Psycho AJ

Aside from Eve getting a great spot recently in the men's matters, AJ Lee finds herself in an even more elaborate storyline than being one of the GM's sidekicks. Her romance angle with Daniel Bryan, which was a good rub to start with, has turned into this psycho gimmick, where she is now caught between CM Punk and Bryan. Much like Eve, it has now been quite some time since AJ actually had a match on Raw or Smackdown. Obviously, this kind of treatment once again illustrates that you don't need to be pushed in the ring for the WWE to develop you to be over. AJ is not the centerpiece of the diva division, but the WWE is pretty much pushing her as the most interesting woman in the company right now.

I feel the rub from Daniel Bryan was already getting her over. Was having her go crazy after Daniel Bryan broke her heart really necessary? Overness is not the only goal here, even though the WWE has failed to really create a star in the diva division in some time. All their centerpieces since Trish either couldn't maintain a certain level in the ring or was Michelle McCool. Kharma could have been something, but circumstances led to that not working out. And yet, overness does not seem to be the only goal here. Does the WWE really want people to forget Mickie James?

A lot of people say that Mickie's psycho lesbian fan gimmick was the best diva psycho gimmick. Obviously, AJ is not a lesbian in her current storyline and is more of an obsessed/love-hurt girlfriend, not an obsessed fan. A lot of people also say that AJ is similar to Mickie. In fact, dirtsheets portrayed AJ as if she would be Mickie's successor after the WWE released her in 2010. Is AJ doing a good job copying Mickie here? I just don't feel the same energy and enthusiasm coming from AJ that I remember from Mickie James in 2005 and 2006.

Of course, AJ should be trying to be AJ, not Mickie. Without comparing this woman to someone else, which might be unfair, how is AJ Lee doing for her own sake? Well, she has been selling this awkwardness. That is not necessarily bad. It is definitely part of the storyline. She is obviously hot. And she is cute. But will her behavior really connect with the fans to get her over? I just don't think she is entertaining enough to pull that off. Luckily, much like Eve, she is in a position where she will do things that will connect with the crowd. Those rubs from Bryan and Punk will definitely help her.

Does AJ actually deserve this push? I already pointed out that the WWE needs some over divas, but did AJ ever earn this push? Dirtsheets created hype for this woman before she even debuted. When she eventually came to Smackdown, she wasn't exactly pushed in a major way at all. She never really earned any major overness, yet she still found herself in a romance angle with Daniel Bryan, who went on to win the World Championship. That is major. She now finds herself between two of the most popular guys in the company. Mickie James never had this kind of career. She was a credible jobber being used to put over the greatest centerpiece the WWE diva division ever produced. There is no diva involved in AJ's current storyline. She is not being developed simply to put over a woman meant to be ahead of her. This is a storyline that will truly benefit her. I do not see the WWE completely pulling the plug from her, which is what they did with Mickie when they tried to develop other women to replace Trish. Point is, this woman is definitely in a position that a lot of other women on the roster might have also benefited majorly from, and AJ really was not majorly more over than these women. Another example of the WWE choosing who they want to be successful.

Finally, looking at AJ's career so far, she is not following in the footsteps of Mickie James. She is following in the footsteps of Lita. Lita really benefited from coming to the WWE at a time where there was no centerpiece. The WWE developed her as the valet of various individuals, gave her several main-event rubs, including beating Stephanie McMahon in the main event of Raw for the Women's Championship, and developed her character well, all before Trish Stratus even won her first Women's Championship and became the centerpiece. The same thing is going on here. The diva division is broken from years of failed centerpieces. The WWE has developed AJ as the girlfriend of Daniel Bryan, a main-eventer, they are now having her work with CM Punk, another main-eventer, and her character is definitely being developed with this psycho gimmick. This woman's career has not followed the path of a credible jobber. That is what Mickie James always was. If AJ ever does become anywhere near the most over diva on the roster, it would not be because she was better than Mickie James. It would be because she was never being pushed like Mickie James. Not to sound bitter or too pro-Mickie, but comparing a woman developed to be over to a woman developed to put over other women isn't exactly a fair deal. If you want to compare what the WWE is doing with AJ to anyone else, compare it to Lita. In the end, it all comes down to what the WWE is trying to do.