2009 is now over and we are celebrating with our second annual Year-End Awards. This year, we have had thousands of votes as you have voted for the top Divas, Knockouts, matches and moments of 2009!And now it’s time to reveal the winners.
BEST GIMMICK
The nominees are:
* Alissa Flash
* The Beautiful People
* Daffney
* Maryse
* ODB
Continue for the result:
We’ve modified our Unwrapped feature a bit. On top of our grading, we’ll give you the chance to give your own grade to each photoshoot, “branding” each like so:
Alicia Fox‘s The Bends
Grade: Sweet. I love the copper tones in her ring gear, and her unique poses fit the mood of the shoot while putting a different spin on the typical “ring gear” poses, which usually constitute standing around and putting on your best “tough” face. Alicia shows her personality in these photos–the stretching and balled fist poses being standouts–and makes it a fun shoot. In a few of the shoots it looks like she’s literally coming at you. It’s 3D–no special glasses needed!
• Click to see the rest of the photoshoot.
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Natalya‘s Cross My Heart
Grade: Sweet. Natalya’s back to posing in her Hart ring gear, but at least these are pretty interesting, what with the fringed shoulder accents and interesting designs on the gear. It’s certainly eye-catching, and manages to look interesting even though it’s about her 20th pair of tights in hot pink and black. The poses are a bit different from the usual and they show that she’s becoming increasingly comfortable with photoshoots–she looks like a natural. The photoshoot manages to not blend into the many other similar shoots, but with so many of them, you think she’d be doing more actual wrestling..
• Click to see the rest of the photoshoot.
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Read more to see the rest of this week’s photoshoots.
Often imitated but never duplicated, it’s the Tiffany Guide to Impact. This week, TNA’s creative team takes a nap. Meanwhile, this week’s episode of TNA Impact is laced with a boost of testosterone that could only be matched by that of Tiger Woods. First off, we’ll go right ahead and expunge the pink elephant in the room: The Beautiful People (Velvet Sky vs. Lacey Von Erich ft. Madison Rayne) in a mud wrestling match.
I’m on the fence about this “match” purely because any way I go about it, someone’s going to have some reason to complain. Whatever. For what it’s worth, this was a five minute erm… exhibition that went against the grain of most Knockout matches. Was it raunchy? Sure. Is it degrading? Eh perhaps, for some. The way I see it: it was a goofy segment that’s better suited to just disappear into the depths of pro-wrestling history. With the decent overhaul of Knockout action we we’ve been blessed with recently, this one silly Beautiful People segment gets a pass (and a well-received “yawn”). As long as it doesn’t become a usual occurrence, all should be forgotten soon enough. It’s not often that Velvet Sky wins a match single-handedly, so it’s best to just enjoy it while it lasts.
Next up, Hamada challenges the TNA Global Champion, Eric Young.
Looks like TNA’s lame booking has worked… in a sense. The mud wrestling match from this past Thursday’s episode of Impact has been a huge draw for YouTube, where it is available to view in full, clocking 40,000 views in under 48 hours. In comparison, other videos uploaded at the same time have drawn around … Read more
The Beautiful People’s Velvet Sky shows off her comedic talents as the ‘host’ of an exclusive webisode commercial for ShopTNA.com. There’s also a cameo from former Knockouts Champ, Tara. Check it out below:
With the quality you’ve come to expect and the enthusiasm you’ve come to enjoy, the Tiffany Guide to Impact helps you come down from your cramp-inducing turkey high: with a steaming plate of reheated Knockout action, and a side of stale competition. In perhaps the greatest Knockout tradition of all, this TNA Knockout battle royale … Read more
Good appeared to conquer all evil last Sunday night at Turning Point. First in Knockout action sought the Beautiful People (Madison Rayne/Velvet Sky/Lacey Von Erich) vs. ODB, Sarita, and Taylor Wilde with all titles at stake. Of course, what would a TNA match be without some complicated stipulations? If ODB is defeated she loses her title; if Saritaylor is defeated they lose their titles. Simple enough, right? I suppose this is the part where I go “TNA rulez! WWE droolz!” or something to that effect…
The Beautiful People make their way to the ring looking very shiny and, erm… accessible. Before the sound of the bell, we are treated to even more gratuitous ass shots courtesy of Mi Pi Sexy – to bring even more credibility to this bout, of course.
Taylor Wilde and Velvet Sky kick off the match with a lock-up. The referee tries his best to cop a feel while Velvet takes her aggression out on the Wilde one. The ever-confident Velvet is distracted long enough for Taylor to trip her and drag her to the opposing side. Tags alternate among the babyfaces as they all seem to take particular interest in Velvet’s nether regions. ODB mounts her opponent, but Velvet says neigh. Velvet powers out and leads ODB into her corner, tagging in her partner Madison Rayne.
