Does the length of time truly mark a great champion? Or the number of times winning the same championship? Or winning multiple titles? Because that seems to be the great debate in the wrestling circles.
Does Nikki Bella surpassing the previous record held by AJ Lee as WWE Divas champion make her the greatest? Would tying Ric Flair’s record of 16 World championships make John Cena the greatest? Does becoming the first-ever to hold the WWE World Heavyweight and WWE United States championships make Seth Rollins the greatest? Or how about Jay Lethal being the first-ever to hold the ROH World and ROH World Television championships?
The inter-web reports that John Cena influenced the decision to keep the championship on Nikki. Her goal was to hold the championship for 300+ days. Other reports indicated that Charlotte, much like Paige, was supposed to win the title on her official debut on Monday Night RAW. Is it true? And does it really matter?
Sure, it sucks that Nikki out-reigned AJ Lee as the WWE Divas champion. But let’s face it. AJ retired. WWE can do whatever they very well please because it’s their championship and intellectual property. So in this case, did the length of time mark Nikki as the greatest?
Nikki is definitely the best that she has ever been, but as far as being the all-around best it would have to be AJ Lee. She was a better talker on the mic, she was entertaining, and she was the better wrestler.
Ric Flair on multiple occasions has gone on record to say that he doesn’t care if John Cena ties or even surpasses the much talked about 16x World championship record. Factually, Flair won more than 16 World titles, but they aren’t recognized by WWE. Just like Sting was a multi-time TNA World champion, but of course it will never be mentioned since WWE does not consider TNA as part of its record books. If John Cena became a 16x World champion, or even a 17x World champion, would it really matter?
John Stewart, former host of The Daily Show, seemed to think so. Which was by far the most irritating moment of WWE SummerSlam. Especially because he not only interfered in a great championship match, he botched the damn spot!
Which brings us to first-evers: It was pretty cool seeing Seth Rollins hold both the WWE World Heavyweight and WWE United States championships for the past month, but it didn’t last. Winning the championships is one thing. Following through with the daunting task of actually defending the titles is a whole different beast incarnate. Seth Rollins lost the US Title back to Cena at WWE Night of Champions, and failed in his rematch the following night on RAW. But he did retain the WWE World Heavyweight title, so there’s that.
At Best in the World 2015, I was fortunate enough to be in attendance when Jay Lethal made history and defeated Jay Briscoe for the ROH World championship. And to think TNA didn’t know what to do with Lethal? But on top of that, Lethal has been the longest reigning ROH World Television champion with an astonishing 536 days and counting, and an unprecedented 38 championship defenses. He’s also defended his World title on 3 separate occasions. Does winning championships and having a combination of long reigns and quality title defenses the mark of a great champion?
Tell me your thoughts in the comments section below this post. Or if you just want to hit me up, you can do so on the twitter @WrestlingTimesX or follow my interests and journey to a healthier fit lifestyle on my instagram @losfriday!
Also, make sure to like this post and share it. The more people who like it and share it, the more likely I’ll continue to rant about wrestling!
Pretty soon after WrestleMania, the wrestling world was stunned when news broke that the former 3-time WWE Divas champion AJ Lee had decided to retire from the WWE. This, undoubtedly, has left a void in the Divas division, which poses the question, who will fill her boots?
Known as Miss April on the independent scene, AJ made her breakthrough in the WWE as a “rookie” on NXT. Although she lost the competition, AJ was bound for greatness with her charisma and her infectious skipping.
She would later capture our hearts as the crazy chick who would lip lock with the male talents. Surprisingly one of those guys turned out to be her future husband C.M. Punk (funny how storylines become reality).
AJ was also the RAW General Manager, which was very strange because we all wanted to see her compete in the ring. Although she did look cute in a suit… But then she got serious with a hint of crazy. She became very outspoken and even stood face to face with Stephanie McMahon. How did that never pay off into a main event on pay-per-view?
She was also very vocal about certain Divas, The Bellas, only coming into the business to jumpstart their modeling career, or to be famous. AJ may not have been friends with every Diva, but she was outspoken about those she respected: Paige, Sasha Banks, Bayley, and Charlotte. When accepting her WWE Slammy for Diva of the Year, AJ had mentioned their names as the next Diva she would want to see winning the award. Simply put, she had the balls to say what nobody else had the balls to say.
AJ Lee left the company on top with a 2-0 win streak at WrestleMania, and a profound WrestleMania moment when she tapped out the Divas champion in the center of the ring. She had her Cinderella story come true as this nerd who wasn’t into the supermodel thing, but just a fan of pro wrestling. Hell, she cried when she met WWE Hall of Famer Lita when she was a kid. She got to live her dream as a wrestler, and now she’s living her new dream as a happily married woman.
