The standard of the WWE women's division is at an all-time high currently, and it is easy to see why. Compare the Divas who were granted a push during the 2000s, and you can see a lot less athletic ability and a lot more physical attractiveness.
Honestly – Maria, Torrie Wilson, Kelly Kelly, Stacy Keibler Candice Michelle against Charlotte, Sasha Banks, Bayley, Becky Lynch and Paige??? It would be the most lopsided Survivor Series elimination match ever.
There were some Divas who weren’t so bad in the ring during that time, though, and Maryse and Michelle McCool are the first ones to come to mind. The duo would have a rivalry over the WWE Divas title in December of 2008, which seemed to be just another way to push the popular but incompetent Maria into the title hunt.
Maryse would win the Divas title against McCool with Maria as the guest referee at a SmackDown taping on December 22, 2008. Read on to see what else happened on this day in wrestling...
#1 Maryse wins the Divas title – December 22, 2008
Before she was the snobby wife of The Miz, Maryse Ouellet was a – hmm – snobby two-time Divas Champion. The French-Canadian wrestler’s first Divas title win would come at a SmackDown taping in Toronto, Canda on December 22, 2008. (It would be aired on December 26, though).
Maryse had beaten Maria the previous week to become the No.1 contender for the title, and Maria would be the special referee for Maryse’s title match against the Champion Michelle McCool. Maryse would beat the future wife of the Undertaker, and the WWE fans were treated to a late Christmas present with a title change on TV.
Maryse would hold on to the title for a record 216 days – a mark that stood for eight years before AJ Lee finally ended it during her historic 295-day title run.
#2 Raven wins the first of his 27 Hardcore title – December 22, 2000
Raven remains pretty close to the top of the ‘Underutilised WWE wrestlers list’.
A magnificent speaker, who was one of the mainstays of ECW during its heady days, Raven was lauded for his psychological heel tactics probably aided by a degree in Criminal Justice he holds from the University of Delaware. The Raven’s Nest group can be rightly called as the precursor to a number of stables, including the likes of the Wyatt Family and the Straight Edge Society.
WWE gave Raven the gimmick of a spoilt rich kid named Johny Polo during his first stint, and even when he came back to the company after stints in WCW and ECW, failed to consider him above mid-card status.
WWE had launched its Hardcore division, aimed at capturing the ECW fanbase and Raven was randomly thrust in the division. The Hardcore title would be contested under 24/7 rules, and multiple title changes happened every week.
His first title run would begin on December 22nd, 2000, when he beat ‘The Lethal Weapon’ Steve Blackman to win the title. Raven would make history by winning the title a record 27 times, making him the most decorated wrestler in the company’s history.
#3 NWO Monday Nitro – December 22, 1997
In an episode of Monday Nitro, which all but confirmed the suspicion that the inmates had taken over the asylum, WCW experimented by having the nWo run Monday Nitro to check the feasibility of the nWo faction sustaining its own television program, whereas WCW would have the soon-to-debut Thunder as its show.
The ratings were far from satisfactory as the fans rejected multiple segments of lazy nWo action, Hogan getting put over again and again and the absence of multiple WCW superstars like Goldberg and the Giant from the show. Add to this the fact that it was the go home show before Starrcade – WCW’s equivalent of Wrestlemania – and you get the picture.
The show had WCW win every segment and went off with Sting coming down from the rafters to confront Hogan and co. The inmates were indeed drunk with power.
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