The "Anti-Diva" Divas

The "anti-divas" some people sometimes talk about are those women in the WWE who do not follow the typical mold of what a WWE diva is. They are not these glamorous models. They are often very different. Chyna, Serena, and Kharma are some examples of women who fit that profile in the WWE. There is that difference in looks, style, and gimmick.

The main reason to bring up this kind of diva is to point out that the WWE isn't entirely against them being successes. They are not all just credible jobbers meant to put over the glamorous eye-candy centerpiece. Chyna is a great example of that. When the diva division really started, Chyna was not exactly being poorly pushed. She was a part of DX. She soon found herself mixing it up with the men. They ran with her. After Sable left, Chyna was one of the top stars of the diva division, as a periphery diva. Even though she did eventually get a run with the Women's Championship, she was still booked as someone more dominant than the typical diva. You look at Kharma, she most likely would have followed in the path of Chyna to some degree. She was not going to be the centerpiece and she would not easily become a credible jobber. She would have been a periphery diva, if they had kept her or brought her back. Even though Serena did not last long in the WWE, the gimmick she had would qualify her as an anti-diva. They most likely would have turned her into a credible jobber after that debut angle, but they never got that far.

What would you call Mickie James? She definitely isn't exactly like Chyna and Kharma, but she wasn't exactly in the same league as Trish Stratus and Michelle McCool. But that isn't really the point I want to bring up. In terms of how the WWE runs their diva division, or used to run it back when it had not collapsed, women pushed in the manner Mickie James was are not meant to succeed. These are the women pushed to put over the centerpiece and act as filler when the centerpiece is not around or getting something else. Outside of that, they get poor treatment. With that kind of treatment, it's easy to see why so many female wrestlers would not become too over throughout the history of the diva division. Only periphery divas would succeed at that certain level. And Mickie James was not a periphery diva. And she was not the centerpiece. She was a jobber to the centerpiece and an interim centerpiece. What did she do with that career? She made herself into the most over diva on the roster. Does that make her an anti-diva? "Anti-diva division" diva? She definitely beat what the diva division was about. In the end, it wasn't exactly a gimmick. And while the WWE may not have a problem with some women having unique looks and gimmicks from the standard diva, they just might have a problem with the wrong women getting over and failing to succeed with the women they do want to be over. Mickie James was definitely not the typical story, but no one talks about it.

Four Members And The Group Still Goes Nowhere

Joey Mercury, surprise surprise, is the other guy in CM Punk's Straight Edge Society. Most internet fans probably knew this. Only little kids who did not watch WWE years ago may have no idea who this guy is. I could say I am glad to see him back, but I would not be telling the truth. I could say I hate it, but that isn't true either. I'm indifferent. Joey Mercury? Why? The guy was part of a well-treated team/stable years ago. He was not incredibly over. Of all the people to rehire, him? I would rather see Cryme Tyme reunite and get a title run. Instead, it looks like that team can end up released by this time next year. That is another topic.

As for the whole stable, they have a feud going with Big Show. What other top face really had free time to feud with Punk? Months ago, I talked about how I did not like how the members under Punk were being built. Before that, I talked about how it was good that Serena was getting involved in a stable like this. Punk was a main-eventer. He was feuding against DX and Rey Mysterio. He was doing awesomely. He could give Serena and Luke a good rub! Nope. More than 6 months after her debut on Smackdown, Serena has yet to have an official diva match. Even Rosa Mendes didn't have to wait this long. Luke Gallows seems to be just there. A while back, they teased some friction in the group. Just like when they teased Gail Kim turning heel last year, nothing has really come of that friction. Now they add another sidekick? All these two guys can do is beat jobbers? I doubt they will have these two really get one over on Big Show himself. If anyone, Punk will get that benefit. I am not saying Punk does not deserve it, but enough is enough. The WWE is not investing in the other members. Punk is the kind of guy who can invest in himself, but they are not having him really invest in his followers well enough. All he really does is push his own superiority over them.

