Divas Division Deserves an Attitude Era

Okay I know women were part of the original Attitude Era, but they weren’t at the forefront, the driving force. The current phase of the Divas’ evolution sees a genuine contrast of styles and characters vying for recognition as the division’s best. I’ve said before, the reason current WWE programming seems tepid is down to a lack of competition. The Monday Night Wars were so enthralling because WWE and WCW pushed the standards higher and higher. The main roster has no rival now. This isn’t true for the Divas.

The Divas Division has utilised the different branding (main roster and NXT) and created a mini-war of their own. With it the women have seemingly been given greater creative freedom – just like Vince McMahon afforded his chosen stars back when WCW took the upper-hand. It’s no coincidence that Triple H – the King of chosen Kings – is the force behind NXT. It has its own voice and continues to make its own stamp.

What we’re seeing now is an Invasion of sorts. Unlike the disappointing WCW Invasion angle that presented the outsiders as inferior, this one has inverted the rules. The NXT crew appear more dominant, better equipped. It’d have been a hard sell to do it any other way. Anyone watching the WWE Network will know women’s matches there have a higher degree of technical application and last for more than three minutes. They actually wrestle – and dare I say it – sometimes it’s better than their male counterparts.

Within this micro Monday Night War the NXT edgier attitude has seeped through. Suddenly it’s not all so vanilla. Paige – the division’s outstanding performer – has slotted in perfectly. She was never going to be the next Bella twin. This future Hall of Famer was always going to redefine the term “Diva” for a new generation. It helps this transition that she now has wrestlers that can complement her ability on the show.

Sasha Banks and Charlotte have unique styles and personalities but contrasting personas are vital ingredients for the Diva Revolution – their Attitude Era – to work. Not to mention some recognised star power. WCW and WWE were flooded with big names, having the daughter of Ric Flair in the mix doesn’t harm things (Wooo!). In an Attitude Era pretty much anything goes but everyone needs to be different. Current WWE is too safe, too manufactured, too plastic. The new Divas are anything but.

The current roster has to step up to the challenge or face extinction. They must have been worried for some time, watching excellent NXT shows and wondering if they could cope with such energetic brutality. To be fair, so far they have taken the bull by the horns and added to the excitement. Brie Bella looks convincing grappling with the NXT additions. This is a testament to the desire to evolve and adapt the exiting ladies have.

Obviously the Divas Revolution can’t be a true Attitude Era. The WWE world is too PG for that. But it can alter the current tone. The happy music, cheery skips, and matches that look like two girls getting choreography wrong, can be scrapped. In NXT when a submission move gets locked in (like the Bank Statement) it’s hard not to wince. Attitude is one part that the fresh characters are bringing along with the damage their bodies are now absorbing.

Like an era there has to be an end goal. For the Attitude Era it was securing the win during the Monday Night Wars. For the Divas it will be ensuring that their division never returns to being an afterthought or the segment of a PPV where everyone takes a toilet break. As Charlotte said recently, she wants to headline WrestleMania. That sounds far-flung now but Ronda Rousey now headlines the male sport of MMA. Why can’t a Divas Championship one day close the greatest show on Earth?

There is no reason. If the women involved continue to make the strides forward at the pace they currently are the paying public will demand more Diva matches higher up the card.

Viva la Revolution.

Teachings from Tokyo

The WWE Network aired its first live performance from Tokyo, Japan. Labelled after Brock Lesnar, the jewel in the crown, it taught us nothing new about the Beast Incarnate. It did reveal that WWE is aware of sensitivities surrounding the way it delivers stories and conclusions. Here we learnt a lot about the WWE and its self-awareness.

As some of you will know from my autobiography Balls To You, I’m no stranger to wrestling. My father competed in Germany but his career was sadly cut short before he had the opportunity to travel further afield. I was did get to visit Japan with my band. Whilst there I was fortunate enough to see some wrestling events. I’m confident in the coming days much will be made of the Japanese crowd from this Saturday. It didn’t surprise me.

Just like their in-ring action, the Japanese audience is a constant conveyor belt of excitement and flow. Consider the westerners that have won them over in the past – like Chris Jericho – observe the style they used to do it, and you’ll get an idea of how high octane means something different there. They also buy more into action as opposed to soap opera finishes.

We now know WWE were aware of this and didn’t dare “cheat” the intelligent fans. It would have been easier for WWE creative to throw a few dodgy finishes in. They like to do it so much on TV because it can get the result they desire while keeping both competitors looking strong. In reality it just makes us at home groan and invalidates any result. In Tokyo they took their balls out of their mother’s purse and went for clean outcomes all show.

First up was the aforementioned Jericho against Neville. This was always going to be a clean match. It was also one of the hardest to call. We’ve witnessed Y2J pass the torch so many times (bet he ponders that Fandango one now) that it seemed probable he was here to put Neville over. But in what would set the marker for the rest of the night, WWE acknowledged Japanese support for the talent on show. Jericho cut his teeth as the Lionheart and the fan base in Tokyo got the win they wanted. It was a classic of a match, finished off with the LionTamer, minutes earlier Neville was subjected to what I reckon is the most painful Walls of Jericho ever seen.

The Divas followed and, not to be flippant, what I learnt here is that I’ve lost my faith in the division. It was actually a decent match but the characters, barring Paige, are flat. And there is no story. It’s time to introduce the NXT Divas to liven the division up.

The title and presumed spectacle of the show entered in the middle of it to face the formidable opponent of Kofi Kingston. That was said with a slight hint of sarcasm. Still, this match did reveal that WWE would avoid any interference. The New Day members allowed the match to play fair – all four minutes of it. Kofi barely passed through Suplex City before the F5 ended his day. After the match his pals did arrive before also finding the mat the hard way. Fast as it was, it’s always a privilege to see Lesnar.

Next was match of the night, in terms of anticipation and delivery, for the NXT Championship. Finn Balor faced current champ Kevin Owens. Now, what did we learn? First off you need to ask: what do you think needed to happen? Kevin Owens has outgrown NXT, he already is part of the main roster. So there needed to be a way to drop the belt and remain looking strong. Another problem with this is Balor himself is ready for promotion to Raw.

It was the fight where WWE Creative most needed a get out of jail free card. But Tokyo rules meant no such luck. They had to revert to traditional action with an undisputed result. Owens mocking Cena’s move set gives a new narrative, that he was no longer focused on the NXT Championship. That the inevitable moment Balor took the 1-2-3 Owens was already moving onto his next “proper” match. It doesn’t entirely work for me. Cena should surely beat a man put away by Balor? But that doesn’t take away from how good this match was.

This review could end here really. We learnt – or saw – nothing new from the tepid main event that was King Barrett and Kane vs John Cena and Dolph Ziggler. There was no Kevin Owens appearance to hurt Cena. Again, WWE played it clean. The result was predictable. You know which Goldenboy got the pin. He paraded around afterward with the man that should have been main eventing by now. Instead Ziggler stands in purgatory. At this point his career hangs by a thread. Unfulfilled in WWE and too big to wander elsewhere. This is why WWE needs a major rival.

WWE Tokyo showed us the writers do understand fan frustration with questionable finishes and when required they can put on a great, clean show. Good matches are always better with endings that don’t leave the fans feeling robbed. Let’s hope we see more WWE on-the-road events via the network.