Madison takes a break to indulge in a bit of self-admiration. As per usual, Madison proves her salt personality-wise. There is a way to be cleverly gimmicky without being overly gratuitous, and Madison masters that quite brilliantly. Her beautiful partners should take note.
Madison’s exhibition buys ODB enough time to recharge and tag in Sarita. Sarita outsmarts Madison with a series of flashy predicaments. She then makes the tag out to Taylor, who she then assists into a moonsault onto Madison (rather flawlessly, if I may add). However, Madison kicks out at 2. Taylor draws her into a clutch and sends her down with a springboard arm drag. Before she can even begin to capitalize on said move, Lacey Von Erich blindsights her with a clothesline. Cue a very convenient wide-angled shot of a fan in the front row holding a “Lacey Von Botch” sign.
Madison regains control of the match with a swinging neckbreaker onto Taylor Wilde, but Taylor kicks out at 2. Velvet Sky requests a tag and makes the assist into a double reverse DDT. Taylor attempts to escape, but Velvet mounts her with a few punches and a very suggestive cover. Taking a moment to tease her competition, Velvet flattens Taylor with a stiff kick to the back and a running front dropkick. Taylor kicks out yet again.
There it is: the moment we all awaited with bated breath… Lacey Von Erich gets tagged into the match. Less than 5 seconds transpire before Lacey is subjected to the thoughts of the mass majority of TNA fans (and perhaps that of even Lacey herself) in the form of “You can’t wrestle” chants. Lacey quickly exits the ring; the scent of defeat is almost too rancid to ignore.
Velvet gets her second chance in on the action by which she traps Taylor in an Octopus stretch. Meanwhile, she bites the trapped arm out of the referee’s line of sight. When Velvet attempts to shift the maneuver a sunset flip, Taylor runs (or rather trips) into Velvet’s face. Hilarity ensues.
Both ladies make the hot tag. ODB charges into the ring, taking out the legal woman Madison. She also takes down Lacey Von Erich, which gets a rather positive reception from the audience. Leading Velvet into the ropes, ODB catches her in mid-air and drops her with the fallaway slam followed by a kip-up. ODB goes for a cover, but Lacey breaks up the pin. Sarita and Taylor take exception. However, in their effort to clear the ring of the excess plastic, they are sent out to the floor. This gives the Beautiful People an opportunity to set ODB up for a potential double team move. Instead, ODB overpowers their advances and takes Madison Rayne out with the TKO for the 3-count.
Somewhere during the 3-on-1 attack against ODB, a few of Lacey’s hair extensions fall out. One piece even finds its way into the hand of a lucky fan in the front row, who takes the liberty of twirling it around like a prize. Lacey then does something that will possibly put her my good graces for all of eternity. She stuffs a piece of her lost extensions down her trousers and does a little hoe down. From what we’ve seen in the past, Lacey is a master at not taking herself too seriously and being able to laugh at herself. As embarrassing as weave-tragedies can be, that purely awesome act alone almost defuncts any and all of my criticisms of Miss Lacey. Key word: almost.
While the outcome was predictable, all in all, I thought this was an impressive match. If an MVP had to be chosen, my pick would definitely belong to Madison Rayne. Madison has come leaps and bounds since her first run with the Beautiful People. Ever since the departure of Angelina Love, Madison has been able to exude personality and charisma. Ever since Angelina left, people supposed the leader position would fall under Velvet Sky or even Lacey Von Erich. However, I think Madison stands out as the one with the best balance between wrestling ability and temperament. That being said, I don’t imagine it will be over between the Beautiful People and Saritaylor. Velvet and Madison don’t strike me as the type that will rest until the belts are finally around their “pretty little waists.” As for Lacey? Well… between the Kong hug attempt and the weave fiasco, it’s safe to say that she is entertaining in her own right. Just keep her in the background, and I will be content. After all, we’re overdue for another Botchamania.
Next up, in the long-awaited steel cage match, we see an end to World War III aka Tara vs. Awesome Kong.
TNA returns to pay per view tonight with two huge matches. ODB and Saritaylor will defend their gold in a six-Knockout tag team match against The Beautiful People. Then in what could be the biggest Knockouts match in history, Awesome Kong and Tara will battle in a Six Sides of Steel match. Who will win? The Diva Dirt team weigh in…
ODB & Saritaylor vs The Beautiful People
Erin: There’s no way in hell that Lacey’s winning the Knockouts Championship, and that’s the only way I see it going if her team won. Maybe they’d pull some strings and give it to Velvet or Madison, but it’d still be a travesty. All my inclinations are pointing me toward ODB and Saritaylor, and I realllly hope I’m right on this one.
