Diva Dirt's Diva Draft 2010

Welcome to the third annual edition of our Diva Draft feature here at Diva Dirt! If you haven’t been with us over the last couple of years, the premise is simple — each year, I make six predictions/suggestions over six consecutive days in the lead up to the WWE Draft which this year falls on Monday, April 26th. In previous years, I have successfully managed to predict some of the movies; in 2008, I predicted both draft picks and in 2009, four of my six predictions came true with a fifth later being realised in the Diva Trade of October 2009. So, let’s hope this year will be just as fruitful. Check back for all six of my picks over the coming week!



MICHELLE MCCOOL TO RAW

The current reigning Women’s Champion, Michelle McCool has spent her entire career as part of the SmackDown part and has been a big hand in helping develop the now extremely strong women’s division on the blue brand. As one of the pioneering Divas of said women’s division, Michelle has spent most of the past two years feuding with the likes of Victoria, Natalya, Maryse, Maria, Melina, Mickie James and currently Beth Phoenix. Michelle is a woman that is on top of her game and putting her on Raw could be just what Michelle needs to truly make her mark in WWE history.

Already, she has made history as the first ever Divas Champion, the first woman to hold both belts yadda yadda yadda, but she’s never been on Raw where some of the most historic Divas like Trish Stratus and Lita left their mark. Michelle is one of those few talents that has accomplished so much on her native brand that you need to shift her over to the [so called] ‘A show’ at some point, ala Rey Mysterio. This is the show that WWE considers the home of its big Superstars and Divas and it seems as though Michelle is ready to make the move.

As a viewer, Michelle’s presence on Raw could be a big plus. In my opinion, she is one of the most consistent workers on the Divas roster, turning in great matches — particularly on pay per view — which like Raw, are live. Her presence on Raw could help us get out of the rut of having inexperienced Divas in two minute matches for fear of them messing up a move live on television.

Whether or not she brings her Women’s Championship with her is another question, though I would suggest it’s too soon since last year’s title switch to now switch them back. I’d have McCool drop the belt to Beth Phoenix at Sunday’s Extreme Rules before moving over to Raw where she could begin challenging Eve Torres for the Divas Championship. We know she has great chemistry with Maryse also which should create an interesting dynamic — perhaps you could have all three Divas feuding for the belt. And the allure of revisiting the Michelle-Melina feud upon the latter’s return in the summer is just too hard to resist.

It seems like it is Michelle’s time to make the move to Raw and see how the other half live. But will she bring her Team Lay-Cool partner with her? Will Layla be one of my other five picks? Find out soon!

GAIL KIM TO SMACKDOWN

Arguably one of the most exciting performers in the Divas division, Gail Kim’s much anticipated return to WWE last March quickly fizzled out. We soon realised that despite becoming one of TNA’s top Knockouts and upping her game since her previous stint with WWE, Gail wasn’t a priority for the WWE. No sooner was this more evident than her trade to Raw last July where she became another ‘pretty face in the crowd’ along with the likes of Kelly Kelly and Eve Torres. With teases of pushes proving unfruitful, it’s hard to believe that this is the same Gail Kim who had those amazing matches with Awesome Kong in late 2007 through early 2008.

Gail has all the tools to become a top Diva for the WWE, Jim Ross commented that she has the potential to be a Trish-like figure for the women’s division, but unfortunately with the likes of Melina, Eve and Kelly on Raw, Gail has no chance of breaking out. That is why I believe a move to SmackDown is in her best interest and the interest of the women’s division, this is a woman with so much to offer but hasn’t been given the right time to develop as a character to match those impressive moves. Moving her to SmackDown would give her more of a chance to develop herself as a character, SmackDown’s writers have proved effective in giving Beth Phoenix and Mickie James new leases on life and I think they can do the same with Gail too.

