Detailed spoilers for Friday’s episode of SmackDown taped in Liverpool, England are below. Thanks to reader Matthew for the report:
Read below:
Vince McMahon “Not Interested” in Chyna Returning to WWE
In an appearance on The Howard Stern Show yesterday, former WWE icon Chyna revealed that she had reached out to Vince McMahon, writing him a letter about possibly doing business together and returning to the WWE.
However, Chyna went on to reveal that Vince did get back to her, however, told the 9th Wonder of the World that he was not interested in doing business with her.
Chyna told Stern: “I got a response back and he said he was not interested at the time.”
However, Chyna says that despite the rejection, she felt a sense of closure. She adds: “But I felt great. In a sense, it really gave me some closure. I felt good that I was able to wrap it up in a good way.”
Chyna left the company after some bad blood following her then-fiance, Triple H’s budding relationship with Vince’s daughter, Stephanie McMahon.
Raw Redux (November 7th, 20110: LayCool Called, They Want Their Gimmick Back!
Last night’s Raw from Liverpool, England seemed to work on paper, but in execution, fell flat. A nice break from the standard two minute tag team matches, last night’s Raw instead featured an in-ring segment positioned around Kelly Kelly‘s unveiling of her new Maxim magazine cover. With the Divas rarely getting mic time, this segment could have advanced the storyline, pushing the upcoming Eve vs Beth title match or setting something up for Survivor Series, instead it didn’t really accomplish anything. Well, it made this writer yearn for LayCool, but that’s about it.
Let’s watch:
We see Kelly Kelly with a huge grin on her face walking to the ringside area, and she has good reason for the smile — she’s on the cover of Maxim! As Jerry Lawler introduces her as his “favorite Diva” (hmm, we’re sensing a pattern: The Kat, Trish, Kelly), Kelly comes out to a big applause from the crowd. (Fashion sidebar: I’m not feeling Kelly’s dress.)
Kelly begins giving us an Oscar speech about growing up in front of the WWE Universe and having her ups and downs. That’s great, Kelly, but this isn’t a retirement speech. You’ve still got plenty of years ahead of you. Just show us the cover!
Of course, you can’t have such a joyous moment for one Diva without another crashing the party. In fact, make that two, as out come Beth Phoenix and Natalya taunting little Kelly and calling her a Barbie doll. Kelly’s comeback? “I wouldn’t interrupt you if you were on the cover of National Geographic”. Womp womp.
Beth says that Kelly being on a magazine cover is a false impression of what it takes to be a Diva. “A WWE Diva is more than just a pretty face and a bucketful of perkiness”. Beth and Natalya attempt to corner Kelly and tell her it’s “cry time”. However, before they can lay a hand on K2, out come Eve and Alicia Fox (Fashion sidebar: Alicia looks fierce), making the save, as the Divas of Doom flee the ring.
Alicia & Eve tell Kelly that this is her moment, not Beth and Natalya’s, unveiling her cover for all to see.
Thoughts: Two words: Not impressed. I’m not impressed by the direction that WWE has taken Beth and Natalya, having them come across as a LayCool tribute act, mocking Kelly as they came down the ramp. I’m sorry, but I just don’t buy it. Layla and Michelle McCool were great at what they did because they had the snobby heel routine down pat. Beth and Natalya are not snobby heels. They are physically intimidating, break-a-b*tch-if-she-looks-at-you-wrong heels. At least they should be. The theatrics that WWE had Beth and Natalya do as they came down the ramp fell flat, if you ask me. I just don’t believe that this is the direction these characters should be going in. I much preferred the second half of Beth’s promo, talking about how magazines covers etc. give a false representation of what a Diva should be. It felt more “true” to their characters.
Comparing this to the Christy Hemme Playboy unveiling in 2005, this segment lacked. Trish Stratus had the charm and flair to really put a verbal hurting on Christy (as well as a physical one), but neither Natalya or Beth are Trish on the microphone. That’s not a knock on them, because the Divas can’t get better unless they’re given more mic time to improve, but it just didn’t have that wit to it in the same way as Trish had, nor did it tick the “annoyingly heel-ish and snobby” box like LayCool.
I would have liked to see Beth cut the second half of that promo, and then have them physically intimidate Kelly, perhaps put her in that stretch submission until Alicia and Eve made the save.
I love Beth and Natalya, but WWE seems to be missing the boat on what these characters should be.
And what about Eve’s title shot? No mention of it at all last night. They could’ve done something with Eve and Beth to tease their title match, such as Eve & Alicia making the save, and then Eve and Beth having some sort of altercation.
Cryssi will be back next week, but for this week… Melanie out!
Raw Response: November 7th, 2011
Get your Monday night Divas fix by tuning in to Raw tonight at 9pm ET on the USA Network. The show has been taped in the UK earlier today. View spoilers by clicking here.
Discuss the show in the comments!