Melanie: No chance in hell The Beautiful People will win this match. If they do, there’s something seriously wrong with TNA and we should all boycott. By no means do ANY of the TBP members deserve the Knockouts Championship and it would just make the so-called prestigious title a complete and utter joke. ODB and Saritaylor have to win this one. There’s no other option otherwise I’m done with TNA.
Steven: As I said on the Roundtable last week, this match is a train wreck waiting to happen. With the limited ring work of The Beautiful People, I doubt TNA will put all the gold around their waists. Expect ODB and Saritaylor to retain at Turning Point. If they don’t, I’ll be staying far away from Spike TV for next few weeks.
Tiffany: I’m going to go out on a limb and call this one out in The Beautiful People‘s favor. The Knockouts title has been needing a change of scenery, and I wouldn’t mind seeing the team of Madison and Velvet hold tag team gold. Lacey Von Erich as the Knockouts Champion would grind a few gears, and that’s enough to root for her. She’d already a shoe-in for being a more credible champion than Cody Deaner.
Kong vs Tara after the cut:
With Knockouts pushed into the headlines and into the unemployment line this week, this has proven to be a rather dim past several days for TNA. In an effort to boost the Knockouts’ morale, the Tiffany Guide makes its long-awaited return – still finding a way into your hearts via a computer screen and still … Read more
TNA has announced two huge matches for it’s November 15th Turning Point pay per view. For the first time in history, both the Knockouts Title and the Knockouts Tag Titles will be on the line in the same match. ODB and Saritaylor will defend their gold in a six-Knockouts tag team match against The Beautiful … Read more
We’re baaack! You may remember us offering costume advice last year to Divas participating in the now-defunct Cyber Sunday Halloween costume contest. Well, we’re extending that tradition this year, extending the love to TNA’s Knockouts as well. We’ll offer costume possibilities to nearly every Diva and Knockout over 3 installments, all leading up to Halloween night. Get your popcorn ready! (Check out part 1 here, and part 2 here.)
Awesome Kong
Costume: Tinkerbell
Why?: 364 days of the year, Kong is an intimidating, destructive force that barely ever cracks a smile. For her Halloween costume, why not go in the complete opposite direction? Tinkerbell, Peter Pan’s fairy companion, is pretty much everything Kong isn’t–dainty, sparkly, girly–but she still can be pretty spiteful when crossed. I guess they’re more alike than I thought! I think it’d be hilarious to see Kong poke fun at her serious image (and we know she doesn’t take herself too seriously–just look at her Twitter page) by putting on the green dress, wings, and slippers, sprinkling pixie dust with her magic wand wherever she goes.
Get the look: Check out this website to see a variety of full Tinkerbell costumes.
Eve Torres
Costume: Sally Jupiter from “Watchmen”
Why?: Eve has a classic look about her, evidenced by some of the retro looks she sports from time to time. Considering all of that, a perfect costume for her would be that of 50’s-era Sally Jupiter–aka Silk Spectre, crime fighter from the “Watchmen” graphic novel and movie adaptation of the same name that was released earlier this year. Sally’s hot and she knows it, but that doesn’t keep her from stopping all kinds of evil-doers. She eventually gave birth to the second Silk Spectre, who eventually picks up where her mother left off, but not nearly with the same sense of style.
Get the look: Try this this costume, even though the wig’s not red. You’ll need to find your own boots and hosiery, though.
Gail Kim
Costume: Max from “Where the Wild Things Are”
Why?: In the book and movie, Max is a little boy who escapes into his imagination, voyaging to an island that inhabits large, wild creatures. With how Gail has been disappointingly treated since her return the WWE, one could suggest that a little escapism is in order for Gail. I mean, after losing to Kelly Kelly, wouldn’t you want to escape? (I’m kidding of course.. Maybe.) Gail would look adorable in Max’s wolf suit, needless to say. Of course, she would need Max’s crown too–what is a king without a crown?
Get the look: Splurge on an adult-sized costume. But at that price, you might end up wearing it year-round like Max.
Read on to see more costume suggestions.
(IMAGE CREDIT: Angel Williams) Original Beautiful People members, Angelina Love and Velvet Sky reunited last week at a Live Pro Wrestling event in Franklin Square, New York. Angelina — real name Angel Williams — accompanied Velvet to the ring in a match that she was originally booked for. The date would have been Williams’ first … Read more
Key: Hot; this was well done. Tepid; this was middle of the road. Cold; this was miserable.
Diva Dirt prides itself on original content, which is why we have totally jacked a fabulous idea from Alan Carr — the topical barometer! Every week, we’ll be looking at the highs and lows and finding out where they rank on our topical barometer. What’s hot? What’s tepid? What’s cold?
Tara & Kim Couture Altercation, Bound for Glory
Tara got a shock at Bound for Glory last Sunday when MMA fighter, Kim Couture showed up in the crowd! The duo got into an altercation that has lead to conflicting reports as to whether it was all an angle or whether it was real.
