WWE: Breaking down the divas division

AJ Lee takes on the Divas

After this week’s episode of RAW, everyone’s talking about the AJ Lee promo. While I was writing the live review, I had mentioned that it was a “Divas pipebomb” esque promo, and that is exactly what everyone is calling it. Although, I agree with some of the things she had said, I don’t agree with how the promo came off, and how there were a couple of fallacies in the promo.

In the end, if anyone compares that with the CM Punk promo, then they grossly misunderstand how such a promo works. If Randy Orton or John Cena came out tomorrow and cut a promo about how the others haven’t paid their dues, that would be termed ridiculous. Although AJ said what everyone thought about the Total Divas show, or the Bellas and the newest acquisitions Eva Marie and Jojo, her promo shouldn’t be effective; at least not to the smart wrestling fans.

First off all, she is the Divas champion. She has been the Divas champion for some months now, and at a point was involved in the biggest feud in the company. How can everyone forget her involvement in the careers of Daniel Bryan, John Cena and CM Punk?

AJ Lee was involved in the main event feuds through the past year, and was with the World Heavyweight champion before costing him the title. AJ was heavily featured on RAW before Total Divas started. It would be as mundane and untrue as John Cena saying everyone only cares about Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton, and that they haven’t paid their dues.

AJ Lee’s promo didn’t make sense majorly because she is holding the biggest prize for women in professional wrestling today, plain and simple.

Next, she said she didn’t have to s*ck up to anyone or come from a famous wrestling family to be where she is. I am a big fan of AJ, but even a bigger fan of Natalya. Natalya is arguably the best women’s wrestler on this planet, and just because the WWE creative don’t have the slightest clue as to what to do with real talent, it doesn’t mean Natalya hasn’t paid her dues.

From being the best wrestler on the roster to being degraded with a farting gimmick, Natalya swallowed the bitter pill and has taken everything in stride. Even when the wrestling fraternity was irate with the silly gimmicks she was made to endure, Natalya always looked at the bigger picture. There is no one in the WWE who can touch Natalya in the in-ring skills department, and one can argue that she paid her dues, more so than everyone else, to be on the roster.

For me, AJ isn’t anything “unique”. Yes, her character is interesting and she is miles ahead of the likes of the Bellas in the ring, but she isn’t a Natalya or a Beth Phoenix by any means. Just because she came out and aired some dirty laundry doesn’t make her promo “effective”.

Will it be a promo that causes some ripples in the WWE Universe? Maybe, but one has to understand the psychology behind such promos. Punk’s promo worked so well because he wasn’t the WWE champion, and even though he was a major name, he was being held back. Punk was genuinely upset with the company and the management, and didn’t just come out with a rant for no reason.

One also has to understand that this is WWE, and things aren’t what they seem to be. If my senses are correct, this will be played on the Total Divas show, and will see AJ being a part of it. Although AJ Lee did come out with a well delivered promo, it wasn’t anywhere close to being as real as Punk’s promo, or anywhere as effective.

I would be pleased if this leads to an AJ-Natalya program going forward, but I won’t get my hopes up about it. I can’t endure yet another Bella going for the Divas title, or worse winning it. With Bellas being the uncrowned queens of the WWE, it wouldn’t surprise me if one of them will be given a run with the title in the future.