CLICK HERE
Chyna Wants to Return to WWE
Former WWE icon Chyna revealed some major news today in an appearance on The Howard Stern Show — she wants to return to the WWE!
Chyna, who has had a busy year with a guest spot in TNA and a fledgling career in pornography, reveals that she wrote a letter to Vince McMahon asking if he’s ready to put their history behind them and do business together. Chyna says she’s constantly asked about returning to the company by fans.
Watch the clip below:
Thoughts: The former Intercontinental and Women’s Champion had one of the biggest fanbases and cross-over success of any female star in the industry. I think there’d certainly be money to be made in her returning to a WWE ring, but whether WWE would be interested is a whole different question. Whether the messy ending with Triple H and Stephanie could be overlooked for the sake of business leaves a big question mark. However, Bret Hart did return despite the Montreal Screwjob. With Chyna’s foray into porn and WWE now being PG, it doesn’t look like they’re quite a fit, but to see Chyna back in a WWE ring — even just once — would be a sight to see.
Gail Kim vs Hailey Hatred on November 25th
TNA Knockout Gail Kim will face Hailey Hatred on November 25th at Absolute Intense Wrestling.
Hatred, who now lives in Japan where she’s picked up several major championships, will put three (yes, three!) belts on the line against Gail — the TLW Championship, the Hybrid Fighting Championship and the JWP Open Class Championship.
Also on the card will be Mia Yim vs Mickie Knuckles for the AIW Women’s Championship.
Tickets here.
Has Beth Phoenix and Natalya’s Pin-Up Strong Movement Become Hypocritical?
WWE.com has a new piece looking at Beth Phoenix and Natalya‘s pin-up strong movement and pondering whether their pin-up strong message may be hypocritical following their actions in recent months.
From their changing look to their bully antics, WWE.com asks if pin-up strong has become “pin-up wrong”?
The article says:
If you follow @TheBethPhoenix and @NatbyNature on Twitter, their hypocrisy has become increasingly apparent. Taunting @EveMarieTorres by stealing her ring gear, The Glamazon and third-generation Diva harped on Eve being a “model,” even telling her to go model for a Kleenex campaign – Photoshopped picture included. But isn’t there some irony here? Has the WWE Universe seen the progression of these dominant Divas’ wardrobe? Before, they focused on the strength and unparalleled technical skills in the ring; now the two seem to be dead-set on being models themselves. From fancy dresses to a skirt in the ring, Beth Phoenix and Natalya have become exactly what they claim to hate: models.
The two also claim to know what’s good for the WWE Universe. At first, we believed the words from their mouths. How couldn’t we? Two strong, independent women kicking butt and taking names. Two women who seemed to “get it,” and understand the plight of the outcasts, the not-so-size-zeroes, those needing to be lifted up – to find the strength within themselves. They promised us legacies. They promised us nutrition with vegetables … they promised to lead by example.
But, is leading by example stealing someone’s ring gear and taunting them via Twitter? Is leading by example ambushing other Divas before a match rather than doing your deeds of destruction in the ring? Is leading by example giving in and becoming what the WWE Universe had thought you had rallied against?
You can read the full piece here.
Where do you stand on the debate? Have Beth and Natalya become hypocritical?
Exclusive: Nicole Matthews Talks About Wrestling Overseas, October’s SHIMMER Tapings, Feuding with Jessie McKay and More
Diva Dirt recently caught up with former SHIMMER Tag Team Champion, Nicole Matthews, to talk about her recent ventures in the Australian and Japanese wrestling scenes, losing her ECCW Supergirls Championship to KC Spinelli and her actions at the end of SHIMMER Vol. 44. The result was a very entertaining, and at times, hilarious interview. Matthews is known for being quite opinionated when it comes to wrestling and this interview is no exception.
Listen to the interview below:
Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:
Follow Nicole on Twitter at @nmatthewsninja and also ‘like’ her on Facebook.
Follow Steven on Twitter at @XHeart_XFingers.
In Video: Eve Hits the Moonsault on The Miz!
Why does all the fun stuff happen off camera?
Similar to all of the babyfaces — including Beth Phoenix — hitting their finishers on a heel CM Punk a few months ago, WWE has made The Miz the target this time. On the current European tour, they’ve been doing spots where Miz is cornered by John Cena, Punk, John Morrison and Eve Torres, taking finishers from all four.
In this clip from Nantes, France a couple of days ago, Eve hits the moonsault on The Miz before celebrating with her colleagues. A big moment for Eve to be standing in the same spotlight as Punk and Cena.
Check out the clip below:
First JoshiMania Match Announced
CHIKARA has revealed the first match for its three-night JoshiMania extravaganza from December 2nd-4th.
Sara Del Rey will face off against Meiko Satomura on Night 3 (December 4th) in Manhattan, NY.
For tickets and more information click here.
As previously announced, Manami Toyota will receive the Diva Dirt Legacy Award on Night 1 in Philadelphia, PA.
