Knockouts Outshine Divas
Why TNA has a Better Female Roster than WWE
Recently, independent juggernaut Havok made her debut with IMPACT Wrestling and is now the current Knockouts Champion after a decisive victory over Gail Kim. While watching that match, it hit me as clear as day; these women are main-eventing the show and putting on better matches than most of the talent on that edition of IMPACT Wrestling, aside from Austin Aries and Samoa Joe.
WWE has some young, talented female wrestlers like current Divas Champion AJ Lee, Paige, and Naomi, however, IMPACT Wrestling has always had a solid women's division. When you look at the likes of Havok, Gail Kim, Velvet Sky, Angelina Love, Taryn Terrell, and many others, they, pun intended, knockout the current WWE female roster.
IMPACT Wrestling has been spoiled with some incredible female talent over the years dating back to Traci Brooks, Awesome Kong, Trinity, Alexis Laree, and Desire, to name a few that were fantastic in-ring competitors. These women, along with the current roster including Miss Tessmacher, have main evented several shows and have put on Match of the Year quality performances within all of women's wrestling. The quality Knockouts that IMPACT Wrestling provides are the females that wrestling fans like to see; ones who actually wrestle.
Many of WWE's Divas are brought in just for their looks and their athletic bodies rather than their passion for the sport. We can look back at Trish Stratus, Torrie Wilson, Kelly Kelly and countless, countless others who turned out to be important Divas by the end of their careers, but initially, they were brought in for their looks and looks only. Just look at some of the current Divas that are on WWE's main roster and tell me I'm wrong.
Cameron, Eva Marie, Rosa Mendes, Lana....should I go on? Don't get me wrong; they take fantastic pictures and are beyond words beautiful, but we as wrestling fans want to see a revival in the Divas division. Paige and AJ Lee can only carry the division so far by themselves. If WWE were to properly use the Bellas, Alicia Fox, Summer Rae and Layla, they would have some more talent to utilize in the division, however, right now they are sideshow attractions, putting it lightly.
WWE's NXT has a strong line up of future Divas coming up the ranks like the current Champion Charlotte, Bayley, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, and Alexa Bliss, but do they have the true talent like a Gail Kim? Like a Havok? Or do they have the mean streak like Havok and the Beautiful People? That all remains to be seen.
WWE's glory days of Divas wrestling is long gone with the likes of Trish, Lita, Jazz, Victoria, Mickie James, Jacqueline, Ivory, and even Chyna and I don't see the Divas division regaining the popularity it once had. During most of AJ's matches, rather than cheering for her or booing, all we hear are "CM PUNK!" "JBL!" "MICHAEL COLE!" "JERRY!" or any other superstar past or present chants. The fans do not have an interest in what these women are putting on inside the 20x20 squared circle and it's a shame. The triple threat match between AJ Lee, Paige and Nikki Bella was exceptional at Night of Champions, but did it get the credit it deserved? Not in my eyes.
All in all, while IMPACT Wrestling is a second tier show compared to the WWE product, their women's wrestling division is exponentially better and with Havok as the current Knockouts Champion, we will see a run similar to that of Awesome Kong's (WWE's Kharma) of pure dominance. Meanwhile, AJ Lee and Paige will continue their storyline of skipping, best friends/not friends, and an indescribable sexual tension, two of those storylines are ones wrestling fans do not want to see. Care to guess which one they do?
Needless to say, I'd prefer to watch a promotion that provides solid in-ring competition between its female stars rather than try to add to a reality show that, like the network, is "way over the top."
Photos courtesy of Google.com
WWE has some young, talented female wrestlers like current Divas Champion AJ Lee, Paige, and Naomi, however, IMPACT Wrestling has always had a solid women's division. When you look at the likes of Havok, Gail Kim, Velvet Sky, Angelina Love, Taryn Terrell, and many others, they, pun intended, knockout the current WWE female roster.
IMPACT Wrestling has been spoiled with some incredible female talent over the years dating back to Traci Brooks, Awesome Kong, Trinity, Alexis Laree, and Desire, to name a few that were fantastic in-ring competitors. These women, along with the current roster including Miss Tessmacher, have main evented several shows and have put on Match of the Year quality performances within all of women's wrestling. The quality Knockouts that IMPACT Wrestling provides are the females that wrestling fans like to see; ones who actually wrestle.
Many of WWE's Divas are brought in just for their looks and their athletic bodies rather than their passion for the sport. We can look back at Trish Stratus, Torrie Wilson, Kelly Kelly and countless, countless others who turned out to be important Divas by the end of their careers, but initially, they were brought in for their looks and looks only. Just look at some of the current Divas that are on WWE's main roster and tell me I'm wrong.
Cameron, Eva Marie, Rosa Mendes, Lana....should I go on? Don't get me wrong; they take fantastic pictures and are beyond words beautiful, but we as wrestling fans want to see a revival in the Divas division. Paige and AJ Lee can only carry the division so far by themselves. If WWE were to properly use the Bellas, Alicia Fox, Summer Rae and Layla, they would have some more talent to utilize in the division, however, right now they are sideshow attractions, putting it lightly.
WWE's NXT has a strong line up of future Divas coming up the ranks like the current Champion Charlotte, Bayley, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, and Alexa Bliss, but do they have the true talent like a Gail Kim? Like a Havok? Or do they have the mean streak like Havok and the Beautiful People? That all remains to be seen.
WWE's glory days of Divas wrestling is long gone with the likes of Trish, Lita, Jazz, Victoria, Mickie James, Jacqueline, Ivory, and even Chyna and I don't see the Divas division regaining the popularity it once had. During most of AJ's matches, rather than cheering for her or booing, all we hear are "CM PUNK!" "JBL!" "MICHAEL COLE!" "JERRY!" or any other superstar past or present chants. The fans do not have an interest in what these women are putting on inside the 20x20 squared circle and it's a shame. The triple threat match between AJ Lee, Paige and Nikki Bella was exceptional at Night of Champions, but did it get the credit it deserved? Not in my eyes.
All in all, while IMPACT Wrestling is a second tier show compared to the WWE product, their women's wrestling division is exponentially better and with Havok as the current Knockouts Champion, we will see a run similar to that of Awesome Kong's (WWE's Kharma) of pure dominance. Meanwhile, AJ Lee and Paige will continue their storyline of skipping, best friends/not friends, and an indescribable sexual tension, two of those storylines are ones wrestling fans do not want to see. Care to guess which one they do?
Needless to say, I'd prefer to watch a promotion that provides solid in-ring competition between its female stars rather than try to add to a reality show that, like the network, is "way over the top."
Photos courtesy of Google.com