A Shift in WWE Female Talent?

Mo4r Buggy?

It was reported today that independent wrestler Buggy Nova has appeared at a FCW house show. This would suggest that she has been signed to a WWE Developmental Deal, and you can read more details here: http://ringbellesonline.com/2012/06/21/buggy-nova-appears-on-fcw-show/

I find this very interesting as it seems to strengthen the recent trend of signing women that are outside of the normal "Diva" standard. Back in late 2010/early 2011, the mold was completely broken when the news came out that Amazing Kong (Kharma) had been signed. It was a dream come true for the woman who had worked all over the world and had made it known her ultimate goal was to get to WWE. In September 2011, a contact was officially signed by Britani Knight (Paige) despite rumors that they had signed her earlier in the year, and she reported to FCW in January 2012. Now you have Buggy Nova, who has a decidedly gothic look to her. Three women who are trained wrestlers with stand out looks - is this shift in WWE hiring permanent or just a phase?

We saw back in the early 2000s a handful of women that were already trained before being hired, such as Molly Holly, Jazz, Lita and Gail Kim. Combining them with the women who were already there (Ivory, Jackie), and women who were trained in WWE developmental (Trish, Victoria), you had a roster packed full of women that were not only beautiful but talented in the ring. When the Diva Search came along, however, the trend started to shift towards hiring women that were supermodel beautiful but no previous experience whatsoever. A bunch of women were hired and fired, barely blips on the screen. There were a few that stuck it out and became pretty good in the ring, such as Michelle McCool, Eve and Layla. There were also a few that were hired with previous training, such as Mickie James, Beth Phoenix and Nattie Neidhart. But in the past few years, with 1-2 minute Divas matches, no promo time to speak of and getting shifted off of RAW when there was no time for them, the women's division has been lifeless.

That could change with the aforementioned three women. Plus you have Ivelisse (Sofia Cortez), Audrey Marie (who was trained solely in FCW but is steadily improving), and possibly Tenille (who was never actually signed to a developmental deal, opting to have shoulder surgery instead and who may or may not be signed after all). If WWE is staying on this course, allow me to suggest five names who have actively expressed a desire to be signed by the company. They are beautiful and extremely talented, and would need either little or no time in FCW to adapt to the "WWE Style" of wrestling.

The Queen of Wrestling

*Sara Del Rey. This woman has done just about everything there is to do on the independent level. Her matches are stellar, be it against men or women, and her promo skills are excellent. She is driven, focused, hard working and dedicated. Plus, you never hear a bad word about her professionally or personally. She eats, breathes and lives the gym/wrestling. A few years ago, TNA reportedly turned her down because she "didn't have enough of what the Beautiful People (Angelina Love & Velvet Sky) have." Quite the insult, considering Del Rey can out-wrestle both of them. She is an asset for any company, and considering she has stated her goal is to make it to WWE, they should definitely hire her.

Everybody's Favourite Girlfriend

*Jessie McKay. "Everybody's Favorite Girlfriend" is all set. She already has "the Diva look" (SHIMMER even built a rivalry around this between her and Nicole Matthews) and a skill set that would easily adapt to the WWE style. In interviews she has repeatedly said she wants to be hired by TNA or WWE. A former PWWA Women's Champion, she was trained by the best in Australia, namely Madison Eagles. Jessie is also hard working and dedicated. An added bonus is the fact she is young, and has experience playing heel and face (whereas Del Rey is a stronger heel), and can make either work for her. On top of all that, who doesn't like a pretty woman with an accent? She would fit right in.

The Blossom Twins

*Hannah and Holly Blossom, the Blossom Twins. With the exit of the Bella Twins, Nikki and Brie, WWE may not be looking for another set any time soon. However, if they were, Hannah and Holly more than fit the bill. The two were a mainstay in former WWE developmental camp Ohio Valley Wrestling for a few years, although they have shifted back to their homeland of England, competing for Pro-Wrestling EVE and other various promotions. These two women are natural born faces, being cute and sweet as the cupcakes they frequently offer, have worked with numerous women with different styles (therefore having the bonus of a lot of knowledge and experience), and they're harder to tell apart than Brie and Nikki were. The Blossoms have expressed a desire to be signed by either WWE or TNA. Despite the fact OVW is now TNA's developmental camp, knowing they made OVW their home base in America could lend itself as a bonus in their favor. If WWE wants more Twin Magic, Hannah and Holly would be the perfect Twins to turn to.

The Super Hardcore Anime

*Lufisto. My personal bias aside, Lufisto has more than earned a spot in the so-called big leagues. Much like Del Rey, the Super Hardcore Anime has done almost everything on the independent level, including getting a law overturned in Ontario that prevented inter-gender wrestling, helped start an all-female sister promotion to NCW called "Femmes Fatales", wrestled in hardcore death matches, been around the world, developed into a fantastic technical wrestler, has a terrific character that can be deadly serious as well as hilarious and came back from serious health problems to sculpt her body into a well oiled machine. A fifteen year veteran, her knowledge and experience is off the charts. She is a dedicated professional, always giving her all in every match. There are several things she brings to every place she competes, and WWE would be no exception. Lufi has given her all for this business and it would be wonderful for a broader audience to see even a fraction of her talent, drive and courage.


These five would all bring something unique to the table. Will any of them get a shot? If I'm realistic (and I'm always pessimistic when it comes to WWE), then probably not. But the fact that the 'E has signed 3 very different women to the roster is a positive step forward. Only time will tell if this is a permanent shift or not.