The Five to Watch 2011: Kalamity
Welcome to Diva Dirt’s Five to Watch 2011! This annual list compiles five rising talents in the world of female wrestling that we think have what it takes to be the next big thing. From their in-ring abilities to their unique personalities, we aim to spotlight some of the upcoming female talent that you may not yet know about. Over the next five days, we will unveil the names that the Diva Dirt staff have handpicked. Meet the Class of 2011…
Previously revealed: Allysin Kay • Alpha Female • Evie • Jessicka Havok
KALAMITY
Who is she?
Canada has delivered some of women’s wrestling best loved talent from TV names such as Trish Stratus to widely-respected independent wrestlers such as LuFisto. The next big thing coming out of Canada? This lady certainly lives up to her name as she’s been causing calamity in rings all around Quebec — it’s Kalamity. This little lady may appear quiet outside of the ring, but once you get her into it, things quickly change. Kalamity has built up her reputation as one of the finest females in the province of Quebec and has attained exposure around the world through the NCW Femmes Fatales DVD series.
Her story so far…
Kalamity has been around the business for several years. She started attending shows with an ex-boyfriend in 2004, then started valeting and eventually began training. Falling in love with the sport, Kalamity would continue to plug away for several years building up her name and repertoire.
It’s perhaps her work in NCW Femmes Fatales from which most will recognize Kalamity. In Femmes Fatales, Kalamity has been given the opportunity to ply her craft against some of the industry’s finest including a great bout with Cheerleader Melissa, as well as a match against Mercedes Martinez. Kalamity has also been highly praised for her work with LuFisto. In fact, earlier this year, Kalamity received a big vote of confidence when she was crowned the new Femmes Fatales Champion by defeating LuFisto. That makes her just the second champion in the company’s history.
Outside of Femmes Fatales, Kalamity has wrestled in the US against LuFisto for Jersey All Pro Wrestling. Of the match, Femmes Fatales promoter told us: “When she did her match against LuFisto in JAPW last December, the crowd started the match by asking her who she was, and ended up giving her an ovation.”
Kalamity also made her debut in SHIMMER last month, bringing her powerhouse style to Berwyn and impressing the crowd. Kalamity faced off against, and then formed a team with, veteran Hailey Hatred, who’s become a star in Japan. The weekend cemented Kalamity as a true star in the world of women’s wrestling.
Why we chose her…
With her recent Femmes Fatales Championship win and debut in SHIMMER, Kalamity is quickly making a name for herself and is being mentioned in the same conversation as female wrestling powerhouses such as Melissa, Martinez and LuFisto. We feel that Kalamity can only continue to rise through the ranks. She’s branching out into the US more through her work in SHIMMER, and we could certainly see more US promotions such as CHIKARA or WSU taking an interest. Plus, her hard-hitting style would go down well in Japan too. Kalamity has what it takes to be a top-level independent female wrestler like the aforementioned, and we’re looking forward to seeing her get there!
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The Diva Dirt Perfect 10: Week of October 30th, 2011
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. Natalya
Last Week: 10
Another loss for Natalya, but more importantly, another singles match on TV! While we aren’t sure how much longer she can maintain her spot without a win, a string of good matches holds Natalya to the tenth spot this week.
Perhaps next week things will turn around!
Continue on for #9…
News in Brief: Mia Yim Makes ROH In-Ring Debut, EVE Title Match, Train with Allison Danger & More
Some quick news bullets:
* Mia Yim made her in-ring debut for Ring of Honor tonight in a losing effort against MsChif. Mia, who is part of the Embassy in ROH as Princess Mia, has been with the company since January.
Of the match, Mia tweeted: “Lost against mschif at roh today. Its OK, it wont be the last for WOMEN of honor.”
Mia is currently the only female listed on ROH’s roster.
The match took place in Cambridgeshire, England for Southside Wrestling Entertainment.
Sjodin won the match after reversing a La Mistica into a La Magistral for the pin. She debuted several new submissions that contorted Janey’s body and impressed the crowd.
The win marks Jenny’s fifth successful title defense.
Examiner.com features an article with extensive play-by-play of the match.
Podcast: SHIMMER Roundtable Looking Back at October 1st & 2nd Tapings
Welcome to the second ever SHIMMER Roundtable! On this Diva Dirt exclusive audio, we look back at the SHIMMER weekend on October 1st and 2nd, giving our opinions on our favorite matches, best moments, debuts and much, much more.
Joining Diva Dirt’s Steven on the SHIMMER Roundtable is the founder of independent wrestling website, Dirty Dirty Sheets, Leslie Lee and Dirty Dirty Sheets photographer, Gregory Davis.
Among the topics on this podcast: Cheerleader Melissa‘s title win, Nicole Matthews‘ sneak attack on the new champ and what it might lead to, Madison Rayne‘s return, the best matches and much more! A must-listen for anyone who missed the tapings, as well as all those who attended.