Break the rules. Be a fighter. Any dream is possible if you are brave enough to do it YOUR way. Thank you all. pic.twitter.com/qu7bBOMFdu
After the events of WrestleMania, I assumed that the focus would have shifted over to Paige as the next challenger for the Divas championship, but it appears that the attention has been placed on Naomi.
Naomi was a fellow graduate with AJ as a semi-finalist on NXT. Rightfully so, she has the beauty and the athleticism–plus she can do a flying butt-butt better than Colt Cabana (sorry Colt). So it is about time that Naomi gets some attention.
Now enter “Big Pimp Daddy” Kane on RAW with his HO Train of Divas putting their bid in for the Divas championship by requesting a Divas Battle Royal. So now all the Divas are involved. And while it may seem unfair to Naomi, it just may be the next challenge that she supersedes to get her championship opportunity.
However, Naomi isn’t the only Diva getting some attention: Natalya and Ashley had a great match of SmackDown with guest referee Cameron. In spite of Cameron’s ability as a wrestler (remember when she covered her opponent who was on her belly?), she justified her standings in the Divas Battle Royal by dropping both combatants with a pair of DDT’s at the conclusion of the match.
Then there’s The Miz (no he’s not a physical Diva, he just acts like one), who gave a Diva a chance by allowing Summer Rae to have a feature role in his movie. Even though Summer Rae is displayed on the cover of The Marine 4 as Miz’s equal–and the main reason why most guys will watch it–Miz does have a point. She may or may not be a co-star in the movie, but she damn well held her own on the mic against The Miz. Now that was Awesome.
The landscape of the current Divas Division is starting to get interesting, but the moment the NXT women’s wrestlers start getting called up to the main roster, that’s when things will get really interesting.
Don’t forget to like the post, share it, and subscribe! Links are available on the right hand column.
About the blogger: I love pro wrestling and all of its layers of athleticism and entertainment. I also love to read and write, which is why, hopefully, WrestlingTimesX will come across as different, in a better way, than anything else that you read on the web. My mantra on wrestling, in any state, is to love it then, now, and forever.
The Monday Night RAW after WrestleMania is the most interesting night out of the year because you don’t know what to expect. First off, it’s the fallout from WrestleMania, which sets the pace for what’s to come in the following year; the returning and debuting Superstars; and then there’s the RAW After Mania crowd who are the most unpredictable of all, but more on that later.
At the start of every episode of NXT (Wednesdays on the WWE Network) the graphic reads “The Future Starts Now”, but as seen on RAW After Mania, the future has arrived. Think about it, Seth Rollins is the new WWE World Heavyweight champion. But before even debuting as part of The Shield, Seth Rollins jump started NXT as the first ever NXT Champion. Now look at him, an “indie” guy who used the NXT system to get to the mountain top.
Seth’s WWE championship victory is a major carbon “curb stomp” and a prime example of what NXT can offer. Another former NXT champion who is looking to blaze his own trail on the main roster is Neville. Debuting against the “Axe-man” Curtis Axel, Neville had a successful first night: He defeated Axel; he went over big with the raucous crowd; he was the number one trend of twitter; and he did not come out looking like Mighty Mouse.
Yes, strangely enough, the big rumor was Vince McMahon wanted Neville to dress like Mighty Mouse, which, of course, is why “Vince is out of touch” memes exist, among other reasons. But honestly, if Neville were to dress up like any fictional character, it would have to be a high-ranking elf like Legolas or Link, not a mouse.
But even so, you can’t have “The Man That Gravity Forgot” dressing up like a cartoon rodent. The hooded cape Neville debuted in was pretty stellar, a cross between vigilante and druid. Yet, although I don’t have a problem with the cape, he needs to lose it before executing any of his mesmerizing maneuvers because it covers it up.
Yet, what’s even more bizarre than a WWE Mighty Mouse, is that some fans were actually upset, pist off even, that WWE dropped Neville’s first name. Similar to Cesaro and Big E, WWE just doesn’t like long names (are they paying by the letter?). But look at it this way, shorter names are easier to chant. You can’t have a chant, “Let’s go, Adrian Neville!” It just doesn’t work. But “Let’s go, Neville” does.
Another fantastic debut was Kalisto, finally joining his Lucha Dragons’ partner Sin Cara on the main roster. As the Lucha Dragons, Kalisto’s brand of lucha libre offense had the WWE Universe enamored and ferociously chanting NXT! Kalisto even got the pinfall victory with the Salida del Sol finisher. On a crazy side note: how awesome would a match between Kalisto and Rey Mysterio (in his prime) would have been in the WWE?