What can be done to really spread the wealth? Have attention shift to at least Luke Gallows better. Instead of having him get a win over a jobber, have him, the biggest guy in the stable, really be the one to shine against Big Show, the largest man on Smackdown. If the IC title was on a face, I would say that either Luke or Joey could start feuding for that. Nope. And Serena? How about having her trying to recruit some of the face divas to the SES? Have McCool and Layla play with the toy that the Women's Championship has become. And Punk? Have him oversee all this. Give him something to be proud of. It does not have to turn into the SES show, much like ECW was somewhat the CM Punk show for a while, but it can be more entertaining and do more for the members.

End Of SES Near?

While CM Punk is unable to compete, the WWE still gives his stable an interesting storyline, and with Punk very much in the center. Last week, they teased the end of Serena's membership. This week, Punk passed sentence. Serena is still in. However, Luke Gallows did not look too happy.

They are doing an angle about the potential break up of SES. I do not think now is the time to start breaking the entire group up. Punk has hardly really propelled the careers of his minion. They have just been his lackeys. Pretty much the point in a way, but even Orton won the WWE title a few times when he had his stable last year. SES has hardly accomplished anything great for Punk. Luke Gallows would die without being near Punk.

On the other hand, I would not have cried if Serena was let go from the group last week. Seeing her actually start wrestling would have been worth it. She can still wrestle while in SES, true, but the WWE is not doing that either.

In the end, SES is not going to die in a day. They are going to develop this angle a bit. I hope it leads to something more for the members than just them going their separate ways, and with Punk probably being the only one with a bright future.

Pour You Another, Punk?

CM Punk's stable, Straight-Edge Society, has been doing pretty well for the few months that they have officially been in existence on Smackdown. It also seems to be still growing. Luke Gallows, Serena, the masked guy, and maybe Rey Mysterio. Lose your hair or gain a new member?

How many members does still stable need? One of the things you have to realize about this group's "success" in terms of either wins or straight entertainment value, it is tied to Punk. Punk is definitely the center of attention here. That gives the other members a rub, true, but how much longer can they continue across this path?

Compare it to Legacy. Randy Orton had two henchmen. Initially, the group was pretty much just messing around with what Orton wanted after they were officially formed. Rhodes and DiBiase looked pathetic at times. That is not happening to Gallows and Serena yet, but something is also not happening for them yet. Rhodes and DiBiase went on to get some real attention back on them when they feuded against DX. That was huge. I believe there was at least one event where the feud between these two teams trumped Orton's own feud on a card. This was great for Rhodes and DiBiase. They were no longer in Orton's direct shadow for those few months.

Again, Gallows and Serena are not exactly being brought to tears or humiliation being in the shadow of CM Punk, but when are they going to get that period in which they really branch on their own? Obviously, they will not be going for the tag titles with each other. Serena can go for diva feuds. Anti-Diva? Is that supposed to be an excuse to keep her out of matches? Doubt it. Gallows can team with the new member to go for tag gold, but I doubt this team will look as good as Rhodes and DiBiase when they feuded against DX.

Is four enough? Punk can compete for the World title. Two guys for tag gold. One woman for diva gold. One of the guys can try for the Intercontinental Championship. They may also add another member to take that belt. Seriously, I do not want to see this stable with ALL the gold. Even Evolution never had all the gold. In case you have forgotten, no one in that stable held the Women's Championship.

I guess I am just waiting for when they stop trying to add members to the group, but start actually building the members under Punk better. One of the arguments against this is that it will turn into the "Straight-Edge Show". If each member had a unique storyline going on, other midcarders and divas may be getting shafted. Adding more members to the group will not exactly lead down a path in the opposite direction. It may make things worse. I would like to see less angles that involve CM Punk as the main star and the rest of his minion as straight sidekicks. I want to start seeing less storylines that revolve around spreading the same straight-edge message. I will admit that there are a lot of creative possibilities there, but why play them all out now? I would rather see more angles building up people who are not CM Punk.

Everything Evens Out In The End

Now that all the names have been traded around, and ignoring any bodies that may not make it to their new homes or make it just to be released soon after, I seem to notice two directions things may be going.