Listen to the show below:
Download the interview by right-clicking here and selecting ‘Save Target As’ or stream the interview below:
Please Note: This audio is the exclusive content of Diva Dirt (diva-dirt.com), for which we hold copyright. By downloading our audio you agree not to repost the content elsewhere including but not limited to other websites, blogs or message boards. Failure to respect copyright may result in legal action.
Visit Dirty Dirty Sheets by clicking here and follow them on Twitter.
TNA Xplosion Watch (November 5th, 2011) – Madison Rayne vs. Brooke Tessmacher
Hello there, and welcome to the first of hopefully many TNA Xplosion Watches. It’s been some time since there was a Knockouts match on the internationally syndicated program, but this week the curse was finally broken, as we got to see knockouts, Madison Rayne and Brooke Tessmacher, square off in one-on-one competition. Not only that, but things get a bit heated (I’ll let you discover the meaning of that) between Madison and Senior Official, Earl Hebner. Many questions might be forming right now, but the biggest one on my mind is, how am I going to write a TNA recap without the elegant Miss Karen?!
Let’s see if this challenge can be completed and check out the match!
As everyone’s favorite Killllerrrrr Queeennnnn makes her classy, hand-waving entrance, we all take notes on how to better our lives from the perfect, Madison Rayne. She steps into the ring and waves to her adorning fans, as the upbeat rock theme that my iPod longs for of Brooke Tessmacher hits. Being this match was taped prior to Thursdays iMPACT showing, Brooke still has her tag team championship in hand. She slides up onto the ring apron and removes her big fur coat, before throwing it onto the camera lens and climbing into the ring to remove her skirt.
As Brooke now displays only her ring gear, the bell sounds and both Knockouts lock up. Tessmacher quickly takes control with an arm drag, as Madison tries to cling to Earl Hebner. Roll up by Brooke out of nowhere, as Queen Rayne asks “Earl-ie” what he is doing actually counting the pinfall attempt. Madison goes for a clothesline, but Brooke catches her with a quick backslide for a two count. Rayne calls for Brooke to stop, as she once again goes over to Earl Hebner to question his actions. Brooke takes advantage of this distraction, absolutely planting Madison in the face with a dropkick to send her out of the ring.
Rayne tells everyone to hold on, as she takes it upon herself to grab a microphone. Madison demands a time out as she tells Brooke to back up since this isn’t a bikini competition! Rayne asks Earl what he’s doing ignoring her flirting, stating he liked it a couple weeks ago! (oh god Madison, what have you been up to lately?!) Earl has heard enough, and snatches the microphone away from a distraught Madison. Brooke runs up from behind and spins her around, only Rayne takes control with an eye rake. She throws Tessmacher into the corner and chokes her with her boot as we head to a commercial to the sight of Madison Rayne throwing Brooke across the ring.
We return to see Rayne applying a choke hold in the center of the ring. Tessmacher manages to fight out and run off the ropes! She slides underneath a kick attempt, but Madison proceeds to kick her in the stomach and hit a snap suplex. She keeps it connected and drops Tessmacher with a nice neckbreaker for a two count. Rayne grabs hold of Brooke’s hair and pulls it until Earl gets to a three count. From there, she locks Brooke’s head between her (Madison’s) legs and does a little shimmy for ol’ Earl standing in the corner. Madison then flips over and slams Tessmacher’s head into the canvas multiple times until Earl tells her to stop.
Madison walks over to Hebner and asks what’s wrong, before slowly covering Brooke for a two count. The crowd tries to get behind Tessmacher, which seems to help her as she nails a jawbreaker out of nowhere. Both women run off the ropes and connect with a double facebuster! Earl begins his count, as Brooke takes control with a few punches. She is thrown off the roeps, but ducks a kick attempt and fires back with a clothesline. From there, Brooke capitalizes with some running fists to the chest, following it up with a unique front suplex slam that looks like it may have broken Madison Rayne’s nose!
As I pray that our queen’s face is not damaged in the slightest, Brooke covers but does not get a three count. Brooke throws Madison into the corner, but Earl Hebner is in her way and she manages to stop herself. Rayne, now growing tiresome, asks Earl what he’s doing, before Brooke punches her in the face and she falls back into his arms! He holds her in position as she screams out in fear! Hebner than proceeds to kiss Madison on the lips and do a little dance with Brooke, which actually manages to distract her long enough for Madison to get the roll up victory! Madison looks on pissed off, as Earl seems very happy with what took place.
Thoughts: Pretty entertaining match overall. I thought the two meshed well together and Madison played the Earl Hebner role up perfectly at the end. It is kind of creepy to see him make out with her though, but I liked that in the end it actually helped Madison get the victory by distracting Brooke long enough to be rolled up. I think this was good competition for both ladies, as I always like to see them wrestle, but with such a jam-packed roster, may not get to as much on iMPACT as I would like to. Hope to see more matches on X-Plosion in the future, but perhaps with less of Earl Hebner kissing the Knockouts during them.