Verdict: Tepid. I thought the angle at Bound for Glory looked good and came across well, but the lack of follow-through and conflicting reports on what was going to happen here have lead this feud to drop from being ‘hot’ to ‘tepid’. Though TNA seems to have gone to the trouble of bringing in Kim Couture, none of the MMA press or wrestling press for that matter, were too favourable of the angle. Then there’s the lack of mention on TNA Impact also. It looks as though this was a one-shot deal that served very little purpose.
Daffney Goes Through Barbed Wire Table, Bound for Glory
Fearless TNA Knockout, Daffney went through a barbed wire-laden table at Bound for Glory last weekend, marking yet another crazy bump that she has endured in the past year. Since joining TNA, Daffney has been part of several crazy spots and this one was perhaps the biggest yet.
Verdict: Hot. While I must be concerned for her health, for Daffney to take part in yet another spot of this caliber should be praised. This was a ‘holy shit’ moment that rivals some of the craziest spots performed by the male stars in WWE and TNA. Daffney truly does deserve an award for her fearless nature.
Diva Dancers, Monday Night Raw
Welcome to Raw, Eve! It was disconcerting to see Divas that can wrestle like Eve Torres, Gail Kim and Kelly Kelly relegated to ‘Diva dancers’ on Raw, this past Monday. Serving as Snoop Dogg’s Diva escorts, Eve, Gail, Kelly and the Bella Twins danced in the ring with the hip hop star like video vixens.
Verdict: Cold. If you consider the wealth and talent that Eve and Gail have, it seems pathetic to rub them with the same brush as the Bella Twins. No offence to them, but the only reason they were brought to Raw was to serve as eye candy for the guest host of the week. On the other hand, Eve, Gail and Kelly have carved out decent careers as wrestlers and as such shouldn’t be treated as glorified dancers.
More after the cut:
But first, we start out with a ‘fluff’ segment as the Beautiful People debut their reality show/movie/they can’t quite seem to decide what it is, entitled ‘The Meanest Girls’:
Well, I guess if you’re in a group that is wrestling limited, you have to do stuff like this to push your feud, which by the way doesn’t seem to be ending. Are we really going for Saritaylor vs TBP for the third time? Even after they won the first two matches? Some would consider that a blow-off to move on. Then again, it’s not as though there’s any other team waiting in the wings.
So unbeknownst to Saritaylor, they are being screen tested by Lacey and co. Lacey looked good here and she seems to be much more comfortable speaking than Madison Rayne, so she’s got that going for her even if her wrestling isn’t good. Not much to say about this segment, it was rather dumb but worked somewhat.
It’s the biggest night on the TNA calendar! Two Knockouts matches, two sets of titles on the line. ODB defends the Knockouts Championship in a triple threat match against Awesome Kong and Tara. Meanwhile Saritaylor put up the Knockouts Tag Team Titles against The Beautiful People. Who will be victorious tonight? The Diva Dirt writers weigh in:
Erin: ODB seems to be getting the short end of the stick in this–getting left behind by Kong and getting kicked in the face by Tara. It seems like this match is more about Kong and Tara’s issues than the Knockouts Championship, so I don’t see either of them coming out with gold. I have a feeling that Tara and Kong’s problems will take their full attention, which will give ODB the opportunity to sit back and let those two beat the tar out of each other before taking advantage of either one and sneaking out a victory.
Melanie: As badly as this has been built up [I mean did we ever find out why there so much tension between these Knockouts?] I think this could be a good match. These three are the heavyweights of the Knockouts division so it makes sense for them to go at it on the biggest event of the year. That said, as everyoneelse has pointed out, this one has been all about Kong & Tara with ODB as an afterthought. I don’t know why, but because it’s the biggest show of the year, I expect to see Tara finally get her WrestleMania moment… except at TNA’s WrestleMania. I can’t explain why, but I just feel like this is all about Tara and she’ll finally get that big moment here. Then she could go off and feud with Kong for the title, perhaps.
Steven: Even though this is a triple threat match, it seems like ODB is just being tacked on to the Tara/Kong feud. That said, I see Tara coming out on top this Sunday. I think it’s safe to say that Tara’s first title reign was a sham, so this could be the time for her to have a decent run with the title and a meaningful feud with Kong.
For Tag Team Championship picks, follow the cut:
This week on Impact, TNA finds new ways to bring the ratings lulz (SUPER 3 hour promo show… really?) while The Tiffany Guide finds its way into your hearts via a computer screen. Velvet Sky, Madison Rayne, and Lacey Von Erich take on Awesome Kong, Tara, and ODB in tag team competition.
