Written by Kevin James (Feedback can be provided at [email protected])
WWE's Championships are the foundation around which the company revolves. These championships are vital in helping a Superstar or Diva take the next step to becoming more over (for the not-so-wrestling-literate readers, connecting better with the fans and getting more popular). These titles have done wonders for the careers of various superstars, but if used wrongly or treated lightly by WWE brass, these titles could lose all prestige and would not be seen as anything important in the eyes of the WWE fans, thus compromising the relevance and legitimacy of the current title-holder. In this column, I will discuss my feelings regarding 1 of WWE's least credible titles, and how WWE could bring it back to prominence.
The Divas Title
The butterfly-emblazoned strap is a thing of beauty, but most would agree is the least credible title in all the WWE. Ever since WWE unified both the Divas title and the Women's title, female wrestling (in the WWE) as a whole has taken a gradual turn for the worse. The storylines behind the matches have become weaker and weaker, and this, coupled with the constant releases of talented and entertaining divas, have turned divas matches into regular 2 minute bathroom breaks. This is a true slap in the face to pioneers of women's wrestling like Mae Young and The Fabulous Moolah.
Though this particular title has been neglected for such a long time, there have been definite signs of improvements recently. The Kaitlyn's secret admirer storyline was as entertaining as it was captivating (except for Kaitlyn's poor acting and the crowds' lack of sympathy for her). It was the first time in a long time a divas match went almost ten minutes and interested the crowd. Also with AJ Lee as the divas champ, I see things only improving from here. AJ has proven herself as a great actress and a solid entertainer capable of stealing the show from her male colleagues, and I see her as a vital part of making womens' wrestling relevant again (I'm talking only about the WWE, and am aware of better female wrestling in other wrestling promotions). Also, reintroducing Stephanie McMahon into the mix spices up the entire storyline and makes it more enthralling, with the WWE continually teasing that she might just wrestle again.
Whilst there have been improvements, there is still a lot to be done to revitalize the stale divas
division, which WWE can do in 3 steps.
Firstly, reevaluate the roster. Divas whose sole purpose is eye-candy need to be cut, while WWE should be hiring more compatible divas. For instance, NXT diva Paige should be brought up to the main roster, seeing that she has proved herself well in NXT. Former divas could also be brought back not just as active wrestlers, but even as managers and mentors for current divas. (I'd suggest Michelle McCool, Jacqueline, Lita, Beth Phoenix, etc). When's the last time you saw divas with managers?
Secondly, devote more time to developing intriguing diva storylines rather than having filler like squash matches with Khali or Tons of Funk. Giving the divas more spunk and attitude would make their characters truly become larger than life, and make it easier for the fans to relate with them. Also, WWE could spice up diva matches by introducing interesting stipulations. WWE fans have grown tired of the usual Diva Battle Royal to crown a number one contender to the divas title. Instead, I think fans would rather see falls count anywhere matches, steel cage matches, or even ladder matches to settle feuds. Not only would these be interesting on paper, it would also give divas the chance to showcase what they've got.
Thirdly, bring back the Womens' title. This is the title that has always been superior to the divas title, and has always seemed more legitimate that the divas title. It was for this very championship that a divas match was once the main event on raw, which shows the prestige of the title. The womens title could serve as the trophy for more "serious" divas whilst the divas championship could have all the eye-candy. This way, women interested in wrestling (and believe me, there are actually real women who do...myth busted!) could watch the women's matches whist horny pimpled teen boys could watch divas matches, and everyone could go home happy. The possibilities are enticing indeed. Imagine the female wrestlers splitting into two camps - women vs divas, which could lead to some pretty epic TV. If the WWE does not want to bring back the womens strap, they could at least rename the "divas" title and division. Divas belong on Jersey shore or in Ray J's bedroom (coughKimKardashiancoughcough), not the WWE. TNA took the smart route and labelled their female wrestlers "knockouts", and its high time WWE followed TNA's example.