The Five to Watch 2011: Jessicka Havok
Welcome to Diva Dirt’s Five to Watch 2011! This annual list compiles five rising talents in the world of female wrestling that we think have what it takes to be the next big thing. From their in-ring abilities to their unique personalities, we aim to spotlight some of the upcoming female talent that you may not yet know about. Over the next five days, we will unveil the names that the Diva Dirt staff have handpicked. Meet the Class of 2011…
Previously revealed: Allysin Kay • Alpha Female • Evie
JESSICKA HAVOK
Who is she?
That sound you hear? A big, “Duh!” It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Jessicka Havok is a star on the rise in independent female wrestling and a talent we should all keep an eye on. In fact, we’re sure you already know her name. If you haven’t heard of her yet, you definitely will in the future. Havok has been dropping jaws and turning heads in Women Superstars for the last few months, with her smash-mouth in-ring style and her scathing profanity laced promos. After forming the Midwest Militia, earning herself a shot at Mercedes Martinez‘s WSU title, putting on a memorable Last Woman Standing match against Alicia at WSU’s double tapings in August and winning the WSU Spirit Championship, Havok may be well on her way to a very promising 2012.
Her story so far…
This Canton, Ohio native has made quite a name for herself in the past few years on the midwest independent scene, but achieved her breakthrough when she debuted in Women Superstars Uncensored promotion alongside Hailey Hatred in 2009. The tandem quickly won the company’s tag team titles and had a short run, before dropping the belts to WSU regulars, Angel Orsini and Mercedes Martinez.
The next time Havok would be seen in an WSU ring, would be in 2010 as the enforcer of Rain‘s Army, alongside Lacey, Nikki Roxx and Amber O’Neal. This wouldn’t last long, as Havok turned on her fellow Rain’s Army cohorts, saving Rain for last. For the remainder of 2010 into 2011, Jessicka would blaze her own trail, taking the up-and-comer (and fellow 5 to Watch Class of 2011 member), Allysin Kay under her wing and having a feud of epic proportions with WSU original, Alicia, which culminated in a Last Woman Standing match at WSU’s last event.
Havok has recently recruited fellow Ohio wrestler, Sassy Stephie to form the Midwest Militia and will taking on the team of Mercedes Martinez, Alicia and Brittany Savage in the first ever cage match in WSU history. Havok has also become the new WSU Spirit Champion, defeating Rain at a non-WSU event in September and has started her own women’s promotion called Dropkick Divas, making 2011 a banner year for Jessicka. Hopefully, 2012 will prove to be just as successful, as she’ll be taking on Mercedes Martinez at WSU’s 5th Anniversary iPPV with the WSU World Championship on the line.
Why we chose her…
We here at Diva Dirt have had our eye on Jessicka Havok since her Uncensored Rules match against Nikki Roxx at WSU’s Final Chapter iPPV in January. It was all those months ago — 11, to be precise — that we penciled in Jessicka for this year’s Five to Watch, joining the Havok bandwagon before there was even a bandwagon. We knew she’d be a major player in WSU and boy, were we right. Jessicka has impressed many with her aggressive, hard-hitting wrestling style and her no nonsense attitude. Havok’s increasingly violent feud with WSU icon, Alicia, has produced some of the company’s best matches to date and with the newly formed Midwest Militia at her side, Havok is poised to become the top star in WSU. With a WSU World Championship title match on tap, 2012 could very well be the Year of Havok in WSU.
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— Additional reporting by Melanie
SmackDown Redux (November 4th, 2011): The Fox Escapes a Hunting Neidhart
Why, hello there. If you’re wondering why I, Bobby, loyal supporter of Miss Karen Jarrett, have hijacked the SmackDown Redux this week, well, let’s just assume Steven’s computer has another case of anal bleeding and is in worse condition than Jerry Lawler. Nonetheless, this week on SmackDown, we had a fast paced singles bout between the Diva with one of the best perky struts to the ring I’ve ever seen, Alicia Fox, and the Diva with one of the greatest pissed off walks in the business, Natalya. These two have met many times before; wins have been traded, hair has been pulled, but bragging rights are in order for this challenge.
Which fiery Diva will leave with a victory? Let us find out!
“PA-PA-PA-PAARTAYYY”
No, folks who didn’t see Raw a few weeks ago, Maria Kanellis has not returned to the WWE. This is clear to us because out pops Alicia Fox, decked out in her finest Fox hoodie (which she reassured us via Twitter that no animals were harmed in the making of). As I question how many of these I will see being worn by the Fox fanbase within the upcoming months, she hops herself up into the ring as we head to a commercial break. Upon returning, her opponent, Natalya, steps out from the back, and, oh my, if looks could kill, Alicia would be scurrying back to her foxhole and taking cover!
