen of Beth and Alicia Fox. That match is what we get tonight, and if you’re like me, you kind of hoped it would have been the TLC match. Much like the night before, Beth comes out solo and she looks great. Coming out second, is Alicia, and she has the dead animal on her head again. I do love her ring gear, so it’s okay this week.

Beth and Alicia lock up with one another, and Beth tries to work over the Foxy One’s wrist. Alicia nails the champ with a few decisive kicks, but Beth is too powerful to just go away like that. She ends up flattening Foxy with a side-walk slam. She begins punching her in the stomach, and kicking her decisively in the back. Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler feel the need to tell us that Alicia is the number one trending topic on Twitter. That’s not a surprise, she’s been trending since her SmackDown days. Of course, Alicia is still on SmackDown but you know what I mean.

Is it just me or does the WWE make you hate Twitter as well?

Anyway, the match is still continuing and it’s gotten a bit dicey. Beth has picked Alicia up and looks to bounce her off the ropes. Foxy uses the momentum to stop the move, but she ends up losing her footing in the process. She recovers nicely, but the Philadelphia crowd isn’t impressed. She takes care of Beth and hits her finisher, then gets a huge pinfall win over the champ. Alicia celebrates, while Beth rolls out of the ring and is being checked on by the referee.

When the replays are over, Alicia has a mic in her hands. Oh wow. She gives a coy little “Hi…” to the crowd and they greet her with a barrage of boos like she’s the biggest heel to ever walk the face of the Earth. She just beams and tells everyone that she hopes they have a very “Foxy holiday.” Yikes.

I don’t know what’s more painful, watching Beth take the finisher or being wished a Foxy holiday? I have looked around now, and those pictures Beth posted of the injury are pretty nasty. But things like that happen in wrestling and the Glamazon is clearly fine. She probably just has a really bad headache today. That said, I wasn’t really crazy about the match. They tried to do too much in their little bit of time and it didn’t come off as clean. But as we saw at TLC, even having a lot of time doesn’t stop mistakes from happening. I’d like to see what Beth and Alicia can put together with more than two minutes allowed. I think it could be fun to watch, and it wouldn’t have to be so rushed or fast-paced. Alicia is not a bad performer, and Beth just goes without saying. She’s gotten amazing matches out of Kelly and Eve, why not Alicia?

The Diva goodness didn’t stop there. Rosa Mendes, the lovely lady who’s been accompanying Epico and Primo to the ring as of late, made an appearance with her men while they took on Jimmy and Jey Uso.

Managing is absolutely what Rosa should do. She’s great at ringside with her exaggerated reactions. These past few weeks we’ve even seen her get involved in Epico and Primo’s business and help them win. Her place in the WWE has always been hit or miss. Rosa’s never really had a solid role. She’s managed to outlast the likes of Maria, Mickie, Gail, Melina, and Maryse, so clearly there is something there that the company likes about this woman. She’s stunning to look at and having her as a manager is the best possible thing. I’m not entirely sure if this is a heel faction or a face faction, but I hope we get to see more of them on Raw in the future. I really enjoyed their match at TLC with Air Boom, so more please. And more Rosa with her Spanglish and horrible Latin dancing. It’s fun.

Speaking of fun, we have more Divas, which is a nice surprise to me. Brie and Nikki are backstage arguing with Johnny Ace in between them.

The Bellas go back and forth, apparently fed up with one another over who knows what? I suppose they’re tired of looking alike, because they talk about red lipstick and curled hair etc. I can see how that would get boring. Johnny Ace, ugh, gets them to settle down, and the girls tell him that they don’t appreciate how Teddy Long spoke to them at TLC. The SmackDown GM did seem to have a little too much spiked egg nog, and it’s understandable the Bellas are upset. They say they’re not floozies, and Nikki adds that at least she isn’t. Brie takes exception and this causes another argument between the two. Johnny Ace to the rescue again. He stops the fight, wishes them both a ‘Merry Christmas’, and they both kiss him on his unusually pink cheeks before walking away. Gross.