Obviously, with Beth, Mickie and Tiffany as babyfaces, Gail would perhaps get lost in the shuffle which is why I’d personally like to see her become a heel, especially if Michelle were to leave the brand for Raw. A heel Gail is something we haven’t seen in quite some time but looking back at her work in TNA, I know she can do it. It is true that heels have more fun in wrestling and I think that’d be a perfect way to establish Gail as a character because there’s only so much you can say or do as a babyface.

Ideally, I’d love to see Gail become one of the top heels on SmackDown and feud with the likes of Beth Phoenix and Mickie James, which I’m sure would lead to some amazing matches.

We’ve seen SmackDown give more life to Beth, Mickie and Layla upon their moves from Raw to SmackDown and I hope Gail is next.

Note: Due to Katie Lea’s release, this year’s Diva Draft has been cut down to just five predictions/suggestions as Katie was one of my six original picks.



ROSA MENDES TO SMACKDOWN

Welcome to this year’s wildcard pick! For those of you who haven’t followed the Diva Draft feature in previous years, each year I make one pick that I think is slightly more out there and perhaps not likely to happen. Usually, this ‘honour’ [if you can call it that] goes to one of the newer girls who are still trying to establish themselves. And the best part? Each year, my wildcard pick has come true. In 2008, I predicted that Layla, who was on ECW at the time, would move to Raw — she did. And last year, I predicted that The Bella Twins would make an unlikely move to Raw also — they did. This year, I feel that Rosa Mendes could/should find her way onto the blue brand and here’s why…

Quite frankly, every brand needs a jobber. Sure, it’s not a glamorous position to be in, but not everyone can be the top Diva in a title feud. Often times, being in the role of ‘jobber girl’ can help a wrestler develop and get better and better — just look at Layla. In the past year on Smackdown, losing matches to the likes of Melina, Mickie James and Beth Phoenix, Layla has grown as a performer to the point where she has become a consistently great worker herself. Layla has managed to hone her craft and is now bubbling under as a potential top Diva. Having paid her dues now, it’s high time that Layla was given a more prominent role — enter Rosa to take her old spot.

With Jillian having the jobbing market cornered on Raw, moving Rosa to SmackDown would put her in that ‘lesser role’ which would be a great way for her to wrestle more and hone her skills against girls like Beth Phoenix or well, I would have said Mickie James, but that’s not the case anymore. There’s also opportunities to work with and learn from Layla, Michelle, Natalya and Serena. I think this could be a beneficial opportunity for Rosa to up her game in the ring. Who knows, with time, she could even reach the level of Layla. Travelling on the road and working house shows with these Divas is just what Rosa needs, meanwhile on TV she could be used to lose to the likes of Beth and company.

Is it the ideal job? Obviously not. But it’s a step up from being lost in the shuffle as she currently is. Rosa takes breathtaking photoshoots and seems to have some character just waiting to come out, judging by her time as the Glamazon’s understudy — SmackDown could be what she needs to become more well rounded.

LAYLA TO RAW

You didn’t think I’d ship Michelle over to Raw on her own, did you? Layla has the unique distinction of being highlighted in my Diva Draft feature every single year. I don’t know what it is but each year, I seem to have Lay-DD. (Get it?)

Anyway, this past year since moving to SmackDown, Layla has come into her own and become the amazing Diva I always knew she could be. I have believed in Layla since I saw her on the Diva Search all those years ago. This girl is breathtakingly beautiful, has lots of charisma and personality and I always felt that she could go in the ring if given the oppportunity. Look at her now — she’s had some fantastic matches with the likes of Melina, Mickie James and Beth Phoenix on SmackDown and has even hitched her wagon to arguably, the top Diva in the WWE right now, Michelle McCool.

Team Lay-Cool has allowed Layla to shine like never before and along with Michelle, she has been the most consistently used Diva in 2010 thus far. Pay per view matches? Check. Long segments on SmackDown? Check. Moving the act over to Raw seems to be the next best bet. They’ve proven to be effective characters and we all know that Raw is pretty much SNL these days with more emphasis on character than wrestling. I feel that Michelle and Layla on Raw could actually help the women’s division over on Raw given that they are characters with the moves to back it up.

