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For the first time in what seems longer than a decade, there is a true diva’s division in the WWE. Ten competent females who have made us forget about the bra and panties matches, pillow fights in the ring and the lack of true competition where it has become a staple in other promotions. A division which had been known for the Bellas’ stronghold is now a must see segment on Raw, NXT and Smackdown. The idea of there being more worthy candidates to hold the Diva’s Title has to make Stephanie McMahon giddy.
The reality is all that has happened one big cluster after another. Whether it is because both Nikki and Brie Bella are not willing to step aside and let the likes of Becky Lynch, Charlotte, Sasha Banks, Bayley and Paige ascend to the apex of the company, or it’s because of rumors that John Cena has been doing the bidding for Nikki, his longtime girlfriend, the success fans had hoped to see already has become a sad state of affairs. Take away the match between Bayley and Banks at NXT Takeover, the night before SummerSlam, and all fans are seeing is a lot of tag team matches and very little movement with the division.
Frankly, it sucks.
Bad booking, lack of initial support and a fan base that is already tired of seeing the same version of a new scene, these divas – the younger generation – the ones who may exceed the accomplishments of Lita and Trish Stratus and yes, even AJ Lee, are quickly sinking in quicksand. And there is no one on the creative side or McMahon to throw them a life preserver.
The lack of progression shows exactly why the WWE has a problem with its product. Bad booking, the fact the division is now overloaded and there is no one backstage taking the females by the hand and giving them a chance to shine. Charlotte, the daughter of the legendary Ric Flair, should already be a Diva’s Champion, but that has not happened. The combination of the Bellas and Alicia Fox may be the weakest stable of the three prominent factions, is still holding all the cards (and the belt firmly around Nikki’s waist).
It reminds me of a Hulk Hogan title reign you begged to end, but there was never a true successor written into the script who would be champion long enough to make us forget about a balding blond hero.
There are 22 days remaining until Night of Champions in Houston, which gives the company enough time to have a contender emerge from the pack for Nikki’s belt. But the more time drags on, the less likely we will see a match between two competitors for the crown. Fans may not tolerate another six women tag match or any combination of a tag team tournament period. It’s sad when either one of these woman can tear the house down on any given night (see Bayley and Sasha at NXT Takeover). The status quo, much like John Cena’s reign as the top face in the WWE, continues to reign.
Fans want rivalries. They want to be drawn to stories told in a ring. They want to be captivated by 20-minute matches where the women in the ring “wrestle” and hold their attention. They do not want to continually see six females in a ring where the action is not as intense and the participants jobbing for each other. I thought this “revolution” that McMahon once talked about would sizzle and excite and even give us pause that finally WWE had followed the path of TNA – making the divas an important part of programming and not a reason for a snack or bathroom break.
Just so you know, I made a sandwich during that segment on Monday night.
There is still hope. Paige has complained openly about the lack of intrigue with her ring mates. Her use of social media will either prove to be a much-needed cry for help. It could also prove to be nothing more than a glancing blow at management. Either way, there is frustration from the Gorilla position backstage. Hopefully the divas and their concerns will be taken seriously. If not, then the new look division will prove to be nothing more than the same old product. In the end, nothing ventured and certainly nothing gained. And all of us will still be waiting for this revolution to eventually happen.
