Apr 30 2009
Maryse Vs. Beth Or Maryse Vs. Santina?
Does it still look like Beth Phoenix will be the one turning face? It is true that they are finally making her look a little weak in terms of taking losses recently, but do not cry for a depush that is not there. All those losses have been surounded by her angle with Santino, and that has been currently the main angle for the women on Raw. Does this mean that this series of losses will necessarily turn to a face run for Beth, like it did for MVP last year? Not if she is going against Santina. I know many people are finally getting sick of Mr. Comedy. As Monday proved, he is the one working on the face team. He is the one getting the push in the Raw women’s division. This feud with Beth will have to end sometime, but not necessarily with Santina finally getting exposed as Santino. Will it take a mixed tag match to finally prove they are the same person? Have Santino and Santina take on The Burchills on Superstars. Santino will just make another excuse in the end. Beth Phoenix can end up winning that trivial “Miss Wrestlemania” crown, but Santina can escape as he is.
And if Santina does stand as a separate character after Beth and Santino end this angle, or possibly if the WWE decides to end it abruptly or put a slight break in it, how likely will it be that this comedy act will see him feuding with Maryse over the Diva’s Championship? I have already mentioned that Santino has pinned a number of divas himself, as well as being pinned by them as well. History also shows that the WWE is not above giving a man in drag a title designed for the women. The WWE can very well be building Santino up for this. Heaven knows Mickie James may not be getting that shot first. If she does, it will be to job to make Maryse look good. If that is not what the WWE has planned, they could seriously do a better job of spreading the spotlight around even in a tag match like on this past Raw. Mickie James and Maryse did not have to stand around there if a feud was to be brewed between them. But Santina trumped all, along with Hornswoggle. How much longer will he be in the spotlight on Raw? Will he breeze through Maryse with the butterfly belt?
Needless to say, I do not want to see this. I can say that what I wrote is a joke, but I joked before Wrestlemania that Santino Marella was going to win that battle royal. I did not believe the WWE would sink that low. I would honestly not put it above them to treat Santina as the top face diva on Raw. I am all for good storylines for the women, but this storyline focuses too heavily on a man and on comedy, not enough on action. I believe in compromise and moderation. A great diva must have the right quality and quantity of wrestling talent and charisma in my book (I do not hold that much to looks). Any good match must have give and take, good offense and good selling, from both sides, as well as a good ring psychology to draw the fans who want to know these wrestlers are not wrestling in a box for themselves (I do not believe who wins a match decides if the match was good or not). And when it comes to the divisions on the brands, I believe that there must be a mix of good storylines and solid action. Neither Raw or Smackdown has the total package for me. Raw is the place for storylines right now, but I already mentioned how it is a poor quality storyline to put the divas over. Smackdown is indeed the place for serious action it seems, as Superstars this week will once again show. But where is the compelling drive for it all? McCool wants to have a title, Gail Kim wants the same thing, Melina has it right now. Everyone is vying for position? That will put kids in seats for sure! And having Eve and Layla dance and have a catfight does not cut it either. That is not the action that wrestling is supposed to be about. That is not a great storyline in my book either. Next they will have Khali accidentally spill coffee on Kane so they can have a 10-month feud. I had hoped catfights simmered out after The Kat and Terri years ago. There is just too many things wrong there, and I will get there later this week. I apologize for the rant and sidetrack. Point is, if the WWE could combine what it is doing right on each show, and also cut some of the crap like men getting pushes designed for women and dancing and catfights that do not offer real wrestling action or entertainingly elaborate plots, some people may start taking the WWE divas more seriously again.
