Question: has WWE been too harsh on Kelly Kelly?

Hands up, I’m not a great fan of Kelly Kelly (the character, I’m sure she’s a perfectly sweet woman, and I’ll maintain that Randy Orton is an utter tosser for saying what he did about her).

When I heard that she’d been released from her WWE contract, I wasn’t that bothered, until I realised that in the past year or so, the Divas Division have lost Kharma, Maxine, Sofia Cortez, Raquel Diaz, the Bellas, Melina, Gail Kim, Michelle McCool, and are apparently about to lose Beth Phoenix too.

Reports are suggesting that WWE weren’t happy with K2 posing for “risque lingerie shots” for her own personal calendar (merchandise she’s apparently contractually obliged to produce and sell).

TOWIS: first birthday competition!

TOWIS celebrates its first anniversary at the start of October, and thanks to our friends at various promotions and companies, we’re delighted to announce a fabulous competition with some terrific wrestling-themed prizes (full prize list to be announced).

To enter and be in with a chance of winning one of these goody bags, just answer the following question –

Who was TOWIS’s first interviewee?

a) Mickie James

b) Miss Tessmacher

c) Kelly Kelly

Email your answer to us by 3rd October – the winners will be announced soon after!

Question: Which WWE Diva should be next to get a push?

Leaving aside the Divas who are currently in the main event picture (ie Beth Phoenix, Natalya, Kelly Kelly, Eve, and, God help us, Alicia Fox and the Bella Twins), which women do you enjoy seeing on WWE TV programming?

Maxine is apparently the next lady to get a push in traditional WWE style (ie two men feuding over her); AJ features frequently on Raw now because she’s Daniel Bryan’s nerdy ladyfriend, having been twisted into a pretzel by Nattie once too often in the ring; Kaitlyn is wheeled out to job every so often; Tamina has been reinvented as JTG’s owner, which I quite like; Aksana is Teddy Long’s resident mistletoe-munching courtesan; and even Rosa Mendes has found something to do, ie screeching at the hastily-thrown-together pseudo-Mexican America stable.

There’s some interesting talent in FCW as well – Ivelisse of Tough Enough fame is there now; Audrey Marie seems to think she’s Mickie James; and Raquel Diaz is a Guerrero, which usually bodes well.

But which of this lot would you like to see in in-ring action?

 

Fact: Hey, TNA Impact Wrestling, it’s 2011!

There are many, many solid objections to be levelled at Impact Wrestling’s egregiously offensive “Thong Thunder” lingerie match from last week.

There’s the fact that the Knockouts division chain of command seems to be just as convoluted and nonsensical as WWE Raw’s – Karen Jarrett reigns supreme, and holds power of hiring and firing, even though Sting and Dixie are nominally in charge; that’s why the women all stood around looking disgruntled but didn’t bother taking their grievance to a higher management level.

There’s the fact that, however you try to play it, a group of women running and rolling around in their underwear is soft porn. For a division which emphasises the ability of their female talent, to reduce their role on the show to this is embarrassing and undignified for everybody involved. Including the viewers.

Fact: being beautiful is not an achievement, Kelly Kelly

One of the many things I love about William Regal is that when he’s commentating on one of AJ’s matches, he always talks about how much his niece loves her, and what a great role model she is.

It’s true, as well. You can completely see why a little girl would worship happy little AJ, with her gymnastics and her power-pop theme and her cute ring gear (which she never looks in danger of falling out of, because it actually has some material to it).

I find it a little more concerning when the WWE try to push Kelly Kelly as some kind of role model.

Rumour: Gail Kim says the Divas are told to be ‘more girlie’. Shocker!

You’ve probably seen former WWE Diva Gail Kim’s shoot by now, in which she talks about why she left WWE and criticises the way the Divas division is run.

I totally wanted to be on her side on this, but I’m really not. The entire episode makes Kim seem alternately ridiculously naive, childish and ever so slightly spiteful.

That’s not to say the WWE come out looking fantastic – of course they don’t – but have we really learnt anything about them we didn’t already know? Let’s consider the facts.