As the Bellas leave, Vickie Guerrero comes into the picture and she is irate. Her appearance wipes the smirks off the faces of Ace and his sidekick, David Otunga. Thank God. Vickie is violently screaming ‘Excuse me’. She’s pretty annoyed that Dolph was cheated out of his title last night and she demands that Johnny Ace book a rematch. Unbeknownst to Vickie, Hornswoggle has come up behind her. He has some mistletoe and when he finally gets Vickie’s attention, she turns around. He lays one on her, much to her horror, and that sends Johnny and David fleeing from the room. Hornswoggle scampers off too and Vickie stands there shaking and screaming from having just been violated. Ugh, poor woman.

I really do not like Hornswoggle one bit.

That said, Raw was a lot of fun tonight. For once, they had a great post-PPV show and I really enjoyed the added bonus of the backstage segment and Rosa. The match was eh, but it was what it was. It’s already caused a bunch of drama, and will no doubt cause a lot more.

Until next week, Cryssi out!

The Women of the Year 2011: Britani and Saraya Knight (#23)

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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.

BRITANI AND SARAYA KNIGHT
Bigger Than The Beatles

Like The Beatles in music, Britain’s Britani and Saraya Knight caused hysteria amongst SHIMMER fans in the US this past April when they made one of the biggest debuts in company history.

In a company predominantly focused on wrestling rather than characters, the larger than life, villainous antics of Britani and Saraya had the fans eating out of their palms of their hands. The debut of the Knight Dynasty (along with the returning Rebecca Knox) was arguably the highlight of SHIMMER’s April tapings.

Returning to Berwyn in October for their second tour, the mother-and-daughter duo managed to retain their buzzy status by feuding not with other SHIMMER stars, but with each other. The emotional feud culminated in a “Mother vs Daughter Match” which saw Britani pin Saraya.

Despite having a long family history in the wrestling scene in Britain, 2011 was the year the two Knight women broke out to a wider audience around the globe, thanks, in part, to the Internet buzz surrounding Britani signing with WWE, in addition to their SHIMMER debuts.

As well as reaching the big time, the young Knight became the first ever Pro-Wrestling: EVE Champion in April, but lost the title a couple of months later to Jenny Sjodin. The title switch was steeped in controversy, however, as the result was leaked online prior to the match taking place, and the Knights withdrew themselves and talent from their WAW gym from EVE competition that same day.

Dynamic, talented — and yes, — controversial, the Knights certainly left a lasting impression in 2011.

PREVIOUSLY:
The Women of the Year 2011: Kana (#24)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

WWE ’12 Divas DLC Pack Released Today

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The WWE Divas DLC pack for WWE ’12 is out today.

You can now add Alicia Fox, the Bella Twins, Kharma, Trish Stratus and Vickie Guerrero to your roster.

The following press release was sent to us:

[notice]THQ ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF NEW DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT OFFERINGS FOR WWE® ’12

Former and Current WWE Divas Trish Stratus, Brie Bella, Nikki Bella, Vickie Guerrero, Kharma and Alicia Fox Set to Join Extensive Playable Roster in Prominent Simulation Franchise

THQ Inc. today announced availability of new downloadable content for WWE® ’12, the recently released addition to the WWE flagship videogame franchise. Available now worldwide, the downloadable content offering via Xbox LIVE® for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®Network for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system includes the following:

WWE Divas Pack – Trish Stratus, Brie Bella, Nikki Bella, Vickie Guerrero, Kharma and Alicia Fox

  • The WWE Divas are available now for a suggested purchase cost of 80 Microsoft Points each or 99 cents each via PlayStation Network. Alicia Fox is available free of charge for both platforms.

