Jul 27 2009
Raw Diva Notes 7/27/09
The new Diva’s Champion, Mickie James, Gail Kim, Kelly Kelly, Beth Phoenix, Rosa Mendes, and Alicia Fox were the only divas that saw time tonight. The heels wrestled the faces in a 6-diva tag. Reports are saying Maryse is taking time off for on-going knee problems. If that is the case, I will take a step back on some of the criticisms I have been handing her for months. Nevertheless, if all this was true, the WWE really should have gotten the title off her sooner. Do not let her risk worsening the injury or bring down quality of matches. Then there is the return of Beth Phoenix. I said that she may turn up very soon. Will wrestling sites take credit by saying they stirred the fan community to care? In light of everything, I still stand by the idea that it was to get Maryse some time to get the top heel spot solely on her, just like Katie Lea was meant to have last year.
Going to the match, there were a few tags made on both sides. Back and forth tags do not occur a lot in diva matches. Kelly Kelly, however, was not officially involved in the match. She stopped Rosa from getting involved in the end of the match. Gail Kim started out and was arguably meant to be the star performer in this match, taking and giving it to the heels. A lot of good spots from her. Mickie James gets the tag and dominates for her run in there. You may come across a certain person who writes Raw reports for the news sites calling it Mickie turning “Super Cena.” I have two problems with that. First, the whole complaint against Cena is that he gets beaten down for a long time and then battles back like nothing happened with a new freshness. Mickie James came into the match already fresh, with no damage taken from the heels. When Mickie James does take hits from other divas, as I mention a lot, she sells very well to make herself look weak. Second, Mickie’s dominance in the ring was meant to tell a tale. While Mickie was still in control, Gail Kim tagged herself back in and got the pin for her team. Mickie was eying Gail a bit for that. Moreover, after the match, the camera kept going to Beth Phoenix as well. Focus on Beth, Gail getting the pin, and Mickie James is Diva’s Champion. Is the WWE planning a triple threat? Could be interesting. But to go back to what I said before, Mickie James did not pull a “Super Cena” and her dominance was meant to tease some tension between her and Gail after Gail just tagged herself in. Will someone turn heel from this? Time will tell. Gail Kim, Mickie James, and Kelly Kelly defeat Alicia Fox, Beth Phoenix, and Rosa Mendes.
Great blogs lately.
My stance here is that Mickie might, might turn heel, but who am I kidding? It’d be a tad silly to turn your most over Diva heel, but then again, they did it with Hogan in the 80’s. Mickie can still be a heel and get cheered. For summerslam, I expect them to make up a Triple Threat with Gail vs Beth vs Mickie, or have a champion vs champion; Michelle vs Mickie w/ Trish as guest ref (what with all the ‘Trish’ hints lately). But who knows. My beef at the moment is people claiming Gail Kim is a better wrestler than Mickie James. In my opinion, Mickie is better because she has EVERYTHING that makes a good wrestler, where as Gail tends to lack charisma and passion, as well as the obvious mic skills, and what not. Where as Mickie has all that, and more.
Yep, a lot of people are expecting a triple threat after the match last night. Based on Mickie’s interview after winning the title, some are also thinking a Champion vs. Champion feud is in the works, but the WWE doesn’t seem to want to go there too soon. Let Mickie have a real title defense first to establish herself as Diva’s Champion, maybe?
Comparing Mickie and Gail is something I do a lot in my own mind, but not something I want to delve into right away on this blog or it may seem like I am showing too much favoritism. As you said, it takes more to be a great pro wrestler than just wrestling skill. And people claiming Gail Kim is better need to realize that they are not treating Gail Kim and Mickie James the same. I may say more about it another day to expand on what I mean, but I will just say that Mickie James has her style and Gail Kim has her own. What the WWE wants to do with that talent is what really impacts what the fans see.