Last year, Paige debuted on the RAW After Mania and captured the WWE Divas championship. Although there were no debuts from the NXT Women’s division (one day, Charlotte…), AJ Lee did sport a Bayley’s “I’m a Hugger” t-shirt (available on WWEShop.com) live on RAW. So, Bayley may not have been called up to the main roster, but her merch sure did!
Now let’s talk about the unpredictability of the crowd. Aside from pissing off a number of the WWE Superstars, including Seth Rollins who gave a nice “Suck It” cross chop to the crowd, they were very vocal on who they wanted to see: more NXT talent. They started hijacking the main event with NXT chants for superstars like Sami Zayn, Tyler Breeze, and even Enzo and Cassady. It’s amazing how much the WWE Universe supports NXT and are clamoring for more of what these Future Superstars have to offer.
Don’t forget to like the post, share it, and subscribe! Links are available on the right hand column.
About the blogger: I love pro wrestling and all of its layers of athleticism and entertainment. I also love to read and write, which is why, hopefully, WrestlingTimesX will come across as different, in a better way, than anything else that you read on the web. My mantra on wrestling, in any state, is to love it then, now, and forever.
WrestlingTimesX is not a misogynistic blog. WTX gives Divas a chance no matter how bad they may be on the mic or in the ring (that’s right, Bellas). WTX supports the exposure of talented women like a Paige or an AJ Lee (not like that… #NakedPaige)
When the #LikeAGirl spot aired during the Super Bowl, WWE followed with their own #LikeAGirl spot featuring WWE Divas from the main roster and NXT to demonstrate that their Divas are role models because they are strong and beautiful. But after a brutally short Divas Tag Team match on Monday Night RAW, the #GiveDivasAChance movement was born because, clearly, WWE needs a reminder that the Divas should not be overlooked.
Before making her return to WWE this past Monday, AJ Lee blindsided Stephanie McMahon on twitter stating that the Divas were grossly underpaid despite being on the highest rated segments and having record-selling merchandise. Stephanie McMahon was said to be livid–wouldn’t you be if your employee made you and your company look bad on social media? But her response–probably advised by office staff members and Vince McMahon himself–was curt, yet professional. Because it’s not like Stephanie could berate AJ Lee on twitter after just tweeting about Women’s Rights and Using Your Voice to be heard. She would’ve been a total hypocrite.
Much like her husband, AJ is not afraid to voice her opinions in a public forum such as an episode of Monday Night RAW or on the twitter. And despite the fact that she does not like the term “Diva”, AJ is very vocal on the importance of women’s wrestling.
Yet, in true WWE fashion, while Vince may “hear” the fans clamoring for more women’s wrestling, the movement has already been downplayed to where R-Truth, who will be one of the participants in the Intercontinental championship ladder match at WrestleMania, promoted his own hashtag at commentary #GiveTruthAChance. This of course trended on twitter for some time because: A) It was entertaining; and B) Wrestling fans what to see more talents being utilized.
With WrestleMania so close and the predominate Divas storyline focused on Paige’s title hunt against Nikki Bella with Brie Bella, and now a returning AJ Lee, will WrestleMania have a Fatal Four-Way bout for the WWE Divas championship; or will it subject us to a multi-free-for-all Divas Battle Royal as in previous years?
But in the mean time and in between time, while we wait for the WWE to give Divas a chance on the main roster, check out NXT on the WWE Network and watch the women’s matches there. At NXT Takeover R-Evolution, Charlotte and Sasha Banks had a fantastic match for the NXT Women’s championship. Then at NXT Takeover RIVAL, we witnessed a great Fatal Four-Way and the crowning of a new champion. The women on NXT outshine even some of the guys from the main roster because they don’t play cute and dumb. When that bell rings, those women show the world that #LikeAGirl they can be strong and beautiful.
Don’t forget to like the post, share it, and subscribe! Links are available on the right hand column.
About the blogger: I love pro wrestling and all of its layers of athleticism and entertainment. I also love to read and write, which is why, hopefully, WrestlingTimesX will come across as different, in a better way, than anything else that you read on the web. My mantra on wrestling, in any state, is to love it then, now, and forever.
The Money in the Bank pay-per-view, while predictable, produced a thrilling chase for the MITB contract. Most notably was the ongoing rivalry between The Authority’s hand-picked Seth Rollins and the “Lunatic Fringe” Dean Ambrose, whose death-defying leaps off the ladders, and back and forth within inches of the sacred briefcase, made this match reminiscent of the older days of wrestling when it wasn’t so scripted. However, by Money in the Bank ending with John Cena collecting his fifteenth WWE World Heavyweight championship, WWE seriously needed to create a reason to keep fans interested.
