Paige says change is coming in the WWE Divas division.
That scares me. Because Paige should not be part of that change.
Second verse, same as the first: If WWE is going to switch the Divas’ division from ass-shaking buffoonery to legit-looking athletic competition with matching storylines, most of the current Divas have to go, or be minimized.
The only current WWE Diva who is a lock to blend with NXT revolutionaries Bayley, Becky Lynch, Charlotte and Sasha Banks is Natalya.
The rest can only stir the drink bad.
The revolutionaries have to stand out and above. Any attempt to gradually blend them in won’t strengthen the Divas division. It will dilute the NXT women. It won’t be long before Banks is committing crimes against entertaining television on “Total Divas” right along with the rest of them.
“Total Divas” is a fly in the ointment. If WWE thinks that show is more important than resurrecting the women’s division, the NXT women are screwed. Because then the Bellas and their ilk will have to remain important.
Does Vince McMahon understand the opportunity at hand? The current format for the Divas’ division isn’t working. It’s bad, and nobody cares. The marks have seen enough skin and frankly, most of the current Divas aren’t that hot.
A revised format for the Divas’ division would give respect to women athletes and provide good PR, if nothing else. In an industry with a long history of misogyny, that would be something significant gained even if the revision didn’t take off. Feed WWE’s revamped women’s division to the media, and they will lap it up.
Triple H and Stephanie reportedly want the change. Vince does not.
Even if the change is made, WWE will screw it up. Too many elements of the old way of objectification will bleed in. WWE can’t help itself.
There’s no middle ground here. There’s a right way, and a wrong way.
If Banks and Co. “invade” Raw, it can’t be competitive. WWE has to define a dominant core, and have the women’s championship and the intensity stay within that core. If you don’t want to terminate the rest of the women, stick them on the periphery and allow them minimal time to do whatever.
No more “Divas,” either: “Women.” The women’s championship.
The women’s division could be special if WWE lets it. I bet WWE doesn’t.
When it fails, Vince will blame the women. But it will be his fault.