Natalya climbs into the ring and wastes no time trying to get her hands on Alicia, as we take a lengthy look back to Monday night’s Halloween battle royal. They focus on how Nattie eliminated Fox from the match, but it ended up costing her the victory as Eve took control from behind. Back to the ring, Natalya screams out that Alicia stuck her nose where it didn’t belong, and ever the perky Fox, replies that Nattie’s nose is bigger than hers! Them are some fighting words! The two lock up, as Natalya takes control with a side headlock takeover.
The ladies get to a vertical base, as they back into the ropes and Alicia tries to Irish whip Natalya, only Natalya reverses it, but then Alicia reverses it again! Alicia burrows down in the ring like she’s trying to hide behind a log from the Fox Hunter, Natalya, as Nattie jogs over her and runs off the other side. A-Fox leaps up over her opponent, and Natalya holds onto the ropes to stop her running. I’m sure she might be very dizzy or winded right now, but being the fighter she is, Natalya charges forward, right into a nice dropkick by Alicia. Nattie crawls to the corner, and tries to throw Fox into the turnbuckle, but Alicia manages to catch herself before she collides with it.
Both Divas get back up, as Natalya throws Alicia face first into the ring and begins kicking her in the leg. Fox cries out “OW!” multiple times, but the ruthless Neidhart doesn’t care, as she slams Alicia’s face down to the mat. Natalya grabs Alicia’s legs, as the two trade hilarious insults once again. She locks in a Boston Crab! Michael Cole mistakenly calls it the Sharpshooter (how does it feel to be the dumb one now, Cole?) as Fox manages to turn it over and kick Nattie backwards. Alicia goes to kick Natalya in the stomach, but Nattie catches her foot. Alicia then DRILLS Natalya with a sick enziguiri to the face. From there, she springs forward with a front flip leg drop and gets the victory! Natalya realizes what has happened, as Alicia poses on the entrance ramp to end the segment.
Thoughts: These two really know how to make an enjoyable match out of such little time given. I remember they did it once on Superstars, and now here as well. I thought the action tonight was hard hitting, fast paced, and overall, awesome. Their insults were hilarious back and forth to one another, and Alicia picking up the win seems to cement her more up in the level of Eve now. I’m curious to see where things are going from here, because surely the Divas of Doom need a third for this eventual six Diva tag. Let’s wait and see, but as far as tonight goes, Natalya and Fox delivered in a situation where it could’ve been ridiculously short. Hats off to both of them.
Rosa Mendes’ Goal to be Divas Champion & Face Eve Torres
WWE held a kick-off party for WrestleMania 28 in Miami yesterday as tickets for the extravaganza finally went on sale, five months for ‘Mania rocks the Sun Life Stadium on April 1st.
Several Divas were on hand including the muy caliente Rosa Mendes, who is not often seen on TV. Rosa told the Miami Herald that she has a big goal between now and WrestleMania — to net the butterfly! Rosa wants to be Divas Champion and face Eve Torres for the title.
She says:
“I definitely want to be diva’s champion.”
“That is my main goal right now. I would like it to be against Eve [Torres] because she is a very strong competitor. I feel she is very athletic, and I know if I beat her, it would be a great accomplishment for me. I also think she is going to be the next diva’s champion.”
While many Divas name Beth or Natalya as the opponents they’d most like to face, it’s a pretty big vote of confidence in Eve, who impressed against Beth at Vengeance last month, that Rosa thinks Eve could give her a great match.
Meanwhile, Brie and Nikki Bella also talked to the Miami Herald and said they’d like to face off at ‘Mania.
You can read the full piece here.
More on Brawl Between Melissa & Makoto at AJPW Press Conference
Asia One Sports has a news story covering yesterday’s All Japan Pro Wrestling press conference in Taipei, Taiwan that saw a brawl break out between Cheerleader Melissa and Japanese wrestler Makoto.
The two will face off in the first ever female singles match on Taiwanese soil tomorrow, after competing in a six-person tag bout today in Taipei.
Asia One reports from the press conference:
Tensions were high when female pro-wrestler Makoto, clad in full-Cosplay uniform, was forced to pose with an attitude-clad Melissa, who proceeded to tear the Japanese woman’s hair like a proper catfight.
“She doesn’t stand a chance, I can see it in her eyes,” declared the American professional wrestler, real name Melissa Marie Anderson.
In response, Makoto giggled and said she was not scared at all.
Yesterday we posted exclusive footage from the brawl.
It looks like Melissa has made a big impact overseas!
AJ & Kaitlyn Discuss Where They Fit in Divas’ “Models vs Wrestlers” Debate
WWE.com caught up with AJ and Kaitlyn, collectively known as the Chickbusters, to talk about the raging debate in the Divas division of “models vs wrestlers”.