It was exactly one year ago, the night after Money in the Bank that Chris Jericho left the WWE, but not before putting on a stellar “Match of the Year” candidate performance against the returning Rob Van Dam. Since then, Jericho focused on touring with his rock band Fozzy, writing the third installment of his autobiographical series, and joining the podcast world as the host of Podcast One’s “Talk is Jericho” program that airs twice a week. Most callers on TIJ asked Jericho the obvious, “When will you be back?”
Even though Jerichoholics have been expecting Jericho to return to the WWE, this fourth run is distinct from any of Jericho’s previous unveilings. Consider the “Countdown to the New Millennium” vignettes of 1999, the cryptic binary “Save_Us” codes of 2007, or the uncanny “End of the World” school children of 2011? This time, there were no vignettes, or weeks of subtly hints, it was out of the blue with past TIJ guest The Miz acting as the diversion to Chris Jericho’s return.
It was exciting to see Jericho come back in his now legendary “light-bright” jacket, which we have learned from the podcast costs thousands of dollars, and do what he does best, interrupt people. He’s interrupted The Rock, Randy Orton, and now The Miz. But before Jericho could get too comfortable, Bray Wyatt and his followers interrupted him.
As the announcers said, WWE is a different place from whence Jericho was last there. The Wyatt Family have since made a resounding impression on main stream wrestling fans, and to have Bray Wyatt and Chris Jericho go on the trajectory that they are clearly heading towards is something fans want to see. Once Jericho retaliates and the war begins, the WWE–borrowing from the words of Jericho–will never, ever be the same again.
AJ Lee’s return brought about some mixed emotions. While it is amazing that the now Mrs. CM Punk is back on WWE TV, it was off-putting to see the role reversal as Paige was the recipient of the quick title change. Paige had been doing a fantastic job running the Divas division as its champion during AJ’s absence. She had defended her title against Tamina Snuka, Alicia Fox, and Naomi.
But during those three months, WWE paid more emphasis on developing the characters of Paige’s opponents, rather than spending any time developing hers. Paige was not only the youngest Divas champion in history, she was the most promising women’s wrestler to be called up from NXT, and to not actually do more with her seems to be the model in WWE’s first-time champions.
AJ Lee has unquestionably earned her place as one of the greatest talents in the Divas division, and to have her return to take back her mantle as the champion does seem right. She is clearly the apex of what a Diva in the modern-day should be: fierce, athletic, entertaining, and believable. Because, let’s face it, there is nothing worse than pretty girls trying to fight. So what will happen next; will Paige retaliate and confront AJ, or will she be stuck in a purgatory angle with Cameron?
Answer the Question: Are the returns of Chris Jericho and AJ Lee good for business?
[Video] Paige vs AJ Lee – Divas championship.
That’s it for the post, don’t forget to like it, share it, and subscribe!
My posts can also be read in the blog section at 2xZone.com.
About the blogger: I’m an avid fan of pro wrestling and all of its layers of athleticism and entertainment. I also love to read and write, which is why WrestlingTimesX will come across as different from anything else that you read on the web. My mantra on wrestling, in any state, is to love it then, now, and forever.
Paige wins the WWE Divas Championship on her RAW debut.
There’s always something special about the Monday Night RAW after WrestleMania. Maybe because everyone is still in ‘Mania Mode or still in a frenzy over the weekend long craze of WrestleMania Axxess, but the crowd is always hyped, and some of the biggest moments take precedence: Brock Lesnar returning to the WWE the night after WrestleMania 28; Dolph Ziggler cashing in the night after WrestleMania 29. This year, the NXT Women’s champion Paige made her long-awaited debut to the main roster–and then some–the night after this year’s historic thirtieth WrestleMania.
Coming off the heels of a historic title retention against 13 other Divas at WrestleMania, AJ Lee reached a remarkable 295-day streak as the WWE Divas champion. Having defeated everyone in the Divas division more than once, AJ made some bold claims stating that she was the culmination of the Divas division.
Then out of the blue, “Stars in the Night” blared throughout the arena and out comes–as William Regal likes to call her–the enchanting and mysterious raven-haired lady, Paige. She came out to a rave of applause–thanks to WWE’s sound strategy to air WWE NXT on the WWE Network, the place where Paige has dominated as the inaugural and still current champion. The arena started chanting, THIS IS AWESOME, as the two champions stood face to face in the ring.
Paige was just there to congratulate AJ on her continued success, but the Divas champion arrogantly belittled Paige stating that she didn’t need her approval, and then went on to goad the Norwich anti-Diva into a match, and as an added bonus threw in the Divas title on the line. A reversal of the Black Widow into the Paige-Turner later… we have ourselves a new WWE Divas champion!
