5 Best Diva matches in WWE PG era

Beth Phoenix vs Melina in an “I Quit” match.

It would have been really easy if NXT matches were included in this list. But they won’t be. This list will stick to the main roster. The PG Era, in the WWE, began in the early advent of the year 2008. Since then, probably, the divas division in the WWE has seen the maximum transition.

That transition hasn’t been that great. It’s been more about pretty faces who pretty much cannot work a classic wrestling match. There have been exceptions and they have made this list.

It’s so hard to find good matches from the PG Era, so these matches are diamonds in the rough. Here are the 5 best divas matches in the PG era:

5.Beth Phoenix and Natalya vs LayCool

This match is remarkable for the fact that this was the first tables match in the Divas Division. LayCool had the potential to be a classic tag team but they’ll always be shrouded by the fact that they split the classic Women’s Championship title. Literally so. Then there was the despicable ‘Piggy James’ storyline. Anyway, as far as heels go, they were getting the adulation they deserved.

So, Beth Phoenix returned to help Natalya after she beat LayCool to win the Divas Championship. Thus began a feud between the two polar opposite tag teams. It was a memorable one too.

Their match at TLC involved Natalya pulling a double sharpshooter, the likes of which never seen in the WWE, on LayCool and the she sealed the win by leaping onto the heel team through a table.

4.Nikki Bella Vs AJ

As far as WWE’s experiment with the Bellas have gone, it’s been exceptionally successful. They have improved so, so much since their initial run in the company. Especially, Nikki Bella. Bella is probably having one of the most memorable title reign. She’s had some memorable matches to prove that claim. During the #GiveDivasAChance movement, WWE paid extra attention in making the audience believe that they were, in fact, giving them the chance, that they always deserved in the first place.

Nikki Bella and AJ Lee fought in a match where they got the time to tell a story and as they moved along they audience got really into the match. Nikki Bella won, but this just continued the ongoing storyline for Wrestlemania for all four women involved in this feud.

3.Nikki Bella Vs Paige

This was an amazing match, with amazing drama involved all round. All four women played their part well. Nikki Bella was part of another good match in 2 consecutive weeks. The audience was into this one, since the beginning. Paige was her aggressive self until something unforeseen happened.

Before we get into the unforeseen, here’s how the build-up to the match was. So, Nikki Bella offered a divas title shot to either Paige or AJ. The catch was the face team has to make the choice themselves. So, Paige was confident in her contention to fight for the title since she’s been working her arse off since AJ was away nursing her injury.

So. in the match, Brie Bella was lurking around to interfere, AJ came from behind and pulled her back to the floor and kept her attention towards Brie. Paige walked towards AJ to see what she’s done to Brie. So, Paige touched AJ’s shoulder while AJ’s back was turned towards her. Lee immediately gave her the elbow, thinking she was Nikki Bella.

Paige then quickly lost the match. After the match, both Lee and Paige had a scuffle while the Bellas enjoyed the view from the ramp.

This was amazing because it told the story about hos Bellas are a better tag team than AJ and Paige, given their respective histories.

2.Brie Bella Vs Stephanie McMahon

This is why WWE’s experiment with The Bellas has been successful. Given, that they are positioned as the faces of the divas division, they’ve had the opportunity to be in classic matches and they’ve worked incredibly hard and it shows.

Brie Bella and Stephanie McMahon’s feud had a proper storyline and it was handled with care. Most of it worked because of how great Stephanie is as a heel.She carried this feud. Be it her arrest or her promo during the contract signing or while accepting this match. This feud stemmed from her disdain and atrocity towards Brie Bella’s husband Daniel Bryan.

At Summerslam, they had a memorable match more so because people cared about Stephanie and Bryan.

But what really took the cake was Nikki Bella’s heel turn. It was sort of expected but it was wonderfully executed.

1.Beth Phoenix Vs Melina

No PG Era match has come close to even equalling it. This was a first of its kind for the division as it was an ‘I Quit’ match. The match featured a powerhouse and technically sound wrestler like Phoenix and an athletically wonderful, flexible and aggressive Melina. This was an interesting combination given how rebellious Melina was and given how emphatically strong Phoenix was.

Phoenix was a beast in this match and Melina wasn’t easily deterred. She fought till the end. There was this certain power in her arrogance to confidently take on this force that is The Glamazon.

In the end, it took a Glam Slam followed by a vicious submission hold called ‘The Glam Slam Stretch’. Watch Part 1 of this match in the above video.