First off, let it be known – I’m not a fan of choreographed entrances in any capacity. They just seem so unnatural, gratuitous, and rather lame. So… I’m not really feeling this new Beautiful People entrance. It just seems far too unrefined and hokey (not to mention homoerotic. Come on, Taylorita had that market cornered first). As relatively simple as it was, the original entrance was just fine. I was hoping that Lacey would just take Angelina’s place in the original choreography. Understandably, this new group will take some getting used to – the viewers need to get comfortable with the new lineup just as much as the members do. Plus, it seems like they might’ve been pressed for time and might’ve thought to just throw something together on the fly. That being said, the “Beautiful People” has slowly transformed into somewhat of a parody of itself. This entrance is merely Exhibit A. What was once comical and somewhat charming is now in-your-face and reminiscent of high school glory days. I can almost see it in Madison Rayne’s face – poor girl looks distressed, and who wouldn’t be? Though, Lacey (who has somehow managed to escape the notorious clown makeup and mini-skirt getup) looks pretty incredible. Looking at her, I feel like I should have no room to complain. Well, at least they all match right?
Tara makes her way to the ring (looking as stunning as ever), and Awesome Kong enters the Impact Zone with Raisha Saeed in tow. Funny thing is, I completely forgot about ODB. Her involvement in this match didn’t cross my mind until she made her entrance. What could be a testament to my ailing memory, I’d rather blame on TNA’s booking inability. The title holder and forefront of the division = forgettable? That’s rather unfortunate.
At the start of the match, Awesome Kong quickly takes down her squabbling partners. The Beautiful People fly in like vultures to pick at the leftovers. The boiling rivalry between Kong and Tara comes to a head yet again. Meanwhile, ODB endures the 3 on 1 onslaught. The Beautiful People continue to cut the ring in half with the Knockouts Champion until Tara crawls back to her rightful corner. ODB overpowers Madison Rayne (who has proven herself as the star of this match) which results in a near double count-out. Both ladies make the tag out to their respective partners. Tara hurries into the ring, bulldozing both Velvet and Madison down in her path. She appoints a nice slap across Lacey’s face for good measure. Tara sets Velvet up for a moonsault, but ODB makes a blind tag. ODB sets Velvet on top of her shoulders for the apparent finish, but Tara disrupts in retaliation. A staredown commences between the two Knockouts before Tara finally takes ODB down with a superkick. Velvet quickly makes the pin and picks up the win for her team. More gratuitous ass!
Somehow, I don’t feel so apologetic for discounting ODB’s presence. The way she’s booked, it doesn’t seem like TNA could give much of a care either. This three-way rivalry lost its purpose long ago; I’m just pulling for a conclusion come Bound for Glory.
On the other hand, Lacey did not get as much time in the ring – not that I expected her to, really. Lacey has plenty of time to prove her in-ring ability, and it’s in TNA’s best interest to be patient. At the very least, she has proven to have some amount of charisma thus far… right? She seems very comfortable in the role of a Beautiful Person (as opposed to Madison) and doesn’t seem to have many inhibitions. If all else fails, let Madison be the muscle (so to speak). She has already shown that she can work her way around a six-sided ring – at least with much more skill than her sorority sisters.
Next up: the Hamada vs. Alissa Flash grudgefest continues.
Following in the footsteps of the WWE Divas, the TNA Knockouts have taken to the pages of Muscle & Fitness magazine. Knockouts, Lauren, SoCal Val, Velvet Sky and ex-Knockout Angelina Love bare all for the photospread which can be found in the December 2009 issue. And as a preview of what fans can expect in … Read more
This week on Impact marked a Knockout Elimination tag team match and a Knockouts Title match.
First, Team Hamada/Christy Hemme/Sarita/Taylor Wilde take on Team Velvet Sky/Madison Rayne/Traci Brooks/Alissa Flash.
Hamada and Traci briefly lock up, but Hamada takes Traci down. Hamada attempts a springboard moonsault, but Traci dodges in the nick of time. When Traci goes for the Sunset Flip, Hamada rolls out, allowing Traci the opportunity to avoid a kick and attempt a school boy roll-up. Hamada kicks out, ducks a clothesline, and finally connects with a kick. Hamada goes for the cover, but Traci gets the shoulder up.
Christy Hemme gets tagged in. She isn’t able to put up much of a fight before being eliminated ala a jawbreaker courtesy of Traci. Taylor then enters the match on her team’s behalf and covers Traci following a dropkick. Alissa Flash distracts Taylor for a moment, and Traci capitalizes with a clothesline before tagging in Alissa. Alissa bestows the Curb Stomp upon Taylor, who gets the shoulder up at 2. Taylor retaliates with a double knee backbreaker and a tag out to Hamada. Hamada drops Alissa with a resounding front dropkick from the top turnbuckle. With a bit of residual aggression from their bubbling feud, the fight between the two adversaries spill out to the back.
