March RAW Diva Report Card!
The Kingfish Arnie Katz evaluates the current crop of RAW Divas.
The spotlight is on women in wrestler to a much greater degree now than it was five years ago. In WWE, TNA and the Indy Promotions, women are becoming part of the show in a wide variety of ways. Today we have everything from serious female wrestlers to simple eye candy.
WWE’s RAW is the company’s main focus for women’s wrestling, since it is the home of the Women’s World Championship. Let’s look at how the female performers on RAW are doing as we head toward WrestleMania
Beth Phoenix
Wrestling. She is very strong and works a match very well. Beth is not so good that she can carry someone who can’t wrestle, but she almost guarantees an acceptable match if her opponent has enough skill to hold up their end, (B)
Dramatics. She has had almost no opportunity to do anything out of the ring. (Incomplete)
Charisma. Beth Phoenix is not a colorful personality and WWE has done very little to give her an intriguing gimmick. Being the “Glamazon” is not really enough. (C)
Heat. Her heel persona is not well-developed. So she doesn’t draw a very strong reaction. Fans know she’s the rulebreaker, but she is not exactly a Monster Heel.
Ashley
Wrestling, WWE has invested heavily in Ashley since they found her in a Diva Search, but they don’t seem to get a lot of use out of her in the actual show. As a wrestler, she’s best in tag team and six-woman matches, which is another way of saying that her ring technique needs a lot of work. (C-)
Dramatics. She isn’t heavily used in dramatic scenes, but she holds her own when she is in front of the camera. Maybe she needs a stint as a manager to give her a chance to project her personality a little more. (C+)
Charisma. She is a classic blonde Diva in the tradition of Torrie Wilson, Trish Stratus and Sable. She has a lot of energy, which might translate into charisma if she had more meaningful roles. (C+)
Heat. Fans like her, but they are not wild about her. She just hasn’t done much to distinguish herself from the others. WWE fans generally like big-titted blondes who bounce up and down a lot, but they don’t especially focus on her.
Candice Michelle
Wrestling. Few women have improved as much as Candice Michelle did prior to her hiatus. She hasn’t wrestled much since her return, but there’s no reason to think she has retrogressed. (B)
Dramatics. She really hasn’t done much, because she is seldom involved in any meaningful storylines.. (C)
Charisma. She is a work of art and has the moves to go with it, though it is time to expand beyond the Go-Daddy twirl. Candice has a star quality that WWE has not fully exploited. (B)
Heat. Fans like her, but she is not central to the show. The result is that she is always a welcome sight, but not considered an important performer.
Jillian Hall<.B>
Wrestling. Although she is reputed to have worked well in the ring in OVW, WWE seldom uses her that way. She does all right in the matches she gets, but she has never gotten a push as a wrestler. (C+)
Dramatics. The “sour note” plot has never been a showcase for any wrestler’s histrionic skills. It is simply annoying filler and a good excise for fans to hit the food, use the bathroom and check out what’s on the other channels. She was decent as JBL’s assistant, so maybe this is a case where the actress is better than the role. (B-)
Charisma. WWE has not seemed to appreciate her looks, but most of the fans seem to like what they see, even if her character has a flat personality. She is very magnetic, which would be a real asset if she had a better character and some kind of story. (B-)
Heat. Well, none likes to see her coming to the ring to sing. That’s not quite the same as genuine heel heat. (C)
Katie Lea Burchill
Wrestling. She is apparently not a wrestler. (N/A)
Dramatics. She is doing a good job in a very specialized role (incestuous slut sister). She is essentially a foil for Paul Burchill and, as such, not really n the center of the story. If they do some kind of jealousy angle, that would change radically. (C+)
Charisma. This is a very sexy woman. There are plenty of Divas who have the look and classic proportions, but Katie Lea exudes that bad-girl allure. (B)
Heat. She’s the valet for a performer who has yet to make his mark. The heat is negligible. (D)
Lilian Garcia
Wrestling. Not a wrestler. (N/A)
Dramatics. Looking frightened doesn’t really qualify as acting. (Incomplete)
Charisma. She is one hot Latina.
Heat. Who would you rather see, Howard Finkel or a hot woman in a skimpy outfit with a strong voice? There’s no real heat, but she is a plus for the show. (D)
Maria
Wrestling. She has improved enormously, though things like
Charisma. Several successive re-stylings have left her with a very appealing look that is based on incredible beauty. She looks friendly and enthusiastic, which fans find very accessible. (A-)
Heat. Fans are into her. She has a pleasing personality and decent ring skills. (B+)
Melina
Wrestling, She’s not really much of a wrestler. Her best role is either as a manager or catfighting. (C)
Dramatics. Surprisingly, when you think of it, Melina hasn’t had that much change to talk. She isn’t awful, but she also hasn’t done much beyond successfully projecting the idea that she’s a stuck-up bitch. (C)
Charisma. She bursts with raw animal magnetism. Fans may not like her, but she is the kid of woman they probably fantasize about at night. (B+)
Heat. Fans are a little conflicted. She reeks of sexuality, which is good, but she is a stuck-up bitch, which is not good. Melina generates excitement with her act. She has a character that fans instantly recognize, because it is so different than the other Divas. (B+)
Mickie James
Wrestling. She works a match well and can execute some interesting holds. She is one of WWE’s best long-term bets in the women’s division. Her value only increases when paired with someone who is equally good. (B+)
Dramatics. She has already demonstrated the ability to put over a considerable range of characters. Think about how different she talked, looked and acted when she was supposed to be nuts. Right now, though, she needs some material and maybe a storyline. Mickie James has every qualification to be a superstar, but WWE needs to give her more chances to show it. (B)
Charisma. She probably had more charisma when she played an over-the-top character than the relatively sedate “hero-champion” persona. She needs to be allowed to express a “larger” character, similar to what the main events on RAW do.
Heat. Mickie has become the fan favorite female ring star in WWE. In the changing of the guard that has seen the departure of Trish and Lita, she emerges as the focus of fan backing in the women’s division.
– Arnie Katz
Crossfire4@cox.net
(3/11/08)
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