Featuring a bigger game, badder presentation and better simulation-based gameplay, including critical core gameplay improvements, the most creative and extensive feature set to date and a visceral, edgy and polished presentation, WWE ’12 is available now for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system and the WiiTM system from Nintendo. For more information on WWE ’12, including future downloadable content offerings, please visit wwe.thq.com, facebook.com/WWEgames and twitter.com/WWEgames. [/notice]

Gail Kim & Velvet Sky are TNA’s Queens for New PPV Poster

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Knockouts Champion Gail Kim as well as former champion, Velvet Sky, are featured on the official poster for next February’s TNA Against All Odds pay per view.

Gail has been on a roll since her return to TNA earlier this year and being utilized in a key marketing campaign — something that would have likely never happened for her in WWE — is the latest notch in her belt.

Could Gail’s career revival in 2011 rival that of J.Lo’s? Well, we’re biased, so our vote’s with Gail!

Click image for full size poster.

Beth Phoenix Injured on Raw (Pictures)

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Divas Champion Beth Phoenix gave fans a fright last night after it was spotted that she had a nasty lump on the side of her head following her match with Alicia Fox on Raw.

Fans tweeted their concern for the Glamazon last night as a trainer was spotted running to the ring after the match to check on Beth. It looks like Foxy’s somersault leg drop did a number on the champion.

Beth commented on the injury via her Twitter page, writing: “@AliciaFoxy tried her hardest to destroy my face. There will be hell to pay for trying to tarnish my beauty.”

She then added: “Another angle of @AliciaFoxy ‘s damage. After hours in the trainers room, I broke a lot of mirrors with my fists.”

Beth posted pictures of the injury here and here.

Feel better, champ!

Raw Response: December 19th, 2011

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Get your Monday night Divas fix by tuning in to Raw tonight at 9pm ET on the USA Network.

Discuss the show in the comments!

Note: Unfortunately, we’re still experiencing technical issues so won’t be able to host Diva Dirt Live tonight. Apologies!

The Women of the Year 2011: Kana (#24)

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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.

KANA
International Rockstar

There’s been plenty of Joshi action in North American women’s wrestling this year. Just earlier this month, all attention turned to CHIKARA as they presented a mammoth three-night event known as JoshiMania. However, prior to that, it was this young lady who had fans getting their streamers ready for her US debut.

The buzzy Kana has been a name we’ve been hearing a lot about in the past year or so, not least of which is due to our friends at Dirty Dirty Sheets, so it seemed inevitable that we’d see her in a US wrestling ring — it was just a matter of when.

The Japanese star packed up her unique ring attire and headed to US shores in October, where she thrilled audiences in not just SHIMMER, but CHIKARA also. Facing off against the likes of Sara Del Rey and Cheerleader Melissa, Kana made a strong impact on fans in her debut tour of the US. Combine that with her large (and growing) online following, fans around the world have flocked to the altar of Kana.

Meanwhile, in her native Japan, Kana became the first ever SMASH Divas Champion defeating the US’ Serena earlier this year.

As well as her work in the ring, Kana is as intriguing outside of the ring. Proving that modern day women can do it all, Kana is a savvy business woman who knows how to control her image and promote herself. As well as that, she owns a hair salon, writes for Xbox magazine and she’s a graphics designer for video games. Pretty remarkable, no?

PREVIOUSLY:
The Women of the Year 2011: The Women of Tough Enough (#25)

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

Image credit: Dirty Dirty Sheets

WWE TLC in Review: The Glamazon Soars to Victory in a Night of Divas Galore

TLC has many meanings. From tender loving care, to T-Boz, Chilli and Left Eye, to the focus of last night’s WWE pay per view, and that is tables, ladders and chairs. Granted, none of these came into play during the Diva related segments, but we should all be fortunate that we even got to see the females at all! Nothing was promoted involving them, however, we were treated to an impromptu Divas Title match between arch rivals Beth Phoenix and Kelly Kelly. Plus, we saw Rosa Mendes (ON A PAY PER VIEW!), Alicia Fox, as well as Brie and Nikki Bella in various segments.

