Booking the Women's Match for Wrestlemania XXIX

Wrestlemania XXIX - The Showcase of Champions

RAW February 25th. Vickie Guerrero announces that Kaitlyn needs a new number one contender for the Divas title. Instead of a battle royal, she sets up a tournament. The winner will face the Divas Champion at Wrestlemania XXIX. The brackets are as follows for the first round matches:

Naomi versus Tamina. Alicia Fox versus Aksana. Natalya versus Rosa Mendes. AJ versus Cameron.

On the same RAW, we see the first two matches. Naomi is barely able to overcome the power of Tamina by utilizing a small package, whereas Alicia puts Aksana away with a German suplex into a bridge. Smackdown that week, Nattie easily gets Rosa to tap with the Sharpshooter. Meanwhile, accompanied by Big E, AJ puts Cameron down with a Shining Wizard. Backstage, Kaitlyn is chatting amiably with Nattie, when AJ interrupts. The petite brunette says she's beaten Nattie once, she can do it again and whoever else she has to in order to get gold. Kaitlyn shoots back that her man Dolph hasn't been able to get any gold, why should his girlfriend be any different? AJ shoves the champ and the two start to fight until Natalya and a few refs break it up. AJ gets in a slap at Nattie before being hustled away by Big E.

RAW March 4th. Naomi and Alicia Fox have a fast paced, exciting match that sees Naomi get the win with a jumping spin kick. Later on, AJ ambushes Nattie backstage prior to their match, attacking her ankle viciously. AJ comes out with Big E, confident of her win. The Hart niece insists on coming out without Khali or Hornswoggle. As expected, AJ targets the ankle throughout the match, leaving Natalya unable to stand towards the end. But she muscles through and is able to lock in the Sharpshooter. Dolph comes running out to distract the referee, while Big E pulls on Nattie's bad ankle, tripping her up. AJ gets a heel hook and Nattie is forced to tap out. Dolph, Big E and AJ celebrate in the ring while Naomi comes out to help Natalya to the back.

Smackdown March 8th. Booker T sets up a mixed tag match at the request of Nattie: Khali and Naomi versus Big E and AJ. Dolph and AJ complain but it does little good. Khali and Naomi dominate until Dolph hands Big E his suitcase. He uses it to knock Khali out, allowing him to get the pin. AJ grabs the suitcase and also knocks out Naomi. The trio gloat as they leave the ring.

RAW March 11th. Vickie Guerrero is out in the ring and announces that due to a concussion, Naomi is unable to wrestle AJ in the number one contenders final. AJ confronts her saying that's tantamount to a forfeit - she should be the number one contender then. Vickie refuses, saying due to the shenanigans during her match with Nattie, she has talked to Booker T and worked out an agreement. On Smackdown this week, they will have a rematch and everyone is banned from ringside. If anyone attempts to interfere on either woman's behalf, they will automatically be disqualified. AJ erupts at her and destroys almost everything at ringside, even slapping Lilian Garcia as well as the stagehands.

Smackdown March 15th. A furious AJ storms down to the ring, followed by an equally furious Natalya who has her ankle heavily bandaged but is not limping too much. The two battle it out, even going to the outside where the referee allows some leeway which sees Nattie wheelbarrow AJ into the barricade. The ref orders them back into the ring but while Natalya is scrambling back in, AJ grabs her by her bad ankle and slams it repeatedly into the ring post. She scrambles back in before the 10 count, drags Nattie into the middle of the ring and locks in the heel hook. Nat manages to make it to the ropes, forcing AJ to break the hold but she attacks the ankle, stomping on it over and over, almost going totally bezerk. At this point, Nattie can't stand up, and when AJ puts the heel hook in for the second time, she taps out. AJ goes from out of control to happy as a clam, even skipping to the back blowing kisses at the crowd. Meanwhile, Kaitlyn comes out from the side of the ramp and helps Nattie to the back.