Meanwhile, Sarita takes Velvet to the limit with a series of armdrags. Velvet kicks out. Sarita tags in Taylor, and in a double team display, Velvet is taken down by a drop toehold and a dropkick. Velvet kicks out yet again. In yet another pinning predicament, Velvet kicks out of a double wrist clutch Northern Lights Suplex. In somewhat of a surprise element at play here, Velvet Sky is able to ensure a victory over Taylor Wilde with a DDT. It comes down to 3 on 1.
Sarita enters the match, attempting a dropkick but she misses. Velvet tags in Traci, who is quickly eliminated by a belly-to-belly suplex. The Beautiful People bum-rush Sarita and are able to get the upper hand for the majority of the remainder of the match. That is, until Sarita is able to outsmart the duo and eliminate Velvet with the Small Package. Madison Rayne goes for a suplex, but Sarita counters with yet another inside cradle. Madison kicks out, and she kicks out again from a schoolboy attempt.
Alissa Flash seems to be making her way down the ramp onscreen, at the perturbation of the referee. Back in the ring, Sarita takes Madison out with a powerbomb, however the referee is distracted long enough for Lacey Von Erich to approach the ring and plant Sarita with a lifting body slam. Madison gets the win for her team.
With a few high spots, this was an overall decent match. A few of the eliminations were just a tad weak, but it served its purpose – which was to sustain the feuds. Velvet was made to look somewhat strong in this match, being able to kick out of a few predicaments and to score a pinfall the way she did. That will be a rub going into the Tag Team title match. Lacey Von Erich also fulfilled her role rather fittingly. That lifting body slam was eloquently executed, and to her credit Lacey is already differentiating herself by adopting a less Diva-oriented moveset. Which, ideally, complements the whole “third generation” persona. In the words of Roddy Piper “old school is cool!” For what it’s worth, the Beautiful People now seem to work for the best interest of the team. Looking back, that isn’t something we’ve seen often from them. Definitely, a new side of Mi Pi Sexy in more ways than one.
Next, is the TNA Knockouts Championship competition between Tara and ODB.
This month, a select few of the TNA Knockouts (Velvet Sky, Angelina Love, So Cal Val, and Lauren) will be gracing the newest issue of Muscle & Fitness Magazine. Despite the still tender departure of Angelina Love, the magazine will feature the Beautiful People in all of their glory. So, if you can get past … Read more
This week on the ever-so-inaptly-named program we’ve come to know as Impact, we saw two Playboy bunnies stink up the six-sided ring, a Knockouts title match, and the debut of TNA’s newest Knockout entity.
First Knockouts match on the card: Christy Hemme vs. Traci Brooks in a Playboy something-something match. I have no idea why Christy is dressed up as a Chippendale dancer, but the ever so bodacious Traci forces her against the ropes and into a pin attempt. Christy kicks out at 2, and Traci follows up with a mat slam. Traci follows Christy into the corner, but receives a boot to the face. Christy lands a charging 180 spinning facebuster. Christy delivers an axe kick to the back of Traci’s head, but Traci kicks out as well. Christy attempts the FFG, but the only thing catching her firecrotch is the unforgiving canvas. Traci covers Christy which results in a nearfall. A stinging chop to the tatas later… Traci falls into a Sunset Flip pin and Christy Hemme picks up the win.
Traci blindsights Christy from behind with an uninspired attack. So short, it was almost painless. As gracious as Traci Brooks is, I cannot bring myself to peg this match in a positive light, unfortunately. Not your best, TNA. Simply put, gimmick matches just don’t fit in with the M.O. of the Knockouts division. This Playboy exhibition was moreso reminiscent of WWE pre-2008. It just doesn’t seem right to put Christy Hemme over Traci Brooks, although I do realize that either one could do better. Moving on…
Speaking out for the first time, the surviving original member of The Beautiful People, Velvet Sky addresses Angelina Love‘s release in early September. Sky tells the Miami Herald: “It came out of the blue,” Sky said. “We did three TV tapings. She was supposed to go to [TNA’s] Germany tour. The travel was booked, and … Read more
Like Destiny’s Child and most recently, the Sugababes, The Beautiful People has undergone a lineup change. Judging from those two groups, you can drop members and bring in new ones and still find success. But what happens when the Beyonce of the group is cut? Well if the Wrestling Observer is right, it looks like … Read more
Welcome to the Diva Dirt Style Jury! No more are the separate ‘Best’ and ‘Worst’ lists, instead we have come up with a scientific approach *cough* to compiling our weekly fashion column. The Diva Dirt team will weigh in on the different looks from the week gone by & mark each look with a score out of ten. The look with the highest average score will be our best look and the look with the lowest average score will be the worst look. Click each photo to see the look in full size.
Let the proverbial runway show begin!