The former NXT graduates feel that they don’t fall into either category, with AJ saying that she doesn’t understand why Beth Phoenix and Natalya have labelled them as models. If you’ll cast your mind back a couple of months ago, Natalya completed her heel turn by attacking AJ and calling her a “princess”. While AJ doesn’t allude to her independent wrestling background, she does say she was a fan of WWE and jokes that she “snuck her way in here”.
Meanwhile, AJ feels that Kaitlyn, a former powerlifter, is a hybrid of both model and wrestler.
Check out the full clip here.
Which category do you think AJ & Kaitlyn belong in? Model? Wrestler? Neither?
In Video: Alicia Fox, Eve Torres & Kelly Kelly on “The Insider”
With the recent buzz about former WWE Diva Stacy Keibler and her new Hollywood heartthrob beau, celebrity tabloid show The Insider invited three former Divas Champions onto the show to talk about their jobs and show host Brooke Anderson a few moves.
It’s pretty much the standard piece — why did you want to be a Diva, injuries etc. — but this segment had a few interesting points. Firstly, the show revealed Alicia Fox and Kelly Kelly‘s real names which you don’t usually see in WWE authorized interviews, and they also mentioned each woman’s background. I like that they put over Eve‘s education, which puts over the Divas as smart as well as being sexy and brauny, which is usually what these interviews concentrate on.
Check out the segment below:
Co-host Kevin Frazier also uploaded a behind the scenes look at the in-ring stuff here
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The Five to Watch 2011: Evie
Welcome to Diva Dirt’s Five to Watch 2011! This annual list compiles five rising talents in the world of female wrestling that we think have what it takes to be the next big thing. From their in-ring abilities to their unique personalities, we aim to spotlight some of the upcoming female talent that you may not yet know about. Over the next five days, we will unveil the names that the Diva Dirt staff have handpicked. Meet the Class of 2011…
Previously revealed: Allysin Kay • Alpha Female
EVIE
Who is she?
23-year-old New Zealander Evie first appeared on our radars when she was announced for the massive PWWA return show held on September 3rd. Although this was only her first trans-Tasman trek, Evie has been making a name for herself in her home country of New Zealand since December of 2007 as both a manager and a wrestler. Currently trained by the Dudley Boys’ 3D Academy graduate, Dave Deluxeo, Evie has proven she can face off with some of the best the business has to offer. Most notably, Evie wrestled the “Rate Tank” Kellie Skater in a semi-main event match on the aforementioned PWWA show. The match itself was fast-paced, hard-hitting and very well-received by fans and wrestlers alike.
Her story so far…
Originally debuting just under four years ago with a cheerleader gimmick and attire, Evie and fellow New Zealander Britenay helped revive the stagnant women’s division in Impact Pro Wrestling New Zealand (IPWNZ). Voted “Best Female Wrestler” in 2009 at the NZPWI’s People’s Choice Awards, it could also be argued that their near year-long feud in 2008 helped do the same for women’s wrestling in New Zealand in general. In May 2010, she formed a popular babyface tag-team with Megan-Kate, cutely titled “BFF”. Although she hasn’t claimed any championships just yet, if were IPW to introduce a women’s title, we think that it wouldn’t be too long before she was in the running for it.
Why we chose her…
We chose Evie because her potential is endless. She’s young, feisty and has a great attitude to match — constantly striving to improve and become a better wrestler. Not only does she boast an impressive move-set and in-ring skills, she has a great look (with flashy gear!). In an interview with Diva Dirt, former SHIMMER Champion Madison Eagles also listed her as one of the girls she’d most like to wrestle. With a big name like Eagles backing her, Evie is sure to go places. We wouldn’t be surprised to see her mixing it up internationally – SHIMMER, perhaps? – in the very near future.
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SmackDown Discussion: November 4th, 2011
Tune in to Friday Night SmackDown to see what the blue brand Divas will be up to this week.
Watch at 8pm ET on Syfy.
Discuss the show in the comments!
Female Wrestler Evicted from UK Big Brother House
Female wrestler Faye Palmer was evicted from the British version of Big Brother tonight.
19-year-old Palmer lasted 57 days in the competition since entering the house on September 9th.
Faye managed to survive eviction last week, however, didn’t escape the vote a second time. She didn’t appear surprised when her name was called out as this week’s eliminated contestant.
Faye’s sister, former WWE developmental talent Jemma Palmer, entered the house last month as a surprise addition to the house but quit the show last week.
While in the house, Faye had struck up a romance with fellow housemate, Aaron, which divided the nation and strained her relationship with sister Jemma, as it appeared Jemma wasn’t a fan of her beau.
Palmer’s eviction is bittersweet as the finals of the current season are just one week away.
Faye is from Tamworth, England and wrestles under the ring name Darcy Steele.