RAW March 18th. Her doctor has ordered Naomi to wait another week before wrestling again, leaving AJ and Dolph complaining. Vickie orders that since AJ has re-injured Nattie's ankle, she is forcing the two to wrestle Kaitlyn and a partner of her choice since Khali is also suffering from a concussion. Kaitlyn chooses someone who has history with the two: Daniel Bryan. It's war between the four that spills out of the ring, and only ends when Big E throws AJ the suitcase, which she clocks Kaitlyn in the back with for the three count. Daniel Bryan chases all three to the back while the referee helps Kaitlyn.

Smackdown March 22nd. AJ and Dolph are in the ring, complaining about no competition and being left off the show. Booker T orders Dolph to face Kane and orders AJ and Big E to leave the building. They resist until Booker says if they do not, both will be suspended without pay. They leave reluctantly. Dolph beats Kane when Daniel comes out to seemingly help his tag team partner but winds up costing him the match.

RAW March 25th. The doctor has cleared Naomi to wrestle, Vickie announces, so the final match to determine the number one contender will be held tonight. Naomi versus AJ. She bans everyone from ringside again with the same stipulation as before. The two are cautious at the beginning, feeling each other out with headlocks, armdrags, etc. Eventually AJ gets frustrated at being unable to get the better of Naomi and the two go into over-drive with kicks, hits, reversals. AJ snaps and throws Naomi out of the ring, who lands on her feet and trips up AJ, pulling her out to the floor. It's an out and out brawl as they throw each other into the barricades, over the announcers table, into the steel steps. The referee counts both of them out and it takes several referees to break it up and get them both to the back.

Smackdown March 29th. Naomi and AJ are in Booker T's office arguing about what happened on RAW. Booker brings in Kaitlyn and asks her who she thinks should be the number one contender. Kaitlyn says Naomi since back in NXT Season 3, the finals came down to herself and Naomi - AJ was eliminated the week before. Further, Kaitlyn claims that every time Naomi has gotten into the ring she's stolen the show - unlike AJ or her boyfriend. AJ throws a lamp at Kaitlyn and screams at how she never took NXT seriously, all she did was make jokes about Vickie and do stupid dance moves like the Robot. She says Kaitlyn never knew what it was like to pay her dues and go through what she did to make it to WWE. She claims her being in NXT was a fluke, as she was just a last minute replacement. AJ points at Naomi and says she may be athletic but she didn't pay her dues either and all she does now is dance most of the time. She hasn't earned anything either, not like AJ has. AJ bursts into tears screaming that she's busted her ass to get to this point and deserves to wrestle for the Divas title on the grandest stage of them all.

Naomi calmly waits until AJ is done then points out that yes, she never went through what AJ has and never "paid her dues." However, she says that she has been patient - despite impressing fans and officials alike during her FCW days and during NXT Season Three, when she was brought up she was paired with Cameron to be a backup dancer for Brodus Clay. She had fun with it but her heart was always in the ring. Every chance she got to wrestle, she threw herself into it never knowing when the next opportunity would present itself. When she got the chance to wrestle Eve for the Divas title on PPV it only whetted her desire to be a full time competitor and go for the gold again. Naomi says that she respects what all AJ has gone through but says her behavior in the last year, and especially the last few months, has been appalling - she isn't worthy of a title shot. AJ almost loses it again but realizes that would only prove Naomi's point. Kaitlyn has listened to both women and now looks conflicted. She tells Booker T that both deserve a shot, as she can't deny her former Chickbuster's arguments, nor can she say that Naomi doesn't deserve one either. Booker T says he is going to have a conference call with Vickie Guerrero and the Board of Directors to settle this over the weekend.

RAW April 1st. Vickie Guerrero and Booker T come out to the ring. They have Naomi, AJ and Kaitlyn come out to join them. The two say they have discussed what to do for Wrestlemania with the Board of Directors and with each other extensively. They've taken in the arguments, the discussions and the track records of each woman. Vickie reveals she was over-ridden in the final decision, but will abide by it. They announce that this Sunday at Wrestlemania XXIX, Kaitlyn will defend the Divas Championship against...Naomi and AJ! All three look shocked, but then Naomi and Kaitlyn look pleased and shake hands. AJ looks like she's going to explode for a moment, but when the other two offer their hands, she shakes them. Booker T says that on Smackdown, all three will have matches but warns against interference in any of them.