ALICIA FOX
Erin: Very sexy and sleek. With those super-high boots she looks badass without looking like she just auditioned for a biker gang. This is a “heel” look if I ever saw one.. 9/10
Melanie: I really like this look, it’s cute and simple. Only a girl with a figure like Alicia could pull off those boots too! 8/10
Steven: Something about the black-on-black look on Alicia does it for me. Looks casual without looking like she’s going club-hopping. 8/10
Tiffany: Alicia looked really good sitting at ringside, as most Divas attempt to. I like that she went simple with the look, which is refreshing. I’m just a bit perplexed by those boots – they go up impossibly high! 9/10
BETH PHOENIX
Erin: The cape is a nice dramatic touch, but she should have put another color in the suit to break up all the red. The gold phoenix is a cool accent, though. 7/10
Melanie: I love the design but honestly, I’m not a huge fan of the colour. It just seems so bright for a dark, broody Glamazon. 8/10
Steven: A little too bright and shiny for my taste, but it works on Beth. Don’t know why, but I like cape thingy she has going on. 7/10
Tiffany: Beth’s new outfit looks much better on paper than it did on broadcast. All that red… it was all a little too bright for me. I’d like to see some darker hues to balance off that red. 7/10
EVE TORRES
Erin: The bottom half looks good, if plain, but the top is kinda strange. It looks like she found a bunch of lime green ribbon and went to town on it. Not a good look unless she’s planning to audition for DX. 5/10
Melanie: The bottom half looks good but Eve’s vest tops are getting really old. 5/10
Steven: Nothing spectacular here. That top looks like something out of The Beautiful People’s closet, and that’s not a compliment. 6/10
Tiffany: Let’s look on the bright side. If teaming up with Cryme Tyme doesn’t work out… at least she’s a shoe-in for D-Generation X. 5/10
LILIAN GARCIA
Erin: If Lilian had a signature look, it’d be a “New Years Eve” theme–always sparkly and flashy and party-ish but still on the demure side. This is the epitome of that, because she literally looks like a disco ball. That’s not meant to be an insult–I really like it. It helps that the rest of the look is colored simply in black. 8/10
Melanie: Not a huge fan of the dress. I guess short dresses & high boots have been Lilian’s trademark for the past 10 years so it makes sense. 4/10
Steven: Lilian, you could have done better for your last night. Reminds me of a disco ball… Me likey the boots though. 5/10
Tiffany: To compliment our last memory of her, Lilian chose wisely. The flash and the flare and the shooting star-like presentation are all very reminiscent of her WWE career. 8/10
Read on for more of this week’s outfits and to see who’s been branded our winner and loser.
This year’s No Surrender marked a staple in Knockout history. Sarita and Taylor Wilde faced Madison Rayne and Velvet Sky for the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship.
Saritaylor debut some new music and a new entrance. It isn’t any better, but hey it’s different. In all honesty, now they really just look like a hot-n-heavy couple doing the tango. Keep trying ladies, I’m sure you’ll get it eventually.
Tazz continues to spoil the outcome of the match (like he has done from the very beginning of the tournament), but it’s not like the result wasn’t utterly predictable.
The Beautiful People make their way to the ring in such a ridiculous manner that makes me absolutely miss Angelina Love. Call me crazy, though I prefer “incredibly loyal.” There’s no TLC without Left-Eye, there’s no Alice in Chains without Layne Staley, and there sure as hell ain’t no Beautiful People without Angelina Love. Wherefore art thou, Love? This entrance isn’t nearly the same without you. Bleh…I guess I’ll just have to settle for this Knockout knockoff for the time being.
Mike Tenay hits the final nail in the coffin by mentioning Angelina Love’s release onscreen, which makes it “legit” in some way. He even pulls the “future endeavors” line…which, as everyone knows, is the wrestling version of “Rest in Peace.”
Earl Hebner and his (oddly fitting Nazi-authoritarian) mustache assert themselves as the officiator to this match, playing off of Slick Johnson’s past history with the Beautiful People.
Sarita and Taylor Wilde waste no time in starting off the matchup. Madison Rayne is sent to the outside while Taylor Wilde basically slams Sarita on top of Velvet Sky, in quite an unique showing of offense… if I do say so myself. Velvet Sky kicks out. Sarita maneuvers a brief headlock into an armlock into a series of pin attempts. Madison breaks up the count, however, during. Taylor forges a tag and takes advantage. She and her partner take down Velvet with a double back elbow, and Sarita elevates Taylor into a moonsault for the 2-count. Tsk tsk…that’s cheating, ladies. Old Hebner knows no difference as Velvet tags out to Madison Rayne.