Without any further ado, let’s kick things off before I collapse from too much celebrating due to… you guessed it, Rosa Mendes on a pay per view.

Wait… what is this?! Suddenly we head to the arena as the Glamazon’s theme hits the sound system. Out she comes sporting her ring gear, but no Natalya (or tissue box… obviously a tactic done to make me cry since I love the tissue box entrance prop) by her side. Justin Roberts announces the following to be a Divas Championship match, as we are shown a replay of what happened Monday on Raw where Beth and Nattie tried to rain on Kelly Kelly’s parade during her Slammy acceptance speech. Following the recap, Kelly Kelly makes her way out from the back to a nice ovation from the crowd. Michael Cole actually does something right for a change and mentions that they are in the same town where Kelly defeated Brie Bella earlier this year to claim her first Divas Championship, which immediately adds some importance to tonight’s showing, in my opinion.

The bell sounds, as Beth offers to give Kelly a free shot at her face relating back to Raw where she smacked the Divas Champ. Kelly refuses to be given an unfair advantage, so Beth acts first. Kelly manages to back her head out of the way from Beth’s hand, and retaliates with the smack Beth longed for just a few seconds ago! Phoenix charges towards her opponent, but Kelly ducks and pulls the ropes down to send the Glamazon flying towards the outside. From there, she kicks Beth back and executes an awesome bulldog off the ring apron to the outside! Kelly then slams Beth’s face against the ring apron, before performing a handstand into a leg lock submission on the ropes! The referee begins the count of five, at which point Kelly breaks the maneuver as Beth heads back inside.

The challenger then runs off the ropes with her patented whirlybird headscissors which sends Beth flying into the corner face first. Kelly Kelly gets the crowd fired up, as she charges for a monkey flip… only Beth catches her and reverses it into an overhead press. Our Glamazon proceeds to drop Kelly throat first onto the ropes, and then just relentlessly beats down on her to show the frustration bottling up inside from this past week.

Beth covers for a two count, before dragging Kelly into the ropes and pulling her by the hair and turning it into a nifty submission where she stands on K2’s back. The challenger tries to hold onto the ropes, but the dominant champion then grabs her feet and flings her into the air like a soccer ball. And like said soccer ball, gravity acts and Kelly falls to the canvas in pain. Showing her pin-up strong nature, Beth wafts her hand through her hair as Kelly screams below her. Phoenix simply kicks her around, before applying a camel clutch to the almost defenseless challenger.

Kelly attempts to fight back, but Beth leaps up and sends her back down in the pain she was originally in. Phoenix continues her massacre with a few kicks to the back, but Kelly shows a brief sign of life and rolls her up for a two count! Both women get to their feet, but the Glamazon hits a brutal knee to the face and goes for a powerslam. Kelly manages to escape out the back and hit a nice bulldog out of nowhere, before slamming Beth’s head into the canvas over and over. They reach a vertical base, as Beth shoves Kelly into the corner. She runs forward, but Kelly with the boots to the face to send her back!

K2 climbs to the second turnbuckle and leaps off for her Thesz Press, only Phoenix catches her in mid-air and drops her with an awesome spinebuster for a few two counts! Beth can’t believe Kelly’s resiliency, as she just begins pounding on Kelly’s head. Suddenly, the impossible happens… Beth Phoenix ascends to the top rope! With Kelly looking to be down and out, she leaps off with a leg drop… attempt. Kelly moves out of the way and Beth collides with the canvas! Ouch! Suddenly, Kelly gets a chance at life and goes for the K2, but Beth flips her over and signals for the Glam Slam! Kelly manages to roll through for a two count, as Beth flips it to her advantage for another two count! Kelly then leaps up for a hurricanrana, but Beth nails an absolutely sick facebuster for the victory!

The Glamazon retains her title, as Kelly puts up a great fight in the final pay per view of 2011.