Should WWE make the divas division more interesting, the divas title will become more prestigious and more people will be attracted to it, making it a win-win situation for both the WWE brass and the divas themselves. The WWE is improving the divas division slowly, and all we can do is hope that they continues this push and maybe one day,we could see another all-women main event.
Oh yeah and another bra and panties match would be nice...DAMN YOU PG ERA!!!
The Divas Title
The butterfly-emblazoned strap is a thing of beauty, but most would agree is the least credible title in all the WWE. Ever since WWE unified both the Divas title and the Women's title, female wrestling (in the WWE) as a whole has taken a gradual turn for the worse. The storylines behind the matches have become weaker and weaker, and this, coupled with the constant releases of talented and entertaining divas, have turned divas matches into regular 2 minute bathroom breaks. This is a true slap in the face to pioneers of women's wrestling like Mae Young and The Fabulous Moolah.
Though this particular title has been neglected for such a long time, there have been definite signs of improvements recently. The Kaitlyn's secret admirer storyline was as entertaining as it was captivating (except for Kaitlyn's poor acting and the crowds' lack of sympathy for her). It was the first time in a long time a divas match went almost ten minutes and interested the crowd. Also with AJ Lee as the divas champ, I see things only improving from here. AJ has proven herself as a great actress and a solid entertainer capable of stealing the show from her male colleagues, and I see her as a vital part of making womens' wrestling relevant again (I'm talking only about the WWE, and am aware of better female wrestling in other wrestling promotions). Also, reintroducing Stephanie McMahon into the mix spices up the entire storyline and makes it more enthralling, with the WWE continually teasing that she might just wrestle again.
Whilst there have been improvements, there is still a lot to be done to revitalize the stale divas
division, which WWE can do in 3 steps.
Firstly, reevaluate the roster. Divas whose sole purpose is eye-candy need to be cut, while WWE should be hiring more compatible divas. For instance, NXT diva Paige should be brought up to the main roster, seeing that she has proved herself well in NXT. Former divas could also be brought back not just as active wrestlers, but even as managers and mentors for current divas. (I'd suggest Michelle McCool, Jacqueline, Lita, Beth Phoenix, etc). When's the last time you saw divas with managers?
Secondly, devote more time to developing intriguing diva storylines rather than having filler like squash matches with Khali or Tons of Funk. Giving the divas more spunk and attitude would make their characters truly become larger than life, and make it easier for the fans to relate with them. Also, WWE could spice up diva matches by introducing interesting stipulations. WWE fans have grown tired of the usual Diva Battle Royal to crown a number one contender to the divas title. Instead, I think fans would rather see falls count anywhere matches, steel cage matches, or even ladder matches to settle feuds. Not only would these be interesting on paper, it would also give divas the chance to showcase what they've got.
Thirdly, bring back the Womens' title. This is the title that has always been superior to the divas title, and has always seemed more legitimate that the divas title. It was for this very championship that a divas match was once the main event on raw, which shows the prestige of the title. The womens title could serve as the trophy for more "serious" divas whilst the divas championship could have all the eye-candy. This way, women interested in wrestling (and believe me, there are actually real women who do...myth busted!) could watch the women's matches whist horny pimpled teen boys could watch divas matches, and everyone could go home happy. The possibilities are enticing indeed. Imagine the female wrestlers splitting into two camps - women vs divas, which could lead to some pretty epic TV. If the WWE does not want to bring back the womens strap, they could at least rename the "divas" title and division. Divas belong on Jersey shore or in Ray J's bedroom (coughKimKardashiancoughcough), not the WWE. TNA took the smart route and labelled their female wrestlers "knockouts", and its high time WWE followed TNA's example.
Should WWE make the divas division more interesting, the divas title will become more prestigious and more people will be attracted to it, making it a win-win situation for both the WWE brass and the divas themselves. The WWE is improving the divas division slowly, and all we can do is hope that they continues this push and maybe one day,we could see another all-women main event.
Oh yeah and another bra and panties match would be nice...DAMN YOU PG ERA!!!
RSS Feed