Smackdown April 5th. AJ takes out her aggression on Alicia Fox, almost taking her head off with a Shining Wizard. She grabs a mic and says that much like her Ziggles, she will steal the show at Wrestlemania and leave with gold around her waist. Naomi wrestles Cameron in a friendly matchup which sees Naomi bust out a suplex and rolls into a Guillotine Choke for the submission. Afterwards the two hug and Cameron wishes her fellow Funkadactyl good luck. Lastly, Kaitlyn faces off against Natalya. However, she refuses to target Nattie's still-bandaged ankle, the two trading holds and power moves until Kaitlyn hits the spear for the win. Nattie gets a mic and says that she's helped train Kaitlyn in the past year and her progress has been amazing. She wishes her protege good luck and hugs her, both women clearly emotional.

Wrestlemania XXIX April 7th. Backstage, AJ has new gear and tells Dolph and Big E to stay behind, she can do this. Dolph gives her a good luck kiss and tells her to steal the show and the title. She comes out to the ring first. Naomi is shown, also in new gear, being given a pep talk by Cameron and Brodus Clay. Clay tells her to win this for all the little Funkateers. Naomi says she's ready to prove herself and walks out and down to the ring. Kaitlyn is shown last, in brand new gear, talking quietly with Natalya. The Divas title is around her waist. The two nod and shake hands, and Kaitlyn walks out of the curtain and down to the ring. She hands the title over to the referee, who presents it to the other two women, then to the crowd. Once it's out of the ring, the ref checks all three...then calls for the bell. The match is underway...

 Will Kaitlyn retain? Will Naomi break out of Brodus Clay's shadow? Or will AJ steal the show?

Stereotypes in 2012 Wrestling aka Lazy Booking 101

 "I won't be ignored, Dan!"

I already wrote about my problem with the AJ Lee/Bryan Danielson story line. I made sure to mention last week about CM Punk's "I kinda dig crazy chicks" line as well. This week, cue WWE Shop's newest addition: a CM Punk shirt proudly proclaiming, "I Dig Crazy Chicks."

Three cheers for WWE continuing the stereotype of the crazy ex-girlfriend. Someone on twitter asked what AJ did exactly to be deemed crazy. Obviously according to WWE logic, any woman who reacts to a humiliating breakup other than "calmly accept it and move on" is crazy. Wrestling is full of stereotypes and the "crazy chick" is one of them. This is one of my core frustrations with wrestling itself - lazy booking that falls back into stereotypes instead of trying something different. If you're black, you get to be a savage, an angry militant, or a dancer (thanks to Demond aka OVW's Mo Green aka WWE's Lamont for pointing that one out!). If you're Mexican, you get to be a gang member or a lazy worker (such as the "Mexicools" driving their riding lawn mowers to the ring). If you're Asian, you get to be the superior foreigner who knows no English and is supposedly too good to learn it. If you're a woman, you get to have no personality (just another face/heel) or be a slut ("hoeski"), a bitch, power-hungry, or crazy.

Is it really asking so much for promotions to think outside the box when it comes to wrestlers outside of the white, straight male persuasion? Plenty of promotions have already, so why can't all of them? I'm speaking specifically of WWE here, obviously, but in 2012 no promotion anywhere should be falling back on such lazy, narrow minded and quite frankly stupid booking of their talent.

But on the flip side, if WWE is going to go the stereotype route with merchandise, lets go all the way. How about the following for shirts?


For Eve Torres, a silhouette of her when she had collapsed in the ring crying after Cena had publicly called her a hoeski. The words underneath would read something along the lines of "#HoeskiProblems" or "I Dig Hoeskis" or "Yay for Slut Shaming!"

For AJ, one that says, "I Hate Manipulative Douchebag Men." Comes with or without a picture of her holding a bunny in a pot.