After a phenomenal match that saw Zack Ryder capture the United States Title from Dolph Ziggler, we head backstage to see Booker T warming up for his bout. Why is this special, you ask? Well, the only Diva to ever make his coveted “Fave Five”, Alicia Fox, can be seen lighting up the screen with her bright red hair beside him. She questions if he’s excited to face Cody Rhodes tonight, as he replies with a few “OH YEAHs”, much to Percy Watson’s dismay. The peppy Alicia tells Booker he looks really jacked this evening, to which he asks her if she’s ready to see him “do this damn thing or what”. Before she can answer though, Alicia lets out the greatest scream ever as Cody Rhodes attacks Booker from behind and slams him into a trunk while she runs off screeching for help! Cody finally has to be separated by the help our Fox got, as Booker T is left FURIOUS at what just happened.

We are taken backstage once more, to see the Bella Twins sitting on Santa Teddy’s lap, debating which one of them deserves a gift. Nikki claims that Brie has been bad this year and deserves coal in her stocking. Brie chimes back stating that she’s the good sister and Nikki’s the bad one; always has been, always will be. They then delve into the topic of which sister is Santa’s favorite, pitting the fact that Brie has been Divas Champion against Nikki being the more athletic of the two. Santa Teddy then interrupts and says that both of them have been bad, before giving them the present of… his phone number? In case they want to play any reindeer games? As I recall fond memories of Flava of Love, the two twins look on in disgust and slap him in the face before getting up and heading off screen.

Also, check out a match for the Unified Tag Team Titles pitting Air Boom, consisting of Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne, against my favorite duo, Primo and Epico… with their manager Rosa Mendes! Yes, Rosa on a pay per view. The day has come for the Mendesluverz to celebrate in victory. Okay… enough of my babbling, here’s the video:

Thoughts: For a night that had no Divas going into it, we certainly ended up having a lot of segments… and even a match! I thought Beth and Kelly put on a solid showing overall. I’m sure they barely had time to prepare since it was probably announced to them last minute, but they made the best out of the situation and put on another enjoyable contest. I’m starting to enjoy seeing Beth become so dominant with her title. Each of these pay per view matches have been so back and forth you can actually see that they are fighting to their fullest ability to either retain or defend the Divas Title. I think that adds a lot to the belt since it shows that the females want to be champion, and will do anything in their power to hold onto it. Kudos to both Kelly and Beth (and Eve) on not only tonight, but the past few months of stellar PPV matches.

Now onto the other segments, Rosa Mendes on PPV… I never thought I’d see the day, but I can’t help but cheer. This trio is everything I like in a tag team, and I love the little details they do like Rosa always wearing the same color as their gear, and planning out a unique entrance between the three. I think they work so well together and I really want them to continue being pushed to the Tag Team Titles. There is so much potential with those three, especially if they let Rosa take the microphone before one of their matches. Fingers crossed!

The other stuff was fun as well. Alicia Fox comes off so randomly funny to me and I don’t know why. She just looks like she’s always having fun on screen and not taking herself seriously, which translates on screen and makes her one of my favorites to watch. The Bella Twins slapping Teddy was also pretty funny, and I liked that they brought up stuff that fans have said about them in their argument, being that Nikki is more athletic, while Brie held the championship. Overall this was a fun show and I really enjoyed it.

The Women of the Year 2011: The Women of Tough Enough (#25)

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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.

THE WOMEN OF TOUGH ENOUGH
Ariane Andrew, Christina Crawford, Ivelisse Velez, Michelle Deighton and Rima Fakih

Wrestling with Reality
In 2011, Tough Enough returned and another batch of wannabes were taken to task by trainers Bill DeMott, Booker T and Trish Stratus, as well as host Stone Cold Steve Austin.

For 10 weeks, we watched, we laughed at and we empathized with the five contestants — Ariane Andrew, Christina Crawford, Ivelisse Velez, Michelle Deighton and Rima Fakih — as they battled it out to win a WWE contract.