Paige–at 21–is the youngest WWE Divas champion in history, and is also the inaugural and current NXT Women’s champion, thus making her a double title holder. She posted a picture holding both championships:
So now that Paige is basically queen of the Divas division, what does this mean for her future? Will she continue wrestling on NXT? Or will she simply end up vacating the NXT Women’s title?
According to her interview with The Independent, Paige has no intentions of forfeiting the NXT title:
“The longer I can keep both Championships the better, I’m not just going to give up the NXT Women’s Championship, I worked my booty off to get that in the first place.
“I’m going to try and keep the WWE Divas Championship, I want to try and have a longer streak than AJ Lee’s. I’m going to be defending them both, and retain them constantly.”
A lofty and aggressive goal, but I admire her drive to be a fighting champion. She’s done a splendid job of defending the NXT title against the likes of Summer Rae, Natalya, and most recently against Emma on the live broadcast at NXT Arrival. And let’s not forget, Paige is the first Diva to break out of AJ Lee’s Black Widow submission hold, which is a testament of her resiliency and how much being the best means to her.
While it is going to be a world of pressure on Paige, reaching the main roster of the WWE has been a goal of her’s for nearly nine years. She’s worked the independent circuits alongside her mom and on her own both in England and in the States. Wrestling is in her blood. And in the coming weeks, we will see a better and stronger Divas division.
[Video] Paige vs AJ Lee for the WWE Divas championship
That’s it for the post, don’t forget to like it, share it, and subscribe!
About the blogger: I’m an avid fan of pro wrestling and all of its layers of athleticism and entertainment. I also love to read and write, which is why WrestlingTimesX will come across as different from anything else that you read on the web. My mantra on wrestling, in any state, is to love it then, now, and forever.
My posts can also be read in the blog section at 2xZone.com.
The big milestone thirty years in the making! WrestleMania invades New Orleans in an extravaganza like no other. “The Immortal” Hulk Hogan will host, a Battle Royal will be fought in honor of the memory of Andre The Giant, legends long thought astray from WWE will be entered into the Hall of Fame, and an epic chase for the coveted WWE championship comes to a close. Are you excited for WrestleMania XXX?
NO! I SAID ARE YOU READY????
YES Movement catapults Daniel Bryan at an opportunity to compete for the WWE Championship.
WrestleMania is the one time out of the year that brings out the fanboy (or fangirl) in all of us because there is something marvelous about it. Sure, the last couple of years have been anything but marvelous, excluding some “Match of the Year” moments, yet this WrestleMania feels like it will live up to the hype.
The YES Movement is in full swing, and here we thought WWE had taken a giant deuce on the whole Daniel Bryan push. Or maybe they did, but the fans wouldn’t let up because let’s face it, a WrestleMania with Randy Orton and Batista in the headlines would not do. But before Bryan can even possibly think of entering the main event as the third competitor in the–now–Triple Threat WWE World Heavyweight championship match, he has to defeat Triple H.
We all love Daniel Bryan, but how fair is it really to Randy Orton who defeated John Cena in a unification TLC match, and for Batista who outlasted twenty-nine other competitors to win the 2014 Royal Rumble? We cannot just go with the reasoning because Daniel Bryan is better than them. That just wouldn’t do either.
So the fact that Daniel Bryan or Triple H will compete in two WrestleMania matches is unheard of, and the major focus going into this Sunday. But what about the other matches?
Will The Streak be conquered? Or will The Beast Incarnate rest… in… peace….?
Paul Heyman says he wants vindication because The Undertaker is the reason CM Punkwent on his downward spiral, but he also wants vindication because his guy Brock Lesnar was not afforded the opportunity to conquer the WWE in the World championship match.
The Streak, we all know it, is monumental. If there is anyone that can conquer The Streak it is Brock Lesnar–because let’s face it, The Beast doesn’t just simply pin his opponents, he conquers them.
Frankly, if the first encounter between Lesnar and Taker was it until ‘Mania, I would be equally stoked. Like The Great Pumpkin, The Phenom comes around once a year, he delivers a stellar WrestleMania match and continues to keep The Streak intact. What more can you ask for?
The Shield take on Kane and the New Age Outlaws at WrestleMania.
How about The Shield instilling their brand of justice? In a strange turn of events, The Director of Operations Kane stopped The Shield from imploding, and instead he unknowingly provided them a new target–himself.
Kane diabolically set up a false Fatal 4-Way contenders match for the WWE Tag Team championships, which resulted in the decimation of The Shield when the teams of The Real Americans, RybAxel, and 3MB attacked them mid-match. Kane furthered the destruction by enlisting the former 6-time WWE Tag Team Champions of The World!!!