Taylor effortlessly breaks down Madison with a drop toehold and an elbow. Sarita makes the tag this time and delivers an elbow of her own. Sarita is whipped into the corner and suffers a sudden burst of gonash from miss Madison, resulting in a near fall. Madison is perplexed, as she is not used to arguing with referees. Madison takes Sarita into the corner, who endures a few kicks to the midsection. Madison tags out. The Beautiful People attempt some tandem action with a double straight jacket neckbreaker. Velvet makes the cover, but Sarita kicks out at 2. Velvet doesn’t go apeshit just yet. Instead, she bides her time with a couple mat slams. Velvet tries a sunset flip, but cowers out of it, avoiding a dropkick in the process. So much for mat initiative. Eh. Velvet puts the boots to Sarita, but Sarita kicks out at 2. After a modified curb stomp to the throat, Sarita kicks out again.
Madison tags in and puts Sarita in a headlock and then drops into a spinning neckbreaker for the 2-count. The Beautiful People continue to cut the ring in half with the quick tags. Velvet becomes a bit overzealous, allowing Sarita to recover amidst a float-over DDT. Both competitors make the hot tag out to their respective partners.
Madison runs into a dropkick and a rollover fireman’s carry slam, as well as a swift backbreaker. Taylor tries to ensure a victory for her team, but Velvet Sky breaks up the pin. For the finish, Sarita lays a springboard dropkick onto Madison Rayne who is subsequently taken down with a German suplex for the win.
Sarita and Taylor Wilde make history as the first ever TNA Knockout Tag Team Champions. Victory dance! No? Okay. I guess Old Hebner and his ‘serious business’ ‘stache won’t allow it.
Next up commences a battle of the sexes for the TNA Knockouts Championship.
No Surrender on pay per view tonight will see the first ever Knockouts Tag Team Champions crowned! Check out our predictions below: Knockouts Tag Team Championship: Sarita & Taylor Wilde vs The Beautiful People Erin: Even when ignoring the fact that the Beautiful People are half the team they used to be (literally), Sarita and … Read more
Welcome to the Diva Dirt Style Jury! No more are the separate ‘Best’ and ‘Worst’ lists, instead we have come up with a scientific approach *cough* to compiling our weekly fashion column. The Diva Dirt team will weigh in on the different looks from the week gone by & mark each look with a score out of ten. The look with the highest average score will be our best look and the look with the lowest average score will be the worst look. Click each photo to see the look in full size.
Let the proverbial runway show begin!
ALICIA FOX
Erin: My sister thought she was wrestling in jeans. I think that says a lot about this outfit–it just doesn’t look right, bottoms-wise. Slap a different color on them and we might have something here. Other than that it’s just kinda generic. 5/10
Melanie: I’m not a fan of the pants, they look like jeans. Not the best Alicia’s worn. 4/10
Steven: Ever since she moved to Raw, Alicia’s wardrobe has been less than exciting. This week is no exception. 4/10
Tiffany: The copper color compliments her hair and her skin tone quite nicely. Not sure how I feel about the denim-copy bottoms. 6/10
THE BELLA TWINS
Erin: Red red red.. Flowers flowers flowers.. It’s the same old same old and when you see it twice as much, you get sick of it even faster. 3/10
Melanie: I actually like the detail on the dress but once again, it’s far too much of one colour & it makes you feel sickly. 5/10
Steven: Once again, the Bellas assault us with red, but this it’s a hit. The simple, red dresses look awesome on them. However this is like the 18th time I’ve seen them wear it. 7/10
Tiffany: I’m not feeling the whole matchy-matchy thing. They’re twins. We get it. There’s no excuse for looking like they’ve just stepped out of a Conga line. 5/10
LILIAN GARCIA
Erin: I really like the burgundy color of the dress, but the numerous chains give off a Mr. T vibe. It’s a bit too much for me. 6/10
Melanie: Not a fan of this look, too much of one colour like the Bellas. The attempts at ‘edgy’ i.e. the cut out shoulders miss the mark for me too. 5/10
Steven: Looking great as always! Love the color on her and the heels are a nice touch. 8/10
Tiffany: Lilian hardly ever gets it wrong. I like the color, the drapery of the dress, and those shoes and jewelry compliment the outfit. It looks very well put together. 8/10
MADISON RAYNE
Erin: I nearly choked when I saw this outfit for the first time in a photoshoot a few weeks ago. This time, since I’ve had a warning, my reaction wasn’t nearly as violent. Unfortunately, the outfit’s still awful and should be burned.. 1/10
Melanie: Honestly, their overuse of colour sets off my gag reflex. They have nice legs though, so good to ditch the pants. 2/10
Steven: I guess there was a sale on black lace this week, huh? Either that or the lights blew out in the locker room… 2/10
Tiffany: This outfit looked bad enough in the photoshoot and even worse in live action. I haven’t seen this much overindulgence of lace since Lady Gaga at the VMA’s. 4/10
Read on for more of this week’s outfits and to see who’s been branded our winner and loser.