Who can forget the infamous moment when Ariane told Stone Cold that her favorite match was Alicia Fox vs Melina? Who can forget Michelle being dubbed Miss 11 Years? Yes, from the very first episode, Tough Enough had us hooked.

Tough Enough, while not a perfect formula by any means, had the elements of great reality television: there were characters we loved — and characters we loved to hate, there was plenty of drama (remember Christina vs Ivelisse?), and a lot of laugh-out-loud moments.

However, beyond all of that, there were still characters to be appreciated. Rima Fakih impressed as she tried to shake off the prissy Miss USA tag, while Ivelisse showed a never-say-die passion for wrestling, struggling through an injury. We even felt empathetic towards Michelle Deighton for being a quitter. (She just wanted to be with her daughter. Aw!)

Though none of the female contestants won the show, three have since signed with WWE which is a pretty good success rate. Whatever the future holds for them — and the series itself (please renew it!) — remains to be seen, but we’ll always have those 10 weeks!

RELATED:
Exclusive: Miss USA Rima Fakih Speaks on Tough Enough Elimination, Reveals Rib Injury & More
Exclusive: Ivelisse Velez Speaks on Tough Enough Exit, Injury, Tension with Christina and More!
Exclusive: Christina Crawford Talks Tough Enough, Giving Up WWE Contract for TE, Her Sister Alicia Fox & More

Click here for the full Women of the Year countdown

Rosita Wins PWI Inspirational Wrestler of the Year

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Former Knockouts Tag Team Champion Rosita has won this year’s Inspirational Wrestler of the Year award from Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine.

TNA President Dixie Carter posted a picture of Rosita with the award and congratulated her. Dixie wrote:

Rosita — real name Thea Trinidad — debuted for TNA in January at the tender age of 20, and has gone on to find success as one half of the Knockouts Tag Team Champions with on-screen cousin, Sarita.

2011 also marked the 10th anniversary of 9/11, and as has been well documented, Rosita’s father, Michael Trinidad, was one of the victims of that tragedy. Rosita has often cited that her father — an amateur wrestler — was her inspiration to get into wrestling.

Rosita achieving her dream of hitting the big time in wrestling in 2011, 10th anniversary of her father’s death, is pretty inspirational. Congratulations to her!

The Women of the Year 2011: An Introduction

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Another year has come to a close and another set of women have grabbed the headlines, broken barriers, entertained, and had women’s wrestling fans talking. As the world’s leading source for female wrestling, we felt we needed to honor the year’s biggest movers and shakers by compiling our first annual Women of the Year list.

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.

The Women of the Year have defined the spirit of 2011 for Diva Dirt and its readers. They’ve been memorable, entertaining, shocking, the center of controversy and debate, as well as had a place in fans’ hearts.

No doubt you’ll be seeing a lot of “Best of” lists in the coming weeks, but Diva Dirt’s Women of the Year list utilizes our own unique perspective on the year, considering the news agenda in 2011, as well as the bigger picture such as the impact each woman has had in the industry.

So join us as the countdown begins later today…

Divas Do Christmas: Who Did it Best?

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WWE.com has official gotten into the Christmas spirit! New photos of Divas in the Christmas costumes they wore during last month’s live SmackDown special (remember when they had Christmas a month early?) have cropped up, featuring AJ, Aksana, Alicia Fox, Brie Bella, Kaitlyn, Natalya, Nikki Bella, Rosa Mendes and Tamina. Take a look at the full photoshoot by clicking here.

Who do you think looks best in their holiday garb? Vote in the poll below:

The Diva Dirt Perfect 10: Week of December 11th, 2011

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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. Beth Phoenix & Natalya

Last Week: 7

It was not a strong week for Beth Phoenix and Natalya, between losing out on a Slammy award, to both ladies being pinned this week…hopefully there time to shine comes soon.

The Divas of Doom are not the ladies you want to upset, so one has to wonder just what will come as punishment to those divas who tried to upstage them this week. Also, props for the creative tissue box entrance!

Continue on for #9…