Impact Write-Up (November 3rd, 2011): One Step Closer to Knockout Dominance
Welcome everyone to another thrilling edition of the Impact Write-Up. It’s been a fun-filled night of Knockouts action, only this time there wasn’t too much of it spread throughout the show. Tis fine, as to make up for that fact, the gods at TNA have awarded us a Knockouts Tag Team Championship match. The self proclaimed “TNT”, Tara and Brooke Tessmacher, will put their gold on the line against the team I like to call “Karen’s Krusaders” (Don’t judge, the spelling is nothing different than Corre or Kharma) which is made up of the Queen Bee, Madison Rayne, and the recently returned, now with a speaking purpose, Gail Kim! Which duo will emerge victorious? Will the Tag Team Titles change hands? Will Miss Karen be looking as classy and elegant as usual?
Even though we all know the answer to the third question, let’s continue on and find out what happens…
Out first for this contest is Karen’s Krusaders, to some funky new music, might I add. I would like to point out that Christy Hemme‘s introduction seems very biased. Gail Kim gets this little faint intro, and then MAAAADISSSOONN R-HAAYYYYNNNEEE gets all of that? Christy, explain yourself! The camera smartly pans to a shot of the beautiful Miss Karen, looking more and more like a modern day Miss Elizabeth than ever. Gail and Madison walk hand in hand with their boss, as Aunt Traci follows behind, and once again is forced to hold the ropes open for the trio.
The three friendly women pose in the ring, as the sound of someone having something broken (broken-broken-broken) erupts, and out come Tara and Brooke Tessmacher. TNT sport their Wonder Woman finest, and certainly give the original a run for her money. Once the two ladies step into the ring following their sensual entrance, the bell sounds and we are underway. Miss Karen and Aunt Traci step out of the ring, while Brooke and Madison start things with a lock up. Tessmacher takes control with a wrist lock, dragging Madison over and making the tag to Tara.
Tara steps in right where Brooke left off, until Madison reverses the wrist lock into one of her own. Tara flips over with a one armed cartwheel, before tagging back out to Brooke, who takes Madison down with a few nice armdrags into an arm lock. Tara with the quick tag back in, as the two drop Madison with a double team front suplex. Tara removes her top, as Gail steps in and gets all up in Tara’s face. Kick to the stomach by Kim, as she sends Tara off the ropes. Tara with a kick to the shoulder, following it up with a set of clotheslines, as Gail begs for her newfound speaking life!
Tara slams her down, and then sends Gail flying off the ropes. Huge back body drop by the current champion, which sparks Miss Karen to demand Madison tag herself in! Tessmacher makes the tag as well, and drops Madison with a clothesline/fist pound/dropkick combo! Brooke sets Madison up for the Ass-Tastic, but Gail Kim grabs Tessmacher by the hair and tosses her down. This prompts the genius, Miss Karen, to scream for Brooke to get her butt out of Madison’s face! (Remember Brooke, none of that erotic behavior.) Madison tags Gail back in as the challengers now take control.
Gail with a European uppercut, before sending Brooke into the corner and dropping her with a neckbreaker for a two count. Tara gets the crowd behind her coveted partner, as Gail locks in a dragon sleeper! Brooke tries to fight out with a few elbows to the stomach, but Gail slams her down face first and begins screaming at her. I’m not certain, but I believe the words used were: “Listen to me, Tessmacher, I get to actually speak now and I’m doing it in every damn match so deal with it!” Kim poses to the crowd, before tagging Madison Rayne back in. Madison looks to go for her head between the legs multi-slam maneuver, but Brooke fights out of it and makes the tag to Wonder Tara! Tara ducks a clothesline and drills Madison with a few of her own.
Body-slam soon follows, as Tara looks to do for a standing moonsault… only Gail Kim absolutely nails her from behind with a running clothesline. Brooke Tessmacher with a huge spear on Gail, as the two fall outside the ring. Tara, meanwhile, sets up for it… and WIDOW’S PEAK! Miss Karen steps up onto the ring apron, obviously to give the fans in the front row a view of what true class really is, allowing Gail Kim to slide into the ring and drop Tara with the Eat Defeat! She rolls Madison onto Tara… and YES! KAREN’S KRUSADERS WIN THE TAG TEAM TITLES! Miss Karen and Gail jump up and down in celebration, as Aunt Traci looks on in disapproval. Madison joins in the celebration, as the three women show off their new gold!
Thoughts: Really good match tonight for me. I enjoyed all the frequent tags between the two teams because it kept things going and never slowed down. Kinda bummed TNT no longer hold the titles because I liked their chemistry together. (Just wish they would’ve had more tag teams to face.) Gail and Madison should do well with the belts I hope, but I really just want to see more tag teams form so that they have a lot of challengers. Other than TNT, I can’t think of any face teams left on the roster. Nonetheless, some will say that it’s too soon for Gail, but after watching her wrestle on Superstars and get barely any chances at a title, I’m happy she has one again. Madison is also a great character and I personally enjoy her in the ring, so I’m happy that they’re a team. Plus, with the TNA VP involved, you really can’t go wrong!