The New Age Outlaws, “Road Dogg” Jesse James and “Bad Ass” Billy Gunn, will join Kane against The Shield in a six-man tag team match, and based on how dominate and vengeful The Shield have been looking in recent weeks, this will be as JBL dubbed it, a Battle of the Ages!
While that whole ruse with the WWE Tag Team championship contenders match was an unexpected twist, the fate of the championships will hang in the balance… on the pre show exclusively on the WWE Network – for only $9.99 not only do you get everything WWE video, the Hall of Fame induction ceremony and WrestleMania, but you also get to see The Usos defend the titles in a Fatal 4-Way.
I don’t agree with two out of the four competing teams because Los Matadores and RybAxel have not earned the right to challenge the champions. The only true challengers walking into WrestleMania are The Real Americans, Jack Swagger and Cesaro. Similar to The Shield, The Real Americans were on the verge of imploding but thanks to the yoda-like guidance of Zeb Colter, The Real Americans are on the same page and have the unmatched potential to become the new WWE Tag Team champions. But that is not to discredit The Usos who have had a fantastic showing with an incredible victory story over The New Age Outlaws, whom they defeated to win the championships.
The match should have been a one on one tag team match, but if WWE wants to place four tag teams together at WrestleMania, I say get some tables, find some ladders, throw in some steel chairs, and let’s have ourselves a TLC match!
Bray Wyatt has played psychological mind games with John Cena.
How about the co-main event of John Cena defending his legacy against the leader of the Wyatt Family, Bray Wyatt?
John Cena has been talking about the young talents rising up in the WWE, but if they truly wanted to test their abilities to lead the industry, they would have to go through him. Bold words from the poster boy of the WWE for the past twelve years. However, John was probably not expecting that the one who would answer the call would be so deranged.
If you haven’t listened to any of Bray Wyatt’s promos regarding John Cena, you really should take the time and find them on YouTube. Bray reminds me of a young Jake “The Snake” Roberts (WWE Hall of Fame 2014 inductee) because he speaks in a cold, dark and eerie manner–the way you would imagine Dexter’s Dark Passenger to sound.
Although it would be nice for the kids to see their hero safeguard his legacy, Bray Wyatt needs to win this match because it is time for this man to start on his legacy.
Which brings us to the final match, the Vickie Guerrero Invitational.
AJ Lee’s reign as Divas champion may come to a tragic end at WrestleMania.
While this may be the first time that the Divas championship is defended at WrestleMania, the defending and longest reigning champion AJ Lee must go against thirteen other Divas in a single-fall match.
That is such horse crap! AJ Lee’s first and current reign has surpassed the combined record three-time champion Eve Torres, as well as the combined two-time reign of the former longest reigning champion Maryse. Sure, AJ has done some despicable things, but who hasn’t when trying to defend the championship for so long?
We know that JBL cannot wait for AJ to lose the Divas championship, perhaps “The Wrestling God” felt intimidated or slighted by AJ’s bluntness in regards to her competitors and her self-glorification by tattooing the date she won the Divas championship on the back of her neck.
There’s a great chance that AJ will lose the Divas championship at WrestleMania, but there is also an opportunity to surpass the naysayers and go down in history as the greatest of all time. Perhaps the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame inductee Lita might want to come out of retirement for a crack at the Black Widow.
Answer the Question: Which match are you most excited for at WrestleMania XXX?
[Video] Triple H’s History of Dominance
That’s it for the post, don’t forget to like it, share it, and subscribe!
About the blogger: I’m an avid fan of pro wrestling and all of its layers of athleticism and entertainment. I also love to read and write, which is why WrestlingTimesX will come across as different from anything else that you read on the web. My mantra on wrestling, in any state, is to love it then, now, and forever.
My posts can also be read in the blog section at 2xZone.com.
Can you measure the success of a pro wrestler from the amount of championships earned? If so, Ric Flair is the greatest of them all with 16 World championships. Well, how about the length of a World title reign? Then if that’s the case, there’s no comparison when it comes to Bruno Sammartino’s 2,803 days he reigned as the WWE champion. Or if the question of the quality of competition within a lengthy championship reign is the factor of measuring success, the argument can be made in favor of John Cena’s 3rd reign as WWE champion, and CM Punk’s 2nd reign–known for being the longest reign of the modern era.
Although the main focus this time of year is surrounding the Royal Rumble match, which will determine the number one contender for the WWE World Heavyweight championship at WrestleMania, there have been four WWE Superstars who have been conquering their divisions.