First, I know a lot of people will claim Smackdown is dead now. Others will say that Smackdown is now free to make new stars. I am in the latter camp. In case you missed it, Smackdown lost both Edge and Jericho. That was the Smackdown main event at Wrestlemania. Undertaker does not work a full schedule anymore. Who are your top faces and top heels? The answer is that they will have to rotate men who they have been using in the upper-midcard recently, like CM Punk and Rey Mysterio. Jack Swagger will continue to be pushed. Too soon for him? That is another issue. You can now potentially see the rise of Kofi Kingston or Christian, who were drafted themselves. Big Show, hopefully, will not be treated as some guy's tag partner. Whether he ever wins a World title soon or not, he belongs closer in the title hunt. This should be fresh.

Over on Raw, John Cena now has fresh, or slightly fresh, heels to overcome. Jericho is back. Edge looks to be starting a feud with Orton. Edge is heel again so fast? Both of these guys know what it is like to lose to Cena in title matches. Sheamus has never been pinned or made to submit to Cena in a televised match. Batista is focused on losing to Cena three pay-per-views in a row. The other guys sent to Raw, like Morrison and R-Truth, will fit in nicely in the midcard for now. Their characters may fit well with guest host crap or other segments and storylines. I cannot picture either of these two faces winning the WWE title so soon on a show that still has John Cena, Randy Orton, and Triple H on the roster. It may not be really fresh once you think about it, but at least Raw is stacked with big guys.

Now for the second direction. It may not be mutually exclusive to what I just said. One may feed off the other in some way. Thing is, I feel the two shows may now be balancing out. Raw just gained some guys who can wrestle a good match and are allowed to do so regularly. Hart Dynasty? I cannot picture them being wasted. The WWE cannot be that stupid. I am sure they must allow those two guys to raise the bar a bit. However, Santino is still around too. Over on Smackdown, comedy gold may be heading there. Hornswoggle? Reunion with Finlay? New push for Finlay? It could happen. Smackdown lost Khali to Raw. That somewhat negates the idea that Raw will feature good wrestling. Smackdown will definitely help good wrestlers who have been broken a bit on Raw, like MVP. But will Raw do the same for the good talent it just gained? I feel, or want to feel, that it must. Santino will still be doing his act on Raw. I look forward to seeing how far Hornswoggle will go on Smackdown. Did I forget to mention that his favorite personal jobber, Chavo is heading there too? Yeah, that doesn't make me too hopeful for Smackdown.

Maybe what I am trying to say is more clear if you consider the Smackdown diva division. Natalya is going to Raw. From Raw, Smackdown gains Rosa Mendes, plus Kelly Kelly, who moved on Monday. Two women without real wrestling experience take the place of one woman with wrestling experience? Natalya is definitely a step up for the Raw division, depending on how they treat her. But Smackdown? Raw was the show for crappy diva matches and segments. Smackdown focused on serious action and better developed angles. Can you see how Natalya does not seem to fit into the past Raw landscape? Two eye-candy divas going over to Smackdown do not fit that landscape. Why? I think it is stupid. Outside of the two women already involved in the title feud on Smackdown, I cannot easily suggest who can step in after one of them steps out, based on wrestling credibility and current angles going on. How much longer will Serena be tied into SES? I can say that Rosa will be released soon, but how much will that really fix? Is Raw good now that Natalya is there? Is Smackdown bad now that Rosa is there? In some way, have things just been evened out a bit?

Overall, the landscape has been changed. You have to admit that. Fresh stars can be pushed on Smackdown to become main-eventers (again). Built main-eventers can now face each other in matches that should not be too hard to hype over on Raw. The bar may have been raised in some ways. This past Raw featured many good matches. That can be a new norm? I won't hold my breath. The diva division seems like crap. This is where the landscape was not really changed. None of the women moved have ever held a title in the WWE. None of them are consistently featured in title feuds. None of them have proper spotlight on them regularly at all. Nothing was shaken up. Am I wrong? Then again, why bother taking diva matters seriously? They are not the main draw.