For John Cena, "Minorities in Trouble? What, Me Worry?" or "Hustle. Loyalty. Respect.* (*Does not apply to homosexuals or minorities)"

For Vince McMahon, "Stand Up for Perpetuating Stereotypes!"


I wonder how many of those would sell? Maybe as many as the new CM Punk shirt.

*Edit, thanks to ACrimsonMask on Twitter for pointing this out. WWE really wants to get the point across that AJ is crazy. Take a look at her entrance video:

My Problem with AJ & Daniel Bryan

For several weeks now, the story line between AJ and Daniel Bryan in WWE has bothered me. But I couldn't really put my finger on it until last night right when I was about to go to sleep. If you watched RAW from 5/21, you would've seen AJ come up to CM Punk and say that she really liked watching Bryan getting beaten up by Kane and then by Punk. To which, Punk replied, "So you're a sadist?" Then she proceeded to cry after being called crazy, Punk hugged her, asked her to stop crying, which she stopped immediately. He said, "I kinda dig crazy chicks." And as he walked away, she looked bewildered, confused and upset.

What came to me last night was what AJ should've said when he asked if she was a sadist. She should have replied, very calmly and reasonably, what any woman would have said.

"No. I just enjoy seeing the man who tore my heart out and upended my world get a fraction of the pain that he dealt me." Or something along those lines. Because let's face it, when the man or woman that we are in love with rejects us (be it gently or harshly) one of our gut reactions is to hope that he/she feels as much pain as we do. And since Bryan isn't feeling the emotional pain AJ is, why not take enjoyment that he's in physical pain?

But no, they didn't go that route. Instead they seem to be heading further down the "AJ is a psycho ex-girlfriend" route. And that route bothers me. Why? Because I see myself in that role. I've been there, along with a lot of other women I'd imagine. And although I've harped on this before, it's just another example of how little WWE thinks of the women that they employ. The women have to fit into neat little boxes - Eve is the hoeski evil boss. AJ is the psycho ex-girlfriend. Layla's the spunky babyface that's freshly returned from injury and determined to prove herself worthy of being Divas champ. ...Actually that's it. The other women are interchangeable wrestlers. That might be the saddest, most telling point of all. None of the other women have any kind of point to them. The faces are smiley, the heels are ultra-serious. They're just there.

For me, however, I would rather see AJ be another faceless name than regulated to a role that is all too easy for women to be given. One person asked me what the difference was between this and Mickie/Trish. Well, for starters, Mickie was an obsessive fan that became a stalker, came on to Trish, was rejected and wound up taking the title from her. They were never a couple. Trish tried to treat her nicely and make it clear they were just friends but after Mickie came onto her, she rejected James. AJ and Bryan were a couple, and even though Bryan treated her like crap, AJ remained loyal. Even after Bryan so brutally dumped her. We always knew that Mickie was a little "off" but it's only since being rejected that AJ has started to show signs of not being "all there." So whereas I was okay with Mickie/Trish, I'm not okay with AJ/Bryan.

The boyfriend that uses the lovesick girl for his own means. The boyfriend that dumps her after a mistake that wasn't her fault. The boyfriend that keeps treating her like shit despite the fact she still loves him. These roles aren't good for either Bryan or AJ, although Bryan is hugely over despite being the heel, so I doubt he's complaining much.

At the end of the day, we are still seeing the tired old routine that we've seen in dozens of movies, songs, plays, etc. Girl goes off the deep end after being rejected by the man she loves. Being in love, having your heart broken and your whole life go upside down...it makes for great drama, but I watch wrestling to escape my problems for awhile. And when one of the women I'm a fan of is playing out something that I am still going through...it just makes me sad and reminds me of how strong the stereotype of the "psychotic ex" is still firmly attached to women.

I'm not psychotic. Nor are any of the other women who go through so much turmoil after a breakup. We are simply trying to find our way through one of the most traumatic experiences of our lives. That's all. And I'm tired of seeing it on television, let alone in something like wrestling that still has so many stereotypes tied into it. For my sake and the sake of the other women and men who dislike this story line, I sincerely hope it comes to an end soon.