AJ Lee is the longest reigning WWE Divas champion in history at 218+
There is no greater time to be a WWE Diva than now because of the fame and recognition generated from E!’s newest reality hit show Total Divas. In addition to the wrestling audience, Total Divas has reached an audience outside of the wrestling community based on the fact that it doesn’t center itself around wrestling. While that’s great for the aspiring models looking to break into acting and partaking in photo-shoots on exotic beaches, not everyone feels the same way about what it means to be a WWE Diva.
AJ Lee, f.k.a. Miss April, is the longest reigning WWE Divas champion in the title’s young history. AJ Lee doesn’t care at all about the main perception of being a WWE Diva, her passion–along with comic books and video games–is the physicality and art of wrestling. The champion has defended her title on every occasion a contender had challenged her; but so far no one has been able to end her reign. Does that make her the greatest of all time?
Paige is the inaugural NXT Women’s champion at 214+
Not many of you may know this next one, if that’s the case then shame on you because the NXT Women’s champion Paige, a 2nd generation wrestler with an independent wrestling background, has reigned almost as long as AJ Lee. Four days behind AJ Lee’s current reign, Paige calls herself the anti-Diva because she prides herself on being the best wrestler. She’s defended her Women’s title against Summer Rae, Bayley, Emma, and Natalya. In a recent backstage interview, Paige stated that her goal for 2014 was to get to the WWE and defeat everyone including AJ Lee. A champion willing to take on another champion, does that make her great?
Bo Dallas is the third and longest reigning NXT champion at 242+
You guys better start Bo-lieving in NXT Wrestling as the territory where wrestling is emphasized and Superstars train and hone their skills to reach the next level. The current and longest reigning NXT champion is Bo Dallas, who defeated the unbeatable Big E. Langston for the title. With 242 days and running, Bo Dallas has turn away the challenges of Leo Kruger, Sami Zayn, and Adrian Neville. While the WWE Universe was once behind the only wrestler still in developmental to participate in the Royal Rumble match, the audience at Full Sail University has turned on Bo Dallas with constant “No More Bo” chants. Has he taken some short cuts to retain his title? Sure he has. But he’s also defended his title cleanly at the fans’ expense. There’s no denying that Bo has the wrestling acumen to be a great in-ring competitor, but does his lack of mic skills make him less great despite his reign?
Dean Ambrose is the longest reigning champion in the WWE right now, having held the United States championship since Extreme Rules at 246+
And last but not least, we have the longest reigning champion in WWE, the United States champion Dean Ambrose. While the former Jon Moxley isn’t the strongest member of The Shield, or the quickest, he does harbor a unique personality that would draw new fans. Just look back to his matches with Kane and TheUndertaker from the SmackDown tapings after WrestleMania, and see for yourself why Dean Ambrose deserves to go to the next level. Sure, being the United States champion, held by the greats in Harley Race, Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, Lex Luger, Bret Hart, MVP, and so on, is a huge honor, it’s time to move forward. Dean Ambrose is currently the longest reigning US champion from the past six years, he’s part of the most dominating faction in recent memory, does that make him great?
Answer the Question: Despite the main focus being centered on the Royal Rumble match, which non-World champions do you feel is making strides in their divisions?
Liked this post? Then share it! And once you’re done letting the millions and millions know of WrestlingTimesX on WordPress, follow WrestlingTimesX across social media!
Tuesday morning, Facebook and Twitter were beaming with posts from wrestling fans enthralled by AJ Lee’s pipe bomb on Monday Night RAW. The WWE Divas Champion’s pipe bomb was a mixture of truth and sour grapes towards the stars of the hit reality series Total Divas. It is no secret that AJ Lee has felt a level of resentment towards the Total Divas girls because as the champion, she wasn’t asked to be a part of the show.
She stated that she got into the WWE based on her abilities alone: That she didn’t “suck” up to the right people to get to where she was; or have a family lineage in the WWE to gain an easy entry. Clearly the first shell of the pipe bomb was directed towards The Bella Twins who are dating John Cena and Daniel Bryan; and the second shell is spear-headed towards Natalya Neidhart, the daughter of Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart and niece of WWE Hall of Famer Bret “The Hitman” Hart.
While those were some good points to make, AJ’s “pipe bomb” comes across more as a cry for attention versus speaking the truth. When CM Punk–as everyone has already compared the two–dropped his pipe bomb in the summer of 2011, he had always been kept away from the main event spotlight because of WWE’s warped vision that John Cena was The Best. CM Punk not only made us believe, but we were able to take a peak behind the curtain to see the Great and Powerful WWE as a machine keeping down CM Punk. We all knew that CM Punk was great in the ring, but he made us question WWE’s tactics and with unrelenting animosity and determination, he knocked off WWE’s poster boy.