I don’t know about you, but I really like seeing Layla and Michelle as a team and the longer Layla’s wagon is hitched to Michelle, the less chance there is of her getting lost in the shuffle as jobber heel #2445543. I’d like to see this act continue for a little while longer, on Raw, before the two perhaps split up and even feud over the Divas Title — assuming Michelle were to win it from Eve eventually.

Layla has so much to offer and has upped her game ten-fold in the last year. As mentioned at the beginning, every year we’ve done this feature, I’ve always had Layla as one of my picks and every year so far, she has moved. I hope we can make it three for three [with Michelle in tow].

ALICIA FOX TO SMACKDOWN

In my fifth and final Draft pick for Diva Draft 2010, I nominate Alicia Fox to move to SmackDown. Yes, for the second year in a row, I want to see Ms Fierce move to pastures blue — last year, I had pegged Fox to move from ECW to SmackDown, which came true. Will it come true again?

Alicia Fox is a Diva on the rise, a Diva with all the tools for success — she just needs an opportunity to shine. She is easily, to me, the most exciting young Diva on the roster today. She has already shown that she can go in the ring with the best of them (Mickie James, Melina) and she has a sexy, unique look. During her last stay on SmackDown, she also began to develop some great personality which — to the shock of no one — disappeared when she was moved to the personality vacuum that is Raw in July. Even then, there were glimmers of attitude from Alicia, particularly in her two week feud with Mickie James. That feud resulted in an awesome match, often underrated, between the pair at Hell in a Cell.

Moving Fox back to SmackDown can only help her reach her potential. Should Lay-Cool move to Raw, as I predicted/suggested, then this young talent will only further get lost in the shuffle. As bold as it may sound, I’d really love to see Alicia move over to SmackDown, replacing McCool as the top heel and have a prolonged feud with Beth Phoenix. You can’t create stars without giving them opportunities (Eve is an example), I believe that Alicia deserves an opportunity to work a long programme with an experienced Diva that can help put her over that much more. Already, she’s got most of the tools she needs to succeed but they just need to be honed and crafted to perfection. Enter Beth.

Should Lay-Cool move over to Raw, you could even have Vickie Guerrero hang back and stay on SmackDown (after all she is the Official Consultant) and maybe become manager to Alicia. The rub that would give to Fox would help put her over even more.

Here is a Diva that could potentially be the future of the Divas division. Let’s hope she can break out!

Final Thoughts
So there we have it, Diva Draft 2010 is all done. Following McCool’s title loss last night at Extreme Rules, it’s looking more and more likely that she will move over to Raw and I’m hoping she takes Layla (and possibly Vickie) with her. This would perhaps the biggest move that could take place in the Draft and would perhaps be the only move to be made on the live broadcast tonight.

Over on Raw, I’d like to see the heel side lead by Michelle McCool and Layla, flagged perhaps by Maryse and Jillian with Eve Torres, Kelly Kelly and The Bella Twins on the face side. Of course when Melina returns, you have her steady hand also on the babyface side. It looks a possibility that The Hart Dynasty may move to Raw so there’s even a babyface Natalya to work that division.

SmackDown for me would be lead by Beth Phoenix with Gail Kim and Tiffany beneath her. As for the heel side, Alicia Fox would be my ideal pick to lead the heels followed by Rosa Mendes & Serena hopefully getting more active. I had pegged Katie Lea for a switch to SmackDown to be part of the heel side but obviously, that is now not going to happen. I could see Maryse moved over to SmackDown in place of McCool which I think would make an interesting dynamic also: Beth and Gail as top faces with Maryse and Alicia as top heels.

Either way, I should hope they beef up the SmackDown side a little more especially with the release of Mickie James.