The difference between AJ and CM Punk is that at the time of the “pipe bomb” CM Punk hadn’t broken the glass ceiling, grabbed the brass ring… essentially he hadn’t been the WWE champion. AJ Lee, who has embraced her psychopathic gimmick, has valet’d some of the top WWE Superstars, had taken on a brief role as the General Manager of Monday Night RAW, and she is in current possession of the WWE Divas championship. AJ basically has everything that most WWE Divas would kill for.
Despite being the best technical wrestler, Natalya hasn’t been given the breaks one would assume coming from a family of such rich history. For a while, Natalya had to ride out a degrading backstage segment week after week of her breaking wind. This woman can fold you into a pretzel faster than you can blink and WWE had her as, literally, the butt of the joke.
Though The Bella Twins are easy, no pun intended, to point out their short-comings as wrestlers, they are an attraction to witness. Twins are a rarity in the business of professional wrestling, let alone a pair of hot twins. And let’s not cut out their wrestling abilities short because for Brie, dating Daniel Bryan has paid off in terms of upping her in ring skills. She’s actually applying submission holds, though she still relies on her sister Nikki to bail her out of trouble, that’s just the heel thing to do.
AJ Lee is an incredible talent and she deserves to be the top Diva in the division right now, but to hold a grudge against Divas who hardly received any TV time to find new live in a reality series is a bit cheeky.
Answer the Question: What were your thoughts on AJ Lee’s Pipe Bomb?
Liked this post? Then share it! And once you’re done letting the millions and millions know of WrestlingTimesX on WordPress, follow WrestlingTimesX across social media!
With WWE’s Divas starring in their own reality-series “Total Divas” on E!, and the Divas competing twice this past Monday Night on RAW–including a renewed rivalry between Divas champion AJ Lee and Kaitlyn–the Divas division is finally making some headway. But the most promising news regarding the division’s future was the crowning of the first NXT Women’s champion, Paige.
Follow Paige on Twitter: @RealPaigeWWE
Ever since WWE rebranded its developmental territory into NXT Wrestling, the focus has been on competition. Wrestlers on NXT compete either for the NXT championship or NXT Tag Team championships; but for the longest, the Divas simply competed for ring and air time. This all changed when WWE Vice President Stephanie McMahon made the announcement of NXT hosting an eight-women tournament to crown the first-ever NXT Women’s champion.
Paige and Emma, the two finalist, emerged from a series of grueling matches against Divas from the main roster to get to the final round of the tournament. Emma, WWE’s first Australian wrestler, defeated Aksana and Summer Rae; and Paige knocked off Tamina Snuka and former Divas champion Alicia Fox.
The two fan favorites met in the finals on the July 24 edition of NXT Wrestling to deliver one of the best women’s pro wrestling matches in a long time. The Full Sail University crowd were split between Emma and Paige, and even chanted that this was awesome. When was the last time the WWE Universe generated that kind of reaction for a Divas match on Monday Night RAW or Friday Night SmackDown? Unheard of.
Emma and Paige exchanged hay-makers, headbutts, submission holds, and near-falls. The caliber of the match was a bona-fide main event, fighting not only for the dubious honor of being crowned the inaugural champion, but also showing WWE brass and the WWE Universe why they belong. The match ended with Paige executing the Paige Turner finisher, swinging leg-hook fireman’s carry slam, to become the first-ever NXT Women’s champion.
In an emotional celebration, Paige was met in the ring by a number of the NXT Divas, and by a surprise guest, WWE C.O.O. Triple H. The Game entered the ring filled with the lovely Divas, and raised Paige’s arm in the air with his stamp of approval on the aptly nicknamed “Diva of Tomorrow”.
Paige, better known by her former ring name, Britani Knight, is an English professional wrestler who trained at the WAW Academy by her family: Klondyke Kate and Jason Cross. She’s competed in singles and tag team competition throughout Europe, including World Association of Wrestling and Pro-Wrestling: EVE. She has also teamed up and competed against her mother Sweet Saraya. Paige defeated her mom to become the WAW British champion, and lost to her mom for the HEW Women’s championship.
Paige made her USA debut with Saraya for SHIMMER Women Athletes as the Knight Dynasty in a series of loses. The two split up, and in Paige’s final SHIMMER match on Volume 44, she defeated Saraya in a No-DQ match. Then on September 2011, Paige signed a WWE developmental contract and reported to Florida Championship Wrestling and transitioned with the rebranding over to NXT Wrestling. The rest is history.
Answer the Question: Does the future of the Divas division seem brighter with Paige as the new NXT Women’s champion?
Liked this post? Then share it! And once you’re done letting the millions and millions know of WrestlingTimesX on WordPress, follow WrestlingTimesX across social media!
Carlos Pimentel
WrestlingTimesX 